Opening Mass & Holy Hour of the National Prayer Vigil for Life - January 20, 2022

please join us in praying the chaplet of divine mercy in preparation for the holy sacrifice of the mass in the name of the father of the son of the holy spirit our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus i believe in god the father almighty creator of heaven and earth and in jesus christ his only son our lord who was conceived by the holy spirit born of the virgin mary suffered and the pontius pilate was crucified died and was buried he descended into hell on the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of god the father almighty from there he will come to judge the living and the dead eternal father i offer you the body and blood soul and divinity of your dearly beloved son our lord jesus christ for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion eternal father i offer you the body and blood soul and divinity of your daily beloved son our lord jesus christ for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion eternal father i offer you the body and blood soul and divinity of your daily beloved son our lord jesus christ for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion eternal father i offer you the body and blood soul and divinity of your daily beloved son our lord jesus christ for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion eternal father i offer you the body and blood soul and divinity of your daily beloved son our lord jesus christ [Music] for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion for the sake of his sorrowful passion holy god holy mighty one holy immortal one holy god holy mighty one holy immortal one as we prepare for the holy sacrifice of the mass let us maintain an atmosphere of reverent silence [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] um [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you so [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you [Music] oh oh on us [Music] r [Music] [Music] oh [Music] healing [Music] is [Music] he is [Music] on us [Music] is [Music] of his mouth me [Music] see [Music] [Music] is [Music] has [Music] see [Music] me [Music] jesus christ in our hearts [Music] oh see [Music] oh [Music] if you would kindly be seated please good afternoon and welcome to the basilica of the national shrine of immaculate conception for this 43rd vigil for life let me tell you it is wonderful to have you with us this year to see the shrine filled with all of your faces especially our young friends coronavirus precautions limited participation in the 2021 vigil and this year we are still facing some health concerns because of the omnicron variant however seeing this great upper church filled with so many advocates for life is truly a sight for sore eyes we are happy to have you with us as we pray on this eve of the 49th march for life i remind you that here in the district of columbia masks covering both your nose as well as your mouth are required in public buildings and this also includes churches and so we ask your cooperation with this regulation which is meant to help keep everyone safe and healthy i am pleased to welcome archbishop william laurie as the celebrant for tonight's mass archbishop lori is the archbishop of baltimore a member of the national australian board of trustees and chair of the united states conference of catholic bishops committee on pro-life activities we welcome as well the archbishop of boston cardinal sean o'malley cardinal o'malley is a member of the national flying board of trustees and a former chair of the usccb committee on pro-life activities we can also say that cardinal o'malley is a pioneer of this vigil for life having led the vigil for many years when it was still held in the crypt church of the shrine and he was still father sean welcome remnants it is always a great pleasure to have with us at mary shrine the episode nuncio to the united states archbishop christophe pierre as nuncio archbishop pierre is the personal representative of our holy father pope francis to the united states we're especially grateful to the holy father for granting a plenary indulgence to all who participate in this vigil for life the conditions of which you will find in tonight's worship aid among our guests tonight we are honored to have with us our friends from the orthodox church and in particular his eminence archbishop el podophras the archbishop of the greek orthodox church in america i also welcome the archbishops bishops priests deacons religious and seminarians who join us tonight a very warm welcome is given to the members of the knights of columbus and supreme knight patrick kelly the knights of saint peter claver the catholic daughters of the americas the knights of the holy sepulchre the knights of malta and the president of the catholic university of america john garvey in a special way we welcome those who join us at home through our live stream broadcast catholic tv new evangelization television catholic faith network we are one body radio and the eternal word television network whose generosity has made this broadcast possible may our lady of guadalupe protect us of the unborn intercede on behalf of the unborn and the defense of the most vulnerable among us and senior bosses thank you for welcoming us so very very warmly we are gathered together now as a family of faith to celebrate the gift of life and to pray for its protection as we prepare for tomorrow's march for life let's stand and begin our sacred liturgy in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen peace be with you and with you to prepare ourselves to celebrate these sacred mysteries let us call to mind our sins i confess to almighty god and to you my brothers and sisters that i have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words in what i have done what i have failed to do through my fault through my fault through my most grievous fault therefore i ask blessed mary ever virgin all the angels and saints and you my brothers and sisters to pray for me to the lord our god may almighty god have mercy on us forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life [Music] me [Music] r oh [Music] let us pray god our creator we give thanks to you who alone have the power to impart the breath of life as you form each of us in our mother's womb grant we pray that we whom you have made stewards of creation may remain faithful to this sacred trust and constant in safeguarding the dignity of every human life through our lord jesus christ your son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the holy spirit god for ever and ever a reading from the beginning of the book of the prophet jeremiah the words of jeremiah son of hilkiah of a priestly family in anathoth in the land of benjamin the word of the lord came to me thus before i formed you in the womb i knew you before you were born i dedicated you a prophet to the nations i appointed you ah lord god i said i know not how to speak i am too young but the lord answered me say not i am too young to whomever i send you you shall go whatever i command you you shall speak have no fear before them because i am with you to deliver you says the lord then the lord extended his hand and touched my mouth saying see i place my words in your mouth this day i set you over nations and over kingdoms to root up and to tear down to destroy and to demolish to build and to plant the word of the lord so [Music] i praise you o lord foreign [Music] foreign [Music] oh lord you have probed me you know me you know when [Music] my [Music] i is you [Music] truly you have formed my inmost being you knit me in my mother's wound up [Music] i [Music] praise you [Music] my soul are so unique nor was my frame unknown to you [Music] i praise you lord [Music] a reading from the beginning of the first letter of saint john beloved what was from the beginning what we have heard what we have seen with our eyes what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the word of life for the life was made visible we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the father and was made visible to us what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you so that you two may have fellowship with us for our fellowship is with the father and with his son jesus christ we are writing this so that our joy may be complete the word of the lord [Music] oh r [Music] oh [Music] lasting love [Music] the lord be with you a reading from the holy gospel according to luke glory to you mary set out and traveled to the hill country in hayes to a town of judah where she entered the house of zechariah and greeted elizabeth when elizabeth her mary's greeting the infant leaped in her own and elizabeth filled with the holy spirit cried out in a loud voice and said most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb and how does this happen to me that the mother of my lord should come to me for at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears the infant in my womb leap for joy blessed are you who believe what was that was spoken to you by the lord would be fulfilled and mary said my soul proclaims the greatness of the lord my spirit rejoices in god my savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant from this day all generation will call me blessed the almighty has done great things for me and holy is his name he has mercy on those who fear him in every generation he has shown the strength of his arm he has scattered the proud in their conceit he has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lonely lowly he has filled the hungry with good things and the re rich he sent away empty he has come to the help of his servant israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy the promise he made to our fathers to abraham and his children forever mary remain with her about three months then return to her home the gospel of the lord [Music] my dear friends of the lord jesus more than a few times in my nearly 45 years as a priest i have met with women and couples who were contemplating an abortion almost without exception these women and couples were deeply conflicted most experienced a very deep and real anguish with the help of god's grace i tried to walk with them to connect them with pro-life medical services and ministries and never to assume that i fully understood what they were going through some couples with whom i met received troubling prenatal diagnoses others especially unmarried women were often victims of poverty and abuse in almost every case family members friends and medical professionals urged them to get an abortion as a solution to a problem child a child who was likely to be born with an abnormality or conversely a perfectly healthy child who would be born into poverty and lack of equity to many of them it seemed that their only option was to have an abortion but deep within they knew that it was a tragic choice with lasting consequences what is so needed in all such situations is a witness to love and to life through the years the church in the united states has developed ministries to help expectant mothers and couples who face difficult pregnancies and those who find it difficult to care for their children when they are born this evening i would like to salute those who carry forward such ministries beginning with mother agnes mary donovan superior general of the sisters of life a growing religious community of women who by their way of life bear witness to the dignity and beauty of every human life they do this as they welcome pregnant women into their homes and provide life-changing spiritual resources to women in crisis might be a good idea for us to thank the sisters of life and in fact all the religious sisters who are with us tonight let us show them our love and our appreciation another beautiful and rapidly growing ministry is walking with moms in need a ministry sponsored by the united states conference of catholic bishops this parish-based ministry helps open the eyes of parishioners to pregnant and parodying moms in our local communities it enables parishioners to come to know these mothers to listen to them and along the way to help them obtain the necessities of life for themselves and for their children and this includes medical care as well as emotional and spiritual support walking with moms in need is a way that all of us can help millions of mothers it's also a way that parishes can respond to pope francis challenge to be islands of mercy in a sea of indifference let me also raise up the ministry of pro-life pregnancy centers in these united states centers that welcome women in crisis with compassionate counseling and through ultrasound technology often supplied by the knights of columbus enable them to glimpse the humanity of their unborn children most of the time these mothers elect to bring their babies to term because they have seen their features and heard their heartbeat and what they see and hear they touch the word of life nor does the church give up on women and couples who have chosen an abortion and then find themselves in emotional and spiritual turmoil here i salute project rachel and other pioneering ministries that provide healing and spiritual renewal for women and couples after an abortion in all these ways and more the church seeks to bring light healing and hope thus witnessing to the beauty of human life and building a culture of life one mother and one child at a time this evening's scripture readings provide a beautiful foundation for all such ministries perhaps it was mary who first exemplified walking with moms in need when she learned from the angel that her cousin elizabeth well past the age of child bearing was in her sixth month mary hastened to her side mary's journey through the hill country was a dangerous trek of some 90 miles but she went the distance to reach out in love to elizabeth in her hour of need when mary arrived the child in elizabeth's womb leapt for joy and filled with the holy spirit elizabeth cried out in words that you and i repeat every day of our lives blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb namely jesus and elizabeth went further she addressed mary as the mother of my lord the messiah to those who judged only by appearances the pregnancies of mary and elizabeth seemed unbelievable a cause for questioning fodder for gossip yet as was true of the prophet jeremiah and even more so god had a plan for the children and the mothers who bore them from across the centuries echoed the words of jeremiah before i formed you in the womb i knew you before you were born i dedicated you a prophet to the nations i appointed you while still unborn the god-given destiny of these children began to unfold john the baptist the forerunner of the messiah and jesus messiah and lord in god's eyes my dear friends in god's eyes all human life is sacred and god has a plan for each and every person this evening we proclaim with the psalmist the god endows each person with dignity and worth from the moment of conception with the psalmist we say truly you have formed my inmost being you knit me in my mother's womb i give thanks that i am wonderfully fearfully made but not just you and i each and every child pope francis pope francis captures the psalmist appreciation for the gift of life when he writes that and i quote our defense of the unborn needs to be clear firm and passionate and that equally sacred are the lives of the poor those already born the destitute the abandoned and the underprivileged the vulnerable infirm exposed to covert euthanasia the victims of human trafficking yes our loving defense of the most vulnerable namely the unborn continually overflows into love and respect for their mothers and families and for all of those whose life dignity and freedom are degraded by injustice and indifference this evening let us be clear for us as catholics justice is not a matter of faith it is a matter of reason saint thomas aquinas teaches that the law is and i quote an ordinance of reason for the common good in other words precisely because law should be made for the common good that is they should be made for the benefit of everyone they must be based on reason and reason tells us that every human being at every stage of life should be treated with respect protected and cared for as we celebrate this pro-life vigil mass we are deeply conscious that the supreme court is weighing dobbs versus jackson this case gives the high court an opportunity to undo the grave injustice it did in 1973 when in roe versus wade it decided that a whole class of human beings namely the unborn are outside the protection of the law and thus non-persons since that tragic decision more than 60 million innocent lives have been taken if roe is overturned states will again be able to protect the lives of unborn children if legal protection is accompanied by more care from mothers and children then it will be more and more clear to more and more of our fellow citizens that choosing life does not hinder happiness and does not burden society on the contrary choosing life creates a society that looks to the future with hope a society where a woman is never forced to choose between your future and her unborn child if later this year the supreme court does overturn roe in whole or in part what should we as catholics be prepared to do first we must be a clear and united voice that says to that our society and our laws can and must protect and care for women and their children it's a matter of fundamental justice we must work to protect in law the lives of the unborn society's most vulnerable and defenseless members and we must redouble our efforts to accompany women and couples who are facing difficult and unexpected pregnancies offering them loving and compassionate care through ministries like walking with moms in need and many others tomorrow we march tomorrow our voice will be heard again in our nation's capital and in many other places throughout the united states many of you have traveled from afar and have sacrificed greatly to be part of this march for life this evening i ask all of you present in this great basilica and those who have joined us electronically to go forth from this mass with renewed resolve to reach out to a family member a neighbor or a fellow parishioner to encourage them to join this great cause for life and not in an abstract way but to reach out in a personal way to help a mother and a child in need this is our time to create a new culture of life in america let us go forth with hope courage and compassion sure in the conviction that here on earth god's work must surely be our own god bless you and keep you god our father here hears the prayers of those who call upon him in faith confident in his love and mercy let us now offer our prayers and petitions for holy father pope francis and all bishops priests deacons and religious that they will be guided and strengthened by the holy spirit as they promote the gospel of life we pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for our leaders that their work will always be guided and aided by the holy spirit in justice and peace for all people at all stages of life we pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for our president and all elected officials that through their policies and decision they will uphold the sanctity of life from conception to natural death we pray to the lord lord lord hear our prayer for all expected mothers that they will receive life-affirming care and support to help those choose life for their children we pray to the lord r lord hear our prayer that all who work in health care profession will be supported and renew their commitment to protect and care for all human life especially the unborn the elderly and the sick we pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for all who have been involved in an abortion that their hearts will be open to receive the lord's mercy healing and hope we pray to the lord lord hear our prayer for who have died especially those who have lost their lives due to coronavirus and those who have died from violence in their in our communities that they may share the glory of heaven with the saints we pray to the lord lord hear our prayer please join me now in reciting the prayer for pregnant mothers which can be found in today's program o blessed mother you receive the good news of the incarnation of christ your son with faith and trust grant your protection to all pregnant mothers facing difficulties guide us as we strive to make our parish communities places of welcome and assistance for mothers in need help us become instruments of god's love and compassion mary mother of the church graciously help us build a culture of life in the civilization of love together with all people of good will to the praise and glory of god the creator and lover of life amen we invite you to join in support of the ministry of the basilica of the national shrine during the unprecedented days where our ministry has been greatly limited your contributions are all the more appreciated thank you for being as generous as your means allow [Music] oh [Music] we are [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] jesus is [Music] i [Music] is [Music] me [Music] with is choice is [Music] is [Music] ah [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] pray my brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to god the almighty father accept our humble offerings o lord of the living and unite us to the perfect sacrifice of your son through whom you have made all creation new who lives and reigns for ever and ever amen the lord be with you lift up your hearts let us give thanks to the lord our god it is truly right and just our duty and our salvation always and everywhere to give you thanks lord holy father almighty and eternal god through christ our lord in him you have been pleased to renew all things give giving us all a share in his fullness for though he was in the form of god he emptied himself and by the blood of his cross brought peace to all creation therefore he has been exalted above all things to all who obey him has become the source of eternal salvation and so with angels and archangels with thrones and dominions and with all the host and powers of heaven we sing the hymn of your glory as without end we acclaim [Music] is [Music] to you therefore most merciful father we make humble prayer and petition through jesus christ your son our lord that you accept and bless these gifts these offerings these holiness and unblemished sacrifices which we offer you firstly for your holy catholic church be pleased to grant your peace to guard unite and govern her throughout the whole world together with your servant francis our pope my brother wilton the bishop of this church and me your unworthy servant and all those who holding to the truth hand on the catholic and apostolic faith remember lord your servants and all gathered here whose faith and devotion are known to you for them we offer you the sacrifice of praise or they offer it for themselves and all who are dear to them for the redemption of their souls in hope of health and well-being and paying their homage to you the eternal god living and true in communion with those whose memory we venerate especially the glorious ever virgin mary mother of our god and lord jesus christ and blessed joseph her spouse your blessed apostles and martyrs peter and paul andrew james john thomas james philippe bartolomeu matthew simon and jude linos cletus clement sixtus cornelius ciprian lawrence chrysogonus john and paul kosmos and damian and all your sins we ask that through their merits and prayers in all things we may be defended by your protecting health therefore lord we pray graciously accept this oblation of our service and that of your whole family order our days and your peace and command that we be delivered from eternal damnation and counted among the flock of those you have chosen be pleased o god we pray to bless acknowledge and approve this offering in every respect make it spiritual and acceptable so that it may become for us the body and blood of your most beloved son our lord jesus christ on the day before he was to suffer he took bread in his holy and vulnerable hands and with eyes raised to heaven to you o god his almighty father giving you thanks he said the blessing broke the bread and gave it to his disciples saying take this all of you and eat of it for this is my body which will be given up for you [Music] in a similar way when supper was ended he took this precious chalice in his holy and venerable hands and once more giving you thanks he said the blessing and gave the chalice to his disciples saying take this all of you and drink from it for this is the chalice of my blood the blood of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins do this in memory of me the mystery of faith until you come [Music] therefore o lord as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed passion the resurrection from the dead and the glorious ascension into heaven of christ your son our lord we are servants and your holy people offered to your glorious majesty from the gifts that you have given us this pure victim this holy victim the spotless victim the holy breath of eternal life and the chalice of everlasting salvation be pleased to look upon these offerings with the serene and kindly countenance and to accept them as once you were pleased to accept the gifts of your servant abel the just the sacrifice of abraham our father in faith and the offering of your high priest melchizedek a holy sacrifice a spotless victim in humble prayer we ask you almighty god command that these gifts be born by the hands of your holy angel to your walter on high in the sight of your divine majesty so that all of us who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy body and blood of your son may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing remember also lord your servants who have gone before us with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace grant them o lord we pray and all who sleep in christ a place of refreshment light and peace to us also your servants who though sinners hope in your abundant mercies graciously grant some share and fellowship with your holy apostles and martyrs with john the baptist stephen matthias barnabas ignatius alexander marcellinus peter felicity perpetua agatha lucy agnes cecilia anastasia and all your saints admit us we beseech you into their company not weighing our merits but granting us your pardon through christ our lord through whom you continue to make all these good things o lord you sanctify them fill them with life bless them and bestow them upon us through him and with him and in him oh god almighty father in the unity of the holy spirit all glory and honor is yours for ever and ever [Music] at the savior's command and formed by divine teaching we dare to say our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil deliver us so lord we pray from every evil graciously grant peace in our days that by the help of your mercy we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our savior jesus christ lord jesus christ who said to your apostles peace i leave you my peace i give you look not on our sins but on the faith of your church and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will who live and reign forever and ever amen may the peace of the lord be with you always [Music] [Music] lord [Music] love of god the sins [Music] please [Music] behold the lamb of god behold him who takes away the sins of the world blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb lord i am not worthy that you should enter under my roof but only say the word [Music] oh [Music] yes [Music] so [Music] [Music] eat this bread and drink this cup and i will raise your last day says the lord this [Music] [Applause] [Music] are those whose way is [Music] are blameless who keep his decrees with all their hearts they seek [Music] is [Music] is the lord you have laid down your presence to be carefully capped [Music] may my ways [Music] this [Music] deal bountifully with your servant that i may live and keep your words [Music] wonders of yours [Music] this [Music] your decrees are wonderful indeed my swell up is [Music] leave this bread and drink [Music] is so [Music] [Music] lord [Music] saved by his body followed by his blood with swords refreshed we give our thanks [Music] with me salvation [Music] christ the only son my rewind [Music] faithful [Music] and light from shades [Music] oh let us [Music] with faithful hearts in search [Music] and take the pleasures here [Music] oh the lord in this world rules his sins and shields to [Music] faithful so [Music] [Music] is me [Music] foreign [Music] is [Music] true slimes [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign so foreign [Music] me [Music] yes foreign [Music] let us pray increase your love within us o lord god by the saving mysteries we have celebrated and bring people everywhere to respect your gift of human life through christ our lord amen thank you for participating in the opening mass of the national prayer vigil for life the vigil will continue momentarily after the conclusion of the mass with the exposition of the blessed sacrament the rosary for life and reflection the vigil will conclude with benediction we invite you to remain for the holy hour and we ask you to please remain prayerfully silent when the blessed sacrament is exposed and as we bring this mass to its conclusion allow me to express my warmest and deepest thanks to all who gathered this evening in this great basilica my brother bishops and priests are religious i want to thank especially your eminence archbishop el pidodoros and the orthodox bishops who have joined us today thank you so very much we are most most grateful for your presence and to all of those who are with us as monsignor rossi said it's a young crowd indicative of the fact that the pro-life movement is a young movement thank you so much my dear young friends for your presence this night as we prepare to march we now ask for god's blessings the lord be with you r bow down for the blessing may almighty god bless you in this kindness and pour out his saving wisdom upon you amen may he nourish you always with the teachings of the faith and make you persevere in holy deeds may he turn your steps towards himself and show you the path of charity and peace amen may almighty god bless you the father and the son and the holy spirit go in peace glorifying the lord by your life [Music] lord we praise you lord we bless creations is [Music] is [Music] holy spirit jesus christ son of god [Music] is [Music] christ and god's right have us [Music] r [Music] r is [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] so so good evening good evening our holy hour will begin in a few moments i ask that all those who are standing to please take their seats as the procession is about to begin thank you so [Music] [Music] [Music] yes [Music] r [Music] oh [Music] team [Music] foreign [Music] is [Music] [Music] me oh [Music] [Music] as we begin this holy hour for the national prayer vigil for life please join in praying the holy rosary meditating on the luminous mysteries the following meditations on the mysteries of light are offered as a prayer for all life from conception to natural death in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit amen i believe in god the father almighty creator of heaven and earth and in jesus christ his only son our lord who is conceived by the holy spirit born of the virgin mary suffered under pontius pilate was crucified died and was buried he descended into hell on the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of god the father almighty from there he will come to judge the living and the dead i believe our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy spirit oh my jesus forgive us our sins save us from the fires of hell lead all souls to heaven especially those in most need of that mercy the first luminous mystery the baptism of jesus in the river jordan that all baptized christians will be opened to the holy spirit and bear witness to the sanctity of life our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy spirit oh my jesus the second luminous mystery the wedding feast at cana for all husbands and wives that they treasure the priceless gift of married love by generously accepting children through procreation and adoption our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy spirit oh my jesus forgive us our sins save us the third luminous mystery the proclamation of the kingdom of god that those who pray and work for greater respect for human life will be guided by the beatitudes and reveal the face of christ to others our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruits of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruits of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruits of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruits of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruits of thy womb jesus glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy spirit o my jesus forgive us our the fourth mystery of light the transfiguration that our world will be transfigured by the witness of faithful christians so that all may understand the priceless value of every human being our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy spirit oh my jesus the fifth luminous mystery the institution of the eucharist that through our worthy reception of the eucharist and frequent eucharistic adoration jesus will teach us to love sacrificially the least and neediest among us our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy bloom jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus hail mary full of grace the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb jesus glory be to the father and to the son and to the holy spirit oh my jesus forgive us our sins hail holy queen mother of mercy our life our sweetness and our hope to thee do we cry for banished children of ye to thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this valley of tears a most gracious advocate thine eyes and mercy towards us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb jesus though clement o loving a sweet virgin man pray for us so holy mother of god let us pray o god whose only begotten son we beseech thee that meditating on these mysteries of the most holy rosary of the blessed virgin mary we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise through the same christ our lord amen in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit amen oh [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Music] oh is uh good evening one and all and thank you for remaining in prayer having like at the last supper having shared in this sacrificial banquet this eucharistic banquet now like the apostles you spend this hour in prayer with our lord thank you for that i thank archbishop lori for the invitation to offer these reflections my name is bishop robert brennan i am the bishop of brooklyn i've somewhat newly arrived there in brooklyn having served the last three years in columbus ohio and before that 29 years as a priest in the diocese of rockville center i often talk about the nativity scenes that we set up around christmas time as a powerful tool for evangelization both in the public square and in the home i myself like to keep at least one out you put all the other decorations away and simplify things but to keep at least one nativity through the feast of the presentation of the lord on february 2nd my parents were married 60 years last august and the nativity set we grew up with in our home goes back to being an engagement gift that they were given and i have to tell you it shows every mark and every moment of those 60 years through the curious hands of 22 children spanning three generations we got up close and i confess yes baby jesus did make a few rides in the caboose of the train around the christmas tree my bad but quite honestly it's all a good thing not the train part but the the the hands-on that's a good thing because the whole point is to draw close and to know and to love the lord notice how the scene is always so peaceful as you look at it so tranquil mary and joseph looking contemplative and tranquil the animals reverently bending low the shepherds offering their homage all is calm just like on that first christmas night we know better don't we it was a very different scene yes indeed there was a deeper peace and our nativity scenes reflect the deeper peace that that the eyes of faith will see but let's be honest that night had to be an absolute mess right just think of it new and panic stricken parents after after a houring journey and nearly having nowhere to stay at the most crucial moment disgusting smelly drooling animals looking on a filthy stable and let's just say the shepherds didn't quite fit the bill of the most fashionable higher echelon of society but there you have it jesus didn't come into an artificial protected world made of porcelain or carved wood nor did he live in a remote palace looking out the window every once in a while to see what was happening no he came into the real world the world of flesh and blood and sweat a world that was messy and complicated life is messy isn't it life is messy born in a stable jesus always found a way to meet people at their lowest and meeting them he didn't wave a wand but he engaged them he spoke to them he spent time with them he reached out with the loving touch and that's how we healed by that engagement bringing them hope and healing and even life risen from the dead jesus lives today and he lives with us too the messiness of human life he wants to be fully involved deeply immersed in the messiness and the complications of each of our lives and also that of the world and of our very nation you and i pray before him present among us a tranquil moment in a very very messy world we come with our own needs to sit before him and seeking to be transformed ourselves boy do we ever need him now the world so desperately needs him and here he is here he is our world is a mess but he doesn't run away it comes before us friends we gather here tonight in our nation's capital to join with people from all around the country in witness to the dignity of human life of every human life as catholic christians we see the roots of this profound human dignity in the very beginning of the bible god made them in his own image and likeness male and female he created them in his own image and likeness he created them looking deep into the eye of every person at every stage from conception to natural death we see that dignity that spark of divine life sadly there are too many scourges that undermine that human dignity in the world today we rightly must reject racism anti-semitism human trafficking abuse drug trafficking and for sure we need ever more to be vigilant in rejecting these these crimes against human dignity are direct assaults against god because that dignity comes from god himself but seriously how will we recognize the dignity in one another unless we can see it in the child in the very first moment of his or her existence without the right to life every other right collapses it's like a house of gods indeed we testify to the truth and the dignity of the dignity of every human life and we do so in the midst of the messiness of human life we need we know that we need to be courageous and strong in our witness we know that we must persevere though it is easy to get discouraged we realize that we do so in a very messy and complicated world we seek as american citizens simply to participate in the process of self-government promoting legislation that respects human dignity we realize that we will always be at work to bring about a conversion in what saint pope saint john paul calls the culture of death and what pope francis calls the throwaway culture that will mean always converting hearts and minds and we realize the messiness of the u of the world around us and we pledge ourselves in humble service to stand with all those who are in need especially with initiatives like walking with moms in need and so many of the maternal and family services that you represent all of you here tonight praying you are not noise makers on the street but you're following the lead of jesus you you immerse yourselves you immerse yourselves in the messiness of the world engaging people in their need and now your witness is to him and witnesses to life so here we are in this shrine and thank you sisters for leading us so beautifully in that prayer of the rosary this night you teach us so often how to pray here we are in this shrine and here he is we draw strength from him and yes we seek to be transformed ourselves so that we in turn might transform the world in the tranquility of this moment we encounter him who gives himself to us in holy communion as he did this night so that he might walk with us in the messiness of the world to which he sends us we are never alone never on we will hear how jesus begins his public ministry in the synagogue telling the crowd that the prophecy of isaiah is fulfilled right in their hearing indeed he has come to bring good news to the poor liberty to captives freedom to the oppressed he's come to lift burdens and to breathe life into the list this spirit into the listless spirit and hope to those who mourn he comes in the messiness of the world and he sends his spirit upon all of us gathered here that we might bear his light in this messy world friends god bless you god bless each and every one of you for your commitment may you always know that strength of jesus christ [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] oh [Music] me [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] foreign [Music] is [Music] is [Music] foreign [Music] from heaven [Music] let us pray oh god who in this wonderful sacrament have left us a memorial of your passion [Music] grant us we pray so to revere the sacred mysteries of your body and blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption who live and reign with god the father in the unity of the holy spirit god for ever and ever [Music] you together let us recite the divine praises blessed be god blessed be jesus christ true god and true man blessed be the name of jesus blessed be his most sacred heart blessed be his most precious blood blessed be jesus in the most holy sacrament of the altar blessed be the holy spirit the paraclete blessed be the great mother of god mary most holy blessed be her holy and immaculate conception blessed be her glorious assumption blessed be the name of mary virgin and mother blessed be saint joseph her most chaste spouse blessed be god and his angels and in his saints may the heart of jesus in the most blessed sacrament be praised adored and loved with grateful affection at every moment in all the tabernacles of the world even to the end of time amen [Music] [Music] [Applause] prayer [Music] oh is is [Music] is mr [Music] you

Channel: National Shrine

Views: 52,636

Keywords: Basilica Special Livestream, Opening Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life, Opening Mass & Holy Hour of the National Prayer Vigil for Life, Catholic Mass, Mass January 20 2022, January 20 2022 Mass, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, National Shrine, Mary’s Shrine, Basilica in D.C., Mass at the Basilica, Choir of the Basilica

Id: L_ZZNWlQtqY

Length: 167min 16sec (10036 seconds)

Published: Thu Jan 20 2022