Our Lady of Walsingham

Spiritual Communion - Our Lady of Walsingham

Thursday 24 September 2020

 

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The shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham in Norfolk was one of the great pilgrimage centres of mediaeval times. The lady of the manor of Walsingham, Richeldis de Faverches, had a vision in which the Virgin Mary instructed her to build in her village an exact replica of the house in Nazareth where the Annunciation had taken place. According to tradition this vision occurred in 1061, although the most likely date for the construction of the shrine is a hundred years later.

The original shrine was destroyed at the Reformation, but in the 19th and 20th centuries, pilgrimage to Walsingham was revived not only for Catholics but also for Anglicans.

Opening Prayer

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that as in the mystery of the Incarnation the blessed and ever-Virgin Mary conceived your Son in her heart before she conceived him in the womb, so we, your pilgrim people, rejoicing in her motherly care, may welcome him into our hearts and become a holy house fit for his eternal dwelling. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes

1:2-11 ·

Vanity of vanities, the Preacher says. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity! For all his toil, his toil under the sun, what does man gain by it?

A generation goes, a generation comes, yet the earth stands firm for ever. The sun rises, the sun sets; then to its place it speeds and there it rises. Southward goes the wind, then turns to the north; it turns and turns again; back then to its circling goes the wind. Into the sea all the rivers go, and yet the sea is never filled, and still to their goal the rivers go. All things are wearisome. No man can say that eyes have not had enough of seeing, ears their fill of hearing. What was will be again; what has been done will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun. Take anything of which it may be said, ‘Look now, this is new.’ Already, long before our time, it existed. Only no memory remains of earlier times, just as in times to come next year itself will not be remembered.

The Word of the Lord

 

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider

the wonders of your law.

Alleluia!

 

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

9:7-9

Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus.

The Word of the Lord

My Jesus,

I believe that you are present in this Holy Sacrament of the altar.

I love you above all things

and I passionately desire to receive you into my soul.

Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,

come spiritually into my soul

so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever. Amen.

 

based on a prayer of St Alphonsus Liguori

 

At the Saviour’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.

 

 

Concluding Prayer

Father, the incarnation of your Son was the root of our gracious redemption, your gift of saving love to all your people. Strengthened by the prayers of Our Lady of Walsingham, may we be together a joyful sign of Christ’s presence as we continue our pilgrim journey to you, for he is Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

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