Mary's Song



Blue homespun and the bend of my breast

keep warm this small hot naked star

fallen to my arms. (Rest...

you who have had so far to come.)

Now nearness satisfied

the body of God sweetley. Quiet he lies

whose vigor hurled

a universe. He sleeps

whose eyelids have not closed before.

His breath (so slight it seems

no breath at all) once ruffled the dark deeps

to sprout a world.

Charmed by dove's voices, the whisper of straw,

he dreams,

hearing no music from his other spheres.

Breath, mouth, ears, eyes

he is curtailed

who overflowed all skies,

all years.

Older than eternity, now he

is new. Now native to earth as I am, nailed

to my poor planet, caught that I might be free,

blind in my womb to know my darkness ended

brought to this birth

for me to be new-born,

and for him to see me mendeed

I must see him torn.


Luci Shaw

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(Tone 2)
When Joseph went up to Bethlehem,
His heart was filled with sadness.
But you cried out to Him, O Virgin:
Why are you so troubled?
Why are you in misery seeing me with child?
Do you not understand at all?
I bear a fearful mystery!
Cast your fears away, and learn a strange wonder:
God in His mercy descends from heaven to earth.
Within my womb He has taken flesh!
When He is pleased to be born, you will see Him.
You will rejoice, and worship Him, your Creator.
The angels ceaselessly praise Him in song,
Glorifying Him with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

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(Tone 6)
Today He who holds the whole creation in His hand is born of a virgin.
He whose essence none can touch is bound in swaddling-clothes as a mortal man.
God, who in the beginning fashioned the heavens, lies in a manger.
He who rained manna on His people in the wilderness is fed on milk from His
mother's breast.
The Bridegroom of the Church summons the wise men;
The Son of the virgin accepts their gifts.
We worship Thy birth, O Christ.
We worship Thy birth, O Christ.
We worship Thy birth, O Christ.
Show us also Thy Holy Theophany!

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READER: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called the Angel of Great Counsel, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Ruler, Prince of Peace, the Father of the World to Come. I will bring peace to the princes and peace and health to Him. Great shall be His empire, and of His peace there shall be no end: He shall sit upon the throne of David and shall establish His Kingdom with righteousness, and shall strengthen it with justice, henceforth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

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Kontakion (Tone 3)
Today the virgin comes to the cave
Where she will give birth to the Eternal Word.
Hear the glad tidings and rejoice, O universe!
With the angels and shepherds glorify Him who reveals Himself:
The eternal God, a little child!
READER: Lord, have mercy. (12)
Thou who at every season and every hour, in heaven and on earth, art worshipped and
glorified, O Christ our God, long-suffering, merciful, and compassionate; who lovest the
just and showest mercy upon the sinner; who callest all men to salvation through the
promise of blessings to come: O Lord, in this hour receive our supplications and direct
our lives according to Thy commandments. Sanctify our souls, hallow our bodies, correct
our thoughts, cleanse our minds; deliver us from all tribulations, evil and distress.
Surround us with Thy holy angels, that guided and guarded by their host, we may attain
to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of Thine unapproachable glory, for Thou art
blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy (3)...

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VERSE: From the morning watch until night, from the morning watch, let Israel hope on the
Lord.

CHOIR: When the Lord Jesus was born of the holy virgin,
the whole universe was filled with light.The shepherds watched in the fields.
The wise men worshipped and the angels sang.
But Herod was troubled,
for God had appeared in the flesh.
He is the Savior of our souls!

VERSE: For with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption and He will
deliver Israel from all His iniquities.

CHOIR: (repeat) When the Lord Jesus...

VERSE: Praise the Lord, all nations! Praise Him all peoples!

CHOIR: Thy Kingdom endures forever, O Christ our God.
Thy rule is from age to age.
Made flesh by the Holy Spirit, made man of the ever-virgin Mary,
Thou hast filled all creation with joy.
The light of Thy coming has shone on us:
Every living creature praises Thee,
the image of the Father's glory.
Light of Light, the radiance of the Father,
The same yesterday, today, and forever,
Thou hast shone forth from the virgin.
O God, have mercy on us!

VERSE: For His mercy is confirmed on us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

CHOIR: What shall we offer Thee, O Christ,
who for our sakes hast appeared on earth as man?
Every creature made by Thee offers Thee thanks:
The angels offer a hymn; the heavens, a star;
the wise men, gifts; the shepherds, their wonder;
the earth, its cave; the wilderness, a manger.
and we offer Thee a virgin mother!
O Pre-eternal God, have mercy on us!

VERSE: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages
of ages. Amen.

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