Responsorial Psalm

R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior." R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father. "For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name." R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father. "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." R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father. "He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty." R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father. "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 for ever." R. O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the patronal feast of the Carmelites . . . but several other Marian feasts associated with other religious communities are also attached to this day. For example, the Benedictines of Saint Meinrad Archabbey celebrate today as the Feast of Our Lady of Einsedeln (the motherhouse of their community). The Responsorial Psalm is the Magnificat of the Virgin Mary. The church in its wisdom places the Magnificat on our lips every day at Evening Prayer to remind us that Mary sings the praises of God who “casts down the mighty from their thrones, lifts up the lowly, fills the hungry with good things, and sends the rich away empty.” Social justice is NOT optional.

The photo today is of Our Lady of Einsedeln in the Saint Meinrad Archabbey Church, Indiana.