Ave Maria Meditations
Queen of Heaven, Rejoice
Regina cæli lætare, Alleluia; Quia quem meruisti portare, Alleluia; Resurrexit, sicut dixit, Alleluia: Ora pro nobis Deum, Alleluia.
Queen of Heaven rejoice, Alleluia; For the Son thou wast privileged to bear, Alleluia; is risen as He said, Alleluia: Pray for us to God, Alleluia.
This ancient Latin hymn and prayer is sung or recited at the Angelus during the entire Easter season, until Pentecost, replacing the usual Angelus prayers. The hymn reveals the intimate bond uniting the Virgin Mother of God to her Divine Son, who glorifies her, and with whom she intercedes for mankind, as she did at Cana.
“Rejoice, you who are full of grace”
The Holy Spirit prepared Mary by His grace. It was fitting that the mother of Jesus in whom “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” should herself be “full of grace.” She was, by sheer grace, conceived without sin as the most humble of creatures, the most capable of welcoming the inexpressible gift of the Almighty. It was quite correct for the angel Gabriel to greet her as the “Daughter of Zion”: “Rejoice.” It is the thanksgiving of the whole People of God, and thus of the Church, which Mary in her canticle lifts up to the Father in the Holy Spirit while carrying within her the eternal Son.
a meditation from the Apostles of the Holy Spirit
