the angelus

It seems like every year the Lenten discipline I resolve to keep gets smaller and smaller in light of my failure strictly to keep the previous year's discipline. The discipline I am failing to keep this year is the daily praying of the Angelus.

The Angelus is traditionally prayed at noon. In many Roman Catholic countries, one may hear church bells ringing at noon in a particular pattern. This is, more often than not, to remind the faithful to stop work and pray the Angelus.

Here it is:

V: The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary;
R: And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V: Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R: Be it done unto me according to your word.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V: And the Word was made flesh, [Here it is appropriate to reverence, in honor of the mystery of the Incarnation]
R: And dwelt among us.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Pour forth, we bessech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and cross + be brought to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.