Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing; from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness. For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever; you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.  “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn an oath to David my servant: ‘I will establish your line for ever, and preserve your throne for all generations.’”   …   He will say to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.’  I will make him my firstborn and higher than the kings of the earth. I will keep my love for him for ever, and my covenant will stand firm for him.

 I will establish his line for ever and his throne as the days of heaven.”

Psalm 89:1-4, 26-29 (Book of Common Prayer)

And when they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.  And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.  …  And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.  And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.  Luke 2:39-40,51-52

Salutation to the Virgin Mary

Hail, holy Lady,

Most holy Queen,

Mary, Mother of God,

Ever Virgin;

Chosen by the most holy Father in heaven,

Consecrated by him,

With his most holy beloved Son

And the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

On you descended and in you still remains

All the fullness of grace

And every good.

Hail, his Palace.

Hail, his Tabernacle.

Hail, his Robe.

Hail, his Handmaid.

Hail, his Mother.

And hail, all holy virtues,

Who, by the grace

And inspiration of the Holy Spirit,

Are poured into the hearts of the faithful

So that, faithless no longer,

They may be made faithful servants of God

Through you. 

                    Saint Francis of Assisi  1182-1226