Posted on 09/26/2007 9:38:19 AM PDT by Salvation
|
Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week
in Ordinary Time
Psalm: Wednesday 35 |
|
Reading 1
Ez 9:5-9
At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness,
and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees,
stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God.
I said: “My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you,
O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads
and our guilt reaches up to heaven.
From the time of our fathers even to this day
great has been our guilt,
and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered up,
we and our kings and our priests,
to the will of the kings of foreign lands,
to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace,
as is the case today.
“And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the LORD, our God,
who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place;
thus our God has brightened our eyes
and given us relief in our servitude.
For slaves we are, but in our servitude our God has not abandoned us;
rather, he has turned the good will
of the kings of Persia toward us.
Thus he has given us new life
to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins,
and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.”
Responsorial Psalm
Tobit 13:2, 3-4a, 4befghn, 7-8
R. (1b) Blessed be God, who lives for ever.
He scourges and then has mercy;
he casts down to the depths of the nether world,
and he brings up from the great abyss.
No one can escape his hand.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.
Praise him, you children of Israel, before the Gentiles,
for though he has scattered you among them,
he has shown you his greatness even there.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.
So now consider what he has done for you,
and praise him with full voice.
Bless the Lord of righteousness,
and exalt the King of ages.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.
In the land of my exile I praise him
and show his power and majesty to a sinful nation.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.
Bless the Lord, all you his chosen ones,
and may all of you praise his majesty.
Celebrate days of gladness, and give him praise.
R. Blessed be God, who lives for ever.
Gospel
Lk 9:1-6
Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority
over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God
and to heal the sick.
He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey,
neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money,
and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you,
when you leave that town,
shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.”
Then they set out and went from village to village
proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Alleluia Ping List.
Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius XII, "who immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members."
INVOCATIONS
Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.
TO THE QUEEN OF MARTYRS
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen.
TO THE MOTHER OF SORROWS
Most holy Virgin. and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
IN HONOR OF THE SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.
TO OUR LADY OF SORROWS
O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen. --Saint Bonaventure
|
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady 1. The Prophecy of Simeon 2. The Flight into Egypt . 3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple 4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 5. The Crucifixion 6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son 7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the Tomb. |
|
| Consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows Most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, Mary, would that I could be in Heaven, there to contemplate the honors rendered to thee by the Most Holy Trinity and by the whole Heavenly Court! But since I am still a pilgrim in this vale of tears, receive from me, thy unworthy servant and a poor sinner, the most sincere homage and the most perfect act of vassalage a human creature can offer thee. In thy Immaculate Heart, pierced with so many swords of sorrow, I place today my poor soul forever; receive me as a partaker in thy dolors, and never suffer that I should depart from that Cross on which thy only begotten Son expired for me. With thee, O Mary, I will endure all the sufferings, contradictions, infirmities, with which it will please thy Divine Son to visit me in this life. All of them I offer to thee, in memory of the Dolors which thou didst suffer during thy life, that every thought of my mind, every beating of my heart may henceforward be an act of compassion to thy Sorrows, and of complacency for the glory thou now enjoyest in Heaven. Since then, O Dear Mother, I now compassionate thy Dolors, and rejoice in seeing thee glorified, do thou also have compassion on me, and reconcile me to thy Son Jesus, that I may become thy true and loyal son (daughter); come on my last day and assist me in my last agony, even as thou wert present at the Agony of thy Divine Son Jesus, that from this painful exile I may go to Heaven, there to be made partaker of thy glory. Amen. |
|
Homilies on Our Lady of Sorrows
Starkenburg:Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows Shrine
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary
Our Lady of Sorrows: Sorrowful Mother
to At the Cross Her Station Keeping
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows consists of 7 groups of 7 beads, with 3 additional beads and a Crucifix. Say each of the sorrow below followed by 7 Hail Mary's. The 7 groups of 7 Hail Mary's are recited in remembrance of
the 7 Sorrows of Mary:
1. The prophecy of Simeon.
2. The flight into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple.
4. Mary meets Jesus carrying His cross.
5. The Crucifixion
6. Mary received the Body of Jesus from the cross
7. The Body of Jesus is placed in a tomb.
3 Hail Mary's are added in remembrance of the tears Mary shed because of the suffering of her Divine Son. These are said to obtain true sorrow for our sins.
The concluding prayer follows:
V/. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin.
R/. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, we now implore, both for the present and for the hour of our death, the intercession of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Thy Mother, whose holy soul was pierced at the time of Thy passion by a sword of grief. Grant us this favor, O Saviour of the world, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
The Blessed Virgin Mary grants 7 special graces to the souls who honor her daily by saying 7 Hail Mary's
and meditating on her tears and dolors. This devotion was passed on by St. Bridget of Sweden.
Here are the 7 special graces:
1. I will grant peace to their families.
2. They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.
3. I will console them in their pains, and I will accompany them in their work.
4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy, and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death; they will see the face of their mother.
7. I have obtained (this grace) from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.
The Chaplet to Our Lady of Sorrows
(Jesus said, "The Chaplet is to be a Devotion for the Time of Darkness, and is being given
as a spiritual weapon against the Seven deadly sins.")
First Sorrow of Mary, the Prophecy of Simeon:
"This was My Mother's 'Agony in the Garden' in which She said yes to the coming pain that acceptance of the Divine Will of God would bring."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of surrender to the will of God to overcome the temptation to envy."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be and the following Litany:
Litany
Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, pray for us.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
Mother of the Sorrowful Heart, pray for us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
Maria, Rosa Mystica, pray for us.
House of God, pray for us.
Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Roses, pray for us.
Queen of Mercy, pray for us.
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
Second Sorrow of Mary, The Flight Into Egypt:
"The hatred and fear which led to the slaughter of the innocents was on of the most painful aspects of this sorrow. My Mother and I continue to weep today over the slaughter of innocents in the womb caused by the hatred and fear which still fills the hearts of mankind."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of respect for life to overcome the temptation to anger."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Third Sorrow of Mary, The Loss of Jesus in the Temple:
"My Mother did not look in the Temple for Me, and so lost Me for three days (like My three days in the tomb). My Priests are failing today to look for Me in the 'Temple,' in obedience to My Pope and to the authority I have placed in My Church. My Church is in its THREE DAYS OF DARKNESS and has much to suffer for its disobedience. Offer the pain in My Mother's Hearts that My priests might return to MY TEMPLE and find me again." (There was an interior Knowledge that Jesus was Not saying this was true of all His priests, but rather He was mourning over those priests who were doing this, plus asking for prayer for them.)
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of obedience to overcome the temptation to Pride."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Fourth Sorrow of Mary, Mary Meets Jesus on the Road to Calvary:
"My priests will no longer accept the pain of the WAY OF THE CROSS. They no longer walk with Me as My Mother did. They especially refuse the pain and sacrifice of their vow of celibacy. Sexual sins are destroying My Church." (Again, as above, Jesus was not saying this was true of all priests, but was grieving over those who were doing this.)
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of chastity to overcome the temptation to lust."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Fifth Sorrow of Mary,Jesus is Nailed to the Cross:
"Offer your pain as Mary did, in union with My Cross. All pain, united to My Pasion, has power to redeem. My Church, more than ever, has need of sacrificial offerings."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of sacrifice to overcome the temptation to gluttony."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Sixth Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross and Laid in His Mother's Arms:
"My priests and My people are no longer willing to hold My broken body. They will not minister to the brokenness they see around them. They will not help Me bring salvation to those in need. They will not let Me put in their hearts the gift I would give them of a thirst for souls. Pray that they will return to a willingness to do penance and offer sacrifices for their brothers and sisters in need, who still constitute My broken body."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of compassion to overcome the temptation to sloth.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Seventh Sorrow of Mary, Jesus is Laid in the Tomb:
"My Church, My chosen ones, must lay all attachments in the TOMB, especially the attachment to their own way, their will, their plans. They must die and accept the death of al lthey would hold dear to allow God's Will and His Plan to replace their own."
PRAYER: "I pray for the gift of detachment to overcome the temptation to greed."
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be, and the Litany
Prayer To Our Lady of Sorrows
I compassionate thee, O most sorrowful Mother! Thy heart was pierced with a sword of grief when Simeon foretold to thee in the Temple the ignominious death and the desolation of thy divine and most dear Son, which thou west destined one day to witness. By the great anguish of thy suffering heart, O gracious Queen of the universe, impress upon my mind, in life and in death, the sacred Passion of Jesus and shine own sorrows. Amen.
~~ by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Most holy and afflicted Virgin, Queen of Martyrs, you stood beneath the cross, witnessing the agony of your dying Son. Look with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before you. I venerate your sorrows and I place my requests with filial confidence in the sanctuary of your wounded heart.
Present them, I beseech you, on my behalf to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred passion and death, together with your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Through the united efficacy of both, obtain the granting of my petition. To whom shall I have recourse in my wants and miseries if not to you, Mother of Mercy? You have drunk so deeply of the chalice of your Son, you can compassionate our sorrows.
Holy Mary, your soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of your divine Son. Intercede for me and obtain for me from Jesus (mention your petition) if it be for His honor and glory and for my good. Amen.
Lenten Prayer to the Sorrowful Mother
Remember, O Virgin Mother of God, when you stand in the sight of the Lord, to speak good things for us and to turn away His indignation from us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew,
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death,
Of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh
Lest in flames I burn and die.
In that awful judgment day.
Christ, when Thou shall call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense.
Be Thy Cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
V. Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Let intercession be made for us, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Your mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow, in the hour of Your bitter Passion. Through You, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.
Our Lady of a happy Death, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Most holy Mother of Sorrows, by that soul-piercing martyrdom that you experienced at the foot of the Cross during the three hours of agony of your Son, Jesus, assist me in my time of need. I am a a child of sorrows and when I am faced with my agony, intercede on my behalf so that I may be found worthy to pass from my deathbed to the blessed paradise of the Kingdom of God. Amen.
V. >From a sudden and unprovided death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. >From the snares of the devil,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
V. From everlasting death,
R. Deliver me, O Lord.
The Sorrowful Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of sorrows, the Crucified is with thee; thou art pitiable amongst women, and pitiable is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of the Crucified, implore for us, the crucifiers of thy Son, tears of contrition, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
~~approved by Pope Pius IX in 1847
Stabat Mater
At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, all His bitter anguish bearing, now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed was that Mother highly blest, of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs; she beneath beholds the pangs of her dying, glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep, 'whelmed in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child all with bloody scourges rent;
For the sins of His own nation saw Him hang in desolation, till His Spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother, fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, make my heart with thine accord;
Make me feel as thou hast felt; make my soul to glow and melt with the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother! Pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified;
Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him Who mourned for me, all the days that I may live.
By the Cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray, is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest! Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine;
Let me to my latest breath, in my body bear the death of that dying Son of thine.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, lest in flames I burn and die, in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, be Thy Mother my defense, be Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays, may my soul Thy goodness praise, safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
~(Cf Raccolta, No. 378)
Offering
Eternal Father, we offer Thee the Blood, the Passion, and the Death of Jesus Christ, the sorrows of Mary most holy, and of St. Joseph, in satisfaction for our sins, in aid of the holy souls in Purgatory, for the needs of holy Mother Church, and for the conversion of sinners.
Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us!
Prayer Before an Image of the Mother of Sorrows
O most compassionate Mother, what bitterness filled thy heart when thou didst embrace the lacerated Body of thy Son with thy virginal arms, press Him lovingly to thy maternal heart, and cover Him with tenderest kisses. I remind thee of this inexpressible bitterness, in virtue of which I beseech thee to obtain for me forgiveness of my sins.
O Mary, pray for me, a poor sinner, to thy Jesus Whom thou didst hold in thy arms. Take the wounded Body of thy Son into thy maternal arms, and offer Him in this condition to the Heavenly Father for me. Offer His pierced Heart, His Passion and Death, and all thy own immeasurable sorrows to obtain grace and mercy for me, particularly (mention the favor you desire here). Amen.
Holy Mother, pierce me though; in my heart each wound renew of my Saviour Crucified.
O Mary, our hope, have pity on us!
A Precious Offering
O Mary, Mother of Sorrows, I beseech thee, by the inexpressible tortures thou didst endure at the death of thy Son, offer to the Eternal Father, in my stead, thy beloved Son all covered with Blood and Wounds, for the grace of (mention your intention). Amen.
~ St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars
Prayer to Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted
Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our most compassionate Mother, we present ourselves in thy sight in all humility, and with full confidence we implore thee for thy maternal patronage.
Thou hast been proclaimed by Holy Church the Comforter of the Afflicted, and to thee constant recourse is had by the sorrowful in their afflictions, the sick in their maladies, the dying in their agony, the poor in their straitened circumstances, those who stand in all manner of need in both public and private calamities; and from thee they all receive consolation and strength.
Our dearest Mother, turn upon us also, wretched sinners that we are, thy merciful eyes, and graciously accept our humble and confident prayers. Aid us in all our spiritual and temporal necessities; deliver us from all evil, and especially from sin, which is the greatest evil, and from all danger of falling into it; obtain for us from thy Son Jesus every blessing of which thou seest we stand in need, both in soul and in body, and especially the greatest blessing of all, which is Divine grace. Comfort our spirits, troubled and afflicted in the midst of the many dangers that threaten us and in the countless miseries and misfortunes that beset us on every side. This we ask through that immense joy which filled thy pure soul in the glorious Resurrection of thy Divine Son.
Obtain tranquility for Holy Church, help and comfort for her visible Head, the Roman Pontiff, peace for Christian princes, refreshment in their pains for the Holy Souls in Purgatory; for sinners, the forgiveness of their sins, and for the just, perseverance in well-doing. Receive us all, our most tender Mother, under thy loving and mighty protection, that we may be enabled to live virtuously, die holily and attain to everlasting happiness in heaven. Amen.
~~ (Rac., No. 419)
Prayer to the Mother of Sorrow
O Mother of Sorrows, by the anguish and love with which thou didst stand at the cross of Jesus, stand by me in my last agony. To thy maternal heart I commend the last three hours of my life. Offer these hours to the Eternal Father in union with the agony of our dearest Lord in atonement for my sins. Offer to the Eternal Father the most Precious Blood of Jesus, mingled with your tears on Calvary, that I may obtain the grace of receiving Holy Communion with the most perfect love and contrition before my death, and that I may breathe forth my soul in the adorable Presence of Jesus.
Dearest Mother, when the moment of my death has at length come, present me as your child to Jesus. Ask Him to forgive me for having offended Him for I know not what I did. Beg Him to receive me into His kingdom of glory to be united with Him forever. Amen.
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows, by St. Bridget
O Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Mother of God, who didst endure a martyrdom of love and grief beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus! Thou didst cooperate in the benefit of my redemption by thine innumerable afflictions and by offering to the Eternal Father His only begotten Son as a holocaust and victim of propitiation for my sins. I thank thee for the unspeakable love which led thee to deprive thyself of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus, true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner. Oh, make use of the unfailing intercession of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son, that I may steadfastly amend my life and never again crucify my loving Redeemer by new sins, and that, persevering till death in His grace. I may obtain eternal life through the merits of His Cross and Passion. Amen.
Mother of love, of sorrow and of mercy, pray for us.
PRAYER TO OUR SORROWFUL MOTHER
O Mother of Sorrows, thou, who beneath the Cross of Jesus were given to us as our Mother, look down with pity on us, thy children, who weep and mourn in this valley of tears. By that sword of sorrow which pierced thy Heart when thou looked upon the Face of thy dead Son, obtain for us that comfort we so sorely need in our sufferings.
Thou were given to us our Mother in the hour of thy greatest grief that thou might be mindful of our frailty and the evils that press upon us. Without thy aid, O Sorrowful Mother, we cannot gain the victory in this struggle against flesh and blood. Therefore, we seek thy help, O Queen of Sorrows, lest we fall prey to the wiles of the enemy. We are orphans in need of the guiding hand of our Mother amid the dangers that threaten our destruction. Thou whose grief was boundless as the sea, grant us by the memory of those sorrows the strength to be victorious.
Intercede further, O Mother of Sorrows, for us and all who are near and dear to us, that we may ever do the Will of thy Son, and may direct all our actions to His honor, and to the furtherance of devotion to thy sorrows. Amen.
Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory Be....
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.
Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Daily Recommendation:
Pray 1 Hail Mary for each of the 7 Sorrows Our Lady experienced. This is easy and can be done anywhere, anytime, without having to have your prayerbook with you. You just have to memorize the 7 Sorrows, and you're set! This will at least show Our Lady that you acknowledge her sorrows, and remember them in appreciation. I'm sure she will be happy with you, and shower you with her special blessings.
| First reading | Ezra 9:5 - 9 © |
|---|---|
| At the evening sacrifice I came out of my stupor and falling on my knees, with my garment and cloak torn, I stretched out my hands to the Lord my God, and said: ‘My God, I am ashamed, I blush to lift my face to you, my God. For our crimes have increased, until they are higher than our heads, and our sin has piled up to heaven. From the days of our ancestors until now our guilt has been great; on account of our crimes we, our kings and our priests, were given into the power of the kings of other countries, given to the sword, to captivity, to pillage and to shame, as is the case today. But now, suddenly, the Lord our God by his favour has left us a remnant and granted us a refuge in his holy place; this is how our God has cheered our eyes and given us a little respite in our slavery. For we are slaves; but God has not forgotten us in our slavery; he has shown us kindness in the eyes of the kings of Persia, obtaining permission for us to rebuild the Temple of our God and restore its ruins, and he has found us safety and shelter in Judah and in Jerusalem.’ |
|
| Psalm or canticle | Tobias 13:2 - 8 © |
|---|---|
| By turns God punishes and pardons; he sends men down to the depths of the underworld and draws them up from supreme Destruction; no one can escape his hand. Extol him before all the living; he is our Master and he is our God and he is our Father and he is God for ever and ever. If you return to him with all your heart and all your soul, behaving honestly towards him, then he will return to you and hide his face from you no longer. Consider how well he has treated you; loudly give him thanks. Bless the Lord of justice and extol the King of the ages. I for my part sing his praise in the country of my exile; I make his power and greatness known to a nation that has sinned. Sinners, return to him; let your conduct be upright before him; perhaps he will be gracious to you and take pity on you. I for my part extol God and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven. Let his greatness be in all men’s mouths, his praises be sung in Jerusalem. |
|
| Gospel | Luke 9:1 - 6 © |
|---|---|
| Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere. | |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 17 (18) |
|---|
| Thanksgiving for salvation and victory |
| I will love you, Lord, my strength: Lord, you are my foundation and my refuge, you set me free. My God is my help: I will put my hope in him, my protector, my sign of salvation, the one who raises me up. I will call on the Lord – praise be to his name – and I will be saved from my enemies. The waves of death flooded round me, the torrents of Belial tossed me about, the cords of the underworld wound round me, death’s traps opened before me. In my distress I called on the Lord, I cried out to my God: from his temple he heard my voice, my cry to him came to his ears. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 17 (18) |
|---|
| The earth moved and shook, at the coming of his anger the roots of the mountains rocked and were shaken. Smoke rose from his nostrils, consuming fire came from his mouth, from it came forth flaming coals. He bowed down the heavens and descended, storm clouds were at his feet. He rode on the cherubim and flew, he travelled on the wings of the wind. He made dark clouds his covering; his dwelling-place, dark waters and clouds of the air. The cloud-masses were split by his lightnings, hail fell, hail and coals of fire. The Lord thundered from the heavens, the Most High let his voice be heard, with hail and coals of fire. He shot his arrows and scattered them, hurled thunderbolts and threw them into confusion. The depths of the oceans were laid bare, the foundations of the globe were revealed, at the sound of your anger, O Lord, at the onset of the gale of your wrath. He reached from on high and took me up, lifted me from the many waters. He snatched me from my powerful enemies, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me. They attacked me in my time of trouble, but the Lord was my support. He led me to the open spaces, he was my deliverance, for he held me in favour. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 17 (18) |
|---|
| The Lord rewards me according to my uprightness, he repays me according to the purity of my hands, for I have kept to the paths of the Lord and have not departed wickedly from my God. For I keep all his decrees in my sight, and I will not reject his judgements; I am stainless before him, I have kept myself away from evil. And so the Lord has rewarded me according to my uprightness, according to the purity of my hands in his sight. You will be holy with the holy, kind with the kind, with the chosen you will be chosen, but with the crooked you will show your cunning. For you will bring salvation to a lowly people but make the proud ashamed. For you light my lamp, Lord; my God illuminates my path. For with you I will attack the enemy’s squadrons; with my God I will leap over their wall. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Reading | Ezekiel 37:1 - 14 © |
|---|---|
| The hand of the Lord was laid on me, and he carried me away by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley, a valley full of bones. He made me walk up and down among them. There were vast quantities of these bones on the ground the whole length of the valley; and they were quite dried up. He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ I said, ‘You know, Lord’. He said, ‘Prophesy over these bones. Say, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. The Lord says this to these bones: I am now going to make the breath enter you, and you will live. I shall put sinews on you, I shall make flesh grow on you, I shall cover you with skin and give you breath, and you will live; and you will learn that I am the Lord.”’ I prophesied as I had been ordered. While I was prophesying, there was a noise, a sound of clattering; and the bones joined together. I looked, and saw that they were covered with sinews; flesh was growing on them and skin was covering them, but there was no breath in them. He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man. Say to the breath, “The Lord says this: Come from the four winds, breath; breathe on these dead; let them live!”’ I prophesied as he had ordered me, and the breath entered them; they came to life again and stood up on their feet, a great, an immense army. Then he said, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole House of Israel. They keep saying, “Our bones are dried up, our hope has gone; we are as good as dead”. So prophesy. Say to them, “The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.”’ |
|
| Reading | St Augustine's sermon On Pastors |
|---|---|
| Do what they say, not what they do | |
| Well then, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord!” What must you shepherds hear? Thus says the Lord God: behold, I am above the shepherds and I will call them to account for the sheep in their hands. Listen, sheep of God, listen and learn: God will call the bad shepherds to account for his sheep and for their deaths. As he says elsewhere in Ezekiel: Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, warn them in my name. If I say to a wicked man, “Wicked wretch, you are to die”, and you do not speak to warn the wicked man to renounce his ways, then he shall die for his sin but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you do warn a wicked man to renounce his ways and repent, and he does not repent, then he shall die for his sin but you yourself will have saved your life. You see, brethren? Do you see how dangerous it is to keep quiet? If you remain silent, you die; and rightly. You die for your impiety and sin – it is your negligence that kills you. He who has said, As I live, says the Lord might have found a living shepherd – but since the shepherd was negligent, not warning those he had been given authority over, those whose sentry he was, he will die justly and the sentry will be justly condemned. But if – the Lord continues – you say “you are to die” with one I have threatened with the sword, and he does not avoid the sword and it comes and kills him, he will die in his sin but you will have set your soul free. That is why we must not keep silent – and you, even if we did keep silent, must listen to the words of the true Shepherd in holy Scripture. Since I raised the question, let us see if he takes the sheep from the dead shepherds and gives them to good ones. I certainly see him taking the sheep from the bad shepherds: I am above the shepherds, and I shall take my flock back from them and I shall not allow them to feed my flock. In this way the shepherds will stop feeding themselves. For when I say to them, “Feed my sheep”, they feed themselves and not my sheep. I shall not allow them to feed my flock. How does he stop them from looking after his sheep? Do whatever they say, but do not do what they do. It is as if he were saying, “Their words are my words but their actions are their own”. When you avoid what the bad shepherds do, you are not in charge of you any more: when you do what they say, it is I who am tending you. |
|
| Concluding Prayer |
|---|
| O God, you have summed up the entire Law as love of you and our neighour. Grant that we may obey your commandments and deserve to come to eternal life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
From: Luke 9:1-6
The Mission of the Apostles
[1] And He (Jesus) called the Twelve together and gave them power
and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, [2] and He sent
them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal. [3] And He said
to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread,
nor money; and do not have two tunics. [4] And whatever house you
enter, stay there, and from there depart. [5] And wherever they do
not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from
your feet as a testimony against them.” [6] And they departed and
went through the villages, preaching the Gospel and healing every-
where.
Commentary:
1-4. This is the first mission the Apostles were sent on. Jesus wants
them to gain experience which will stand to them in the mission they
will have after He ascends into Heaven. He charges them to do what
He Himself did—preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick. This
scene is commented on at greater length in notes on Matthew 10:7-8;
10:9-10; and Mark 6:8-9.
[Notes on Matthew 10:7-8 states:
7-8. Previously, the prophets, when speaking of the messianic times,
had used imagery suited to the people’s spiritual immaturity. Now,
Jesus, in sending His Apostles to proclaim that the promised Kingdom
of God is imminent, lays stress on its spiritual dimension. The power
mentioned in verse 8 are the very sign of the Kingdom of God or the
reign of the Messiah proclaimed by the prophets. At first (chapters 8
and 9) it is Jesus who exercises these messianic powers; now He gives
them to His disciples as proof that His mission is divine (Isaiah 35:5-6;
40:9; 52:7; 61:1).]
[Notes on Matthew 10:9-10 states:
9-10. Jesus urges His disciples to set out on their mission without
delay. They should not be worried about material or human equip-
ment: God will make up any shortfall. This holy audacity in setting
about God’s work is to be found throughout the history of the Church:
if Christians had bided their time, waiting until they had the necessary
material resources, many, many souls would never have received the
light of Christ. Once a Christian is clear in his mind about what God
wants him to do, he should not stay at home checking to see if he
has the wherewithal to do it. “In your apostolic undertakings you are
right—it’s your duty—to consider what means the world can offer you
(2 + 2 = 4), but don’t forget—ever!—that, fortunately, your calculations
must include another term: God + 2 + 2...” ([St] J. Escriva, “The
Way”, 471).
However, that being said, we should not try to force God’s hand, to
have Him do something exceptional, when in fact we can meet needs
by our own efforts and work. This means that Christians should gene-
rously support those who, because they are totally dedicated to the
spiritual welfare of their brethren, have no time left over to provide for
themselves: in this connection see Jesus’ promise in Matthew
10:40-42.]
[Notes on Mark 6:8-9 states:
8-9. Jesus requires them to be free of any form of attachment if they
are to preach the Gospel. A disciple, who has the mission of bringing
the Kingdom of God to souls through preaching, should not rely on
human resources but on God’s Providence. Whatever he does need
in order to live with dignity as a herald of the Gospel, he must obtain
from those who benefit from his preaching, for the laborer deserves
his maintenance (cf. Matthew 10:10).
“The preacher should so trust in God that he is convinced that he will
have everything he needs to support life, even if he cannot himself ob-
tain it; for he should not neglect eternal things through worrying about
temporal things” (St. Bede, “In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc.”).
“By these instructions the Lord did not mean that the evangelists
should not seek to live in any other way than by depending on what
was offered them by those to whom they preached the Gospel; other-
wise this very Apostle [St. Paul] would have acted contrary to this
precept when he earned his living by the labor of his own hands” (St.
Augustine, “De Consensu Evangelistarum”, II, 30).]
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”.
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.
Saint Cosmos & Damian,
Martyrs
Optional Memorial
September 26th
Donatello
St Cosmas and St Damian
1428-35
Polychrome terracotta, 215 x 180 cm
Old Sacristy, Church of San Lorenzo, Florence
History:
Early Christian physicians and martyrs. They were twins, born in Arabia, and practiced the art of healing in the seaport Ægea, now Ayash (Ajass), on the Gulf of Iskanderun in Cilicia, Asia Minor, and attained a great reputation. They accepted no pay for their services and were, therefore, called anargyroi, "the silverless". In this way they brought many to the Catholic Faith. When the Diocletian persecution began, the Prefect Lysias had Cosmas and Damian arrested, and ordered them to recant. They remained constant under torture, in a miraculous manner suffered no injury from water, fire, air, nor on the cross, and were finally beheaded with the sword. Their three brothers, Anthimus, Leontius, and Euprepius died as martyrs with them. The execution took place September 27, probably in the year 287. At a later date a number of fables grew up about them, connected in part with their relics. The remains of the martyrs were buried in the city of Cyrus in Syria; the Emperor Justinian I (527-565) sumptuously restored the city in their honor. Having been cured of a dangerous illness by the intercession of Cosmas and Damian, Justinian, in gratitude for their aid, rebuilt and adorned their church at Constantinople, and it became a celebrated place of pilgrimage. At Rome Pope Felix IV (526-530) erected a church in their honor, the mosaics of which are still among the most valuable art remains of the city. The Greek Church celebrates the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian on July 1, October 17, and November 1, and venerates three pairs of saints of the same name and profession. Cosmas and Damian are regarded as the patrons of physicians and surgeons and are sometimes represented with medical emblems. They are invoked in the Canon of the Mass and in the Litany of the Saints.
(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition )
|
September 26, 2007
 Sts. Cosmas and Damian
(d. 303?)
Nothing is known of their lives except that they suffered martyrdom in Syria during the persecution of Diocletian.
A church erected on the site of their burial place was enlarged by the emperor Justinian. Devotion to the two saints spread rapidly in both East and West. A famous basilica was erected in their honor in Constantinople. Their names were placed in the canon of the Mass, probably in the sixth century. Legend says that they were twin brothers born in Arabia, who became skilled doctors. They were among those who are venerated in the East as the "moneyless ones" because they did not charge a fee for their services. It was impossible that such prominent persons would escape unnoticed in time of persecution: They were arrested and beheaded. Quote:
|
||||
|
|
| Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Feria |
||
|
Collect: Lord, we honor the memory of Sts. Cosmas and Damian. Accept our grateful praise for raising them to eternal glory and for giving us your fatherly care. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Optional Memorial of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, martyrs
Old Calendar: Sts. Cyprian and Justina, martyrs; Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf and Companions, Martyrs (USA)
The only thing we know about Sts. Cosmas and Damian is that they suffered martyrdom in Syria during the Roman persecution of Diocletian, around 303 A.D. Tradition says they were twin brothers and medical doctors, and have been honored since the 6th century. These brothers never charged a fee for their medical services. Their names are in the Roman Canon of the Mass. This feast is highly celebrated in Italian communities.
This is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church, and these two martyrs have been honored in the East and West in many ways, including the building of churches in their honor in Rome and Constantinople. Along with St. Luke, they are the patron saints of doctors. Little is known of their true history, but the legend that has come down to us is of very early origin. Sts. Cosmas and Damian were venerated in the East as the "moneyless ones" because they practiced medicine gratis. According to the legend, they were twin brothers, born in Arabia, who studied in Syria and became skilled physicians. They were supposed to have lived on the Bay of Alexandretta in Cilicia, in what is now Turkey.
Since they were prominent Christians, they were among the first arrested when the great persecution under Diocletian began. Lysias, the governor of Cilicia, ordered their arrest, and they were beheaded. Their bodies, it was said, were carried to Syria and buried at Cyrrhus.
What is certain is that they were venerated very early and became patrons of medicine, known for their miracles of healing. The Emperor Justinian was cured by their intercession and paid special honor to the city of Cyrrhus where their relics were enshrined. Their basilica in Rome, adorned with lovely mosaics, was dedicated in the year 530. They are named in the Roman Martyrology and in the Canon of the Mass, testifying to the antiquity of their feast day.
The great honor in which they are held and the antiquity of their veneration indicate some historical memory among the early Christians who came out of the great persecutions with a new cult of Christian heroes. Cosmas and Damian were not only ideal Christians by their practice of medicine without fee, they also symbolized God's blessing upon the art of healing and that respect for every form of science, which is an important part of Christian tradition.
Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens
Patron: Apothecaries; barbers; blind; chemists; druggists; hairdressers; hernias; marital harmony; midwives; physicians; pharmacists; relief from pestilence; surgeons; Gaeta, Italy.
Symbols: A phial; phials and jars; vases; arrows; surgical instruments; lancet; red vestments; box of ointment; rod of Aesculapius (rod with serpent wrapped around, symbol of medicine); cylinder; stake and fagots; arrows; cross; swords; millstones.
Things to Do:
Cyprian and Justina, Christians of Antioch were martyred at Nicomedia, September 26, 304 during the persecution of Decius. Already in the same century, quite a colorful legend arose about them. The legend says that at the beginning of St. Cyprian's life he was anything but saintly. Much of his early training had taken place in North African Carthage, in modern Tunisia. He had been one of the leading sorcerers of the ancient world; he was a model and guide for many in the arts of darkness, and had ensnared many souls for evil. One time, as he was attempting by demonic means to seduce a young Christian virgin, Justina, on behalf of a lustful youth, Aglaidas, which backfired. St. Justina in her simplicity traced on herself the symbol of the Cross, at which the evil spirit fled. Cyprian's pride was stung. After many other unsuccessful attempts, Cyprian recognized the power of Christ and His Gospel. He not only renounced his old ways and was baptized, but soon thereafter became a deacon, then a priest, and finally a bishop. Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 35 (36) |
|---|
| The sinner's wickedness; God's goodness |
| Evil whispers to the sinner in the depths of his heart: the fear of God does not stand before his eyes. Evil’s flattering light disguises his wickedness, so that he does not hate it. His words are false and deceitful, he no longer considers how to do good. Even when in bed he plots mischief; he follows the wrong path; he does not hate malice. Lord, your mercy fills the heavens, your faithfulness rises to the sky. Your justice is like the mountains of God, your judgements are like the deeps of the sea. Lord, you protect both men and beasts. How precious is your kindness, O God! The sons of men will take shelter under your wings; they will eat their fill from the riches of your house, drink all they want from the stream of your joy. For with you is the spring of life-giving water, in your light we see true light. Hold out your mercy to those who know you, offer your justice to the upright in heart. Let me not be crushed under the heels of the proud, nor dispossessed by the hands of sinners. The doers of evil have fallen where they stood, they are cast down and cannot rise. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Judith 16 |
|---|---|
| The Lord, creator of the world, protects his people | |
| Make music to my God with drums, sing to my Lord with cymbals. Begin a new song to him, extol and call upon his name. You are the God who crushes battle-lines, you set up your camp among your people, you save me from the grip of my persecutors. I will sing a new song to God: Lord, you are great and glorious, wonderful in your unconquerable power. Let all your creatures serve you, for you spoke and they were made, you sent forth your spirit, and they were created: there is no-one who can resist your command. For the mountains will be shaken to their roots, the seas will be stirred up, at your sight the rocks will melt like wax – but to those who fear you, you will show your loving kindness. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
|
| Psalm 46 (47) |
|---|
| The Lord is King |
| All nations, clap your hands; cry out to God in exultation, for the Lord, the Most High, is greatly to be feared, and King over all the earth. He has made whole peoples our subjects, put nations beneath our feet. He has chosen our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. God ascends amid rejoicing, the Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Sing to God, sing praise. Sing to our king, sing praise. God is king over the whole earth: sing to him with all your skill. God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. The nobles of the peoples join together with the people of the God of Abraham, for to God belong the armies of the earth; he is high above all things. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Short reading | Tobias 4:14 - 19 © |
|---|---|
| Be careful, my child, in all you do, well-disciplined in all your behaviour. Do to no one what you would not want done to you. Give your bread to those who are hungry, and your clothes to those who are naked. Whatever you own in plenty, devote a proportion to almsgiving. Bless the Lord God in everything; beg him to guide your ways and bring your paths and purposes to their end. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
|---|---|
| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
|
|
||||
| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Listen to our prayers, God our salvation: make us hold fast to the light and work for the truth. Just as you have made us children of light, so make us worthy to bear witness to you before all the world. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
I am going over to Planned Parenthood later today! Anyone else doing this in your city?
|
Take It or Leave It
Luke 9: 1-6
Petition: Lord, help me to rely on your grace and not on worldly things. 1. The Mission Christ sends out his apostles to preach the good news with inadequate supplies. They are charged to trust in Providence. Jesus shrinks their suitcases to practically nothing. How could they touch people? Like St. Paul they were able to understand that Jesus was guiding their steps from a discreet distance: I consider all as loss for the surpassing knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord (Philippians 3:8). Jesus gave them restrictions so as to teach them that the strength in getting fruits lies in their love for him rather than career management to boost self-esteem among their peers. Do I carry this same conviction in the home, in the office or running the errands? Am I willing to go two miles if the local Church community presses me into service for one mile? 2. Detached from All Things Christ warns us about hoarding possessions, not so much by what he says, but by what he does. He doesn’t send out his friends like sheep among wolves in order to retire to a comfortable sofa all weekend long. Jesus backs up his teachings of apostolic success by giving good example first. He is born in a musty cave without the luxuries of a comfortable inn. His first bed was an animal feeder. During his first apostolic success at the age of twelve, he was pulled away by his parents intimating to him that his timing was off. He sent Peter to pull coins out of a fish’s mouth since he had nothing to pay the tax with. He allowed simple things like a woman at a well, or a funeral march in a village, to become the object of worldwide memory in ages to come, by countless followers. He was laid in someone else’s grave. Material welfare simply cannot obtain what the Lord is sending us to accomplish! 3. A Free Choice Jesus didn’t make the disciples go off on a survival camp. Nevertheless, the harder the conditions were, the more attraction they felt to be involved. This seems to be a mysterious reality that surrounds any divinely inspired apostolate or task that Christians undertake. These Galilean fishermen seemed to freely accept an unknown trade. Jesus gave them power and authority. This is what motivated them. The apostles experienced a hidden treasure that filled them with so much enthusiasm that they sold everything so as to get hold of this treasure and share it. This treasure is Christ. There seems to have been a friendly connection established between Christ and his apostles, as if they struck gold together, because he only explained the difficult and demanding mission in one brief paragraph. The gospel says, Then they set out and went from village to village.... It didn’t take the apostles long in deciding what they wanted to do, for they carried a treasure within their vessels of clay, which needed to spread far and wide. Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, as wonderful as material things are, they do not amount to anything in comparison with possessing you and teaching others about you. See the efforts I so intensely perform for your sake and bless them. Lord, help me, as you helped St. Paul, to continue fighting for a heavenly crown that doesn’t fade or rust. Resolution: Today I will find a moment to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and pray earnestly for the missionary intentions of the Holy Father for this month. |
|
||
| Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D. Printer Friendly Version |
||
| We Are Only Temporary Residents | ||
Ezr 9:5-9 / Lk 9:1-6
There's an interesting question going around which is worth pondering: Where were you when your parents were children? The answer is obvious and simple: We were nowhere. We simply WEREN'T. Intellectually, the answer is obvious, but it's hard for us to grasp at a feeling level: There was a time, not so long ago, when I simply wasn't and never had been, when nobody had ever thought of me or knew my name or even knew that I might be coming. That does put things in perspective!
Having been around for quite a few years now, we tend to take a lot for granted. We grow accustomed to "MY body, MY talents, MY brain, MY house, MY kids, MY investments," and we feel as if they really belong to us. And sometimes we act almost as if we thought we gave them to ourselves. That's an illusion, as any one of life's fateful turns can make clear in a moment.
The fact is that everything we have, including our life, is a gift from God that we didn't earn. And we have it, not because of any merit on our part, but simply because God is generous. When we get clear about that, as Ezra was in today's Old Testament reading, we know what we need to do. We need to give thanks, over and over, and not just in words but in deeds.
So what are the deeds of a thankful heart? Compassion, forgiveness, and generosity: sharing what we have with others as open-handedly as God shares with us. In doing that, we become like God, and when our time here is ended, we will know the way home to Him.
| Lk 9:1-6 | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
| 1 | Then calling together the twelve apostles, he gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. | convocatis autem duodecim apostolis dedit illis virtutem et potestatem super omnia daemonia et ut languores curarent |
| 2 | And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. | et misit illos praedicare regnum Dei et sanare infirmos |
| 3 | And he said to them: Take nothing for your journey; neither staff, nor scrip, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats. | et ait ad illos nihil tuleritis in via neque virgam neque peram neque panem neque pecuniam neque duas tunicas habeatis |
| 4 | And whatsoever house you shall enter into, abide there, and depart not from thence. | et in quamcumque domum intraveritis ibi manete et inde ne exeatis |
| 5 | And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off even the dust of your feet, for a testimony against them. | et quicumque non receperint vos exeuntes de civitate illa etiam pulverem pedum vestrorum excutite in testimonium supra illos |
| 6 | And going out, they went about through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where. | egressi autem circumibant per castella evangelizantes et curantes ubique |
I had studied the facial features of the apostles, so I’ll try to identify them here, as they are well detailed.
In the bottom row, Peter (gray hair, square beard) and Paul (bald, dark hair, nervous look) are in the center. Matthew is next to Peter, and James the Less (the Just, bishop of Jerusalem and Brother of the Lord) is next to Paul. All four have distinctive features that leave no doubt.
The next row from left, we see Philip and Bartholomew. Philip is easy to confuse with John as both are young, and John is shown on the right of the second row. How do I know that it is not John on the left? Because the man with a long face, straight moustache and a crop of unruly hair is decidedly Bartohlomew his friend, while the man next to John, i.e. second from right is decidedly older, gray-haired and bushy-bearded Simon the Zealot. Andrew, — pointy beard, a lot of hair and close-sitting eyes is in the center of that row.
In the top row we have James the greater brother of John, the Boanergos, Thomas the incredulous Didymos, and Jude. Here I am not 100% sure, except James is shown looking fondly at, and resembling John, and Jude is usually shown dark haired with a big beard. Besides, Thomas seems to have a tortured face.
The fact that Andrew is holding a scroll and John is not, is a bit confusing, as the others holding books and scrolls are those who left scripture. However, there can be no doubt that it is Andrew, — a very distinctive face.
Amazing, how long did it take you to identify all?
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 26 (27) |
|---|
| Keeping faith in time of peril |
| The Lord is my light and my help: whom should I fear? The Lord protects my life: what could terrify me? When they come to do me harm, to consume my flesh, my enemies and my persecutors, it is they who stumble and fall. If their armies encamp against me, my heart will not fear; if battle flares up against me, even then will I hope. One thing I beg of the Lord, one thing will I ask: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, so that I may behold the joys of the Lord and always see his temple. For he will shelter me in his tent in the time of evils. He will hide me in the hidden parts of the tabernacle; then raise me up on a rock, lift me high up above the enemies who surround me. In his tabernacle I will offer him a sacrifice of shouts, of songs, of psalms to the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 26 (27) |
|---|
| Listen, Lord, to my voice as I cry: have mercy and listen to me. “Seek his face”, my heart has said, and so I will seek your face, O Lord. Do not turn your face away from me, do not turn from your servant in anger. You are my helper, do not reject me; do not abandon me, God, my help. For when my father and mother have abandoned me, the Lord will take me up. Show me your ways, Lord, and guide me along the right path, out of the reach of my enemies. Do not hand me over to the whim of those who would persecute me, when lying witnesses have risen up against me, with those who plan to do me violence. I trust I shall see the joys of the Lord in the land of the living. Hope in the Lord, be brave, let your heart take comfort and trust in the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | (Colossians 1) |
|---|---|
| Christ, firstborn of all creatures and firstborn from the dead | |
| Let us give thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the light that is the saints’ inheritance. He has rescued us from the power of the shadows and brought us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption and the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, thrones and dominations, principalities and powers. All things were created through him and for him: he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, and so he is pre-eminent above all. For it was the Father’s will that the fullness of God should dwell in him, and that through him all things should be reconciled to himself. Through the blood of the Cross he brought peace to all things, both on Earth and in the heavens. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
|
| Short reading | James 1:22 - 25 © |
|---|---|
| You must do what the word tells you, and not just listen to it and deceive yourselves. But the man who looks steadily at the perfect law of freedom and makes that his habit – not listening and then forgetting, but actively putting it into practice – will be happy in all that he does. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
|---|---|
| My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
| My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
|
|
||||
| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Lord, support us as we pray to you, and keep us day and night under your protection. Guide us as we live in this world of change, and let your own unchangeability be a firm foundation for us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
