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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-04-12
USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 05-04-12 | Revised New American Bible

Posted on 05/03/2012 7:30:18 PM PDT by Salvation

May 4, 2012

 

Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

 

Reading 1 Acts 13:26-33

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:
"My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,
and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets
that are read sabbath after sabbath.
For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,
they asked Pilate to have him put to death,
and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,
they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.
But God raised him from the dead,
and for many days he appeared to those
who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.
These are now his witnesses before the people.
We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab

R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Jn 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way."
Thomas said to him,
"Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."


TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; easter; prayer
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To: All
Friday, May 04, 2012
Weekday
First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:
Acts 13:26-33
Psalm 2:6-11
John 14:1-6

It is better for a man to be silent and be [a Christian], than to talk and not to be one. It is good to teach, if he who speaks also acts. There is then one Teacher, who spake and it was done; while even those things which He did in silence are worthy of the Father. He who possesses the word of Jesus, is truly able to hear even His very silence, that he may be perfect, and may both act as he speaks, and be recognised by his silence.

-- St. Ignatius


21 posted on 05/03/2012 8:32:14 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Regina Coeli

 

This prayer, which dates from the twelfth century, is substituted for the Angelus during Easter Season.

Glory to God in the highest!

In Latin

In English

Regina coeli, laetare, alleluia: Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia. Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

 

V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, Alleluia,

R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

 

Oremus: Deus qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus, ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.

R. Amen.

Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia.

 

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

 

Let us pray: O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.


22 posted on 05/03/2012 8:33:59 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

Thank you all so much. The doctor asked my dad’’ “Sir, do you have a “Living Will?”’ My Dad said “Yeah. I have the will and and I want to live!’’.


23 posted on 05/03/2012 9:21:08 PM PDT by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
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Office of Readings

INVITATORY


The Invitatory may be said for the first ‘hour’ recited in the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
   and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
   and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
   the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
   and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
   the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship *
   bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
   the flock he shepherds.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
   in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
   they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
   and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
   “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Hearts and voices heav’nward raise:
Sing to God a hymn of gladness,
Sing to God a hymn of praise.
He who on the cross a victim,
For the world’s salvation bled,
Jesus Christ, the King of glory,
Now is risen from the dead.

Now the iron bars are broken,
Christ from death to life is born,
Glorious life, and life immortal,
On this holy Easter morn,
Christ has triumphed, and we conquer
By his mighty enterprise;
We with him to life eternal
By his resurrection rise.

Christ is risen, Christ, the firstfruits
Of the holy harvest field,
Which with all its full abundance
At his second coming yields;
Then the golden ears of harvest
Will their heads before him wave,
Ripened by his glorious sunshine
From the furrows of the grave.

Christ is risen, we are risen!
Shed upon us heav’nly grace,
Rains and dew and gleams of glory
From the brightness of your face;
That with hearts in heaven dwelling,
We on earth may fruitful be,
And by angels hands be gathered
Into heav’n’s eternity.

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glory be to God on high;
Alleluia to the Savior
Who has won the victory;
Alleluia to the Spirit,
Fount of love and sanctity;
Alleluia! Alleluia!
To the Triune majesty.

Tune: Würtzburg 87.87 D
Music: Andäctige und Auserlesene Gesänger, Würtzburg, 1705
Text: Christopher Wordsworth, 1782

Or:

Let us rise in early morning,
And instead of ointment bring
Hymns and praises to our master,
And his resurrection sing;
We shall see the Sun of Justice
Ris’n with healing in his wing.
Let us rise in early morning,
and his resurrection sing.

Tune: Hyfrydol 87.87 D
Music: R. H. Prichard, 1831
Text: ?????s?µe? ?????? ßa?e??, Saint John of Damascus, c. 740
Translation: John Mason Neale, 1818-1866

PSALMODY


Ant. 1 Our fathers have told us of the Lord’s power; they have recounted for us his marvelous deeds, alleluia.

Psalm 78:1-39
Salvation history reveals the goodness of God and the faithlessness of his people

These events are recalled as a warning to us (1 Corinthians 10:6).

I

Give heed, my people, to my teaching; *
turn your ear to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable *
and reveal hidden lessons of the past.

The things we have heard and understood, *
the things our fathers have told us,
these we will not hide from their children *
but will tell them to the next generation:

the glories of the Lord and his might *
and the marvelous deeds he has done,
the witness he gave to Jacob, *
the law he established in Israel.

He gave a command to our fathers *
to make it known to their children
that the next generation might know it, *
the children yet to be born.

They too should arise and tell their sons *
that they too should set their hope in God
and never forget God’s deeds *
but keep every one of his commands:

so that they might not be like their fathers, *
a defiant and rebellious race,
a race whose heart was fickle, *
whose spirit was unfaithful to God.

The sons of Ephraim, armed with the bow, *
turned back in the day of battle.
They failed to keep God’s covenant *
and would not walk according to his law.

They forgot the things he has done, *
the marvelous deeds he had shown them.
He did wonders in the sight of their fathers, *
in Egypt, in the plains of Zoan.

He divided the sea and led them through *
and made the waters stand up like a wall.
By day he led them with a cloud: *
by night, with a light of fire.

He split the rocks in the desert. *
He gave them plentiful drink as from the deep.
He made streams flow out from the rock *
and made waters run down like rivers.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Our fathers have told us of the Lord’s power; they have recounted for us his marvelous deeds, alleluia.

Ant. 2 The children of Israel ate the manna and drank from the spiritual rock which followed after them, alleluia.

II

Yet still they sinned against him; *
they defied the Most High in the desert.
In their heart they put God to the test *
by demanding the food they craved.

They even spoke against God.
They said: “Is it possible for God *
to prepare a table in the desert?

It was he who struck the rock, *
water flowed and swept down in torrents.
But can he also give us bread? *
Can he provide meat for his people?”

When he heard this the Lord was angry. *
A fire was kindled against Jacob,
his anger rose against Israel
for having no faith in God; *
for refusing to trust in his help.

Yet he commanded the clouds above *
and opened the gates of heaven.
He rained down manna for their food, *
and gave them bread from heaven.

Mere men ate the bread of angels. *
He sent them abundance of food:
he made the east wind blow from heaven *
and roused the south wind by his might.

He rained food on them like dust, *
winged fowl like the sands of the sea.
He let it fall in the midst of their camp *
and all around their tents.

So they ate and had their fill; *
and he gave them all they craved.
But before they had sated their craving, *
while the food was still in their mouths,

God’s anger rose against them.
He slew the strongest among them, *
struck down the flower of Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The children of Israel ate the manna and drank from the spiritual rock which followed after them, alleluia.

Ant. 3 They remembered that God was their helper and redeemer, alleluia.

III

Despite this they went on sinning; *
they had no faith in his wonders:
so he ended their days like a breath *
and their years in sudden ruin.

When he slew them then they would seek him, *
return and seek him in earnest.
They would remember that God was their rock, *
God the Most High their redeemer.

But the words they spoke were mere flattery; *
they lied to him with their lips.
For their hearts were not truly with him; *
they were not faithful to his covenant.

Yet he who is full of compassion *
forgave them their sin and spared them.
So often he held back his anger *
when he might have stirred up his rage.

He remembered they were only men, *
a breath that passes never to return.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Shepherd of your Church, in order to strengthen our faith and to lead us to the kingdom, you renewed and far surpassed the marvels of the old law. Through the uncertainties of this earthly journey, lead us home to the everlasting pastures.

Ant. They remembered that God was their helper and redeemer, alleluia.

Christ Jesus, you have risen from the dead, alleluia.
Let the heavens and the earth rejoice, alleluia.

READINGS

FIRST READING

From the book of Revelation

[In view of the omission of yesterday’s daily reading on account of the Feast of Saints Phillip and James, the following reading may precede today’s, in accordance with the GILH ¶249:

15:5-16:21

The seven bowls of God’s wrath

After this I, John, had another vision. The temple that is the heavenly tent of testimony opened, and the seven angels with the seven plagues came out of the temple. They were dressed in clean white linen, with a gold sash around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven gold bowls filled with the fury of God, who lives forever and ever. Then the temple became so filled with the smoke from God’s glory and might that no one could enter it until the seven plagues of the seven angels had been accomplished.

 I heard a loud voice speaking from the temple to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s fury upon the earth.” The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Festering and ugly sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast or worshiped its image.  The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. The sea turned to blood like that from a corpse; every creature living in the sea died. The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water. These also turned to blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just, O Holy One, who are and who were, in passing this sentence. For they have shed the blood of the holy ones and the prophets, and you have given them blood to drink; it is what they deserve.”

Then I heard the altar cry out, “Yes, Lord God almighty, your judgments are true and just.” The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. It was given the power to burn people with fire. People were burned by the scorching heat and blasphemed the name of God who had power over these plagues, but they did not repent or give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and people bit their tongues in pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their works. The sixth angel emptied his bowl on the great river Euphrates. Its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.  

I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet. These were demonic spirits who performed signs. They went out to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God the almighty.

“Behold, I am coming like a thief.” Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his clothes ready, so that he may not go naked and people see him exposed. They then assembled the kings in the place that is named Armageddon in Hebrew. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.”

Then there were lightning flashes, rumblings, and peals of thunder, and a great earthquake. It was such a violent earthquake that there has never been one like it since the human race began on earth. The great city was split into three parts, and the gentile cities fell. But God remembered great Babylon, giving it the cup filled with the wine of his fury and wrath. Every island fled, and mountains disappeared. Large hailstones like huge weights came down from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God for the plague of hail because this plague was so severe.]

17:1-18

Babylon the great harlot

I, John, watched and one of the seven angels who were holding the seven bowls came to me and said: “Come, I will show you the judgment in store for the great harlot who sits by the waters of the deep. The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the earth’s inhabitants have grown drunk on the wine of her lewdness.”

The angel then carried me away in spirit to a desolate place where I saw a woman seated on a scarlet beast which was covered with blasphemous names. This beast had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and pearls and other jewels. In her hand she held a gold cup that was filled with the abominable and sordid deeds of her lewdness. On her forehead was written a symbolic name, “Babylon the great, mother of harlots and all the world’s abominations.” I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy ones and the blood of those martyred for their faith in Jesus.

When I saw her I was greatly astonished. The angel said to me: “Why are you so taken aback? I will explain to you the symbolism of the woman and of the seven-headed and ten-horned beast carrying her. The beast you saw existed once but now exists no longer. It will come up from the abyss once more before going to final ruin. All the men of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of the living from the creation of the world shall be amazed when they see the beast, for it existed once and now exists no longer, and yet it will exist again.

“Here is the clue for one who possesses wisdom! The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits enthroned. They are also seven kings: five have already fallen, one lives now, and the last has not yet come; but when he does come he will remain only a short while. The beast which existed once but now exists no longer, even though it is an eighth king, is really one of the seven and is on its way to ruin. The ten horns you saw represent ten kings who have not yet been crowned; they will possess royal authority along with the beast, but only for an hour. Then they will come to agreement and bestow their power and authority on the beast. They will fight against the Lamb but the Lamb will conquer them, for he is the Lord of lords and the King of kings; victorious, too, will be his followers—the ones who were called: the chosen and the faithful.”

The angel then said to me: “The waters on which you saw the harlot enthroned are large numbers of peoples and nations and tongues. The ten horns you saw on the beast will turn against the harlot with hatred; they will strip off her finery and leave her naked; they will devour her flesh and set her on fire. For God has put it into their minds to carry out his plan, by making them agree to bestow their sovereignty on the beast until his will is accomplished. The woman you saw is the great city which has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”

RESPONSORY
Revelation 17:14; 6:2

The rulers of the earth will wage war against the Lamb,
but the Lamb will be victorious over them,
for he is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, alleluia.

He was given a crown,
and like a conqueror he rode forth to win still further victories.
For he is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, alleluia.

SECOND READING

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope
(Cap. 36, 1-2, 37-38: Funk 1, 145-149)

The preservation of unity

Beloved, Jesus Christ is our salvation, he is the high priest through whom we present our offerings and the helper who supports us in our weakness. Through him our gaze penetrates the heights of heaven and we see as in a mirror, the most holy face of God. Through Christ the eyes of our hearts are opened, and our weak and clouded understanding reaches up toward the light. Through him the Lord God willed that we should taste eternal knowledge, for Christ is the radiance of God’s glory, and as much greater than the angels as the name God has given him is superior to theirs.

So then, my brothers, let us do battle with all our might under his unerring command. Think of the men serving under our military commanders. How well disciplined they are! How readily and submissively they carry out orders! Not everyone can be a prefect, a tribune, a centurion, or a captain of fifty, but each man in his own rank executes the orders of the emperor and the officers in command. The great cannot exist without those of humble condition, nor can those of humble condition exist without the great. Always it is the harmonious working together of its various parts that insures the well-being of the whole. Take our own body as an example: The head is helpless without the feet; and the feet can do nothing without the heart. Even our least important members are useful and necessary to the whole body, and all work together for its well-being in harmonious subordination.

Let us, then, preserve the unity of the body that we form in Christ Jesus, and let everyone give his neighbor the deference to which his particular gifts entitle him. Let the strong care for the weak and the weak respect the strong. Let the wealthy assist the poor and the poor man thank God for giving him someone to supply his needs. The wise man should show his wisdom not by his eloquence but by good works; the humble man should not proclaim his own humility, but leave others to do so; nor must the man who preserves his chastity ever boast of it, but recognize that the ability to control his desires has been given him by another.

Think, my brothers, of how we first came into being, of what we were at the first moment of our existence. Think of the dark tomb out of which our Creator brought us into his world where he had his gifts prepared for us even before we were born. All this we owe to him and for everything we must give him thanks. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORY
Colossians 1:18; 2:12b, 9-10, 12a

Christ is the head of the body, the Church,
and the first to be born from the dead.
In him you were raised to life
by faith in the power of God
who raised him from the dead, alleluia.

In Christ the fullness of divinity dwells in bodily form,
and in him you find your own fulfillment.
You were buried with him in baptism.
– In him you were raised to life
by faith in the power of God
who raised him from the dead, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER


Let us pray.

Father of our freedom and salvation,
hear the prayers of those redeemed by your Son’s suffering.
Through you may we have life;
with you may we have eternal joy.
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.

Or:

O God, author of our freedom and our salvation,
listen to the voice of our pleading
and grant that those you have redeemed
by the shedding of your Son’s Blood
may have life through you
and, under your protection,
rejoice for ever unharmed.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

ACCLAMATION


Let us praise the Lord.
And give him thanks.
24 posted on 05/04/2012 3:58:31 AM PDT by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
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Lauds

INVITATORY


The Invitatory may be said for the first ‘hour’ recited in the day.

Lord, + open my lips.
And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Psalm 95
A call to praise God

Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
   and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
   and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
   the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
   and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
   the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship *
   bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
   the flock he shepherds.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
   in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
   they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
   and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
   “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

This joyful Eastertide
Away with sin and sorrow!
My love, the Crucified,
Has sprung to life this morrow:

Refrain:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen,
Arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!

My flesh in hope shall rest
And for a season slumber
Till trump from east to west
Shall wake the dead in number:

Refrain:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen,
Arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!

Death’s flood has lost its chill
Since Jesus crossed the river;
Lover of souls, from ill
My passing soul deliver:

Refrain:
Had Christ, who once was slain,
Not burst his three-day prison,
Our faith had been in vain:
But now has Christ arisen,
Arisen, arisen, arisen;
But now has Christ arisen!

Tune: Vreuchten 76.76 with refrain
Music: Ooudaen’s David’s Psalmen, 1685
Text: George R. Woodward, 1848-1934

Or:

In this our bright and Paschal day
The sun shines out with purer ray,
When Christ, to earthly sight made plain,
The glad Apostles see again.

The wounds, the riven wounds he shows
In that his flesh with light that glows,
In loud accord both far and nigh
The Lord’s arising testify.

O Christ, the King who lovest to bless,
To you our hearts and souls possess;
To you our praise that we may pay,
To whom our laud is due for aye.

Tune: Ach, bleib bei uns L.M.
Music: Samuel Scheidt, 1567-1654
Text: Aurora lucis rutilat, verses 9-11, attributed to Saint Ambrose of Milan (340-397)
Translation: John Mason Neale, 1818-1866

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Christ gave himself up for us as a sacrificial offering to God, alleluia.

Psalm 51
O God, have mercy on me


Your inmost being must be renewed, and you must put on the new man (Ephesians 4:23-24).

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. *
In your compassion blot out my offense.
O wash me more and more from my guilt *
and cleanse me from my sin.

My offenses truly I know them; *
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned; *
what is evil in your sight I have done.

That you may be justified when you give sentence *
and be without reproach when you judge.
O see, in guilt I was born, *
a sinner was I conceived.

Indeed you love truth in the heart; *
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean; *
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me hear rejoicing and gladness, *
that the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your face *
and blot out all my guilt.

A pure heart create for me, O God, *
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence, *
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.

Give me again the joy of your help; *
with a spirit of fervor sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways *
and sinners may return to you.

O rescue me, God, my helper, *
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips *
and my mouth shall declare your praise.

For in sacrifice you take no delight, *
burnt offering from me you would refuse,
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit, *
a humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.

In your goodness, show favor to Zion: *
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice, *
holocausts offered on your altar.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Father, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, to save us and restore us to your friendship. Look upon our contrite heart and afflicted spirit and heal our troubled conscience, so that in the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit we may proclaim your praise and glory before all the nations.

Ant. Christ gave himself up for us as a sacrificial offering to God, alleluia.

Ant. 2 Jerusalem, city of God, you will shine with a radiant light, alleluia.

Canticle: Tobit 13:8-11, 13-15
Thanksgiving for the people’s deliverance


He showed me the holy city Jerusalem which shone with the glory of God (Revelation 21:10-11).

Let all men speak of the Lord’s majesty, *
and sing his praises in Jerusalem.

O Jerusalem, holy city,
he scourged you for the works of your hands, *
but will again pity the children of the righteous.

Praise the Lord for his goodness,
and bless the King of the ages, *
so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy.

May he gladden within you all who were captives;
all who were ravaged may he cherish within you *
for all generations to come.

A bright light will shine to all parts of the earth;
many nations shall come to you from afar, *
and the inhabitants of all the limits of the earth,
drawn to you by the name of the Lord God, *
bearing in their hands their gifts for the King of heaven.

Every generation shall give joyful praise in you,
and shall call you the chosen one, *
through all ages forever.

Go, then, rejoice over the children of the righteous,
who shall all be gathered together *
and shall bless the Lord of the ages.

Happy are those who love you, *
and happy those who rejoice in your prosperity.

Happy are the men who shall grieve over you, *
over all your chastisements,

for they shall rejoice in you *
as they behold all your joy forever.

My spirit blesses the Lord, the great King.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Jerusalem, city of God, you will shine with a radiant light, alleluia.

Ant. 3 I saw the new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, alleluia.

Psalm 147:12-20
The restoration of Jerusalem


Come, I will show you the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9).

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! *
Zion, praise your God!

He has strengthened the bars of your gates, *
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders, *
he feeds you with finest wheat.

He sends out his word to the earth *
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool, *
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.

He hurls down hailstones like crumbs. *
The waters are frozen at his touch;
he sends forth his word and it melts them: *
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.

He makes his word known to Jacob, *
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations; *
he has not taught them his decrees.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

All-powerful God, it is through your Church, generously endowed with gifts of grace and fortified by the Holy Spirit, that you send out your word to all nations. Strengthen your Church with the best of all food and make it dauntless in faith. Multiply its children to celebrate with one accord the mysteries of your love at the altar on high.

Ant. I saw the new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, alleluia.

READING

Acts 5:30-32

The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus whom you put to death, hanging him on a tree. He whom God has exalted at his right hand as ruler and savior is to bring repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. We testify to this. So too does the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those that obey him.

RESPONSORY


The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

He hung upon the cross for us,
alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Lord is risen from the tomb, alleluia, alleluia.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH


Ant. I go now to prepare a place for you, but I shall return to take you with me, so that where I am you also may be, alleluia.

Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
   all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. I go now to prepare a place for you, but I shall return to take you with me, so that where I am you also may be, alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS


God the Father raised up Christ through the Spirit, and will also raise up our mortal bodies. Let us cry out to him:
Lord, raise us to life through your Holy Spirit.

All-holy Father, you accepted the holocaust of your Son in raising him from the dead,
accept the offering we make today, and lead us to eternal life.
Lord, raise us to life through your Holy Spirit.

Look with favor on all we do today,
that it may be for your glory and the sanctification of the world.
Lord, raise us to life through your Holy Spirit.

May our work today not be in vain but for the good of the whole world,
and through it lead us to your kingdom.
Lord, raise us to life through your Holy Spirit.

Open our eyes today to recognize our brothers and sisters, and our hearts to love them,
so that we may love and serve each other.
Lord, raise us to life through your Holy Spirit.

THE LORD’S PRAYER


(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)

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 who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

CONCLUDING PRAYER


Father of our freedom and salvation,
hear the prayers of those redeemed by your Son’s suffering.
Through you may we have life;
with you may we have eternal joy.
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.

Or:

O God, author of our freedom and our salvation,
listen to the voice of our pleading
and grant that those you have redeemed
by the shedding of your Son’s Blood
may have life through you
and, under your protection,
rejoice for ever unharmed.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

DISMISSAL


May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
25 posted on 05/04/2012 3:58:44 AM PDT by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
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Daytime Prayer

INTRODUCTION


God, + come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN


This day our risen Savior reigns,
Creation’s undefeated King,
While angels in resplendent light
With mighty voice his triumph sing.

This day the Lord has made his own,
Who broke from his confining grave,
His living presence fills the world
That by his cross he came to save.

To God the Father glory give
For Jesus Christ his deathless Son,
Who with the Holy Spirit lives
Immortal, and for ever one.

Tune: Solemnis Haec Festivas L.M.
Music: Graduale, 1685
Text: © 1974 Stanbrook Abbey. Used with permission.


PSALMODY


Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Psalm 119:161-168
XXI (Shin)

A meditation on God’s law

I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you (John 13:34).

Though princes oppress me without cause *
I stand in awe of your word.
I take delight in your promise *
like one who finds a treasure.

Lies I hate and detest *
but your law is my love.
Seven times a day I praise you *
for your just decrees.

The lovers of your law have great peace; *
they never stumble.
I await your saving help, O Lord, *
I fulfill your commands.

My soul obeys your will *
and loves it dearly.
I obey your precepts and your will; *
all that I do is before you.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

There is great peace, Lord, for those who love your law; they never stumble. Grant that those who love you above all else may be undisturbed by thoughts of evil.

Psalm 133
Joy when hearts are united in love


Let us love one another, for love is of God (1 John 4:7).

How good and how pleasant it is, *
when brothers live in unity!

It is like precious oil upon the head *
running down upon the beard,
running down upon Aaron’s beard, *
upon the collar of his robes.

It is like the dew of Hermon which falls *
on the heights of Zion.
For there the Lord gives his blessing, *
life for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Pour out over your Church, Lord, the spirit of brotherly love and a longing for your peace. May this precious oil of the Holy Spirit flow over us to fill us with your gracious benediction.

Psalm 140:1-9, 13-14
Lord, you are my refuge


The Son of Man will be handed over to wicked men (Matthew 26:45).

Rescue me, Lord, from evil men; *
from the violent keep me safe,
from those who plan evil in their hearts *
and stir up strife every day;
who sharpen their tongue like an adder’s, *
with the poison of viper on their lips.

Lord, guard me from the hands of the wicked; *
from the violent keep me safe;
they plan to make me stumble. *
The proud have hidden a trap,
have spread out lines in a net, *
set snares across my path.

I have said to the Lord: “You are my God.” *
Lord, hear the cry of my appeal!
Lord my God, my mighty help, *
you shield my head in the battle.
Do not grant the wicked their desire *
nor let their plots succeed.

I know that the Lord will avenge the poor, *
that he will do justice for the needy.
Yes, the just will praise your name: *
the upright shall live in your presence.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Lord, you keep constant guard over your faithful people. Protect us from hidden snares and make us holy, that we may praise and bless your name and live in righteousness before you.

Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

At the other hours, the complementary psalmody is used.

MIDMORNING


READING
Acts 2:32, 36

God has raised up Jesus, and we are his witnesses. Therefore let the whole house of Israel know beyond any doubt that God had made both Lord and Messiah this Jesus whom you crucified.

The Lord is risen, alleluia.
He has appeared to Simon, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Father of our freedom and salvation,
hear the prayers of those redeemed by your Son’s suffering.
Through you may we have life;
with you may we have eternal joy.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Or:

O God, author of our freedom and our salvation,
listen to the voice of our pleading
and grant that those you have redeemed
by the shedding of your Son’s Blood
may have life through you
and, under your protection,
rejoice for ever unharmed.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
And give him thanks.

MIDDAY


READING
Galatians 3:27-28

All of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with him. There does not exist among you Jew or Greek, slave or freeman, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus.

The disciples rejoiced, alleluia.
When they saw the risen Lord, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Father of our freedom and salvation,
hear the prayers of those redeemed by your Son’s suffering.
Through you may we have life;
with you may we have eternal joy.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Or:

O God, author of our freedom and our salvation,
listen to the voice of our pleading
and grant that those you have redeemed
by the shedding of your Son’s Blood
may have life through you
and, under your protection,
rejoice for ever unharmed.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
And give him thanks.

MIDAFTERNOON


READING
1 Corinthians 5:7, 8

Get rid of the old yeast to make of yourselves fresh dough, unleavened loaves, as it were; Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. Let us celebrate the feast not with the old yeast, that of corruption and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Stay with us, Lord, alleluia.
For evening draws near, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Father of our freedom and salvation,
hear the prayers of those redeemed by your Son’s suffering.
Through you may we have life;
with you may we have eternal joy.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Or:

O God, author of our freedom and our salvation,
listen to the voice of our pleading
and grant that those you have redeemed
by the shedding of your Son’s Blood
may have life through you
and, under your protection,
rejoice for ever unharmed.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
And give him thanks.

26 posted on 05/04/2012 3:58:49 AM PDT by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
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Vespers

INTRODUCTION


God, + come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN


Come, O Christian people sing
In triumphant gladness;
God has rescued Israel,
Given joy for sadness;
Freed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke
Jacob’s sons and daughters;
Leading them beyond all death
Through the Red Sea waters.

Spring is in our hearts today;
Christ has burst his prison
And from three days’ sleep in death
As a sun has risen.
All the winter of our sins,
Long and dark, is flying
From his light, to whom we give
Song and praise undying.

Now the queen of seasons, bright
With the day of splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts,
Far from dark December,
Comes to glad Jerusalem,
Who with true affection,
Welcomes with untiring praise
Jesus’ resurrection.

Neither could the gates of death,
Nor the tomb’s dark portal,
Nor the watchers, nor the seal,
Hold you as a mortal.
But today amid your own
You have stood bestowing
Your own peace which evermore
Passes human knowing.

Tune: Ave Virgo Virginum (Gaudeamus Pariter) 76.76 D
Music: Johann Horn, 1544
Text: As?µe? pa?te? ?a??, John of Damascus, c. 740
Translation: John Mason Neale, 1818-1866

Or:

I know that my Redeemer lives;
What joy the blest assurance gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my everlasting Head!

He lives, to bless me with his love;
He lives, to plead for me above;
He lives, my hungry soul to feed;
He lives, to help in time of need.

He lives, and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death;
He lives, my mansion to prepare;
He lives, to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to his name;
He lives, my Savior still the same;
What joy the blest assurance gives;
I know that my Redeemer lives!

Tune: Duke Street L.M.
Music: John Hatton, 1710-1793
Text: Samuel Medley, 1738-1799

PSALMODY


Ant. 1 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, alleluia.

Psalm 145
Praise of God’s majesty


Lord, you are the Just One, who was and who is (Revelation 16:5).

I

I will give you glory, O God my King, *
I will bless your name for ever.

I will bless you day after day*
and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,*
his greatness cannot be measured.

Age to age shall proclaim your works, *
shall declare your mighty deeds,
shall speak of your splendor and glory, *
tell the tale of your wonderful works.

They will speak of your terrible deeds, *
recount your greatness and might.
They will recall your abundant goodness; *
age to age shall ring out your justice.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion, *
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all, *
compassionate to all his creatures.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord, *
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign *
and declare your might, O God,

to make known to men your mighty deeds *
and the glorious splendor of your reign.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom; *
your rule lasts from age to age.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, alleluia.

Ant. 2
To the King of ages, immortal and invisible, be all honor and glory, alleluia.

II

The Lord is faithful in all his words *
and loving in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall *
and raises all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all creatures look to you *
and you give them their food in due time.
You open wide your hand, *
grant the desires of all who live.

The Lord is just in all his ways *
and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him, *
who call on him from their hearts.

He grants the desires of those who fear him, *
he hears their cry and he saves them.
The Lord protects all who love him; *
the wicked he will utterly destroy.

Let me speak the praise of the Lord,
let all mankind bless his holy name *
for ever, for ages unending.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Lord, be near to all who call upon you in truth and increase the dedication of those who revere you. Hear their prayers and save them, that they may always love you and praise your holy name.

Ant. To the King of ages, immortal and invisible, be all honor and glory, alleluia.

Ant. 3 The Lord is my strength, I shall always praise him, for he has become my savior, alleluia.

Canticle: Revelation 15:3-4
Hymn of adoration


Mighty and wonderful are your works, *
Lord God Almighty!
Righteous and true are your ways, *
O King of the nations!

Who would dare refuse you honor, *
or the glory due your name, O Lord?

Since you alone are holy, *
all nations shall come
and worship in your presence. *
Your mighty deeds are clearly seen.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Lord is my strength, I shall always praise him, for he has become my savior, alleluia.

READING

Hebrews 5:8-10

Son though he was, Christ learned obedience from what he suffered; and when perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, designated by God as high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

RESPONSORY


The disciples rejoiced, alleluia, alleluia.
The disciples rejoiced, alleluia, alleluia.

When they saw the risen Lord,
alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The disciples rejoiced, alleluia, alleluia.

CANTICLE OF MARY


Ant. The Good Shepherd laid down his life for his sheep, alleluia.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My + soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior *
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.

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.

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.

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.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. The Good Shepherd laid down his life for his sheep, alleluia.

INTERCESSIONS


Let us praise Christ, the source of all life and the foundation of all virtue:
King of glory, hear our prayer.

Jesus our Savior, you died in your human nature but were restored to life by the Spirit,
make us die to sin, and live by the Spirit.
King of glory, hear our prayer.

You sent your disciples into the whole world to preach the Gospel to every creature,
inspire those who preach the Gospel to live by your Spirit.
King of glory, hear our prayer.

All power in heaven and on earth has been given to you, to bear witness to the truth,
keep the hearts of those who govern us faithful to the truth.
King of glory, hear our prayer.

You make all things new, and command us to wait and watch for your kingdom,
grant that the more we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the more we may seek to better this present world.
King of glory, hear our prayer.

You went down among the dead to bring them the good news of the Gospel,
be the great joy and hope of all the dead.
King of glory, hear our prayer.

THE LORD’S PRAYER


(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself taught us:)

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 who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

CONCLUDING PRAYER


Father of our freedom and salvation,
hear the prayers of those redeemed by your Son’s suffering.
Through you may we have life;
with you may we have eternal joy.
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.

Or:

O God, author of our freedom and our salvation,
listen to the voice of our pleading
and grant that those you have redeemed
by the shedding of your Son’s Blood
may have life through you
and, under your protection,
rejoice for ever unharmed.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

DISMISSAL


May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
27 posted on 05/04/2012 3:59:09 AM PDT by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
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Compline

INTRODUCTION


God, + come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of Conscience

A brief examination of conscience may be made. In the communal celebration of the Office, a Penitential Rite using the formulas of the Mass may be inserted here.

[I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,

And, striking their breast, they say:

through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;

Then they continue:

therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

The absolution by the Priest follows:

May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.]

HYMN

At the Lamb’s high feast we sing
Praise to our victorious King,
Who has washed us in the tide
Flowing from his wounded side;
Praise the Lord, whose love divine
Gives his sacred blood for wine,
Gives his body for the feast,
Christ the victim, Christ the priest.

Where the Paschal blood is poured,
Death’s dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel’s host in triumph go
Through the waves that drown the foe.
Christ the Lamb whose blood was shed,
Paschal victim, Paschal bread;
Let us with a fervent love
Taste the manna from above.

Mighty Victim from on high,
Pow’rs of hell now vanquished lie;
Sin is conquered in the fight:
You have brought us life and light;
Your resplendent banners wave,
You have risen from the grave;
Christ has opened Paradise,
And in him all men shall rise.

Easter triumph, Easter joy,
Sin alone can this destroy;
Souls form sin and death set free
Glory in their liberty.
Hymns of glory, hymns of praise
Father unto you we raise;
Risen Lord, for joy we sing;
Let our hymns through heaven ring.

Tune: Salzburg 77.77 D
Music: Jacob Hintze, 1622-1702
Text: Ad regias Agni dapes
Translation: Robert Campbell, 1814-1868, adapted by Geoffrey Laycock

Or:

Holy God, we praise thy Name!
Lord of all, we bow before thee!
All on earth they scepter claim,
All in heaven above adore thee!
Infinite thy vast domain,
Everlasting is thy reign.

Hark the loud celestial hymn
Angel choirs above are raising;
Cherubim and Seraphim,
In unceasing chorus praising,
Fill the heavens with sweet accord:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord!

Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Spirit, Three we name thee,
While in essence only One,
Undivided God we claim thee;
And adoring bend the knee,
While we own the mystery.

Melody: Großer Gott 78.78.77
Music: Katholisches Gesangbuch, Vienna, c. 1774
Text: Ignaz Franz, 1719-1790
Translation: Clarence Walsworth, 1820-1900

PSALMODY


Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Psalm 88
Prayer of a very sick person

This is your hour when darkness reigns (Luke 22:53).

Lord my God, I call for help by day; *
I cry at night before you.
Let my prayer come into your presence. *
O turn your ear to my cry.

For my soul is filled with evils; *
my life is on the brink of the grave.
I am reckoned as one in the tomb: *
I have reached the end of my strength,

like one alone among the dead; *
like the slain lying in their graves;
like those you remember no more, *
cut off, as they are, from your hand.

You have laid me in the depths of the tomb, *
in places that are dark, in the depths.
Your anger weighs down upon me: *
I am drowned beneath your waves.

You have taken away my friends *
and made me hateful in their sight.
Imprisoned, I cannot escape; *
my eyes are sunken with grief.

I call to you, Lord, all the day long; *
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work your wonders for the dead? *
Will the shades stand and praise you?

Will your love be told in the grave *
or your faithfulness among the dead?
Will your wonders be known in the dark *
or your justice in the land of oblivion?

As for me, Lord, I call to you for help: *
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Lord, why do you reject me? *
Why do you hide your face?

Wretched, close to death from my youth, *
I have borne your trials; I am numb.
Your fury has swept down upon me; *
your terrors have utterly destroyed me.

They surround me all the day like a flood, *
they assail me all together.
Friend and neighbor you have taken away: *
my one companion is darkness.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

READING

Jeremiah 14:9a

You are in our midst, O Lord,
   your name we bear:
   do not forsake us, O Lord, our God!

RESPONSORY


Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
Alleluia, alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia.

CANTICLE OF SIMEON


Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace, alleluia.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, + now you let your servant go in peace; *
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation *
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations *
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace, alleluia.

CONCLUDING PRAYER


Let us pray.

All-powerful God
keep us united with your Son
in his death and burial
so that we may rise to new life with him,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.

BLESSING


May the all-powerful Lord
grant us a restful night
and a peaceful death.
Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
The Son whom you merited to bear, alleluia,
has risen as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia!
For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia!

Or:

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia,
quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,
resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia;
ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

Or:

Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this exile
show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

Or:

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you!
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.

Or:

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
 vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve,
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
 in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
 illos tuos misericordes occulos
 ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
 nobis post hoc exilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

Or:

Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven, star of the sea,
assist your people who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.

28 posted on 05/04/2012 3:59:16 AM PDT by markomalley (Nothing emboldens the wicked so greatly as the lack of courage on the part of the good-Pope Leo XIII)
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To: All


Information:
St. Godehard of Hildesheim
Feast Day: May 4
Born: 960, Reichersdorf, Bavaria
Died: May 4, 1038
Canonized: 1131, Rheims by Innocent II
Patron of: ravelling merchants; invoked against fever, dropsy, childhood sicknesses, hailstones, the pain of childbirth, and gout; invoked by those in peril of the sea



29 posted on 05/04/2012 8:02:02 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Interactive Saints for Kids

Blessed Marie-Leonie Paradis

Feast Day: May 04
Born: 1840 :: Died: 1912

Elodie Paradis was born in the village of L'Acadie in Quebec, Canada. Her parents were poor but good Catholics and they loved their little girl. When Elodie was nine, her parents wanted her to have the best education they could afford, so they sent her to a boarding school. The Sisters of Notre Dame warmly received their new student but Elodie and her family missed each other very much.

Mr. Paradis had a flour mill and although he worked hard, the mill did not make enough money to support his wife and children. He heard wonderful stories about large amounts of gold that was to be found in California. He was so worried about his family that he decided to go.

But in California, Mr. Paradis did not find the wealth he hoped for. When he returned to L'Acadie, he was shocked to find that his little Elodie had joined the convent to become a nun. She had entered the Holy Cross convent on February 21, 1854.

Mr. Paradis went to the convent and he begged his daughter to return home, but she really wanted to stay there. Finally, her father agreed and she took her vows as a nun in 1857.

Blessed Marie-Leonie taught school in different cities. She prayed and lived her life joyfully. As time went on, Sister Marie-Leonie was led by Jesus to begin a new religious order in the Church. The Little Sisters of the Holy Family were begun in 1880.

These loving sisters are committed to serving and caring for priests in the household. This helps the priest to carry out their important ministries without difficulty. The Little Sisters of the Holy Family now have sixty-seven convents in Canada, the United States, Rome and Honduras.

Although Mother Marie Leonie was weak and often sick, she worked for her sisters until the last few hours of her life. But she never stopped caring for God's people. She completed the book of rules she had written to help give her sisters the guidance they would need for their life.

On Friday, May 3, 1912. Mother Marie-Leonie said she felt very tired. She went to rest and died a few hours later. She was seventy-one years old.


30 posted on 05/04/2012 8:07:22 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
 
Catholic
Almanac:
Friday, May 4
Liturgical Color: White

Today the Church honors St John Houghton, priest, and one of the Martyrs of England. John was one of the first English Catholics killed for refusing to sign King Henry VIII's Act of Supremacy which made the king supreme head of the Church of England

31 posted on 05/04/2012 4:16:34 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: May 04, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, author of our freedom and of our salvation, listen to the voice of our pleading and grant that those you have redeemed by the shedding of your Son's Blood may have life through you and, under your protection, rejoice for ever unharmed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

  Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter Old Calendar: St. Monica, widow; St. Florian (Hist)

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, this was the feast of St. Monica, widow, Third Class. Her feast in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on August 27.

Historically today is the feast of St. Florian, a Roman military officer stationed at Noricum (Austria) who openly declared himself a Christian during the persecution of co-Emperor Diocletian.


St. Florian

The St. Florian commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on May 4th, was an officer of the Roman army, who occupied a high administrative post in Noricum, now part of Austria, and who suffered death for the Faith in the days of Diocletian. His legendary "Acts" state that he gave himself up at Lorch to the soldiers of Aquilinus, the governor, when they were rounding up the Christians, and after making a bold confession, he was twice scourged, half-flayed alive, set on fire, and finally thrown into the river Enns with a stone around his neck. His body, recovered and buried by a pious woman, was eventually removed to the Augustinian Abbey of St. Florian, near Linz. It is said to have been at a later date translated to Rome, and Pope Lucius III, in 1138, gave some of the saint's relics to King Casimir of Poland and to the Bishop of Cracow. Since that time, St. Florian has been regarded as a patron of Poland as well as of Linz, Upper Austria and of firemen. There has been popular devotion to St. Florian in many parts of central Europe, and the tradition as to his martyrdom, not far from the spot where the Enns flows into the Danube, is ancient and reliable. Many miracles of healing are attributed to his intercession and he is invoked as a powerful protector in danger from fire or water.

Patron: Austria and Poland; firefighters.

Things to Do:


32 posted on 05/04/2012 4:26:40 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
The Word Among Us

Meditation: Acts 13:26-33

“We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you.” (Acts 13:32)

Do you recognize this story? Most likely, you do. In these few verses, through his account of St. Paul’s preaching, Luke has penned the heart of the gospel message. He managed to cram years of Jesus’ ministry into a few short sentenc­es—along with a backdrop, a plot, and a climax!

Let’s see… . Jesus came to the people he and his Father created, but we didn’t recognize him. And though he was an innocent man, we condemned him to die a crimi­nal’s death. He was crucified and buried in a tomb. But God raised him up from the dead to be the fulfillment of his promises and the answer to our prayers. That’s the “word of salvation” (Acts 13:26), or the gospel, in a nutshell.

It’s pretty simple. In fact, it’s easy enough that probably anyone could tell this story. And that’s exactly the point. We can all be witnesses to this joyfully simple plan of redemp­tion. We can all respond to the call to evangelize. But sometimes it can feel pretty hard to get those words out of our mouth, even when the perfect opportunity presents itself. Why is that?

Maybe one of the most common reasons is that we doubt our effec­tiveness. We may doubt whether we can make the gospel attractive enough or persuasive enough to convince someone to receive it. We may get so worked up with doubt, in fact, that we don’t say anything at all! But the soul-tugging power of the gospel is actually not really in our hands. It is more in the hands of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we need to share the truth as we have come to know it, but it’s God himself who draws the person we are sharing with. Above all else, it is a work of God’s grace that moves a person to open his or her heart to the Lord. It’s the Spirit of God who drives the point home, not our eloquent words. And that’s a huge relief!

So always remember that you don’t have to be a theologian or a priest or a nun to share the gospel. All you have to be is open and avail­able, ready to leave the heavy lifting to God.

“Lord, fill me so full of your love that I overflow with the good news of the gospel.”

Psalm 2:6-11; John 14:1-6


33 posted on 05/04/2012 4:31:47 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
 
Marriage = One Man and One Woman
Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for May 4, 2012:

Imagine you are absolutely broke. What could you and your beloved do for a fun date? Walk? Bike? Read? Watch the stars? Play a game? Could this weekend be a time to experiment?  


34 posted on 05/04/2012 5:21:32 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Regnum Christi

Our Gaze Fixed on Christ
| SPIRITUAL LIFE
Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter



Father Steven Reilly, LC

John 14:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father´s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way." Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Introductory Prayer: Father, how empty is the life that doesn’t know the joy of Jesus your Son. I have come to this prayer today to know you and your Son better, to love you more and to imitate your perfections. Thank you for this time of prayer.

Petition: Lord Jesus, grant me a greater intensity in my relationship with you, the Way, the Truth and the Life!

1. Follow Me, I Am the Way: Remember the olden days, when you would stop in a gas station and ask directions? “Follow me” was the easiest way to give directions. Something like that is happening in the Gospel today. To Thomas’ question, “How can we know the way?” Jesus gives himself as the answer. We know the way with infallible precision. A personal and passionate relationship with Christ is the sure way through this confusing world. Let us keep our relationship with Jesus always on our spiritual GPS. Whenever we have a doubt, we should ask ourselves, “How would Jesus act in this situation? What is the path he would follow?”

2. Believe in Me, I Am the Truth: Jesus gives his followers a truth so rock solid, that nothing can shake them. Just as he is the Way, he is also the Truth. “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12). With the Truth of Jesus, we have the answer to basically any question we need to ask. What a comfort it is to have Jesus as the Truth in this world of jaded souls and in this climate of relativism.

3. Come to Me, I Am the Life: “He’s the life of the party” is a compliment of high regard in certain circles. He’s the spark plug, the guarantee for an entertaining evening. If he’s not there, a deflated feeling hangs in the air and everybody wonders if there isn’t a better way to be spending their time. A life lived with Jesus is never dull. He is the “Life” of more than just a party. The Christian with an intense relationship with Christ is completely fulfilled — he is never bored, nor is he boring.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. I thank you for giving me the great grace of my Catholic faith. Help me to share with others the immense joy of this personal relationship you have given me.

Resolution: I will speak to someone today about having a personal relationship with Christ.


35 posted on 05/04/2012 5:31:27 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Let nothing keep you from His peace

Do you allow any troubles to rob you of God’s peace? As much as we try to avoid it, we all inevitably encounter troubles and difficulties, and sometimes more than we think we can handle!  Jesus knew his disciples would have to face adversity and trials after he left them to return to his Father. Jesus assured them that his departure is for their good, in order to secure a place for them in God’s house – a place of refuge, peace, and everlasting happiness.  The Lord Jesus assures us of a safe passage to our true home in heaven with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

If heaven is our destination, how can we be sure we know the way without some kind of map or guide?  The scriptures speak of the way we should go.  “You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.  Youshall walk in all the way which the Lord your God has commanded you” (Deuteronomy 5:32-33).  “And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not pass over it, and fools shall not err therein” (Isaiah).  Teach me your way, O Lord; and lead me on a level path” (Psalm 27:11).  Jesus proclaims: “I am the Way.”  The Lord Jesus does not simply give advice and direction.  He personally is the way, and we cannot miss it.  He leads and guides us personally every day.  The Lord Jesus also is the Truth.  Many can say, “I have taught you the truth.”  Only Jesus can say, I am the Truth. Moral truth cannot be conveyed in words alone; it must be conveyed in example.  Jesus embodies the truth in his person.  Jesus also is the Life.  He not only shows us the path of life (Psalm 16:11); he gives the kind of life which only God can give — eternal life.  Is there any fear or trouble which keeps you from the perfect peace and happiness of a life surrendered to Christ?

 

Reflection written by Don Schwager of www.rc.net


36 posted on 05/04/2012 5:43:05 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
John
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  John 14
1 LET not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. Non turbetur cor vestrum. Creditis in Deum, et in me credite. μη ταρασσεσθω υμων η καρδια πιστευετε εις τον θεον και εις εμε πιστευετε
2 In my Father's house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you. In domo Patris mei mansiones multæ sunt ; si quominus dixissem vobis : quia vado parare vobis locum. εν τη οικια του πατρος μου μοναι πολλαι εισιν ει δε μη ειπον αν υμιν πορευομαι ετοιμασαι τοπον υμιν
3 And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be. Et si abiero, et præparavero vobis locum, iterum venio, et accipiam vos ad meipsum : ut ubi sum ego, et vos sitis. και εαν πορευθω [και] ετοιμασω υμιν τοπον παλιν ερχομαι και παραληψομαι υμας προς εμαυτον ινα οπου ειμι εγω και υμεις ητε
4 And whither I go you know, and the way you know. Et quo ego vado scitis, et viam scitis. και οπου εγω υπαγω οιδατε και την οδον οιδατε
5 Thomas saith to him: Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Dicit ei Thomas : Domine, nescimus quo vadis : et quomodo possumus viam scire ? λεγει αυτω θωμας κυριε ουκ οιδαμεν που υπαγεις και πως δυναμεθα την οδον ειδεναι
6 Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. Dicit ei Jesus : Ego sum via, et veritas, et vita. Nemo venit ad Patrem, nisi per me. λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγω ειμι η οδος και η αληθεια και η ζωη ουδεις ερχεται προς τον πατερα ει μη δι εμου

37 posted on 05/04/2012 5:53:35 PM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex
1. Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.
2. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
4. And where I go you know, and the way you know.

AUG. Our Lord consoles His disciples, who, as men, would be naturally alarmed and troubled at the idea of His death, by assuring them of His divinity: Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me; as if they must believe in Him, if they believed in God; which would not follow, unless Christ were God. you are in fear for this form of a servant; let not your heart be troubled; the form of God shall raise it up.

CHRYS. Faith, too, in Me, and in the Father that begat Me, is more powerful than anything that shall come upon you; and will prevail in spite of all difficulties. He shows His divinity at the same time by discerning their inward feelings: Let not your heart be troubled.

AUG. And as the disciples were afraid for themselves, when Peter, the boldest and most zealous of them, had been told, The cock shall not crow, till you have denied Me thrice, He adds, In My Father's house are many mansions, by way of an assurance to them in their trouble, that they might with confidence and certainty look forward, after all their trials, to dwelling together with Christ in the presence of God. For though one man is bolder, wiser, juster, holier than another, yet no one shall be removed from that house of God, but each receive a mansion suited to his deserts. The penny indeed which the householder paid to the laborers who worked in his vineyard, was the same to all; for life eternal, which this penny signifies, is of the same duration to all. But there may be many mansions, many degrees of dignity, in that life, corresponding to people's deserts.

GREG. The many mansions agree w with the one penny, because, though one may rejoice more than another, yet all rejoice with one and the same joy, arising from the vision of their Maker.

AUG. And thus God will be all in all; that is, since God is love, love will bring it to pass, that what each has, will be common to all. That which one loves in another is one's own, though one have it not one's self. And then there will be no envy et superior grace, for in all hearts will reign the unity of love.

GREG Nor is there any sense of deficiency in consequence of such inequality; for each will feel as much as suffices for himself.

AUG. But they are rejected by the Christians, who infer from there being many mansions that there is a place outside the kingdom of heaven, where innocent souls, that have departed this life without baptism, and could not there enter into the kingdom of heaven, remain happy. But God forbid, that when every house of every heir of the kingdom is in the kingdom, there should be a part of the regal house itself not in the kingdom. Our Lord does not say, In eternal bliss are many mansions, but they are in My Father's house.

CHRYS. Or thus: Our Lord having said above to Peter, Where I go, you can not follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterwards, that they might not think that this promise was made to Peter only, He says, In My Father's house are many mansions; i.e. You shall be admitted into that place, as well as Peter, for it contains abundance of mansions, which are ever ready to receive you: If it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you.

AUG. He means evidently that there are already many mansions, and that there is no need of His preparing one.

CHRYS. Having said, you can not follow Me now, that they might not think that they were cut off for ever, He adds: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again area receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also: a recommendation to them to place the strongest trust in Him.

THEOPHYL. And if not, I would have told you: I go to prepare, &c. As if He said; Either way you should not be troubled, whether places are prepared for you, or not. For, if they are not prepared, I will very quickly prepare them.

AUG. But why does He go and prepare a place, if there are many mansions already? Because these are not as yet so prepared as they will be. The same mansions that He has prepared by predestination, He prepares by operation. They are prepared already in respect of predestination; if they were not, He would have said, I will go and prepare, i.e. predestine, a place for you; but inasmuch as they are not yet prepared in respect of operation, He says, And if I go and prepare a place for you.

And now He is preparing mansions, by preparing occupants for them. Indeed, when He says, In My Father's house are many mansions, what think we the house of God to be but the temple of God, of which the Apostle said, The temple of God is holy, which temple you are (1 Cor 3:17). This house of God then is now being built, now being prepared.

But why has He gone away to prepare it, if it is ourselves that He prepares: if He leaves us, how can He prepare us? The meaning is, that, in order that those mansions may be prepared, the just must live by faith and if you see, there is no faith. Let Him go away then, that He be not seen; let Him be hid, that He be believed. Then a place is prepared, if you live by faith: let faith desire, that desire may enjoy. If you rightly understands Him, He never leaves either the place He came from, or that He goes from. He goes, when He withdraws from sight, He comes, when He appears. But except He remain in power, that we may grow in goodness, no place of happiness will be prepared for us.

ALCUIN. He says then, I go, by the absence of the flesh, I shall come again, by the presence of the Godhead; or, I shall come again to judge the quick and dead. And as He knew that they would ask where He went, or by what way He wells, He adds, And whither I go you know, i.e. to the Father, and the way you know, i.e. Myself.

CHRYS. He show them that He is aware of their curiosity to know His meaning, and thus excites them to pelt questions to Him.

5. Thomas said to him, Lord, we know not where you go; and how can we know the way?
6. Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

CHRYS. If the Jews, who wished to be separated from Christ, asked where He was going, much more would the disciples, who wished never to be separated from Him, be anxious to know it. So with much love, and, at the same time, fear, they proceed to ask: Thomas said to Him, Lord, we know not where you go; and how can we know the way?

AUG. Our Lord had said that they knew both, Thomas says that they knew neither. Our Lord cannot lie; they knew not that they did know. Our Lord proves that they did: Jesus said to Him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

AUG. As it He said, I am the way, whereby you would go; I am the truth, whereto you would go; I am the life, in which you would abide. The truth and the life every one understands; but not everyone has found the way. Even the philosophers of the world have seen that God is the life eternal, the truth which is the end of all knowledge.

And the Word of God, which is truth and life with the Father, by taking upon Him human nature, is made the way. Walk by the Man, and you will arrive at God. For it is better to limp on the right way, than to walk ever so stoutly by the wrong.

HILARY. For He who is the way does not lead us into devious courses out of the way; nor does He who is the truth deceive us by falsehoods; not does He who is the life leave us in the darkness of death.

THEOPHYL. When you art engaged in the practical, He is made your way; when in the contemplative, He is made your truth. And to the active and the contemplative is joined life: for we should both act and contemplate with reference to the world to come.

AUG. They knew then the way, because they knew He was the way. But what need to add, the truth, and the life? Because they were yet to be told whither He went. He went to the truth; He went to the life. He went then to Himself, by Himself. But did you leave Yourself, O Lord, to come to us? I know that you took upon you the form of a servant; by the flesh you came, remaining where you were; by that you returned, remaining where you had come to. It by this then you came, and returned, by this you were the way, not only to us, to come to you, but also to Yourself to come, and to return again. And when you went to life, which is Yourself you raised that same flesh of Your from death to life.

Christ therefore went to life, when His flesh arose from death to life. And since the Word is life, Christ went to Himself; Christ being both, in one person, i.e. Word-flesh. Again, by the flesh God came to men, the truth to liars; for God is true, but every man a liar. When then He withdrew Himself from men, and lifted up His flesh to that place in which no liar is, the same Christ, by the way, by which He being the Word became flesh, by Himself, i.e. by His flesh, by the same returned to Truth, which is Himself, which truth, even amongst the liars He maintained to death.

Behold I myself, if I make you understand what I say, do in a certain sense go to you, though I do not leave myself. And when I cease speaking, I return to myself, but remain with you, if you remember what you have heard. If the image which God has made can do this, how much more the Image which God has begotten? Thus He goes by Himself, to Himself and to the Father, and we by Him, to Him and to the Father.

CHRYS. For if, He says, you have Me for your guide to the Father, you shall certainly come to Him. Nor call you come by any other way. Whereas He had said above, No man can come to Me, except the Father draw him, now He says, No man comes to the Father but by Me, thus equaling Himself to the Father. The next words explain, Where I go you know, and the way you know.

If you had known Me, He says, you should have known My Father also; i.e. If you had known My substance and dignity, you would have known the Father's. They did know Him, but not as they ought to do. Nor was it till afterwards, when the Spirit came, that they were fully enlightened.

On this account He adds, And from henceforth you know Him, know Him, that is, spiritually. And have seen Him, i.e. by Me; meaning that he who had seen Him, had seen the Father. They saw Him, however, not in His pure substance, but clothed in flesh.
38 posted on 05/04/2012 5:54:13 PM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: annalex


All Saints

Greek icon

39 posted on 05/04/2012 5:55:04 PM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: All
One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 


<< Friday, May 4, 2012 >> Saint of the Day
 
Acts 13:26-33
View Readings
Psalm 2:6-11 John 14:1-6
 

WIN, SHOW, PLACE

 
"In My Father's house there are many dwelling places; otherwise, how could I have told you that I was going to prepare a place for you?" —John 14:2
 

Jesus promised He was going to prepare a place for us. Some people think this place is in heaven. However, heaven needs no preparation. It does not need remodeling or cleaning. Rather, the Lord is preparing a place for us on earth, in His Church, in the body of Christ.

We all want to find out why He made us. We want to contribute to God's plan of salvation as only we can. We want meaning and fulfillment in our lives. Our hearts are troubled until we are what the Lord has called us to be and we're doing what He's called us to do (Jn 14:1).

Jesus has prepared for us this special and precious place in His body when He ascended on high and gave gifts to us (Eph 4:8). These gifts of the Spirit have brought forth apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers (Eph 4:11). These members of Christ's body equip the saints to build up the body of Christ, and many find their places in God's plan of salvation.

You are special. You are a member of the body of Christ. Your life is very important. By the power of the Holy Spirit, "take your place" (Acts 5:20).

 
Prayer: Jesus, thank You for making me somebody, preparing me some place, and being my Someone. I love You.
Promise: "Yet God raised Him from the dead, and for many days thereafter Jesus appeared to those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These are His witnesses now before the people." —Acts 13:30-31
Praise: Sandy was afraid to go into a funeral home. When her classmate died, she couldn't go near the casket. Then she met the risen Jesus, Who delivered her from the fear of death (see Heb 2:15).

40 posted on 05/04/2012 5:59:33 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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