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September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows

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

Litany of Our Lady Of 7 Sorrows

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the world, . God the Holy Ghost, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Holy Virgin of virgins, Mother of the Crucified, Sorrowful Mother, Mournful Mother, Sighing Mother, Afflicted Mother, Foresaken Mother, . Desolate Mother, Mother most sad, Mother set around with anguish, Mother overwhelmed by grief, Mother transfixed by a sword, Mother crucified in thy heart, Mother bereaved of thy Son, Sighing Dove, Mother of Dolors, Fount of tears, Sea of bitterness, Field of tribulation, Mass of suffering, Mirror of patience, Rock of constancy, Remedy in perplexity, Joy of the afflicted, Ark of the desolate, Refuge of the abandoned,. Shiled of the oppressed, Conqueror of the incredulous, Solace of the wretched, Medicine of the sick, Help of the faint, Strength of the weak, Protectress of those who fight, Haven of the shipwrecked, Calmer of tempests, Companion of the sorrowful, Retreat of those who groan, Terror of the treacherous, Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, Treasure of the Faithful, Light of Confessors, Pearl of Virgins, . Comfort of Widows, . Joy of all Saints, Queen of thy Servants, Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,	Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, graciously hear us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us. pray for us That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray, --- O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end, Amen.
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

Our Mother of Sorrows

ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, OF THE DOLOURS OF MARY, The Glories [Sorrows] of Mary

Our Lady of Sorrows - Sep 15

From: Colossians 1:9-14

Prayer for Advancement in Holiness; Exhortation to Gratitude

[9] And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray
for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, [10] to lead a life worthy
of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work
and increasing in the knowledge of God. [11] May you be strengthened
with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and
patience with joy, [l2] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified
us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. [13] He has
delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the
kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

9-11. Knowledge that the brethren are advancing on the way to
holiness gives Paul joy and also leads him to intensify his prayer and
encourage them to keep up their effort. St John Chrysostom explains
this with a graphic example: “Just as at the racecourse the shouts to
encourage the riders increase the nearer they get to the finish, so the
Apostle vigorously encourages those faithful who are closest to
perfection” (”Hom. on Col, 2, ad loc.”).

The Apostle asks God to fill the Colossians with knowledge of his will
(v. 9), and he puts particular emphasis on their needing the Holy Spirit
to nlighten them with his gifts of wisdom and understanding, to
enable them to distinguish good teaching from the misleading teaching
of the false apostles; this insight should express itself in all kinds
of good works: as St Thomas comments, “it is not enough to have
knowledge, for he who knows what is the right thing to do and fails to
do it commits sin (cf. Jas 4:17); therefore, one must need to perform
virtuous actions” (”Commentary on Col, ad loc.”). Christians therefore
should always rely on God to strengthen them to do good; if they do
so, they will always be happy.

“To lead a life” (v. 10): literally, “to make your way”, a typical Hebrew
expression often used in Sacred Scripture. Leading a life worthy of
the Lord means keeping his commandments, acting in a way that
reflects the dignity of God who created us and made us his children
through grace, and who watches all our doings with fatherly affection;
it means being very faithful to our Christian calling, which leaves us
in our place (cf. 1 Cor 7:21-24) but requires us to bear “fruit in every
good work”.

12-14. “The dominion of darkness”: the condition of enslavement to
the devil of a person in the state of sin. As is frequent in Sacred
Scripture (cf. Is 58:10; Jn 12:35; 1 Jn 1:5; 2:8; 2 Cor 6:14; Rom
13:11-14; Eph 5:7-13), the simile of movement from darkness to light
is used to refer to “redemption” or the change from a condition of sin
to one of righteousness and friendship with God, which is effected by
infusion of sanctifying grace (cf. St Thomas, “Commentary on Col, ad
loc.”).

“Light”: this is a symbol of the risen Christ and also of the abundance
of graces which he won for mankind in his Easter Mystery. It also
describes the whole ensemble of supernatural benefits which grace
brings with it—goodness, righteousness (or holiness) and truth (cf.
Eph 5:9), which lead to the glory of heaven (cf. 2 Cor 4:6). Hence the
“rite of light”, so richly a symbol of supernatural realities, which
has formed part of baptismal liturgy since the first centuries.

The struggle between light and the power of darkness is referred to in
many passages of Sacred Scripture (cf. Jn 1:5, 9-11). Darkness means
both evil and the power of the Evil One. Before the redemption took
place, all men—as a consequence of original sin and their personal
sins—were slaves to sin; this slavery darkened their minds and made
it difficult for them to know God, who is the true light. Christ our Lord,
by carrying out the redemption and obtaining forgiveness for our sins
(cf. v. 14), rescued us from the kingdom of darkness from the tyranny
of the Evil One, and brought us into the kingdom of light, the kingdom
of truth and justice, of love and of peace (cf. “Preface for the
Solemnity of Christ the King”), enabling us to enjoy “the glorious
freedom of the children of God” (Rom 8:21).

“His beloved Son”: the Hebrew expression “Son of his love”, which is
paralleled in the Greek, is one of the ways Jesus Christ is referred to
in the New Testament (cf. Mt 12:6; Lk 20:13). A variation, “my Son, the
Beloved”, is spoken by the voice from heaven, that is, by the Father,
at Jesus’ baptism (cf. Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22) and at the
Transfiguration (cf. Mt 17:5; Mk 9:7; Lk 9:35).

By speaking in this way St Paul, like St John, is underlining the fact
that “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). God’s love for us was made manifest by
his sending his only Son into the world so that we might live through
him (cf. 1 Jn 4:9). By dying on the Cross he won life for us; by
redeeming us with his blood he obtained forgiveness for our sins (cf.
Col 1:14; Eph 2:4ff): “He revealed to us that God is love, and he gave
us the ‘new commandment’ of love (Jn 13:34), at the same time
communicating to us the certainty that the path of love is open for all
people, so that the effort to establish universal brotherhood is not a
vain one (cf. “Gaudium Et Spes”, 38). By conquering through his
death on the Cross evil and the power of sin, by his loving obedience
he brought salvation to all” (John Paul II, “Reconciliatio Et
Paenitentia”, 10).

On the meaning of “redemption” and “forgiveness of sins”, see the
note on Eph 1:7-8.

12. We Christians should be grateful to God for his great mercy in
deigning to free us from the power of the devil, forgiving our sins and
making us worthy to “share in the inheritance of the saints”. We have
benefited in so many ways: “In addition to the gift itself, he also
gives us the power we need so receive it [...]. God has not only
honored us by making us share in the inheritance, but has made us
worthy to possess it. And so we receive a double honor from
God—firstly, the position itself; and secondly, the capacity to
measure up to it” (Chrysostom, “Hom. on Col, ad loc.”).

Our sharing in “the inheritance of the saints” enables us to draw on
the treasury of spiritual goods which the Church is continually
applying to its members—prayers, sacrifices and all kinds of
meritorious actions, which benefit every Christian. This “inheritance
of the saints”—in which we begin to share in this present life—will
be found in its full and permanent form by those who attain everlasting
joy. The grace of conversion originates in God’s loving kindness.
“Prior to God’s gift of grace, although not every man might be sinful
there is nothing that he does or can do which would merit forgiveness
or the grace of God. You must realize”, St John of Avila says, “that it
is God who has brought you out of darkness into his wonderful light
[...]. And what caused him to do so was not your past merits or any
service you have rendered him, but his kindness alone and the merits
of our only mediator, Jesus Christ our Lord” (”Audi, Filia”, 65).

*********************************************************************************************
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, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Luke 5:1-11

The Miraculous Catch of Fish and the Calling of the First Disciples

[1] While the people pressed upon Him (Jesus) to hear the word of God,
He was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. [2] And He saw two boats by
the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their
nets. [3] Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, He asked
him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the
people from the boat. [4] And when He had ceased speaking, He said to
Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” [5]
And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But
at your word I will let down the nets.” [6] And when they had done
this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were
breaking, [7] they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come
and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they
began to sink. [8] But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’
knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” [9]
For he was astonished, and all that were with Him, at the catch of fish
which they had taken; [10] And so also were James and John, sons of
Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do
not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” [11] And when
they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed
Him.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1. “Just as they do today! Can’t you see? They want to hear God’s
message, even though outwardly they may not show it. Some perhaps
have forgotten Christ’s teachings. Others, through no fault of their own,
have never known them and they think that religion is something odd.
But of this we can be sure, that in every man’s life there comes a time
sooner or later when his soul draws the line. He has had enough of the
usual explanations. The lies of the false prophets no longer satisfy.
Even though they may not admit it at the time, such people are longing
to quench their thirst with the teachings of our Lord” ([St] J. Escriva,
“Friends of God”, 260).

3. The Fathers saw in Simon’s boat a symbol of the pilgrim Church on
earth. “This is the boat which according to St. Matthew was in danger
of sinking and according to St. Luke was filled with fish. Here we can
see the difficult beginnings of the Church and its later fruitfulness”
(St. Ambrose, “Expositio Evangelii sec. Lucam, in loc.”). Christ gets
into the boat in order to teach the crowds—and from the barque of
Peter, the Church, He continues to teach the whole world.

Each of us can also see himself as this boat Christ uses for
preaching. Externally no change is evident: “What has changed? There
is a change inside our soul, now that Christ has come aboard, as He
went aboard Peter’s boat. Its horizon has been expanded. It feels a
greater ambition to serve and an irrepressible desire to tell all
creation about the “magnalia Dei” (Acts 2:11), the marvellous doings of
our Lord, if only we let Him work” ([St] J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 265).

4. “When He had finished His catechizing, He told Simon: `Put out
into the deep, and lower your nets for a catch.’ Christ is the master
of this boat. He it is who prepares the fishing. It is for this that He
has come into the world, to do all He can so that His brothers may
find the way to glory and to the love of the Father” (”Friends of God”,
260). To carry this task out, our Lord charges all of them to cast
their nets, but it is only Peter He tells to put out into the deep.

This whole passage refers in some way to the life of the Church. In
the Church the bishop of Rome, Peter’s successor, “is the vicar of
Jesus Christ because he represents Him on earth and acts for Him in
the government of the Church” (”St. Pius X Catechism”, 195). Christ
is also addressing each one of us, urging us to be daring in apostolate:
`”Duc in altum. Put out into deep water!’ Throw aside the pessimism
that makes a coward of you. `Et laxate retia vestra in capturam. And
pay out you nets for a catch.’ Don’t you see that you, like Peter, can
say: `In nomine tuo, laxabo rete’: Jesus, if You say so, I will search
for souls?” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Way”, 792).

“If you were to fall into the temptation of wondering, `Who’s telling
me to embark on this?’, we would have reply, `Christ Himself is telling
you, is begging you.’ `The harvest is plentiful enough, but the laborers
are few. You must ask the Lord to whom the harvest belongs to send
laborers out for the harvesting’ (Matthew 9:37-38). Don’t take the easy
way out. Don’t say, `I’m no good at this sort of thing; there are others
who can do it; it isn’t my line.’ No, for this sort of thing, there is no one
else: if you could get away with that argument, so could everyone else.
Christ’s plea is addressed to each and every Christian. No one can
consider himself exempt, for whatever reason—age, health or
occupation. There are no excuses whatsoever. Either we carry out a
fruitful apostolate, or our faith will prove barren” (”Friends of God”, 272).

5. When Christ gives him these instructions, Peter states the
difficulties involved. “A reasonable enough reply. The night hours
were the normal time for fishing, and this time the catch had yielded
nothing. What was the point of fishing by day? But Peter has faith:
`But at Your word I will let down the nets.’ He decides to act on
Christ’s suggestion. He undertakes the work relying entirely on the
word of our Lord” (”Friends of God”, 261).

8. Peter does not want Christ to leave him; aware of his sins, he
declares his unworthiness to be near Christ. This reminds us of the
attitude of the centurion who confesses his unworthiness to receive
Jesus into his house (Matthew 8:8). The Church requires her children
to repeat these exact words of the centurion before receiving the
Blessed Eucharist. She also teaches us to show due external
reverence to the Blessed Sacrament when going to Communion: by
falling down on his knees Peter also shows that internal adoration
of God should be also be expressed externally.

11. Perfection is not simply a matter of leaving all things but of
doing so in order to follow Christ—which is what the Apostles did:
they gave up everything in order to be available to do what God’s
calling involved.

We should develop this attitude of availability, for “Jesus isn’t
satisfied `going halves’: He wants the lot” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Way”,
155).

If we don’t give ourselves generously we will find it very difficult to
follow Jesus: “Detach yourself from people and things until you are
stripped of them. For, says Pope St. Gregory, the devil has nothing of
his own in this world, and naked he comes to battle. If you go clothed
to fight him, you will soon be pulled to the ground: for he will have
something to catch you by” (”The Way”, 149).

*********************************************************************************************
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, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Mass Readings

First reading	Colossians 1:9 - 14 ©
That will explain why, ever since the day he told us, we have never failed to pray for you, and what we ask God is that through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding you should reach the fullest knowledge of his will. So you will be able to lead the kind of life which the Lord expects of you, a life acceptable to him in all its aspects; showing the results in all the good actions you do and increasing your knowledge of God. You will have in you the strength, based on his own glorious power, never to give in, but to bear anything joyfully, thanking the Father who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light. Because that is what he has done: he has taken us out of the power of darkness and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.

First reading

Colossians 1:9 - 14 ©

That will explain why, ever since the day he told us, we have never failed to pray for you, and what we ask God is that through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding you should reach the fullest knowledge of his will. So you will be able to lead the kind of life which the Lord expects of you, a life acceptable to him in all its aspects; showing the results in all the good actions you do and increasing your knowledge of God. You will have in you the strength, based on his own glorious power, never to give in, but to bear anything joyfully, thanking the Father who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light.
Because that is what he has done: he has taken us out of the power of darkness and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 97

Gospel	Luke 5:1 - 11 ©
Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.- He got into one of the boats-it was Simon’s-and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch’. ‘Master,’ Simon replied ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point. When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man’. For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch’. Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.

Gospel

Luke 5:1 - 11 ©

Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.- He got into one of the boats-it was Simon’s-and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch’. ‘Master,’ Simon replied ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point.
When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man’. For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch’. Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.

Office of Readings and Invitatory Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

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 43 (44)
In time of defeat
Our own ears have heard, O God, and our fathers have proclaimed it to us, what you did in their days, the days of old: how with your own hand you swept aside the nations and put us in their place, struck them down to make room for us. It was not by their own swords that our fathers took over the land, it was not their own strength that gave them victory; but your hand and your strength, the light of your face, for you were pleased in them. You are my God and my king, who take care for the safety of Jacob. Through you we cast down your enemies; in your name we crushed those who rose against us. I will not put my hopes in my bow, my sword will not bring me to safety; for it was you who saved us from our afflictions, you who set confusion among those who hated us. We will glory in the Lord all the day, and proclaim your name for all ages. 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 43 (44)

In time of defeat

Our own ears have heard, O God,
and our fathers have proclaimed it to us,
what you did in their days, the days of old:
how with your own hand you swept aside the nations
and put us in their place,
struck them down to make room for us.

It was not by their own swords that our fathers took over the land,
it was not their own strength that gave them victory;
but your hand and your strength,
the light of your face,
for you were pleased in them.

You are my God and my king,
who take care for the safety of Jacob.
Through you we cast down your enemies;
in your name we crushed those who rose against us.

I will not put my hopes in my bow,
my sword will not bring me to safety;
for it was you who saved us from our afflictions,
you who set confusion among those who hated us.
We will glory in the Lord all the day,
and proclaim your name for all ages.

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 43 (44)
But now, God, you have spurned us and confounded us, so that we must go into battle without you. You have put us to flight in the sight of our enemies, and those who hate us plunder us at will. You have handed us over like sheep sold for food, you have scattered us among the nations. You have sold your people for no money, not even profiting by the exchange. You have made us the laughing-stock of our neighbours, mocked and derided by those who surround us. The nations have made us a by-word, the peoples toss their heads in scorn. All the day I am ashamed, I blush with shame as they reproach me and revile me, my enemies and my persecutors. 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 43 (44)

But now, God, you have spurned us and confounded us,
so that we must go into battle without you.
You have put us to flight in the sight of our enemies,
and those who hate us plunder us at will.
You have handed us over like sheep sold for food,
you have scattered us among the nations.

You have sold your people for no money,
not even profiting by the exchange.
You have made us the laughing-stock of our neighbours,
mocked and derided by those who surround us.
The nations have made us a by-word,
the peoples toss their heads in scorn.

All the day I am ashamed,
I blush with shame
as they reproach me and revile me,
my enemies and my persecutors.

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 43 (44)
All this happened to us, but not because we had forgotten you. We were not disloyal to your covenant; our hearts did not turn away; our steps did not wander from your path; and yet you brought us low, with horrors all about us: you overwhelmed us in the shadows of death. If we had forgotten the name of our God, if we had spread out our hands before an alien god — would God not have known? He knows what is hidden in our hearts. It is for your sake that we face death all the day, that we are reckoned as sheep to be slaughtered. Awake, Lord, why do you sleep? Rise up, do not always reject us. Why do you turn away your face? How can you forget our poverty and our tribulation? Our souls are crushed into the dust, our bodies dragged down to the earth. Rise up, Lord, and help us. In your mercy, redeem us. 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 43 (44)

All this happened to us,
but not because we had forgotten you.
We were not disloyal to your covenant;
our hearts did not turn away;
our steps did not wander from your path;
and yet you brought us low,
with horrors all about us:
you overwhelmed us in the shadows of death.

If we had forgotten the name of our God,
if we had spread out our hands before an alien god —
would God not have known? He knows what is hidden in our hearts.
It is for your sake that we face death all the day,
that we are reckoned as sheep to be slaughtered.

Awake, Lord, why do you sleep?
Rise up, do not always reject us.
Why do you turn away your face?
How can you forget our poverty and our tribulation?

Our souls are crushed into the dust,
our bodies dragged down to the earth.
Rise up, Lord, and help us.
In your mercy, redeem us.

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	Jeremiah 29:1 - 14 ©
This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to those elders carried off into exile, to the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had led away into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. This was after King Jeconiah had left Jerusalem with the queen mother, the eunuchs, the nobility of Judah and Jerusalem, and the blacksmiths and metal-workers. The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter said: ‘The Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says this to all the exiles deported from Jerusalem to Babylon, “Build houses, settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce; take wives and have sons and daughters; choose wives for your sons, find husbands for your daughters so that these can bear sons and daughters in their turn; you must increase there and not decrease. Work for the good of the country to which I have exiled you; pray to the Lord on its behalf, since on its welfare yours depends. For the Lord says this: Only when the seventy years granted to Babylon are over, will I visit you and fulfil my promise in your favour by bringing you back to this place. I know the plans I have in mind for you – it is the Lord who speaks – plans for peace, not disaster, reserving a future full of hope for you. Then when you call to me, and come to plead with me, I will listen to you. When you seek me you shall find me, when you seek me with all your heart; I will let you find me – it is the Lord who speaks. I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have dispersed you – it is the Lord who speaks. I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.

Reading

Jeremiah 29:1 - 14 ©

This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to those elders carried off into exile, to the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had led away into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. This was after King Jeconiah had left Jerusalem with the queen mother, the eunuchs, the nobility of Judah and Jerusalem, and the blacksmiths and metal-workers. The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter said:
‘The Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says this to all the exiles deported from Jerusalem to Babylon, “Build houses, settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce; take wives and have sons and daughters; choose wives for your sons, find husbands for your daughters so that these can bear sons and daughters in their turn; you must increase there and not decrease. Work for the good of the country to which I have exiled you; pray to the Lord on its behalf, since on its welfare yours depends. For the Lord says this: Only when the seventy years granted to Babylon are over, will I visit you and fulfil my promise in your favour by bringing you back to this place. I know the plans I have in mind for you – it is the Lord who speaks – plans for peace, not disaster, reserving a future full of hope for you. Then when you call to me, and come to plead with me, I will listen to you. When you seek me you shall find me, when you seek me with all your heart; I will let you find me – it is the Lord who speaks. I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have dispersed you – it is the Lord who speaks. I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.

Reading	A sermon by Pope St Leo the Great
I shall put my laws within them
Dearly beloved, when our Lord Jesus Christ was preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and healing various illnesses throughout the whole of Galilee, the fame of his mighty works spread into all of Syria, and great crowds from all parts of Judea flocked to the heavenly physician. Because human ignorance is slow to believe what it does not see, and equally slow to hope for what it does not know, those who were to be instructed in the divine teaching had first to be aroused by bodily benefits and visible miracles so that, once they had experienced his gracious power, they would no longer doubt the wholesome effect of his doctrine. In order, therefore, to transform outward healings into inward remedies, and to cure men’s souls now that he had healed their bodies, our Lord separated himself from the surrounding crowds, climbed to the solitude of a neighboring mountain, and called the apostles to himself. From the height of this mystical site he then instructed them in the most lofty doctrines, suggesting both by the very nature of the place and by what he was doing that it was he who long ago had honoured Moses by speaking to him. At that time, his words showed a terrifying justice, but now they reveal a sacred compassion, in order to fulfill what was promised in the words of the prophet Jeremiah: Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I shall establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. After those days, says the Lord, I shall put my laws within them and write them on their hearts. And so it was that he who had spoken to Moses spoke also to the apostles. Writing in the hearts of his disciples, the swift hand of the Word composed the ordinances of the new covenant. And this was not done as formerly, in the midst of dense clouds, amid terrifying sounds and lightning, so that the people were frightened away from approaching the mountain. Instead, there was a tranquil discourse which clearly reached the ears of all who stood nearby so that the harshness of the law might be softened by the gentleness of grace, and the spirit of adoption might dispel the terror of slavery. Concerning the content of Christ’s teaching, his own sacred words bear witness; thus whoever longs to attain eternal blessedness can now recognize the steps that lead to that high happiness. Blessed, he says, are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It might have been unclear to which poor he was referring, if after the words Blessed are the poor, he had not added anything about the kind of poor he had in mind. For then the poverty that many suffer because of grave and harsh necessity might seem sufficient to merit the kingdom of heaven. But when he says: Blessed are the poor in spirit, he shows that the kingdom of heaven is to be given to those who are distinguished by their humility of soul rather than by their lack of worldly goods.

Reading

A sermon by Pope St Leo the Great

I shall put my laws within them

Dearly beloved, when our Lord Jesus Christ was preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and healing various illnesses throughout the whole of Galilee, the fame of his mighty works spread into all of Syria, and great crowds from all parts of Judea flocked to the heavenly physician. Because human ignorance is slow to believe what it does not see, and equally slow to hope for what it does not know, those who were to be instructed in the divine teaching had first to be aroused by bodily benefits and visible miracles so that, once they had experienced his gracious power, they would no longer doubt the wholesome effect of his doctrine. In order, therefore, to transform outward healings into inward remedies, and to cure men’s souls now that he had healed their bodies, our Lord separated himself from the surrounding crowds, climbed to the solitude of a neighboring mountain, and called the apostles to himself. From the height of this mystical site he then instructed them in the most lofty doctrines, suggesting both by the very nature of the place and by what he was doing that it was he who long ago had honoured Moses by speaking to him. At that time, his words showed a terrifying justice, but now they reveal a sacred compassion, in order to fulfill what was promised in the words of the prophet Jeremiah: Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I shall establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. After those days, says the Lord, I shall put my laws within them and write them on their hearts.
And so it was that he who had spoken to Moses spoke also to the apostles. Writing in the hearts of his disciples, the swift hand of the Word composed the ordinances of the new covenant. And this was not done as formerly, in the midst of dense clouds, amid terrifying sounds and lightning, so that the people were frightened away from approaching the mountain. Instead, there was a tranquil discourse which clearly reached the ears of all who stood nearby so that the harshness of the law might be softened by the gentleness of grace, and the spirit of adoption might dispel the terror of slavery.
Concerning the content of Christ’s teaching, his own sacred words bear witness; thus whoever longs to attain eternal blessedness can now recognize the steps that lead to that high happiness. Blessed, he says, are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It might have been unclear to which poor he was referring, if after the words Blessed are the poor, he had not added anything about the kind of poor he had in mind. For then the poverty that many suffer because of grave and harsh necessity might seem sufficient to merit the kingdom of heaven.
But when he says: Blessed are the poor in spirit, he shows that the kingdom of heaven is to be given to those who are distinguished by their humility of soul rather than by their lack of worldly goods.

Concluding Prayer
God of power and might, all that is perfect belongs to you. Fill us with love of your name: increase our zeal and nourish what is good in us; watch over us and preserve what you have nourished. 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.

Thursday, September 6, 2007
Feria

First Reading:
Psalm:
Gospel:

Colossians 1:9-14
Psalm 98:2-6
Luke 5:1-11

Conquering the tongue is better than fasting on bread and water!!

-- St. John of the Cross

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» September 06, 2007
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Collect: Almighty God, our hope and our strength, without you we falter. Help us to follow Christ and to live according to your will. 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.

« September 06, 2007 »

Thursday of the Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time

Mary suffered because of her intimate union with Christ, on account of our sins, and on behalf of her spiritual children. Devotion to the Mother of Sorrows and the Seven Sorrows of Mary encourages us to flee from sin and inflames our desire to do penance and make reparation so as to console the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. — The Catholic Faith, John O'Connell

Meditation
The liturgy puts on the lips of Our Lady of Sorrows these touching words: "O you who pass by the way, attend and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow." Yes, her grief was immeasurable, and was surpassed only by her love, a love so great that it could encompass that vast sea of sorrow. It can be said of Mary, as of no other creature, that her love was stronger than death; in fact, it made her able to support the cruel death of Jesus.

"Who could be unfeeling in contemplating the Mother of Christ suffering with her Son?" chants the Stabat Mater; and immediately it adds, "O Mother... make me feel the depth of your sorrow, so that I may weep with you. May I bear in my heart the wounds of Christ; make me share in His Passion and become inebriated by the Cross and Blood of your Son." In response to the Church's invitation, let us contemplate Mary's sorrows, sympathize with her, and ask her for the invaluable grace of sharing with her in the Passion of Jesus. Let us remember that this participation is not to be merely sentimental—even though this sentiment is good and holy—but it must lead us to real compassion, that is, to suffering with Jesus and Mary. The sufferings God sends us have no other purpose.

The sight of Mary at the foot of the Cross makes the lesson of the Cross less hard and less bitter; her maternal example encourages us to suffer and makes the road to Calvary easier. Let us go, then, with Mary, to join Jesus on Golgotha; let us go with her to meet our cross; and sustained by her, let us embrace it willingly, uniting it with her Son's.

Excerpted from Divine Intimacy, Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D.

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

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 79 (80)
Lord, tend your vine
Shepherd of Israel, listen – you who take Joseph as your flock. Shine out before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh – you who are enthroned upon the cherubim. Awaken your power and come to us, come to us and save us. Bring us back, O God: let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. Lord God of hosts – how long will your anger endure against the prayers of your people? You have given us tears for our bread, abundance of tears for us to drink. You have made us a mockery among our neighbours, and our enemies laugh at us. Bring us back, O God of hosts: let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. You brought a vine out of Egypt; planted it, and drove out the nations. You cleared the ground all about it, made firm its roots; and it filled the land. Its shade covered mountains, its boughs shaded the cedars of God; its leaves spread as far as the sea, its shoots as far as the River. So why did you destroy its wall, so that anyone could pluck its fruit, whoever was passing by? The wild boar of the forest broke it, every wild beast could graze off it. Turn back, O God of hosts, look down from heaven and tend this vine. Protect the vine, for your right hand planted it; and the son of man, whom you made strong. The vine is burnt and dug up; and they too will perish when they see you rebuke them. Stretch out your hand over your chosen one over the son of man, whom you made strong – and we will not forsake you, and you will give us life; and we will call on your name. Bring us back, Lord God of hosts: let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. 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 79 (80)

Lord, tend your vine

Shepherd of Israel, listen –
you who take Joseph as your flock.
Shine out before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh –
you who are enthroned upon the cherubim.
Awaken your power and come to us,
come to us and save us.

Bring us back, O God:
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

Lord God of hosts –
how long will your anger endure
against the prayers of your people?
You have given us tears for our bread,
abundance of tears for us to drink.
You have made us a mockery among our neighbours,
and our enemies laugh at us.

Bring us back, O God of hosts:
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

You brought a vine out of Egypt;
planted it, and drove out the nations.
You cleared the ground all about it,
made firm its roots; and it filled the land.
Its shade covered mountains,
its boughs shaded the cedars of God;
its leaves spread as far as the sea,
its shoots as far as the River.

So why did you destroy its wall,
so that anyone could pluck its fruit,
whoever was passing by?
The wild boar of the forest broke it,
every wild beast could graze off it.

Turn back, O God of hosts,
look down from heaven and tend this vine.

Protect the vine, for your right hand planted it;
and the son of man, whom you made strong.
The vine is burnt and dug up;
and they too will perish when they see you rebuke them.
Stretch out your hand over your chosen one
over the son of man, whom you made strong –
and we will not forsake you, and you will give us life;
and we will call on your name.

Bring us back, Lord God of hosts:
let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

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	Isaiah 12
The rejoicing of a redeemed people
I will praise you, Lord, for when you were angry with me you calmed your rage and turned again to console me. Behold, God is my salvation: I will be confident, I will not fear; for the Lord is my strength and my joy, he has become my saviour. And you will rejoice as you draw water from the springs of salvation. And then you will say: “Praise the Lord and call upon his name. Tell the peoples what he has done, remember always the greatness of his name. Sing to the Lord, for he has done great things: let this be known throughout the world”. 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

Isaiah 12

The rejoicing of a redeemed people

I will praise you, Lord, for when you were angry with me
you calmed your rage and turned again to console me.
Behold, God is my salvation:
I will be confident, I will not fear;
for the Lord is my strength and my joy,
he has become my saviour.

And you will rejoice as you draw water
from the springs of salvation.
And then you will say:
“Praise the Lord and call upon his name.
Tell the peoples what he has done,
remember always the greatness of his name.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done great things:
let this be known throughout the world”.

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 80 (81)
Solemn renewal of the covenant
Shout with joy to God our helper, rejoice in the God of Jacob. Take up the song, sound the timbrel, play on the lyre and the harp. At the start of the month, sound the trumpet, at the full moon, at our festival. For this is the law for Israel, the decree of the God of Jacob. He gave it to Joseph, for a witness, when he went out of the land of Egypt; with words that had never been heard: “I freed his back from burdens; his hands were freed from heavy loads. In your tribulation you called on me and I freed you, I heard you from the heart of the storm, I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Listen, my people, and I will put my case – Israel, if you would only hear me! You shall not have any strange god, you shall not worship the gods of foreigners. For I am the Lord, your God, who led you out of the land of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I shall fill it. But my people did not hear my voice: Israel did not turn to me. So I let them go on in the hardness of their hearts, and follow their own counsels. If my people had heard me, if only they had walked in my ways – I would swiftly have crushed their enemies, stretched my hand over those who persecuted them. The enemies of the Lord would be overcome with weakness, Israel’s would be the good fortune, for ever: I would feed them full of richest wheat and give them honey from the rock, to their heart’s content. 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 80 (81)

Solemn renewal of the covenant

Shout with joy to God our helper,
rejoice in the God of Jacob.
Take up the song, sound the timbrel,
play on the lyre and the harp.
At the start of the month, sound the trumpet,
at the full moon, at our festival.

For this is the law for Israel,
the decree of the God of Jacob.
He gave it to Joseph, for a witness,
when he went out of the land of Egypt;
with words that had never been heard:

“I freed his back from burdens;
his hands were freed from heavy loads.
In your tribulation you called on me and I freed you,
I heard you from the heart of the storm,
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Listen, my people, and I will put my case –
Israel, if you would only hear me!
You shall not have any strange god,
you shall not worship the gods of foreigners.
For I am the Lord, your God,
who led you out of the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I shall fill it.

But my people did not hear my voice:
Israel did not turn to me.
So I let them go on in the hardness of their hearts,
and follow their own counsels.

If my people had heard me,
if only they had walked in my ways –
I would swiftly have crushed their enemies,
stretched my hand over those who persecuted them.

The enemies of the Lord would be overcome with weakness,
Israel’s would be the good fortune, for ever:
I would feed them full of richest wheat
and give them honey from the rock,
to their heart’s content.

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	Romans 14:17 - 19 ©
The kingdom of God does not mean eating or drinking this or that, it means righteousness and peace and joy brought by the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ in this way you will please God and be respected by men. So let us adopt any custom that leads to peace and our mutual improvement.

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.

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.

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Blessed be God our Father, who protects his children and does not spurn their prayers. Let us all humbly pray to him: - Lord, give us light to see by.
We thank you, Lord, for sending us your only Son to enlighten us:: may his light fill us all day long.
Lord, send your wisdom to lead us through the day:: let us walk in the purity of a new life.
Give us the strength to endure adversity for your sake:: with courage let us serve you unceasingly.
Guide our thoughts, our feelings and our actions today,: so that we may serve you and follow you.

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.

We pray to you, Lord, the true Light and the creator of light.
May we keep our minds on what is holy
and live always in the brightness of your presence.

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

Regnum Christi

God Wants YOU!
September 6, 2007

Thursday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Father Matthew Green, LC

Luke 5: 1-11
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

Introductory Prayer:Lord Jesus, open my heart and mind to your word, that I may know and love your will in my life. I believe that you are always with me, and I trust in your love to guide and strengthen me. Help me to love you above all things.

Petition: Teach me, Lord, to follow Simon’s example and to hold nothing back when you ask me to help you bring the Gospel to others.

1. God and Your SUV The whole Bible shows us something important about the way God chooses to work in the world: He likes to get us, and the things he has given us, directly involved – from Moses’ staff in the Exodus from Egypt, to Balaam’s donkey in the book of Numbers. In today’s reading, Jesus starts off by using Simon’s boat in order to preach to the crowds from a better vantage point. Often God has need of our generosity in material, everyday things to spread his message. We need to be open to lend our time and our skills when required for parish activities, for example. Maybe he needs us to drive someone to Church on Sunday in our SUV. Or maybe we need to be generous with some charitable work that needs our support to spread God’s word.

2. Read the Signs Sometimes he uses material things in other ways. The next thing he uses is the fish with which he fills Simon’s net in a miraculous way. This is less a matter of logistics (as it will be, in part, when he feeds the 5000) and more a matter of communication. By this miracle he shows Simon Peter that he, Jesus, can take Simon’s human skills and multiply them a hundredfold – especially when Simon obeys with humility despite his doubts. Simon’s humility – “At your command, I will lower the nets” – opens the door to God’s power. We have to learn to see God at work in our own lives when we are docile to his grace, and to submit to his manifest will with trust despite hesitation about our abilities.

3. Help Wanted There is a third element that Jesus decides to use in this Gospel passage: Simon himself. God does not just want us to serve him only with our material things, time and talents. He wants us to give him ourselves. Not that we are all called to be consecrated apostles like Simon Peter; rather, we are all called to be apostles and serve God in some way according to our particular state of life. He made us; we belong to him. He knows us from before we were conceived. False humility is not a valid excuse. He doesn’t accept it from Peter when he objects that “he is a sinful man.” He calls us to trust in his power to forgive and transform us, and to put our lives in his hands, knowing that he will take the helm when we do our best for him. That is true humility.

Conversation with Christ: Father, thank you for allowing us to participate in your plan for the salvation of the world. Make me generous and humble in order to cooperate with your designs in whatever way you ask of me. I know you can do great things through me.

Resolution: I will identify an area in which I need to be more generous with God, and act on it.

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
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Let Him Tell You Where the Truth Is

September 5, 2007

Col 1:9-14 / Lk 5:1-11

Is there any one of us who couldn't sympathize with those poor apostles, out all night in the boat, doing their best, and catching nothing, not even a minnow?!

We know the experience well: we think an issue through, we do our homework, we plan carefully and act decisively, and still ... nothing. The business still languishes, the spouse is still angry, the child still flunks, and we grow ever more weary.

Jesus intervened when the apostles hit that point of combined weariness and frustration. He said, "Try again, but this time go out to the deep waters." It seemed a stupid idea, but because they sensed that Jesus should be trusted, they did what he asked. And the catch they made was the biggest they'd ever seen.

Perhaps there's a clue there for us. Perhaps we've been "fishing" in the wrong places, where there are no "fish." Or perhaps we've been so caught up with our own interests and perceptions of things — OUR OWN AGENDA — that we haven't seen what's right in front of us. Perhaps we need a new perspective. Perhaps we need to look at things through God's eyes, for God sees to the heart of things.

Let God show you what he sees. It's the ultimate in truth. Then relax in him. Let him guide your hand. He will speak to you in his own silent way. And you will hear him, if you have learned how to listen.

Vultus Christi

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Gratia agentes Deo Patri

Madonna%20Mariazell.jpg

Thursday of the Twenty-Second Week of the Year I

Colossians 1:9-14
Psalm 97:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6 (R. 2a)
Luke 5:1-11

Toward Mariazell

On this eve of our Holy Father’s pilgrimage to the Benedictine sanctuary of Mariazell in Austria, we prepare our hearts to go in pilgrimage with him. Pope Benedict XVI’s pilgrimage will mark the 850th anniversary of the founding of Mariazell, the Basilica of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Another highlight of the Holy Father’s journey will be a visit to the flourishing Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz, a vibrant community that has more new vocations at present than it has had in the past two hundred years.

Pilgrimages of the Heart

Last week’s papal pilgrimage to the Holy House of Loreto and tomorrow’s pilgrimage to Our Lady of Mariazell underscore for all Catholics the importance of going in humility and confidence to places made holy by the prayers of the faithful through the ages, and by a mysterious presence of the Mother of the Lord in her images. Not all of us are able to make grand pilgrimages, but each of us can make small ones, inner pilgrimages of the heart, outwardly signified by some gesture of faith.Visits to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saint Alphonsus wisely recommends a daily visit to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Listen to him: “And now as to the visits to the Most Blessed Virgin, the opinion of Saint Bernard is well known and generally believed: it is that God dispenses no graces otherwise than through the hands of Mary…. Do you then, be also careful always to join to your daily visit to the Most Blessed Sacrament a visit to the Most Holy Virgin Mary in some church, or at least before a devout image of her in your own house. If you do this with tender affection and confidence, you may hope to receive great things from this most gracious Lady, who, as Saint Andrew of Crete says, always bestows great gifts on those who offer her even the least act of homage.”

Wisdom: The Taste of Love

The gift of wisdom allows me to believe in love when everything around me says, “There is no love for you here.” The gift of wisdom is the faintest taste of love to the palate of the soul, even in those dark hours when, with Job, I would want to cry out, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Jb 13:15). I am reminded of the words of Father Ernest Lelièvre (1826-1889): “I know and am perfectly certain that, of all the calculations I could make, the wisest is to abandon myself to Him.” It is the gift of wisdom makes that kind of resolution possible.

Understanding the Father’s Provident Love

The gift of understanding allows me to see the hand of the Father in all of life’s twists and turns. It does not mean that I will understand what is happening to me or to my loved ones; it means understanding that whatever happens, I am held fast in the embrace of a Provident Love that will not let me go. It is this gift that keeps us from fretting like pagans. Our Lord’s command is clear: “Be not solicitous therefore, saying, ‘What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed?’ For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mt 6:31-33).

The gift of understanding is not about understanding what happens to us or around us; it is about understanding with Saint Paul that, “to them that love God, all things work together under good” (Rm 8:28). The gift of understanding allows me to obey the explicit mandate of the Lord: “Be not therefore solicitous for tomorrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof” (Mt 6:34).

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Again, the gift of understanding allows me to say, with Jesus, to the Father, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this cause I came unto this hour” (Jn 12:27-28). The peace that flows from repeating these words of Our Lord comes not from my own human understanding of what is happening, but from the Holy Spirit’s gift. Knowledge of the Father’s Will, accompanied by the gifts of spiritual wisdom and understanding, never causes anxiety, or panic, or rebelliousness, or fear. On the contrary, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are illustrated in the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit. In particular, Saint Paul mentions “patience, and longsuffering with joy” (Col 1:11).

Thanksgiving

All of this makes sense in the context of Saint Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving, his own Eucharistic prayer. In praying for the Colossians, the apostle is really teaching them how to pray, and in teaching them how to pray, Saint Paul is teaching us how to pray. “Therefore,” says the Apostle, “we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you … giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the saints in light” (Col 1:9, 12). And that is why we offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: to pray for all the Church, and to give thanks.

Posted by Father Mark on September 6, 2007 4:53 PM | Permalink

I'm saddened by the news of Luciano Pavarotti's passing. His version of "Ave Maria" was truly inspired by the angels.

Am looking forward to his CD of sacred songs, recently recorded and scheduled for release in 2008.

Lk 5:1-11
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	And it came to pass, that when the multitudes pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Genesareth,	factum est autem cum turbae inruerent in eum ut audirent verbum Dei et ipse stabat secus stagnum Gennesareth
2	And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.	et vidit duas naves stantes secus stagnum piscatores autem descenderant et lavabant retia
3	And going into one of the ships that was Simon's, he desired him to draw back a little from the land. And sitting he taught the multitudes out of the ship.	ascendens autem in unam navem quae erat Simonis rogavit eum a terra reducere pusillum et sedens docebat de navicula turbas
4	Now when he had ceased to speak, he said to Simon: Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.	ut cessavit autem loqui dixit ad Simonem duc in altum et laxate retia vestra in capturam
5	And Simon answering said to him: Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken nothing: but at thy word I will let down the net.	et respondens Simon dixit illi praeceptor per totam noctem laborantes nihil cepimus in verbo autem tuo laxabo rete
6	And when they had done this, they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes, and their net broke.	et cum hoc fecissent concluserunt piscium multitudinem copiosam rumpebatur autem rete eorum
7	And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they were almost sinking.	et annuerunt sociis qui erant in alia navi ut venirent et adiuvarent eos et venerunt et impleverunt ambas naviculas ita ut mergerentur
8	Which when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.	quod cum videret Simon Petrus procidit ad genua Iesu dicens exi a me quia homo peccator sum Domine
9	For he was wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken.	stupor enim circumdederat eum et omnes qui cum illo erant in captura piscium quam ceperant
10	And so were also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. And Jesus saith to Simon: Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men.	similiter autem Iacobum et Iohannem filios Zebedaei qui erant socii Simonis et ait ad Simonem Iesus noli timere ex hoc iam homines eris capiens
11	And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed him.	et subductis ad terram navibus relictis omnibus secuti sunt illum

Calling of the Apostles

Domenico Ghirlandaio

1481
Fresco, 349 x 570 cm
Cappella Sistina, Vatican

The fresco is from the cycle of the life of Christ in the Sistine Chapel, it is located in the third compartment on the north wall.

Vasari wrote: "...Domenico represented Christ calling Peter and Andrew from their nets, and the Resurrection of Christ, the greater part of which is now destroyed, for it was above the door..." Later, the Resurrection vanished completely in the destruction of the wall.

In the early 1480s Pope Sixtus IV brought a number of famous Tuscan and Umbrian artists to Rome in order to decorate his new court chapel, the Sistine Chapel. Ghirlandaio must already have made a name for himself with his commissions, primarily the frescoes for the Saint Fina Chapel, in order to be considered for a task of this importance. The chapel's ceiling would not be decorated with Michelangelo's famous frescoes until the reign of Sixtus' nephew, Julius II. Between 1481 and 1483, the walls of the chapel were covered with frescoes by Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, Piero di Cosimo and others - probably under the direction of Pietro Perugino.

On the left are scenes from the life of Moses, and on the right scenes from the life of Christ, a typological arrangement that sees Moses as the predecessor of Christ. This cycle of frescoes became one of the major artistic achievements of the Italian Quattrocento. In accordance with the Pope's wishes, in each picture several episodes of a story were presented together, a practice that by this time was already becoming outdated. The two frescoes Ghirlandaio painted were the Calling of Saint Peter and Resurrection. By Vasari's time the second fresco had been largely destroyed and an entirely new version was painted in the 16th century.

The surviving work is divided into two zones. In the foreground, on a shallow stage, Ghirlandaio depicted several groups of people, tightly packed together in rows. At the centre Christ is blessing the kneeling brothers Simon, Peter and Andrew, His first disciples. They follow Him and appear again in the background on the right. There they witness Christ calling James and John, who are sitting in a boat mending their nets with their father, Zebedee.

The massiveness of the heavy garments worn by the figures in the main scene in the centre foreground is reminiscent of Masaccio's frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel dating from about 1424 -1428. It is mainly Masaccio's Tribute Money that matches this one in terms of colour, landscape, figure types.

It is at the sides of the picture field that Ghirlandaio dares to display his own developing style. The group of women on the left, including a woman in blue seen from behind, anticipates the female figures he paints in later works. In this fresco he also gives a free rein to the highly individual style of portraiture he had developed in the Vespucci and Saint Fina chapels. On the right, arranged in an exactly level row like pearls on a string, are members of the most influential Florentine families who maintained residences in Rome. In the centre stands Giovanni Tornabuoni, representing the Medici family's merchant bank. He later became a sponsor of Ghirlandaio and was made the Pope's treasurer despite the enduring enmity between Pope Sixtus IV and the Medici.

His son Lorenzo Tornabuoni - in front of him, wearing a black garment - lived to see his wife die young and his family go bankrupt after his father's death. In 1477, Ghirlandaio painted two episodes from the life of Saint John the Baptist and two from the life of the Madonna for the mortuary chapel of Lorenzo's mother, Francesca Pitti Tornabuoni, in the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. According to Vasari, these works were very famous at the time; unfortunately they no longer exist, though two charming portraits of Lorenzo's wife, Giovanna Tornabuoni, who died young, have survived.

To the right of Giovanni Tornabuoni stands the humanist John Argyropoulos, wearing a white beard. He wrote commentaries on Aristotle and fled to Florence from Constantinople when the city fell to the Turks in 1453. A friend of Cosimo de' Medici, he spent fifteen years as a court scholar and professor of Greek at the University of Florence, until he was summoned to Rome by the Pope. He nonetheless continued to see himself as a Florentine, as Lorenzo de' Medici had accorded him civil rights there.

The nobleman beside him, with white hair and no hat, is thought to be either Francesco Soderini from Florence, or Raimondo Orsini from Rome. The young man behind him, with the brightly shining face, is thought to be Antonio Vespucci. Separate from the other Florentines, behind Christ, stands Diotisalvi Neroni, an earlier friend of Cosimo de' Medici. He lived in a more or less willing exile in Rome, as he was involved in plots against Cosimo's son Piero.

It was not only his skill in portraits but also his skill in landscapes, visible in the fresco in the Sistine Chapel, that made Ghirlandaio famous. The entire upper half of this work is devoted to an extensive landscape with a high horizon. The Sea of Galilee, hemmed in by hills and mountains, is snaking its way like a river into the background, where, in accordance with aerial perspective, the colours are paler and lighter. In the sky brightly coloured birds are swooping - birds derived from Benozzo Gozzoli's Procession of the Magi, painted between 1459 and 1461 for the Florence Medici palace, and also from works by Domenico Veneziano.

(Source)

My apologies for the lengthy treatise, but given the complexity of the scene and the importance of the chapel in Catholic culture, I decided to include it.

This is one of the pieces of art that I would like to see in actual size and spend at least 30 minutes studying it.

Imitation of Christ -- Foreword [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ, 1,1 - Imitating Jesus Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1,2, Having A Humble Opinion of Self [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 3, The Doctrine of Truth [Devotional]
Imitation of Christ: 1, 4, Prudence in Action [Devotional]

Vespers -- Evening Prayer

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

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 71 (72)
The Messiah's royal power
Give the king your judgement, O God, give the king’s son your righteousness. Let him judge your people with justice and your poor ones with wisdom. Let the mountains bring peace to your people, let the hills bring righteousness. He will give his judgement to the poor among the people, he will rescue the children of the destitute, he will lay low the false accuser. He will endure with the sun, beneath the moon, from generation to generation. He will come down like rain on the pasture, like a shower that waters the earth. In his time, righteousness will flourish and abundance of peace, until the moon itself is no more. He will rule from coast to coast, from the world’s centre to its farthest edge. The desert-dwellers will cast themselves down before him; his enemies will eat dust at his feet. The kings of Tharsis and the islands will bring tribute, the kings of Arabia and Sheba will bring gifts. All the kings will worship him, all nations will serve him. 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 71 (72)

The Messiah's royal power

Give the king your judgement, O God,
give the king’s son your righteousness.
Let him judge your people with justice
and your poor ones with wisdom.

Let the mountains bring peace to your people,
let the hills bring righteousness.
He will give his judgement to the poor among the people,
he will rescue the children of the destitute,
he will lay low the false accuser.
He will endure with the sun, beneath the moon,
from generation to generation.

He will come down like rain on the pasture,
like a shower that waters the earth.
In his time, righteousness will flourish
and abundance of peace,
until the moon itself is no more.
He will rule from coast to coast,
from the world’s centre to its farthest edge.

The desert-dwellers will cast themselves down before him;
his enemies will eat dust at his feet.
The kings of Tharsis and the islands will bring tribute,
the kings of Arabia and Sheba will bring gifts.
All the kings will worship him,
all nations will serve him.

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 71 (72)
Because he has given freedom to the destitute who called to him, to the poor, whom no-one will hear. He will spare the poor and the needy, he will keep their lives safe. He will rescue their lives from oppression and violence, their blood will be precious in his sight. He will live long, and receive gifts of gold from Arabia; they will pray for him always, bless him all through the day. There will be abundance of grain in the land, it will wave even from the tops of the mountains; its fruit will be richer than Lebanon. The people will flourish as easily as grass. Let his name be blessed for ever, let his name endure beneath the sun. All the nations of the earth will be blessed in him, all nations will acclaim his greatness. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. Let his majesty be blessed for ever; let it fill all the earth. Amen, amen. 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 71 (72)

Because he has given freedom to the destitute who called to him,
to the poor, whom no-one will hear.
He will spare the poor and the needy,
he will keep their lives safe.
He will rescue their lives from oppression and violence,
their blood will be precious in his sight.

He will live long, and receive gifts of gold from Arabia;
they will pray for him always,
bless him all through the day.
There will be abundance of grain in the land,
it will wave even from the tops of the mountains;
its fruit will be richer than Lebanon.
The people will flourish as easily as grass.

Let his name be blessed for ever,
let his name endure beneath the sun.
All the nations of the earth will be blessed in him,
all nations will acclaim his greatness.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone works wonders.
Let his majesty be blessed for ever;
let it fill all the earth. Amen, amen.

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	Apocalypse 11
The Judgement
We thank you, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were, that you have taken up your great power and begun to reign. The nations were angered, but your anger came, the time for the dead to be judged, the time to reward the prophets and saints, your servants, and those who feared your name, both great and small. Now have come the salvation and might and kingdom of our God, and the power of his Anointed, for the accuser of our brethren has been brought down, who accused them day and night in the sight of God. But they vanquished him through the blood of the Lamb and through their own witness. They did not cling to life, even in the face of death. Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. 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

Apocalypse 11

The Judgement

We thank you, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were,
that you have taken up your great power and begun to reign.

The nations were angered, but your anger came, the time for the dead to be judged,
the time to reward the prophets and saints, your servants, and those who feared your name, both great and small.

Now have come the salvation and might and kingdom of our God, and the power of his Anointed,
for the accuser of our brethren has been brought down, who accused them day and night in the sight of God.

But they vanquished him through the blood of the Lamb and through their own witness.
They did not cling to life, even in the face of death.
Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them.

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	1 Peter 1:22 - 23 ©
You have been obedient to the truth and purified your souls until you can love like brothers, in sincerity; let your love for each other be real and from the heart – your new birth was not from any mortal seed but from the everlasting word of the living and eternal God.

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.

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.

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Full of gratitude, let us lift up our souls to our Lord and Saviour, who has blessed his people with every spiritual blessing. Let us ask him for his help: - Lord, bless your people.
O God, look with compassion on our Pope N. and our bishop N.,: and keep them safe in your church.
Lord, in your kindness protect this land we live in,: and keep us free from all evil.
Call your children to join you at your table:: make them follow you more closely, poor, chaste and obedient.
Care for your maidservants who have embraced the vocation of virginity:: let them follow you, Lamb of God, wherever you may go.
Give the dead rest in your eternal peace,: by the sharing of spiritual blessings, keep our bonds with them secure.

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.

As we offer our evening praises we ask you, gentle Lord:
do not let our hearts fall away from contemplation of your Law;
and give us, at the end, the bright reward of 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.

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N