Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» March 12, 2008
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Collect: Father of Mercy, hear the prayers of your repentant children who call on you in love. Enlighten our minds and sanctify our hearts. 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.

« March 12, 2008 »

Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Old Calendar: St. Gregory the Great, pope and doctor

RECIPES
- » Lenten Soup
  » Whole Wheat Bread
ACTIVITIES
- » Good Example — A Lesson in Discipline
  » Open, O Hard and Sinful Heart!
PRAYERS
- » Prayer for the Fifth Week of Lent
  » Novena to St. Joseph
  » Roman Ritual Blessing Before and After Meals: Lent (1st Plan)
  » Novena to St. Joseph II

"Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains." The hostility of the enemies of Jesus becomes increasingly clear, and the agitation around His person continues with greater intensity; but He awaits His "hour." Satan and the forces of evil will appear to triumph, but the real victory will come and it is God's victory.

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII today is the feast of St. Gregory the Great. His feast has been transferred to September 3.

The Station today is at the church of St. Marcellus at the Corso. Legend claims that Pope St. Marcellus (308-309) was sentenced by Emperor Maxentius to look after the horses at the station of the Imperial mail on the Via Lata, where the Via del Corso now lies. He was freed by the people, and hidden in the house of the Roman lady Lucina (see also San Lorenzo in Lucina). He was rearrested, and imprisoned in the stables.

Meditation
We must forgive our neighbor always. This fraternal charity is the source of strength among the members of the Mystical Body: "If two of you shall consent upon earth concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father." This charity should animate us in giving fraternal correction, which should always be free from all vanity, self-love and desire to humiliate and defame.

The Church dispenses Christ's forgiveness through the power of the keys: "whatsoever you shall loose upon earth shall be loosed also in heaven." Christ's pardon of us is limitless. Just as the small quantity of oil, increasing miraculously at the word of Elias, enabled the poor widow to pay all her debts, so the infinite merits of Christ enable us to expiate all our sins.

Love of God and of neighbor imposes on us constant self-denial and self-mastery. Only love working through mortification will enable us to ascend the "holy hill" and dwell in "God's tabernacle."

— The Cathedral Daily Missal by Right Rev. Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas

Things to Do:

Discuss the idea of forgiveness with your children — emphasizing with today's Gospel that Christ's forgiveness is limitless to those who humbly repent of their offenses against Him. Ask them ways in which they practice this virtue every day, with their sisters and brothers, with their parents, and with their friends.
Throughout this third week of Lent, often the time when children begin to lose focus or weary of this penitential season, give them something tangible to work on, such as a Lenten Scrapbook, an ongoing activity that will engage their minds and stretch their creativity in putting their faith into pictures.

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.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 35 (36)
The sinner's wickedness; God's goodness
Evil whispers to the sinner in the depths of his heart: the fear of God does not stand before his eyes. Evil’s flattering light disguises his wickedness, so that he does not hate it. His words are false and deceitful, he no longer considers how to do good. Even when in bed he plots mischief; he follows the wrong path; he does not hate malice. Lord, your mercy fills the heavens, your faithfulness rises to the sky. Your justice is like the mountains of God, your judgements are like the deeps of the sea. Lord, you protect both men and beasts. How precious is your kindness, O God! The sons of men will take shelter under your wings; they will eat their fill from the riches of your house, drink all they want from the stream of your joy. For with you is the spring of life-giving water, in your light we see true light. Hold out your mercy to those who know you, offer your justice to the upright in heart. Let me not be crushed under the heels of the proud, nor dispossessed by the hands of sinners. The doers of evil have fallen where they stood, they are cast down and cannot rise. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 35 (36)

The sinner's wickedness; God's goodness

Evil whispers to the sinner in the depths of his heart: the fear of God does not stand before his eyes.

Evil’s flattering light disguises his wickedness, so that he does not hate it.
His words are false and deceitful, he no longer considers how to do good.
Even when in bed he plots mischief; he follows the wrong path; he does not hate malice.

Lord, your mercy fills the heavens, your faithfulness rises to the sky.
Your justice is like the mountains of God, your judgements are like the deeps of the sea.
Lord, you protect both men and beasts.

How precious is your kindness, O God! The sons of men will take shelter under your wings;
they will eat their fill from the riches of your house, drink all they want from the stream of your joy.
For with you is the spring of life-giving water, in your light we see true light.

Hold out your mercy to those who know you, offer your justice to the upright in heart.
Let me not be crushed under the heels of the proud, nor dispossessed by the hands of sinners.
The doers of evil have fallen where they stood, they are cast down and cannot rise.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Canticle	Judith 16
The Lord, creator of the world, protects his people
Make music to my God with drums, sing to my Lord with cymbals. Begin a new song to him, extol and call upon his name. You are the God who crushes battle-lines, you set up your camp among your people, you save me from the grip of my persecutors. I will sing a new song to God: Lord, you are great and glorious, wonderful in your unconquerable power. Let all your creatures serve you, for you spoke and they were made, you sent forth your spirit, and they were created: there is no-one who can resist your command. For the mountains will be shaken to their roots, the seas will be stirred up, at your sight the rocks will melt like wax – but to those who fear you, you will show your loving kindness. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Canticle

Judith 16

The Lord, creator of the world, protects his people

Make music to my God with drums, sing to my Lord with cymbals.
Begin a new song to him, extol and call upon his name.
You are the God who crushes battle-lines, you set up your camp among your people, you save me from the grip of my persecutors.

I will sing a new song to God: Lord, you are great and glorious, wonderful in your unconquerable power.
Let all your creatures serve you, for you spoke and they were made,
you sent forth your spirit, and they were created: there is no-one who can resist your command.

For the mountains will be shaken to their roots, the seas will be stirred up, at your sight the rocks will melt like wax –
but to those who fear you, you will show your loving kindness.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 46 (47)
The Lord is King
All nations, clap your hands; cry out to God in exultation, for the Lord, the Most High, is greatly to be feared, and King over all the earth. He has made whole peoples our subjects, put nations beneath our feet. He has chosen our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. God ascends amid rejoicing, the Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Sing to God, sing praise. Sing to our king, sing praise. God is king over the whole earth: sing to him with all your skill. God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. The nobles of the peoples join together with the people of the God of Abraham, for to God belong the armies of the earth; he is high above all things. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 46 (47)

The Lord is King

All nations, clap your hands; cry out to God in exultation,
for the Lord, the Most High, is greatly to be feared, and King over all the earth.

He has made whole peoples our subjects, put nations beneath our feet.
He has chosen our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
God ascends amid rejoicing, the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

Sing to God, sing praise. Sing to our king, sing praise.
God is king over the whole earth: sing to him with all your skill.

God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
The nobles of the peoples join together with the people of the God of Abraham,
for to God belong the armies of the earth; he is high above all things.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Short reading	Isaiah 50:5 - 7 ©
The Lord has opened my ear. For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away. I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore at my beard; I did not cover my face against insult and spittle. The Lord comes to my help, so that I am untouched by the insults. So, too, I set my face like flint; I know I shall not be shamed.

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 the Architect of our salvation. It is his will that mankind should be made a new creation in him, that the old order should pass away and that all things should be renewed. Sustained by this living hope, let us pray: - Renew us, Lord, in your spirit.
Lord, you promised us a new heaven and a new earth: constantly renew us through your Spirit,: so that we may rejoice forever in your presence in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Grant that we may work with you and fill this world with your Spirit,: so that the earthly city may reach its fruition in justice, love and peace.
Make us reject all idleness and apathy: but rejoice in the gifts of heaven.
Free us from evil,: and defend us from trivial distractions that obscure our sight of what is good.

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.

O God of mercy and compassion, your children have been sanctified by penance: now enlighten their hearts.
Give them the desire to worship you,
and listen with kindness to their petitions.

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