Wednesday, July 20, 2011





SAINT JEROME EMILIAN
Confessor

SAINT MARGARET
Virgin and Martyr

DOUBLE / WHITE
Jerome Emilian (1481-1537), a member of one of the patrician families of Venice, was in early life a soldier. Captured by the enemy and thrown in a dungeon, he invoked the aid of Our Lady. Under circumstances that appeared to be miraculous, he was enabled to make his escape. The young man then dedicated himself to the service of the Blessed Virgin and began a life of intense charity, concerning himself especially with the care and Christian education of homeless orphans, victims of war and plague, whom he clothed, fed, and taught at his own expense. Later, he founded several orphanages, a home for converted prostitutes, and a hospital. In about 1532, Jerome founded the Clerks Regular of Somascha, for the continuation of his work after his own death. He died of a disease he caught in visiting the sick. Pope Pius XI declared him the patron of orphans and abandoned children.
INTROIT Lam. 2:11My liver is poured out upon the earth in sorrow for the destruction of the daughter of my people, for the child and the suckling fainting away in the streets of the city.
Ps. 112:1. Praise the Lord, you His servant, praise the name of the Lord.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECTO God, Father of mercy, grant that we may preserve the spirit of adoption, which makes us Your children in name and in fact, through the merits and prayers of blessed Jerome, father and helper of orphans. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET
Margaret was tortured at Antioch in Pisidia, in the last general persecution during the third century. After having endured many torments, she finished her martyrdom by the sword.

O God, one of the marvelous examples of Your power was granting the victory of martyrdom even to delicate womanhood. May the example of the blessed virgin martyr Margaret, whose birthday we celebrate today, draw us closer to You. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Isa. 58:7-11
The Lord says: "Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou wilt take away the chain out of the midst of thee, and cease to stretch out the finger, and to speak that which profiteth not. When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday. And the Lord will give thee rest continually, and will fill thy soul with brightness, and deliver thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a fountain of water whose waters shall not fail."

GRADUAL Prov. 5:16; Ps. 111:5-6
Let your fountains be conveyed abroad, and in the streets divide your waters.
V. Delightful is the man who is kind and accommodating, who orders his speech with justice, for he shall never be moved.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 111:9
He has distributed his wealth and given it to the poor, his justice shall endure forever. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 19:13-21
At that time, little children were presented to Jesus, that he should impose hands upon them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said to them: "Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such." And when he had imposed hands upon them, he departed from thence. And behold one came and said to him: "Good master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting?" Who said to him: "Why askest thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to him: "Which?" And Jesus said: "Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness. Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The young man saith to him: "All these have I kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?" Jesus saith to him: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Tob. 12:12
When you prayed with tears, and buried the dead, and left your dinner to hide the dead by day in your house so as to bury them at night, I offered your prayer to the Lord.

SECRET
O God, you destroyed the old self of Your blessed Jerome and remade him in Your own likeness. Renew us also in spirit through the merits of this saint, and allow our offering of this victim of atonement to rise before You as a sweet fragrance. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET
O Lord, accept the gifts we bring You on the feast of Your blessed virgin Margaret, through whose intercession we hope to be set free. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Jac. 1:27
Religion pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself unspotted from this world.

POSTCOMMUNION
We are refreshed with the Bread of Angels, O Lord. May the yearly celebration in memory of blessed Jerome help us to imitate his example and win the abundant rewards of Your kingdom. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET
O Lord, through the intercession of Your blessed virgin martyr Margaret, may we be aided by the reception of the Blessed Sacrament and rejoice in Your everlasting protection. Through our Lord . . .

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