Thursday, February 14, 2013

Thursday after Ash Wednesday, Saint Valentine


THURSDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY



[Commemoration]
SAINT VALENTINE
Priest and Martyr


SIMPLE / PURPLE
Everyone owes God the homage of looking to Him as the source of all things. Everyone must express this homage, both in private prayer and in corporate worship. Both private and public prayer should embrace all mankind, so that men of every race will come to offer God the homage of prayer and receive from Him the graces of spiritual rebirth, of final perseverance, and of every needed blessing. Today's Mass indicates that all prayer is to be offered with simplicity, with complete confidence, and with deep humility.

INTROIT Ps. 54:17, 19, 20, 23
When I called upon the Lord, He heard my voice and delivered me from those who war against me. He who is from eternity and remains forever, has humbled them. Cast your care upon the Lord, and He will support you.
Ps. 54:2-3. Hearken, O God, to my prayer and turn not away from my pleading; give heed to me, and answer me.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, sin offends You but penance can turn away Your anger. Hear the prayers of Your suppliant people and do not punish us in anger, even though our sins justly deserve it. Through Our Lord . . .


Commemoration of SAINT VALENTINE
During the persecution under Emperor Claudius II, Valentine, a zealous priest in Rome, ministered boldly to the martyr. He was arrested and taken before the prefect, who made tempting offers to induce him to apostatize. Finding that he was wasting his breath, the prefect condemned Valentine to death. The beheading took place on February 14, about the year 270. The true follower of Christ ignores worldly caution when he is called upon to bear witness to Jesus. "The inclination of the flesh is death, but the inclination of the spirit, life and peace" (Rom. 8:6)

O Almighty God, today we are celebrating the birthday of Your blessed martyr Valentine. Hear his prayers and rescue us from all the dangers that threaten us. Through Our Lord . . .


LESSON Isa. 38:1-6
In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, "Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live." Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, and said, "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight." And Hezekiah wept sore.
Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, "Go, and say to Hezekiah, 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.' "

GRADUAL Ps. 54:23, 17-19
Cast your care upon the Lord, and He will support you.
V. When I called upon the Lord, He heard my voice and delivered me from those who war against me.

GOSPEL Matt. 8:5-13
And when he was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, "Lord, my servant lieth in the house sick of the palsy, grievously tormented." And he saith unto him, "I will come and heal him." And the centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having under myself soldiers: and I say to this one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."
And when Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, "Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth."
And Jesus said unto the centurion, "Go thy way; as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And the servant was healed in that hour."


OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 24:1-3
I have lifted up my soul to You, O Lord; in You, O my God, I place my trust. Let me not be put to shame, nor let my enemies exalt over me. No one who waits for You shall be left in confusion.

SECRET
Look with favor on these offerings, O Lord, that they may be an aid to our devotion and to our salvation. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT VALENTINE
O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we offer You, and let them help us in our salvation through the merits of Your blessed martyr Valentine. Through Our Lord . . .


COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 50:21
You shall be pleased with lawful sacrifices, with oblations and holocausts offered upon Your altar, O Lord.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Almighty God, we humbly implore the heavenly blessings of Your Sacrament which we have received. May it be for us a means of grace and salvation. Through our Lord . . .


Commemoration of SAINT VALENTINE
May this heavenly Sacrament bring us health of soul and body, O Lord, and may the intercession of the blessed martyr Valentine make us feel the power of the Sacred Rite which we have celebrated. Through Our Lord . . .


PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
Spare, O spare Your people, Lord! Let Your mercy shield them who have been punished by Your just judgments. Through our Lord . . .

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