Thursday, February 18, 2016

THURSDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK IN LENT; SAINT SIMEON Bishop and Martyr; St. Bernadette Soubirous

THURSDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK
IN LENT

[Commemoration]

SAINT SIMEON
Bishop and Martyr

St. Bernadette Soubirous

Virgin

[In some places]

SIMPLE / PURPLE
Fidelity to duty, whatever be one's vocation, is worship by obedience, the primary worship due to God. It is also the primary justice due to our fellow men. Besides, such fidelity is always the fundamental mortification; it submits the body to the soul, and body and soul to God; it submits body and soul to the rights and needs of men. The added restraints and voluntary penances of Lent serve a further purpose: they help spiritual growth and increase generosity. This growth and generosity make us ready to accept each opportunity for self-denial that comes in daily duty.

INTROIT (Ps. 95:6)
Praise and beauty go before him; holiness and majesty are in his sanctuary.
Ps. 95:1. Sing to the Lord a new canticle; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, look with favor upon the devotion of Your people. As we mortify our bodies through abstinence, may our minds be refreshed by this good work. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON, Bishop and Martyr

St. Simeon was a close relative of the Blessed Virgin. The Apostles chose him to succeed the martyred St. James the Lesser as bishop of Jerusalem. In all probability Simeon directed the Christians in their retreat to Pella, when the Holy City was destroyed. During Trajan's persecution, Simeon was denounced to the governor Atticus as being not only a Christian, but also a descendant of David. The venerable bishop endured two days of torture before his crucifixion in the year 106.

Almighty God, look upon our weakness and the heavy burden we carry because of our own deeds. Let the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon in Heaven be our protection. Through Our Lord . . .

LESSON (Ezech. 18:1-9)
In those days, the word of the Lord came to me, saying: "What is the meaning? That you use among you this parable as a proverb in the land of Israel, saying: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.' As I live", saith the Lord God, "this parable shall be no more to you a proverb in Israel."
"Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die. And if a man be just, and do judgment and justice, And hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel: and hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a menstruous woman: And hath not wronged any man: but hath restored the pledge to the debtor, hath taken nothing away by violence: hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment: Hath not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase: hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man: Hath walked in my commandments, and kept my judgments, to do truth: he is just, he shall surely live," saith the Lord God.

GRADUAL (Ps. 16:8, 2)
Keep me as the apple of Your eye, O Lord; protect me under the shadow of Your wings. V. Let my judgment come from You; let my eyes behold what is right.

GOSPEL (Matt. 15:21-28)
At that time, Jesus went from thence, and retired into the coast of Tyre and Sidon. And behold a woman of Canaan who came out of those coasts, crying out, said to him: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David: my daughter is grievously troubled by a devil." Who answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: "Send her away, for she crieth after us": And he answering, said: "I was not sent but to the sheep, that are lost of the house of Israel." But she came and adored him, saying: "Lord, help me." Who answering, said: "It is not good to take the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs." But she said: "Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters." Then Jesus answering, said to her: "O woman, great is thy faith: be it done to thee as thou wilt": and her daughter was cured from that hour.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 33:8-9)
The angel of the Lord shall encamp around those who fear Him, and shall deliver them. Taste and see how good is the Lord.

SECRET
O Lord, may we be brought even closer to our salvation through this sacrifice by uniting our lenten fast with it. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON
O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we offer You in honor of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon and grant us Your unending assistance through these offerings. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (John 6:52)
The Bread that I will give is My Flesh for the life of the world.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, support us in this life with Your grace and bring us to a new life in the world to come. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON
We are refreshed by the reception of Your sacred Gift, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon make us feel the benefit of the sacred rite we have performed. Through our Lord . . .

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
O Lord, grant all Your Christians an understanding of the faith they profess, and a deep love of the heavenly Sacrament they receive. Through our Lord . . .

St. Bernadette Soubirous

Image via Wikipedia

St. Bernadette Soubirous

Feastday: April 18 [Traditional Calendar]
Died: 1879

Famed visionary of Lourdes, baptized Mary Bernard. She was born in Lourdes, France, on January 7, 1844, the daughter of Francis and Louise Soubirous. Bernadette, a severe asthma sufferer, lived in abject poverty. On February 11, 1858, she was granted a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a cave on the banks of the Gave River near Lourdes. She was placed in consider able jeopardy when she reported the vision, and crowds gathered when she had futher visits from the Virgin, from February 18 of that year through March 4.The civil authorities tried to frighten Bernadette into recanting her accounts, but she remained faithful to the vision. On February 25, a spring emerged from the cave and the waters were discovered to be of a miraculous nature, capable of healing the sick and lame. On March 25, Bernadette announced that the vision stated that she was the Immaculate Conception, and that a church should be erected on the site. Many authorities tried to shut down the spring and delay the construction of the chapel, but the influence and fame of the visions reached Empress Eugenie of France, wife of Napoleon Ill, and construction went forward. Crowds gathered, free of harassment from the anticlerical and antireligious officials. In 1866, Bernadette was sent to the Sisters of Notre Dame in Nevers. There she became a member of the community, and faced some rather harsh treatment from the mistress of novices. This oppression ended when it was discovered that she suffered from a painful, incurable illness. She died in Nevers on April 16,1879, still giving the same account of her visions. Lourdes became one of the major pilgrimage destinations in the world, and the spring has produced 27,000 gallons of water each week since emerging during Bernadette's visions. She was not involved in the building of the shrine, as she remained hidden at Nevers. Bernadette was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI.