SUNDAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE

OF CHRISTMAS

The Father has sent His Son to be the world's Savior. Though almighty king and ruler of the universe, Jesus came in silence and simplicity and obedience. After such an example there can be no excuse for not listening to Him. Everyone must believe Him or reject Him. He is the sign that divides the believers from their contradictors. making the choice and living by it, is part of our Christian adulthood: it is part of the loyalty due to Christ from His adopted brothers. To lead others to this adoption and brotherhood in Christ is the highest form of gratitude we can pay to Jesus.

ENTRANCE HYMN (Sap. 18:14-15)

While all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her course, Your Almighty Word, O Lord, leapt down from heaven, from Your royal throne. Ps. 92:1. The Lord reigns, robed in beauty. The Lord is clothed and girt about with strength. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER

O Almighty and Eternal God, direct our actions according to Your holy will, so that, in the name of Your beloved Son, we may lead lives that are marked by good deeds; who lives and rules with You . . .

READING (Gal. 4:1-7)

Brethren: As long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all, but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father. So we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law: that he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying: "Abba, Father". Therefore, now he is not a servant, but a son. And if a son, an heir also through God.

GRADUAL (Ps. 44:3, 2)

You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured out upon your lips. V. My heart overflows with good tidings; I sing my song to the king; my tongue is as nimble as the pen of a skillful scribe.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. (Ps. 92:1)

The Lord reigns, robed in beauty. The Lord is clothed with strength, and he has girded himself about with power.

Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Luke 2:33-40)

At that time, And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: "Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed."

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser. She was far advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow until fourscore and four years: who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord: and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel.
And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth. And the child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom: and the grace of God was in him.

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 92:1-2)

God has made the world firm, and it shall not be shaken. Your throne, O God, is prepared from of old; You are from eternity.

SECRET PRAYER

Grant that the gifts we offer to Your majesty, O Almighty God, may obtain for us the grace of sincere devotion and the reward of a blessed eternity. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Matt. 2:20)

Take the Child and His Mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the Child's life are dead.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, may this sacred rite wash away our sins and fulfill our reasonable desires. Through Our Lord . . .

YOUR MASS AND YOUR LIFE

CHAPTER ONE

Continued

OBSERVATION

1-2. The indifferent, the slaves to routine, the shallow. These persons may be compared to the [people of Jesus' time]. [They] followed others like sheep: fickle, because deep, inner conviction was lacking--ready to join up with whatever crowd shouted the loudest. Yesterday it was Jesus they acclaimed--"Hosanna to the Son of David!" Today they are howling for His blood. "Let Him be crucified! Let Him be crucified!"

This was the group for whom Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing!" [Luke 23:34]

Catholic of this breed attend all sorts of mundane events--political rallies, the movies, or the races--with considerably more promptness and enthusiasm than they put into their attendance at a religious ceremony. For these, Mass and sermon are always too long. That is why they come to Mass late, and why they leave early!

Still others make it a deliberate point to arrive some time after the hour set for mass to begin, and parade up the full length of the middle aisle to the front of the church in order to show off their new clothes! For such, Mass affords a convenient occasion for staging a style show! Some business men make an act of bodily presence at Sunday Mass, because a reputation for piety helps their business. The customers are favorable impressed! . . . A young man may attend Mass merely to please his fiancee.

[To be continued]

HOLY INNOCENTS
Martyrs

There is mixed joy and sorrow in the feast of the innocent victims of the first persecution. The Church rejoices at the spiritual victory of the young witnesses to Christ. The purple vestments of the Mass denote the Church's common grief with the mothers of Bethlehem, who saw their babies massacred by the jealousy of Herod.

ENTRANCE HYMN (Ps. 8:3)
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, O God, You have fashioned praise because of Your enemies. Ps. 8:2. O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Your name over all the earth! V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O God, the martyred innocents bore witness to You this day not by words but by laying down their lives. Destroy in us the evil of sin, so that our lives may bear witness to our faith in You, which we profess in words. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Apoc. 14:1-5)
In those days, I beheld: and lo a Lamb stood upon mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the noise of many waters and as the voice of great thunder. And the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers, harping on their harps. And they sung as it were a new canticle, before the throne and before the four living creatures and the ancients: and no man could say the canticle, but those hundred forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth. These are they who were not defiled with women: for they are virgins. These follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, the firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth there was found no lie: for they are without spot before the throne of God.

GRADUAL (Ps. 123:7-8)
Our soul has been rescued as a bird from the snare of the hunters. V. The snare has been broken and we are free. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

TRACT (Ps. 78:3, 10)
They have poured out the blood of the saints like water around Jerusalem. V. And there was no one to bury them. V. Avenge, O Lord, the blood of Your saints which has been shed upon the earth.

GOSPEL (Matt. 2:13-18)
At that time, an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: "Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him." Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod: That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: "Out of Egypt have I called my son."
Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry: and sending killed all the menchildren that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: "A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 123:7)
Our soul has been rescued as a bird from the snare of the hunters. The snare has been broken and we are free.

SECRET PRAYER
O Lord, may Your saints' unfailing prayer of honor render our offerings acceptable to You and obtain Your pardon for us. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Matt. 2:18)
A voice was heard weeping in Rama, and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted, because they are no more.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, may these Gifts, which we have both offered to You and received from You, win for us Your assistance in this life and in the life to come through the prayers of the saints. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT JOHN
Apostle and Evangelist

In the group that Christ chose to be the messengers of God's love for men, St. John is singled out by the Gospel description as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." The great token of that love, the Mother of God, was entrusted to St. John by Christ in His dying moments. The New Testament writings of St. John -- the Fourth Gospel, the Apocalypse, and three epistles -- put into words the divine secret of love which the disciple learned in his intimacy with God and the Mother of God. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God" (I John 4:7).
Tradition persists that St. John, miraculously preserved from being killed, yet considered a martyr by Catholics, spent a long life forming the infant Church in Asia Minor in the simple and fundamental teaching of Christ, "Little children, love one another."

ENTRANCE HYMN (Eccli. 15:5)
In the gathering of the Church the Lord opened his mouth and filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and clothed him with a robe of glory. Ps. 91:2. It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing to Your name. O Most High! V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O Lord, let the Church be enlightened by the teachings of Your blessed apostle and evangelist John, so that she may enjoy Your everlasting gifts. Through Our Lord . . .

READING (Eccli. 15:1-6)
He that feareth God, will do good: and he that possesseth justice, shall lay hold on her, And she will meet him as an honourable mother, and will receive him as a wife married of a virgin. With the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him, and give him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and she shall be made strong in him, and he shall not be moved. And she shall hold him fast, and he shall not be confounded: and she shall exalt him among his neighbours. And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory. She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name.

GRADUAL (John 21:23, 19)
A Saying went abroad among the brethren, that the disciple was not to die. But Jesus had not said, "He is not to die." V. But rather, "So I will have him to remain until I come, do thou follow me."

Alleluia, alleluia! V. (John 21:24)
This is the disciple who bears witness concerning these things, and we know that his witness is true.
Alleluia!

Gospel (John 21:19-24)
At that time, Jesus said to Peter: "Follow me." Peter turning about, saw that disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also leaned on his breast at supper and said: "Lord, who is he that shall betray thee?" Him therefore when Peter had seen, he saith to Jesus: "Lord, and what shall this man do?" Jesus saith to him: "So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee? Follow thou me." This saying therefore went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die. And Jesus did not say to him: "He should not die"; but: "So I will have him to remain till I come, what is it to thee?"
This is that disciple who giveth testimony of these things and hath written these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 91:13)
The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon.

SECRET PRAYER
O Lord, accept the gifts we bring You on the feast of Your saint, through whose intercession we hope to be set free. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (John 21:23)
A saying went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple was not to die. But Jesus had not said, "He is not to die"; but rather, "So I will have him to remain until I come."

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
Refreshed with heavenly Food and Drink, we humbly pray You, our God, that we may be strengthened by the prayers of Your saint, in whose memory we have received this Sacrament. through our Lord . . .

SAINT STEPHEN
First Martyr

Stephen, the first to give his life for Christ, died, as did his master, praying for his persecutors. Stephen was one of the seven deacons appointed by the Apostles to preach and care for the poor. Because of the great signs and wonders he worked among the people, he was hailed before the Jewish Sanhedrin and condemned to stoning. St. Stephen's prayer, "Lord, do not lay this sin against them," fulfilled Christ's command to His followers, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute and calumniate you" (Matt. 5:44).


ENTRANCE HYMN (Ps. 118:23, 86, 23)
Princes met and spoke against me, and the wicked persecuted me. Help me, O Lord my God, because Your servant has followed Your commandments. Ps. 118:1. Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. V. Glory Be . . .

PRAYER
O Lord, we celebrate the birthday of Stephen, who prayed for his persecutors. May we imitate this saint, whom we revere, and learn from him to love even our enemies. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son . . .

READING (Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-60)
In those days, Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and signs among the people. Now there arose some, of that which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and of the Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke. Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart: and they gnashed with their teeth at him. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." And they, crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears and with one accord ran violently upon him. And casting him forth without the city. they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: "Lord, lay not his sin to their charge": And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord.

GRADUAL (Ps. 118:23, 86; 6:5)
Princes met and spoke against me, and the wicked persecuted me. V. Help me, O Lord my God! Save me for Your mercy's sake.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. (Acts 7:56)
I see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of the power of God.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 23:34-39)
At that time, Jesus said to the scribes and pharisees, "Therefore behold I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes: and some of them you will put to death and crucify: and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city. That upon you may come all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the just, even unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Amen I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not? Behold, your house shall be left to you, desolate. For I say to you, you shall not see me henceforth till you say: 'Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.' "

OFFERTORY HYMN (Acts 6:5; 7:59)
The Apostles chose Stephen, a Levite, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, whom the Jews stoned while he prayed and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Alleluia!

SECRET PRAYER
O Lord, receive our offerings in memory of Your saints; and as they were made glorious by their suffering, may we be made sinless by our devotion. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Acts 7:56, 59, 60)
I see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of the power of God. Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and lay not this sin against them.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, through the intercession of Your beloved martyr Stephen, may we be aided by the reception of the Blessed Sacrament and rejoice in Your everlasting protection. Through Our Lord . . .

CHRISTMAS DAY
THIRD MASS

After meditating upon the human circumstances of the Savior's birth, we come in this Mass to ponder upon His divinity. He is the eternal Son of God, the creator of all things. In those who accept Christ, His creative power begets supernatural life and calls our fellow men over the earth to be adopted sons and daughters of God. Even the Angels are only His messengers and worshiping creatures.


ENTRANCE HYMN (Isa. 9:6)
A Child is born to us, and a son is given to us; upon his shoulder is supreme sovereignty, and his name shall be called the Angel of great counsel. Ps. 97:1. Sing a new canticle to the Lord, for He has done wondrous things. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O Almighty God, free us from the old bondage and yoke of sin by Your only-begotten Son's new birth as man. Through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord . . .

READING (Heb. 1:1-12)
God, who, at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, in these days, hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world. Who being the brightness of his glory and the figure of his substance and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of the angels hath he said at any time: "Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee?" And again: "I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?" And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith: "And let all the angels of God adore him. And to the angels indeed he saith: "He that maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire." But to the Son: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of justice is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved justice and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." And: "Thou in the beginning, O Lord, didst found the earth: and the works of thy hands are the heavens. They shall perish: but thou shalt continue: and they shall all grow old as a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shalt be changed. But thou art the selfsame: and thy years shall not fail."

GRADUAL (Ps. 97:3-4, 2)
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Sing joyfully to God, all the earth. V. The Lord has made His salvation known; in the sight of the nations He has revealed His justice.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.
A blessed day has dawned on us! Come, you nations, and adore the Lord, for this day a great light has descended upon the earth!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (John 1:1-14)
In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life: and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness did not comprehend it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world: and the world was made by him: and the world knew him not. He came unto his own: and his own received him not. But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name. Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 88:12, 15)
Yours are the heavens and yours is the earth, the world and its fullness you have founded. Justice and judgment are the foundation of your throne.

SECRET PRAYER
Bless these gifts we offer You, O Lord, by the new birth of Your only-begotten Son. May they cleanse us from the stain of our sins. Through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Ps. 97:3)
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Almighty God, may the Savior of the world, who came upon earth this day to bring us the Gift of supernatural life, bestow on us also the treasure of eternal life; who lives and rules with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

La Vierge L'Enfant Jesus et Saint Jean Baptiste by William Bouguereau

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

There is urgency in the readings and prayers of today. We ask the Father to "drop" and to "rain" the Savior upon us, the human race, in order that we may "speedily" be delivered. "Come and tarry not!" is our cry. "Prepare the way of the Lord" for an immediate coming is the Gospel thought. And Mary we hail as the mediatrix of our pressing desire. Great indeed is our need for grace.
But the Savior we seek to possess and love is also our Judge. Not men but God alone can judge our preparedness for grace and for eternity. And God judges us by our love for our neighbors and our impartial zeal for their welfare.

ENTRANCE HYMN (Isa. 45:8)
Drop down dew, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just one. Let the earth be opened and bud forth a savior. Ps. 18:2. The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O Lord, show yourself an all-powerful God and come to us. Aid us with Your powerful assistance so that, through Your grace and merciful forgiveness, we may attain salvation, which now is hindered by our sins; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

READING (I Cor. 4:1-5)
Brethren: Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. Here now it is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful. But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you or by man's day. But neither do I judge my own self. For I am not conscious to myself of anything. Yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore, judge not before the time: until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then shall every man have praise from God.

GRADUAL (Ps. 144:18, 21)
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. V. My lips shall speak the praise of the Lord; let all men bless His holy name.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.
Come, O Lord; do not delay. Forgive the sins of Israel, Your people.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Luke 3:1-6)
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina: Under the high priests Anna and Caiphas: the word of the Lord was made unto John, the son of Zachary, in the desert. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins. As it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: "A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways plain. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

OFFERTORY HYMN (Luke 1:28, 42)
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

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

COMMUNION HYMN (Isa. 7:14)
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, may we, who have received Your Gifts, be brought closer to our salvation by each performance of this Sacred Rite. Through Our Lord . . .

CHAPTER ONE

OBSERVATION - JUDGMENT - ACTION

The first thing to be considered before taking up our study of the
Mass is the attitude of Catholics toward Sunday Mass.

OBSERVATION

I ---Those among the faithful who attend Sunday Mass may be divided into three groups, corresponding to their degree of fervor. All three had their representatives on Calvary, during the Passion drama. Who are they?

1. The enemies of God: sinners. This group forms the modern counterpart of the irreligious Scribes and Pharisees. In this category are those persons in the state of mortal sin who sometimes wind up an all-night bout of drinking, dancing, and offense to God, by dropping into church. Arriving after Mass has begun, they sit in the rear of the church, yawning their boredom--their provocative dress a scandal to others. Before Mass is over, they have already fled out the door.
[To be continued]

Mother Cabrini in 1880

SAINT FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI
Virgin

In All Dioceses of the United States

From childhood Frances Cabrini desired to become a missionary for Christ. After some unsuccessful starts, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Codogna, Italy; and in 1889 at the urging of Pope Leo XIII, she accepted the invitation of New York's Archbishop Corrigan to work among the numerous Italian immigrants of that era. Mother Cabrini founded orphanages, schools, and hospitals all over the United States, and extended her institute to Central and South America, France, Spain, and England. Everywhere her work succeeded only through her unbounded trust in God's providence. Though always in poor health, she traveled constantly, crossing the Atlantic 25 times in spite of a great fear of ocean voyages. A naturalized citizen of the United States, Mother Cabrini died in 1917 in the convent of her great hospital in Chicago, and was canonized in 1946, the first American citizen-saint.

The chapel of the high school in Fort Washington, New York, where her body is enshrined, is a place of pilgrimage.


ENTRANCE HYMN (Ps. 72:24)
You have held me by my right hand, and guided me by Your counsel, and in the end You have received me in glory. Ps. 72:1. How good God is to Israel, to those whose hearts are upright. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O Lord, Jesus Christ, You enkindled the fire of Your Sacred Heart in the holy virgin Frances Xavier so that she might win souls for You in many lands, and establish a new religious congregation of women in Your Church. Grant that we too may imitate the virtues of Your Sacred Heart through her intercession, so that we may be worthy of the haven of eternal happiness, who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

READING (I Cor. 1:26-31)
Brethren: For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the "wise": and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong. And the base things of the world and the things that are contemptible, hath God chosen: and things that are not, that he might bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his sight. But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption: That, as it is written: "He that glorieth may glory in the Lord."

GRADUAL (Ps. 17:33-34)
God has girded me with strength and made my way sinless. V. He has made my feet swift as those of a stag and set me on the heights.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. (I Cor. 9:22)
I became all things to all men, that I might save all.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 11:25-30)
At that time Jesus answered and said: "I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones. Yea, Father: for so hath it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to Me by My Father. And no one knoweth the Son but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him. Come to Me all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: And you shall find rest to your souls. For My yoke is sweet and My burden light."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 72:28)
It is good for me to hold fast to God, to put my hope in the Lord God, that I may proclaim all Your praises at the gates of the daughter of Sion.

SECRET PRAYER
Accept our offerings in honor of the holy virgin Frances Xavier, O Lord, and grant that we too may imitate the Sacred Heart of Your Son and make ourselves an acceptable sacrifice to You. Through the same Jesus Christ . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

COMMUNION HYMN (Matt. 11:28)
Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
From the fullness of the Sacred Heart of Your beloved Son, O God, You have bestowed heavenly gifts upon us. Grant that we may follow Saint Frances Xavier's example and seek the glory of Your Son so that we may attain to the rewards of His kingdom; who lives and rules with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

SAINT THOMAS
Apostle

When Jesus was about to go to Judea where He was in mortal danger from His enemies, intense love for his Master made St. Thomas say, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (John 11:8-16). As Christ said farewell to His disciples on the eve of His Passion, Thomas wanted to know the way to reunion with his Lord. Jesus said to him and to us, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:2-6). After the Resurrection, he sought the reassurance of feeling the wounds of the risen Savior (John 20:24-29). His short-lived but agonized incredulity has served through the centuries to strengthen Christian faith in the Resurrection, and his impulsive exclamation, "My Lord and my God!" is repeated by every Christian at the elevation of the Sacred Host.
According to the martyrology, after Pentecost Thomas preached the Gospel to the Parthians, Medes, Persians, and Hyrcanians, and finally evangelized India, where he was martyred. There is in India today, in the region called Malabar Coast, a Christian community of Syriac Rite which claims that its ancestors were baptized by Thomas himself.

ENTRANCE HYMN (Ps. 138:17)
Your friends are greatly honored by me, O God; their pre-eminence is definitely established. Ps. 138:1-2. O Lord, You have proved me and You know me; You know when I sit and when I stand. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O Lord, may we so celebrate the solemn feast of Your apostle Thomas that we may be aided by his prayers to imitate his faith in our lives at all times. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of preceding Sunday

READING (Eph. 2:19-22)
Brethren: Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners: but you are fellow citizens with the saints and the domestics of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone: In whom all the building, being framed together, groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord. in whom you also are built together into an habitation of God in the Spirit.

GRADUAL (Ps. 138:17-18)
Your friends are greatly honored, O God; their pre-eminence is definitely established. V. Were I to try to count them, they would be more numerous than the sands.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 32:1.
Rejoice in the Lord, you just; praise befits the upright.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (John 20:24-29)
At that time, Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said: "Peace be to you." Then he said to Thomas: "Put in thy finger hither and see my hands. And bring hither the hand and put it into my side. And be not faithless, but believing." Thomas answered and said to him: "My Lord and my God." Jesus saith to him: "Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and have believed."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 18:5)
Their voice has gone forth through all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

SECRET PRAYER
We worship You, O Lord, as it is our duty. Guard over the gifts You have bestowed upon us through the prayers of Your blessed apostle Thomas, whose faith we honor by offering You this sacrifice of praise. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

COMMUNION HYMN (John 20:27)
Bring here thy hand and feel the place of the nails. and be not unbelieving, but believing.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
Be close to us, O merciful God, and through the prayers of Your blessed apostle Thomas,watch over the Gifts You have given us. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

THE MASS
Renunciation and choice

"Those persons who apply themselves seriously to a study of the scope and meaning of the Mass, cannot help awakening in themselves a spirit of mortification, of subordination of the earthly to the heavenly, of absolute obedience to God's will and law. This is a necessity of the present hour, as is zeal for prayer. Many persons--among whom we observe with sorrow the presence of many Catholics--live as though their sole purpose in life were to establish an earthly paradise, with no thought being given to eternity or the hereafter."
--Pius XII

With this quote in mind, I intend to post, as often as I can, from the book: 'Your Mass and Your Life', an in depth study of the Holy Mass. Together we can grow in our love of the Mass which Almighty God has given to us through His Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. To know the Mass is to love it. To love the Mass, is to serve it! To serve Mass is to have one foot in Heaven!
God Bless us all!
Deacon John

MEDIATOR DEI

Our Blessed Mother:
Among the saints our Blessed Lady receives a special veneration. She is more closely linked with the mysteries of her divine Son; she has followed Him more closely and with more merit than any other saint; she has more grace and power with the Son and the Father than anyone else. Holier than the angels, she enjoys greater glory than all the other saints, for she is "full of grace." She gave birth to our Redeemer and became our Mother at the foot of the cross. She teaches us every virtue and gives us her Son and with Him all the help we need. So we must place ourselves and all we have under her patronage. For God "wished us to have everything through Mary," as St. Bernard says.
Throughout the liturgical journey which begins anew for us each year under the sanctifying action of the Church and aided by the saints, especially our Mother Mary, let us draw near to our High Priest that with Him we may share His life and sentiments, and by Him penetrate "even within the veil" and there honor the Eternal Father always.
[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII, November 20, 1947]

EXPECTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
TRADITIONAL FEAST DAY DECEMBER 18

Today is one of the most inspiring days preceding Christmas! It is the feast of "Our Lady of Expectation," mostly unknown to many in these modern times, but still kept alive in many countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy and Poland as well as in a few religious orders. In older editions of missals, this feast is still listed as a votive Mass.

The feast is celebrated on the 18th of December, a week before Christmas Day. Our Blessed Lady, well advanced in pregnancy, is portrayed in the highest dignity of her Divine Motherhood. Dressed in royal apparel as daughter of David the King, she awaits with joy the arrival of her divine Son, Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Her whole posture suggests how she remains wholly consumed in contemplation of her Son under her heart. Her immaculate womb has become a living portable sanctuary of divinity. There are special prayers and novenas to "Our Lady of Expectation" available for women who cannot conceive or bear a child.

The votive Mass of "Our Lady of Expectation" is theologically enlightening and spiritually enriching for the time of Advent and Christmas. With the entrance antiphon, the Church prays with the prophet for the coming of the Just One from heaven that the earth may be ready to welcome the Savior: "Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the clouds rain down the just. Let the earth open for salvation to spring up" (Is 45:8). In the opening prayer, the Church offers the prayer to God through Mary's intercession: "O God who wished that your Word would take the flesh from the womb of the Virgin as announced by the Angel and whom we confess to be the true Mother of God, may we be helped by her intercession."

This wonderful feast also reminds us that it has been almost nine months since the Annunciation/Incarnation (March 25) and that Jesus developed in Mary's womb just like we did in our mother's womb. Think of all the millions of babies who never make it through the nine months because their mothers have aborted them. May God, through the intercession of the Expectant Mother Mary, take their souls into His Kingdom.

MEDIATOR DEI
Continued

Feasts of the Saints:
The liturgical year commemorates the feasts of the saints. As the saints reflected the virtues of our Redeemer, the Church puts them before us as models to imitate. Under different aspects the saints show forth the splendor of Christ. Some image His zeal, some His bravery unto death. So in each one we see a characteristic virtue of our divine Redeemer. The liturgy puts these gems of sanctity before us, that "rejoicing at their merits we may be inflamed by their example." In order that we may be helped by our senses the Church places their statues before us for our veneration. Her aim in this is "that we imitate the virtues of those we venerate." Another reason why we honor the saints is to gain their help, "that we be aided by the pleadings of those whose praise is our delight." So the liturgy provides us with many different prayers to invoke the intercession of the saints.
[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Guadete means "Rejoice." Anticipated joy over our Savior's coming breaks through all our serious Advent preparation. Although it cannot be entirely repressed, our joy is yet restrained for two reasons: 1. Like John the Baptist, even the most fervent person feels a great unworthiness either to be a friend of Christ or to be His apostle. 2. Very often our joy is dulled by unnecessary anxiety. We let our peace of soul depend too much upon persons and events and circumstances, and too little upon God's infallible and tender care.

Vestment color is rose or purple.

ENTRANCE HYMN (Philipp. 4:4-6)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety; but in every prayer let your petitions be made known to God. Ps. 84:2. O Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
Hear our prayers, O Lord, and enlighten the darkness of our minds by Your coming on earth; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

READING (Philipp. 4:4-7)
Brethren: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety, but in every prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God. And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

GRADUAL (Ps. 79:2, 3, 2)
O Lord, enthroned above the Cherubim, stir up Your might and come. V. Take heed, you who rule Israel, you who are shepherd over Joseph.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.
Stir up Your might, O Lord, and come to save us.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (John 1:19-28)
At that time, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: "Who art thou?" And he confessed and did not deny: and he confessed: "I am not the Christ." And they asked him: "What then? Art thou Elias?" And he said: "I am not." "Art thou the prophet? And he answered: "No." They said therefore unto him: "Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?" He said: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias." And they that were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him and said to him: "Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?" John answered them, saying: "I baptize with water: but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose." These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 84:2, 3)
O Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity; You have forgiven the sinfulness of Your people.

SECRET PRAYER
May we always offer the sacrifice of adoration in such a manner, O Lord, that it will attain the purpose for which You instituted this sacred rite, and bring about our salvation. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN (Isa. 35:4)
Say to the fainthearted, "Take courage and fear not. Behold, our God will come and will save us."

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
In Your mercy cleanse us from our sins by these divine Rites, O Lord, and make us ready for the coming feast. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT EUSEBIUS
Bishop and Martyr

Eusebius was bishop of Vercelli in northern Italy in the middle of the fourth century. St. Ambrose says that he was the first in the West to introduce the practice of community life among secular clergy. Eusebius was exiled to Palestine and Cappadocia by Emperor Constantius for his defense of St. Athanasius and his opposition to the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. Though greatly mistreated in exile, [he won the title of martyr for his grievous sufferings] the courageous bishop survived the ordeal and, on the death of the Emperor, took up the fight for the Church once more. He won other enemies, however, by urging clemency toward repentant Arian bishops, the very ones who had been a cause of his exile. St. Eusebius died in peace at Vercelli in 371.

PRAYER
O God, who gladdens us each year by the feast of Your blessed martyr bishop Eusebius, mercifully grant that we who celebrate his birthday may also enjoy his protection. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET PRAYER
Bless the gifts we have set apart for You, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Eusebius help these offerings to win Your mercy for us. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, may this Communion cleanse us from sin, and bestow on us spiritual health from heaven through the intercession of Your martyr bishop Eusebius. Through Our Lord . . .

Christ the Vine

MEDIATOR DEI

Continued Mission of Christ:
The liturgical year is not merely the record of past events. It is rather Christ Himself ever living in His Church. He continues His merciful mission begun in His mortal life, going about doing good. He aims to teach men His mysteries that they may live by them. These mysteries are examples of Christian perfection as well as sources of divine grace, due to the merits and prayers of Christ. Each mystery brings its own special grace for our salvation. So the Church prays that her children may share in the spirit of these mysteries through the merits of Christ. By co-operating with Him we receive from Him life as branches do from the vine and members from the head, until gradually we change ourselves into "the fullness of Christ."

[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

MEDIATOR DEI

The Liturgical Cycle:
The Mass and the Divine Office center especially around the person of Christ throughout the entire year, and so our Savior dominates the scene in the mysteries of His humiliation, redemption, and triumph. While the liturgy calls to mind the mysteries of our Lord, it aims at making all take their part in these mysteries. Thus the divine Head with the fullness of His holiness will live in all the members of His Mystical Body. By these suitable methods the liturgy at stated times proposes the life of Christ for our meditation. Thus the Church shows us examples to imitate, and reveals treasures of sanctity for us to make our own, since it is only right for the mind to believe what the lips sing and that what is believed should be practiced in public and private life.
The liturgical year is a sublime hymn of praise offered to the heavenly Father by the Christian family through Jesus Christ their personal Mediator. It requires prayerful study on our part to be able to know and praise our Redeemer more and more. It requires effort and practice to imitate His mysteries, to enter willingly upon His path of sorrow, and thus finally share His eternal joy and happiness.

[Excerpted from 'Mediator Dei', Pius XII]

St. Lucy, c. 1472-74
Lippi, Filippino

SAINT LUCY
Virgin and martyr

Lucy, patron of Sicily, and one of the saints of the Canon of the Mass, was martyred at Syracuse in the persecution of Diocletian about the year 304. The legend of her martyrdom says that she was denounced as a Christian by a rejected suitor. Refusing to apostatize, she was condemned to a brothel, but a mysterious force prevented the persecutors from moving her from the tribunal. After an unsuccessful attempt had been made to burn her to death, her neck was pierced with a dagger.

ENTRANCE HYMN (Ps. 44:8)
You loved justice and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above all your fellow creatures. Ps. 44:2 My heart overflows with good tidings; I sing my song to the king. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
Hear our prayer, O God our Savior, and let us learn the spirit of true devotion from Your blessed virgin and martyr Lucy, as we joyfully celebrate her feast. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

READING (II Cor. 10:17-18; 11:1-2)
Brethren: He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he who commendeth himself is approved: but he, whom God commendeth. Would to God you could bear with some little of my folly! But do bear with me. For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

GRADUAL (Ps. 44:8)
You loved justice and hated wickedness. V. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. (Ps. 44:3)
Grace is poured out upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 13:44-52)
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to His disciples, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls. Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it. Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kinds of fishes. Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Have ye understood all these things?" They say to him: "Yes." He said unto them: "Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old."

OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 44:15, 16)
Behind her the virgins shall be led to the king; her friends shall be brought to you with gladness and joy; they shall be brought into the temple of the king, the Lord.

SECRET PRAYER
Accept this gift, O Lord, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

COMMUNION HYMN (Ps. 118:161-162)
Princes have persecuted me without cause, but my heart has stood in awe of Your words. I rejoice at Your words as one who has found great booty.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

On the summit of a hill a few miles north of Mexico City, Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego, a poor Aztec Indian convert, in December, 1531. In order that the Spanish Archbishop Zumarraga of Mexico might have faith in the apparitions, Mary made roses bloom on the cold, arid hillside, and impressed a picture of herself upon Juan Diego's roughly woven mantle. Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe has helped to weld into a nation the various peoples of Mexico; [millions of Indians were baptized and entered the Church] and her shrine has never been closed, even during the most bitter conflicts between Church and State in that country.


ENTRANCE HYMN
Hail, Holy Mother, who brought forth the King who rules heaven and earth forever and ever. Ps. 44:2. My heart overflows with good tidings; I sing my song to the king. V. Glory be . . .

PRAYER
O God, You have placed us under the special patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and through her You have favored us with endless blessings. May we, who joyfully honor her this day on earth, enjoy her company forever in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

During Advent, commemoration of the preceding Sunday

READING (Eccli. 24:23-31)
As the vine I have brought forth a pleasant odor: and my flowers are the fruit of honor and riches.
I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope.
In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue.
Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits.
For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb.
My memory is unto everlasting generations.
They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst.
He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me, shall not sin.
They that explain me shall have life everlasting.

GRADUAL (Cant. 6:9; Eccli. 50:8)
Who is she who comes forth as th morning dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun? V. As a rainbow that gives light in the bright clouds, and as the budding roses in the springtime.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. (Cant. 2:12)
The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning has come.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Luke 1:39-47)
At that time, Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she cried out with a loud voice and said: "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord." And Mary said: "My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour."

OFFERTORY HYMN (II Par. 7:16)
I have chosen and sanctified this place, that my name may be here, and my eyes and my heart may dwell here forever.

SECRET PRAYER
O Lord, through Your mercy and the intercession of the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, let this offering bring us prosperity and peace now and forever. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

COMMUNION HYMN (Ps. 147:20)
He has not done this for any other nation, and His ordinances He has not made known to them.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, grant that we who have received the Sacrament of our salvation may be protected through the intercession of the Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, in whose honor we have offered this Sacrifice to Your majesty. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the preceding Sunday

SAINT DAMASUS
Pope and Confessor

The Spaniard Damasus was pope from 366 to 384. During his reign he had to contend with an antipope at Rome, schism at Antioch, Constantinople, and Sardinia, and Arian heresy over the whole Empire. St. Jerome, whom he commissioned to prepare the Vulgate translation of the Bible, calls him "an incomparable person, learned in the Scriptures, a virgin doctor of the virgin Church, who loved chastity and heard its praise with pleasure." Pope Damasus had great veneration for the Christian martyrs, wrote many of the epitaphs for their tombs, and out of humility, would not allow himself to be buried among his martyred predecessors.

Mass of the preceding Sunday, with the following commemoration of Saint Damasus

PRAYER
O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Damasus shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this confessor and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET PRAYER
We have offered our gifts to You, O Lord. Let Your light graciously shine upon Your Church, so that this flock may everywhere prosper, and its pastors, under Your guidance, may be truly pleasing to You. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O Lord, govern the Church, which You have been pleased to nourish with Your heavenly Food. Guide her by Your powerful direction, so that she may enjoy greater freedom and remain unshaken in the fullness of faith. Through Our Lord . . .