EMBER SATURDAY IN SPRING
ENTRANCE HYMN (Ps. 87:3)
Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my call for help, O Lord. Ps. 87:2. O Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried out by day and by night in Your presence. V. Glory be . . .
PRAYER
V. Let us pray. Let us kneel.
V. Let us pray. Let us kneel.
R. Arise!
Look with mercy upon Your people,O Lord, and in Your pity spare them from the punishment they deserve. Through our Lord . . .
FIRST LESSON (Deut. 26:12-19)
In those days, Moses spoke to the people, saying, "When thou hast made an end of tithing all thy fruits, in the third year of tithes thou shalt give it to the Levite, and to the stanger, and to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled: And thou shalt speak thus in the sight of the Lord thy God: 'I have taken that which was sanctified out of my house, and I have given it to the Levite, and to the stranger, and to the fatherless, and to the widow, as thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments nor forgotten thy precepts. I have not eaten of them in my mourning, nor separated them for any uncleanness, nor spent any thing of them in funerals. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God, and have done all things as thou hast commanded me. Look from thy sanctuary, and thy high habitation of heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou didst swear to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.'
" This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these commandments and judgments: and to keep and fulfil them with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast chosen the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways and keep his ceremonies, and precepts, and judgments, and obey his command. And the Lord hath chosen thee this day, to be his peculiar people, as he hath spoken to thee, and to keep all his commandments: And to make thee higher than all nations which he hath created, to his own praise, and name, and glory: that thou mayst be a holy people of the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken."
" This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these commandments and judgments: and to keep and fulfil them with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast chosen the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways and keep his ceremonies, and precepts, and judgments, and obey his command. And the Lord hath chosen thee this day, to be his peculiar people, as he hath spoken to thee, and to keep all his commandments: And to make thee higher than all nations which he hath created, to his own praise, and name, and glory: that thou mayst be a holy people of the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken."
GRADUAL (Ps. 78:9, 10)
Pardon us our sins, O Lord, lest the nations ever say, "Where is their God?" V. Help us, O God our Savior; and for the glory of Your name, O Lord, deliver us.
PRAYER
V. Let us pray. Let us kneel.
R. Arise!
Look with kindness upon us, O God our Protector. remove the burden of sin that oppresses us, so that we may serve you with untroubled minds. Through our Lord . . .
SECOND LESSON (Deut. 11:22-25)
In those days, Moses said to the children of Israel, "For if you keep the commandments which I command you, and do them, to love the Lord your God, and walk in all his ways, cleaving unto him, The Lord will destroy all these nations before your face, and you shall possess them, which are greater and stronger than you. Every place, that your foot shall tread upon, shall be yours. From the desert, and from Libanus, from the great river Euphrates unto the western sea shall be your borders. None shall stand against you: the Lord your God shall lay the dread and fear of you upon all the land that you shall tread upon, as he hath spoken to you."
GRADUAL (Ps. 83:10, 9)
O God our Protector, look, and gaze upon Your servants. V. O Lord, God of hosts, hear the prayers of Your servants.
PRAYER
V. Let us pray. Let us kneel.
R. Arise!
O Lord, hear our pleas and grant that we may be humble in prosperity and untroubled in misfortune. Through our Lord . . .
THIRD LESSON (II Mach. 1:23-26, 27)
In those days, all the priests made prayer, while the sacrifice was consuming, Jonathan beginning, and the rest answering. And the prayer of Nehemias was after this manner: "O Lord God, Creator of all things, dreadful and strong, just and merciful, who alone art the good king, Who alone art gracious, who alone art just, and almighty, and eternal, who deliverest Israel from all evil, who didst choose the fathers, and didst sanctify them: Receive the sacrifice for all thy people Israel, and preserve thy own portion, and sanctify it. Gather together our scattered people, deliver them that are slaves to the Gentiles, that the Gentiles may know that thou art our God."
GRADUAL (Ps. 89:13, 1)
Turn a little, O Lord, and be moved by the entreaties for Your servants. V. O Lord, You have been our refuge through all generations.
PRAYER
V. Let us pray. Let us kneel.
R. Arise!
O Lord, we beg You, kindly hear the prayers of Your people. We are being justly punished for our sins, but be merciful and free us for the glory of Your name. Through our Lord . . .
FOURTH LESSON (Eccli. 36:1-10)
Have mercy upon us, O God of all, and behold us, and shew us the light of thy mercies: And send thy fear upon the nations, that have not sought after thee: that they may know that there is no God beside thee, and that they may shew forth thy wonders. Lift up thy hand over the strange nations, that they may see thy power. For as thou hast been sanctified in us in their sight, so thou shalt be magnified among them in our presence, That they may know thee, as we also have known thee, that there is no God beside thee, O Lord. Renew thy signs, and work new miracles.
Glorify thy hand, and thy right arm. Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath. Take away the adversary, and crush the enemy. Hasten the time, and remember the end, that they may declare thy wonderful works.
Glorify thy hand, and thy right arm. Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath. Take away the adversary, and crush the enemy. Hasten the time, and remember the end, that they may declare thy wonderful works.
GRADUAL (Ps. 140:2)
Let my prayer come like incense before Your sight, O Lord. V. The lifting up of my hands, like an evening sacrifice.
PRAYER
V. Let us pray. Let us kneel.
R. Arise!
O Lord, let our actions be promoted by Your inspiration and accompanied by Your help, so that every prayer and work of ours may begin from You, and through You be completed. Through our Lord . . .
FIFTH LESSON (Dan. 3:47-56)
In those days, the angel of the Lord went down with Azarias and his companions into the furnace: and he drove the flame of the fire out of the furnace, And made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, nor did them any harm. Then these three, as with one mouth, praised and glorified and blessed God, in the furnace, saying:
Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers; and worthy to be praised, and glorified, and exalted above all for ever: and blessed is the holy name of thy glory: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all, in all ages.
Blessed art thou in the holy temple of thy glory: and exceedingly to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and worthy of praise, and glorious for ever.
All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers; and worthy to be praised, and glorified, and exalted above all for ever: and blessed is the holy name of thy glory: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all, in all ages.
Blessed art thou in the holy temple of thy glory: and exceedingly to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and worthy to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and worthy of praise, and glorious for ever.
All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O ye heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
who is worthy to be praised and glorified forever.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Who is worthy to be praised and glorified forever.
Blessed are You, O Lord the God of our fathers:
and worthy to be praised and glorified forever.
PRAYER
O God, who protected the three young men from the flames of fire, grant that the flames of sin may not consume us, Your servants. Through our Lord . . .
READING (I Thess. 5:14-23)
Brethren: And we beseech you, rebuke the unquiet: comfort the feeble minded: support the weak: be patient towards all men. See that none render evil for evil to any man: but ever follow that which is good towards each other and towards all men. Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In all things give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all. Extinguish not the spirit. Despise not prophecies. But prove all things: hold fast that which is good. From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves. And may the God of peace himself sanctify you in all things: that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
TRACT (Ps. 116:1-2)
Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise Him in unison, all you peoples! V. For His mercy is steadfast towards us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.
GOSPEL (Matt. 17:1-9)
At that time, Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias."
And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo a voice out of the cloud, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." And the disciples hearing fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them: "Arise, and fear not." And they lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus.
And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo a voice out of the cloud, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." And the disciples hearing fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them: "Arise, and fear not." And they lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus.
And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: "Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead."
OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 87:2-3)
O Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried out by day and by night in Your presence. let my prayer come before You, O Lord.
SECRET PRAYER
O Lord, sanctify our fasting by these offerings, so that our acts of penance may interiorly accomplish in us the effect that they outwardly signify. Through our Lord . . .
COMMUNION HYMN (Ps. 7:2)
O Lord, my God, in You have I placed my trust; save me from all my persecutors, and rescue me.
POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
Almighty God, may the grace of this Sacrament cure our sinfulness and be an everlasting remedy for our weakness. Through our Lord . . .
PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
O God, strengthen Your people with the blessing they ask, so that they may always be obedient to Your will and rejoice in Your gifts. Through our Lord . . .
