Ember Wednesday

EMBER WEDNESDAY

During these Ember Days every Christian should beg a blessing upon the new planting and sowing of crops that will feed the earth's millions. Everyone should also offer to God the first fruits of the spring harvest. Moreover, this is a time to pray for the deacons who will be ordained to the priesthood on the coming Saturday.

INTROIT Ps. 67:8, 9
O God, when You went forth at the head of Your people, marching with them and dwelling among them, alleluia! the earth trembled and the skies dripped with rain, alleluia, alleluia!
Ps. 67:2. Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee before Him.
V. Glory be . . .

LET US PRAY:
May the Holy Comforter, who proceeds from You, O Lord, enlighten our minds and guide us in all truth, as Your Son has promised; who lives and rules with You in the unity of the same Holy Spirit . . .

LESSON Acts 2:14-21
In those days, Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: "Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you and with your ears receive my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day: But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel: 'And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord), I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy: and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And upon my servants indeed and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my spirit: and they shall prophesy. And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapour of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord to come. And it shalt come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "

Alleluia! V. Ps. 32:6
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all the celestial bodies thereof were created.

COLLECT
Almighty and merciful God, grant that the Holy Spirit may come and dwell in us, that we may be a temple of His glory. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Acts 5:12-16
In those days, by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. But of the rest no man durst join himself unto them: but the people magnified them. And the multitude of men and women who believed in the Lord was more increased: Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that, when Peter came, his shadow at the least might overshadow any of them and they might be delivered from their infirmities. And there came also together to Jerusalem a multitude out of the neighbouring cities, bringing sick persons and such as were troubled with unclean spirits: who were all healed.

Alleluia, alleluia! (Here all kneel.)
V. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
 

SEQUENCE
Holy Spirit, come and shine
On our souls with beams divine
Issuing from your radiance bright.
Come, O Father of the poor,
Ever bounteous of your store,
Come, our heart's unfailing light.

Come, Consoler, kindest, best,
Come our bosom's dearest guest,
Sweet refreshment, sweet repose.
Rest in labor, coolness sweet,
Tempering the burning heat,
Truest comfort of our woes.

O divinest light, impart
Unto every faithful heart
Plenteous streams from love's bright flood.
But for your blest Deity,
Nothing pure in man could be;
Nothing harmless, nothing good.

Wash away each sinful stain;
Gently shed your gracious rain
On the dry and fruitless soul.
Heal each wound and bend each will,
Warm our hearts benumbed and chill,
All our wayward steps control.

Unto all your faithful just,
Who in you confide and trust,
Deign the sevenfold gift to send.
Grant us virtue's blest increase,
Grant a death of hope and peace,
Grant the joys that never end.
Amen. Alleluia!

GOSPEL John 6:44-52
At that time, Jesus said to the Jews: "No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him. And I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets: 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Every one that hath heard of the Father and hath learned cometh forth me. Not that any man hath seen the Father: but he who is of God, he hath seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say unto you: He that believeth in me hath everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert: and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven: that if any man eat of it, he may not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 118:47-48
I will meditate on Your commandments, which I love dearly; and I will lift up my hands to Your commands, which I cherish, alleluia!

SECRET 
Accept the gifts we offer You, O Lord, and grant that the celebration of these sacred rites may be reflected in our holy lives. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, alleluia! My peace I give to you, alleluia, alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION
We have received the Sacrament of Heaven, O Lord. We now humbly beg that the sacred rite, which we have celebrated, may be our joy for all eternity. Through our Lord . . .

Traditional † Catholicism: Pentecost 2013 - Church of the Holy Innocents - New York City

Traditional † Catholicism: Pentecost 2013 - Church of the Holy Innocents - New York City

Here's a link to a set of beautiful photos of the Sung Mass for the Feast of Pentecost (2013) at The Church of the Holy Innocents, NYC

http://traditionalcatholicism83.blogspot.com/2013/05/pentecost-2013-church-of-holy-innocents.html

 

Monday After Pentecost

MONDAY AFTER PENTECOST

DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / RED
From the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus demanded essential belief in Himself as God's Son and as mankind's Redeemer. He is the light of the world. It is the very nature of light to shine. And healthy eyes welcome light. But God does not force open the eyes that are blinded by contentment with self and with this world. Jesus chose to let His light shine on all men through His invisible Holy Spirit. Neither continent nor ocean, neither race nor class, is any hindrance to His mighty but gentle coming. He asks only integrity of life and a believing heart.
 

INTROIT Ps. 80:17
He fed them with the finest wheat, alleluia! and filled them with honey from the rock, alleluia, alleluia!
Ps. 80:2. Sing joyfully to God, our Helper, sing aloud to the God of Jacob.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, who sent the Holy Spirit to Your apostles, answer the prayers of Your people. Bestow peace upon us, just as You have given us to believe. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Acts 10:34, 42-48
In those days, Peter opening his mouth, said: "Men, the Lord commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that it is he who was appointed by God to be judge of the living and of the dead. To him all the prophets give testimony, that by his name all receive remission of sins, who believe in him." While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word. And the faithful of the circumcision, who came with Peter, were astonished for that the grace of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they heard them speaking with tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered: "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we?" And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Acts 2:4
The apostles began to speak in foreign tongues of the wondrous deeds of God. Alleluia! (Here all kneel.)
V. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love.

 

SEQUENCE
Holy Spirit, come and shine
On our souls with beams divine
Issuing from your radiance bright.
Come, O Father of the poor,
Ever bounteous of your store,
Come, our heart's unfailing light.

Come, Consoler, kindest, best,
Come our bosom's dearest guest,
Sweet refreshment, sweet repose.
Rest in labor, coolness sweet,
Tempering the burning heat,
Truest comfort of our woes.

O divinest light, impart
Unto every faithful heart
Plenteous streams from love's bright flood.
But for your blest Deity,
Nothing pure in man could be;
Nothing harmless, nothing good.

Wash away each sinful stain;
Gently shed your gracious rain
On the dry and fruitless soul.
Heal each wound and bend each will,
Warm our hearts benumbed and chill,
All our wayward steps control.

Unto all your faithful just,
Who in you confide and trust,
Deign the sevenfold gift to send.
Grant us virtue's blest increase,
Grant a death of hope and peace,
Grant the joys that never end.
Amen. Alleluia!

GOSPEL John 3:16-21
At that time, Jesus said to Nicodemus: "For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son: that whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting. For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world: but that the world may be saved by him. He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment: Because the light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil. For every one that doth evil hateth the light and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved. But he that doth truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest: because they are done in God."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 17:14, 16
The Lord thundered from heaven and the Most High gave forth His voice, and the fountains of water appeared, alleluia!

SECRET
Mercifully bless this offering, O Lord. Receive the sacrifice of our spiritual victim, and may we ourselves become an eternal offering to You. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON John 14:26
The Holy Spirit will teach you, alleluia, alleluia! whatever I have said to you, alleluia, alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION
Stay close to Your people, O Lord, and assist them. Nourish them with Your Heavenly Sacrament and defend them from the rage of their enemies. Through our Lord . . .

Vigil of Pentecost, Saint Venantius

VIGIL OF PENTECOST

 

SAINT VENANTIUS  

Martyr

 

[Commemoration]

 

 

PRIVILEGED VIGIL, DOUBLE / RED
The Vigil Mass of Pentecost is a festal Mass, and a great baptismal day, which opens the celebration of the Feast and Octave of Pentecost. It is properly celebrated in the afternoon after None, though it may either be postponed to later in the evening or anticipated in the morning for pastoral reasons. If celebrated in the evening it fulfills the obligation of attending Mass on Pentecost Sunday, subject to diocesan legislation. The feast of Whitsun is as ancient as that of Easter, and First Vespers on the Saturday following begins the liturgical season called Season after Pentecost. 
The Ascension of God's Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, to Heaven did not leave us abandoned and helpless. By the Divine Will, the Third Person of the Trinity is to be the soul and guiding light of Christ's Mystical Body.

INTROIT Ezech. 36:23-24, 25-26
When I shall be sanctified in you, I will gather you together out of all the countries; and I will pour upon you clean water and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness, and I will give you a new spirit, alleluia, alleluia!
Ps. 33:2. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall ever be in my mouth.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
Let the brightness of Your glory shine upon us, Almighty God, so that the Holy Spirit, light of Your light, may strengthen the hearts of those who are reborn in Your grace. Through Our Lord . . .
 
Commemoration of SAINT VENANTIUS
Venantius was born at Camerino in Italy. In the year 250, when he was 15 years of age, he was arrested because of his Christian faith and was condemned by a Roman judge to suffer cruel torments. The steadfastness of the young saint touched even hardened hearts, and many pagans were converted. On hearing of this the governor had Venantius beheaded.

O God, You sanctified this day by the triumph of Your blessed martyr Venantius. May we imitate the fortitude of his faith as we venerate his merits. Through Our Lord . . .   
 
LESSON Acts 19:1-8
Now it was while Apollo was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples. And he said to them: "Have you received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" But they said to him: "We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost." And he said: "In what then were you baptized?" Who said: "In John's baptism." Then Paul said: "John baptized the people with the baptism of penance saying: That they should believe in him, who was to come after him, that is to say, in Jesus." Having heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them: and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve. And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and exhorting concerning the kingdom of God.

Alleluia! V. Ps. 106:1.
Praise the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.

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 John 14:15-21
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: "If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father: and He shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever: The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, nor knoweth Him. But you shall know Him; because He shall abide with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world seeth Me no more. But you see Me: because I live, and you shall live. In that day you shall know that I am in my Father: and you in Me, and I in you. He that hath My commandments and keepeth them; he it is that loveth Me. And he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father: and I will love him and will manifest myself to him."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 103:30-31
Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the Lord endure forever, alleluia!

SECRET
Bless our offering, O Lord, and cleanse our hearts by the light of the Holy Spirit. Through Our Lord . . .



Commemoration of SAINT VENANTIUS 

O Almighty God, may the merits of blessed Venantius make our offering acceptable to You, and may we come one day to share in the glory of Your saint through the help of his prayers. Through Our Lord . . . 

Preface of Pentecost

COMMUNION ANTIPHON John 7:37-39
On the last day of the feast, Jesus said, "He who believes in Me, from within him there shall flow rivers of living water." He said this of the Spirit, whom they who believed in Him were to receive, alleluia, alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION
May the coming of the Holy Spirit cleanse our hearts, and, as a heavenly dew, water them to bring forth good fruit. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT VENANTIUS
We have been fed with the Sacrament of everlasting life, O Lord. May it obtain Your pardon and grace for us through the prayers of Your blessed martyr Venantius. Through Our Lord . . .

 

Saint Ubaldus, Octave Day of the Ascension

SAINT UBALDUS
Bishop and Confessor

 

OCTAVE DAY OF THE ASCENSION

SIMPLE / WHITE
After being consecrated bishop of Gubbio, Italy, in 1129, Ubaldus Baldassini served his flock for more than 30 years with the firm justice, the mildness, and the patience of a true father in Christ. He was revered especially as a peacemaker. On an occasion when rival factions were rioting in the streets of Gubbio, Ubaldus threw himself between the combatants and they laid down their arms at once, for fear of wounding their bishop. At another time, when Emperor Frederick Barbarossa was about to sack Gubbio, Bishop Ubaldus met the Emperor on the road and persuaded him to spare the city.

Mass of a CONFESSOR BISHOP, except

COLLECT
Help us, O Lord, and stretch out Your right hand in compassion to save us from the wickedness of the devil, through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Ubaldus. Through Our Lord . . .

SECRET
O Lord, may Your Saints everywhere be a source of joy for us, and may we feel the power of their intercession with You as we solemnly recall the deeds of their lives. Through our Lord . . .


POSTCOMMUNION
O Almighty God, may the expression of our gratitude to You for all Your gifts bring us even greater benefits, through the intercession of Your blesses Confessor bishop Ubaldus. Through our Lord . . .

Saint Robert Bellarmine, Within the Octave

 

SAINT ROBERT BELLARMINE

Bishop and Doctor of the Church

WITHIN THE OCTAVE

 

DOUBLE / WHITE

When the great Italian Jesuit, Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), was made a cardinal, Pope Clement VIII said of him: "We elect this man because he has not his equal for learning in the Church of God." Untiring in his powerful opposition to the Protestant enemies of the Church, St. Robert wrote masterpieces of apologetic literature, as well as two famous catechisms. He also won souls through his sermons and lectures, but above all through his ardent prayer and the example of his holy life.

INTROIT 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, alleluia, alleluia!
Ps. 91:2. It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing to Your name, O Most High.
V. Glory be . . .


COLLECT
O God, You fortified Your blessed bishop and doctor Robert with remarkable learning and courage to expose the dangers of error and defend the rights of the Holy See. May we grow in love of truth, and may they who have been led astray by falsehood come back to the unity of Your Church through the intercession of Your saint. Through Our Lord . . .

LESSON Wisdom 7:7-14 
Wherefore I wished, and understanding was given me: and I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came upon me: And I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her. Neither did I compare unto her any precious stone: for all gold, in comparison of her, is as a little sand; and silver, in respect to her, shall be counted as clay. I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for her light cannot be put out.
Now all good things came to me together with her, and innumerable riches through her hands, And I rejoiced in all these: for this wisdom went before me, and I knew not that she was the mother of them all. Which I have learned without guile, and communicate without envy, and her riches I hide not. For she is an infinite treasure to men: which they that use, become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts of discipline.


Alleluia, alleluia! Dan. 12:3
V. They who are learned shall shine as the brightness of the heavens. Alleluia!
V. They who instruct many peoples in justice, shall be as stars for all eternity. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 5:13-19
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples,  "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing anymore but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men. You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. 
"Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled. He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." 


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


SECRET
We offer these gifts, O Lord, as a sweet fragrance before You. May the teaching and example of blessed Robert lead us to obey Your commandments with joyous hearts. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matt. 5:14, 16
You are the light of the world. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Alleluia!


POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord Our God, may the Sacrament we have received fire us with the same burning love that consumed blessed Robert and made him spend himself ceaselessly in the service of Your Church. Through Our Lord . . .

Saint John Before the Latin Gate, Rogation Day

SAINT JOHN BEFORE THE LATIN GATE

 

ROGATION DAY

[Commemoration]

 

GREATER DOUBLE / RED

Jesus told St. John and his brother, St. James, that the sincerity of their love for Him would be put to trial by their partaking of the chalice of His sufferings. St. James was the first of the Apostles to be martyred; St. John was the last of the Twelve to die. Emperor Domitian caused John to be brought to Rome and condemned him to be cast into a cauldron of boiling oil; but God preserved the Apostle from injury. St. John thus suffered a far greater martyrdom than death; his longing to be reunited with Christ in heaven had to be endured with an increasingly loving patience. So, we, too, must learn to wait lovingly on God's will.

INTROIT Ps. 63:3

You have protected me, O God, from the throng of evildoers, alleluia; from the multitude of malefactors, alleluia, alleluia!

Ps. 63:2. Hear, O god, my prayer of supplication; deliver me from the fear of the enemy.

V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT

O God, you see how we are tossed about by the misfortunes that surround us. May Your blessed Apostle and Evangelist John intercede for us and protect us. Through our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of the MASS OF ROGATION  

The death and resurrection of Jesus have opened heaven and won the grace to avoid sin and to gain eternal happiness. But many of the consequences of sin still remain; and every person has his guilt to confess and atone for. Besides, there are the countless needs of soul and body that put all men on their knees before God. Earthquakes and other calamities afflicted Europe in the fifth century and St. Mamertus, instituted a penitential procession with public supplications in his Diocese. Hence, the special days of petition, called Rogation Days, marked by a special Mass, the Litany of the Saints, and, where possible, a procession during which the Litany is sung. It is well to join penance and fasting to all prayer. In 816 A.D., Pope Leo III introduced this Mass in Rome, and soon after it became a general observance throughout the Church.

Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that we, who in our affliction put our trust in Thy mercy, may ever be defended by the protection against all adversity. Through our Lord . . .

 

LESSON Wisd. 5:1-5

Then shall the just stand with great constancy against those that have afflicted them, and taken away their labours. These seeing it, shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation, Saying within themselves, repenting, and groaning for anguish of spirit: These are they, whom we had sometime in derision, and for a parable of reproach. We fools esteemed their life madness, and their end without honour. Behold, how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints.

ALLELUIA

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 91:13; Os. 14:6

The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon. Alleluia!

V. The just man shall blossom as the lily, and shall flourish forever before the Lord. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 20:20-23

At that time, then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of him. Who said to her: "What wilt thou?" She saith to him: "say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom." And Jesus answering, said: "You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?" They say to him: "We can." He saith to them: "My chalice indeed you shall drink; but to sit on my right or left hand is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 88:6

The heavens proclaim Your wonders, o Lord, and Your truth in the assembly of the saints, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

SECRET

Accept our offerings and prayers, O Lord. Cleanse us by this heavenly rite, and in Your mercy hear our petitions. Through our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of the MASS OF ROGATION 
 May these oblations, O Lord, we beseech Thee, loosen the bonds of our wickedness, and obtain for us the gifts of Thy mercy. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 63:11

The just man rejoices in the Lord and trusts in Him; and all the upright of heart glory in Him, alleluia, alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord, may the Bread of Heaven that refreshes us strengthen us unto life everlasting. Through our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of the MASS OF ROGATION 
Favorably receive our prayers, O Lord, we beseech Thee; may we in our distress be consoled by Thy gifts and grow in love accordingly. Through our Lord . . .