3rd SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY; THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL

INTROIT (Ps. 96:7-8)

Worship God, all you His angels. Sion heard and was glad, and all the daughters of Juda rejoiced.
Ps. 96:1. The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad!
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT

Almighty and eternal God, look mercifully upon our weakness, and stretch forth the right hand of Your power to protect us. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL

Saul, the youthful Pharisee of Jerusalem who stood by as a witness at the death of the first martyr, Stephen, grew into manhood with a consuming desire to destroy the religious followers of Jesus. Three years after the crucifixion of Christ, while in the very act of extending his persecution of the Christians from Jerusalem to Damascus, Saul was confronted by his Savior with the question, "Why dost thou persecute me?" In the dazzling light of this vision, Saul was called to a double vocation: to be a chosen vessel to carry the name of Jesus among nations, and to suffer much for Christ. In this new life, Saul was renamed Paul.

It was the suffering for the name of Jesus--not only the physical hardships, the deprivations and rejections of his journeys, but the complete giving of himself for his neighbors--that lay at the root of Paul's unparalleled missionary success. Because he "lived Christ," Paul glorified in his tribulations, wrote the lyrical praise of Christian love, exhorted his Christians to be imitators of him, as he was of Christ. He so thoroughly "emptied himself" for men that he could say, "It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me."

We celebrate the conversion of the blessed apostle Paul today. You taught the whole world through his preaching, O God; may we come to You by following his example.

Commemoration of SAINT PETER

O God, You have entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven yo Your blessed apostle Peter, and have given him the power of bishop to bind or to loose. may his intercession free us from the slavery of sin; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

READING (Romans 12:16-21)

Brethren: Be not wise in your own conceits. To no man rendering evil for evil. Providing good things, not only in the sight of God but also in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men. Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: "Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." But ,"If the enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him to drink. For, doing this, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." Be not overcome by evil: but overcome evil by good.

GRADUAL (Ps. 101:16-17)

The nations shall revere Your name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth shall reverence Your glory. V. For the Lord has built up Sion, and He shall appear in His glory.

Alleluia, alleluia! (V. Ps. 96:1)

The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad!

Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matthew 8:1-13)

At that time, when Jesus had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him: And behold a leper came and adored him, saying: "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: "I will, be thou made clean." And forthwith his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith to him: "See thou tell no man: but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them."
And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,
and saying, "Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented." And Jesus saith to him: "I will come and heal him." And the centurion, making answer, said: "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him. "Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And Jesus said to the centurion: "Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee." And the servant was healed at the same hour.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 117:16, 17)

The right hand of the Lord has exercised power; the right hand of the Lord has lifted me up. I shall not die, but live, and shall declare the works of the Lord.

SECRET

May this offering cleanse us from our sins, O Lord, and may it sanctify Your servants in body and soul for the celebration of this sacrifice. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL

O Lord, sanctify the offerings of Your people through the intercession of the blessed apostle Paul. The sacrifice we offer is already acceptable to You because You instituted it; may it become even more pleasing to You through the prayers of Your saint.

Commemoration of SAINT PETER

O Lord, we offer You the prayers and sacrifice of Your Church through the intercession of Your apostle Peter. May this Mass which we celebrate in his honor win pardon for us. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Luke 4:22)

All marveled at these things that came from the mouth of God.

POSTCOMMUNION

Make us worthy, O Lord, to reap the fruits of these great mysteries which you have graciously given us to celebrate. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL

We have been made holy by this life-giving Sacrifice, O Lord. May we always be aided by the prayers of Your saint, whom You gave us as a protector and a guide.

Commemoration of SAINT PETER

May our offering bring us happiness, O Lord. We praise You for the wondrous things You accomplished through Your apostle Peter, and ask for forgiveness through his intercession. through Our Lord . . .