SATURDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK IN LENT; SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT Pope and Doctor of the Church

Gregory the Great, attributed to the studio of Saraceni, ca 1610 (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SATURDAY OF THE 

FOURTH WEEK IN LENT

[Commemoration]

SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT
Pope and Doctor of the Church

SIMPLE / PURPLE
A true lover, God takes the initiative in the shepherding of souls. It is God who seeks, and man who is sought. When God has chosen man, only then does the individual respond. That is the moment of mercy. Such a moment is given to every soul at some time in life, for God "wishes all men to be saved" (I Tim. 2:4). "In this is the love, not that we have loved God, but that He has first loved us" (I John 4:10). This is part of the "light of life" that is Jesus. It means that, when a person wants to love God, God has already given him the grace to love Him. It means that, when someone desires God's mercy, he has already received mercy. God loves with "an everlasting love."


INTROIT Isa. 55:1
"All you who thirst, come to the waters," said the Lord, "and you who have no money, come and drink with joy."
Ps. 77:1. Hearken, My people, to My law; incline your ears to the words of My mouth.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, may Your grace bring us the fruitful effects of our devoted love, for the lenten fast that we observe will be of profit to us only if it pleases You. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT
Pope Gregory I (c. 540-604) had founded seven Benedictine monasteries on his ancestral estates, and he himself had become a monk in one of them -- St. Andrew's on the Coelian Hill. In the sixth year of his pontificate, he sent to England forty Benedictine monks of St. Andrew's, with St. Augustine, their prior, as leader of the pioneer mission band. Gregory also dealt courageously with the conquering Lombards, enlightened the whole Church by his teaching, governed both East and West with vigorous humility, and gave to the world a perfect pattern of pastoral rule.

O God, You rewarded the soul of Your servant Gregory with eternal happiness. Mercifully relieve us from the oppressive weight of our sins through the intercession of this saint. Through Our Lord . . .

LESSON Isa. 49:8-15
Thus saith the Lord: "In an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in the day of salvation I have helped thee: and I have preserved thee, and given thee to be a covenant of the people, that thou mightest raise up the earth, and possess the inheritances that were destroyed: That thou mightest say to them that are bound: 'Come forth': and to them that are in darkness: 'Shew yourselves.' They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in every plain. They shall not hunger, nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them: for he that is merciful to them, shall be their shepherd, and at the fountains of waters he shall give them drink. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my paths shall be exalted.
Behold these shall come from afar, and behold these from the north and from the sea, and these from the south country."
Give praise, O ye heavens, and rejoice, O earth, ye mountains, give praise with jubilation: because the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy on his poor ones. And Sion said: "The Lord hath forsaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me." "Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee," says the Lord almighty.

GRADUAL Ps. 9:14, 1-2
The poor man is dependent upon You, O Lord; You are the helper of the fatherless.
V. Why, O Lord, do You stand aloof? Why disdain us in time of distress? While the wicked man is puffed up, the needy man is consumed.

GOSPEL John 8:12-20
At that time, Jesus spoke to the multitudes of Jews, saying: "I am the light of the world. He that followeth me walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life." The Pharisees therefore said to him: "Thou givest testimony of thyself. Thy testimony is not true."
Jesus answered and said to them: "Although I give testimony of myself, my testimony is true: for I know whence I came and whither I go. You judge according to the flesh: I judge not any man. And if I do judge, my judgment is true: because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. And in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that give testimony of myself: and the Father that sent me giveth testimony of me." They said therefore to him: "Where is thy Father?" Jesus answered: "Neither me do you know, nor my Father. If you did know me, perhaps you would know my Father also." These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, teaching in the temple: and no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 17:3
The Lord is my support, my refuge, and my deliverer; in Him I will place my trust.

SECRET
Accept our gifts as a peace offering, O Lord, and by the constraint of Your mercy make our rebellious wills submit to You. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT
May this sacrifice, which You offered to wash away the sins of the whole world, O Lord, help us through the intercession of blessed Gregory. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 22:1-2
The Lord rules over me, I shall want for nothing. He has set me in a place of pasture; He has led me to refreshing waters.

POSTCOMMUNION
We pray You, O Lord, purify us through this Sacrament and make us pleasing to You by its grace. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT
O God, You bestowed the merits of the saints upon the blessed Pope Gregory. May we who celebrate this feast in his memory also follow the example of his life. Through our Lord . . .

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
O God, it is Your will to show mercy rather than anger to those who trust in You. May we have proper sorrow for our sins so that we may be worthy of Your comfort. Through our Lord . . .

Thursday of the Fourth Week in Lent; FORTY HOLY MARTYRS (320 A.D.)

THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK IN LENT

[Commemoration]

FORTY HOLY MARTYRS

SIMPLE / PURPLE
Man's cleverest technique cannot synthesize life nor restore it. Man can frustrate life or destroy it but he cannot compound it. Life's mystery escapes human genius. Only God is the author and lord of life. From Him it comes; to Him it returns. He alone can give or restore human life, either directly or, more commonly, through human agents. He alone gives and restores the supernatural life of the soul. As shared divine life surpasses human life, so the marvel of restoring a soul, through the sacraments of Baptism or Penance from the death of sin to the life of grace surpasses the miracle of restoring physical life. It is the mission of the Church to give soul-life to all men.

INTROIT Ps. 104:3-4
Let every heart that seeks the Lord rejoice. Seek the Lord and find strength; seek the Lord evermore.
Ps. 104:1. Give glory to the Lord and invoke His Name; make known His deeds among the nations.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Almighty God, grant that we may be happy in chastising our bodies through fasting. May we bring our passions under control, and thus more easily attain the rewards of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of THE FORTY HOLY MARTYRS
The Forty Martyrs were soldiers belonging to various nationalities, who were quartered at Sebaste, Armenia, in A.D. 320. According to tradition, these Christians were condemned to lie naked on the frozen surface of a pond until they should die of exposure. The forty witnesses to Christ united in prayer, asking God that all of them might persevere to the end. Then one soldier weakened. But a pagan guard was inspired to confess Christ and take the place of the apostate, and again the number of forty martyrs was complete.

We pay honor to the bravery of Your glorious martyrs in bearing witness to You, O Almighty God. Grant that we may feel the power of their intercession with You. Through Our Lord . . .

LESSON IV Kings 4:25-38 [2 Kings 4:25-38]
In those days, a Sunamite woman came to Eliseus to mount Carmel: and when the man of God saw her coming towards, he said to Giezi, his servant: "Behold that Sunamitess. Go, therefore, to meet her, and say to her: Is all well with thee, and with thy husband, and with thy son?" And she answered: "Well."
And when she came to the man of God, to the mount, she caught hold on his feet: and Giezi came to remove her. And the man of God said: "Let her alone for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me." And she said to him: "Did I ask a son of my lord? did I not say to thee: 'Do not deceive me?' "
Then he said to Giezi: "Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go. If any man meet thee, salute him not: and if any man salute thee, answer him not: and lay my staff upon the face of the child." But the mother of the child said: "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." He arose, therefore, and followed her. But Giezi was gone before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child, and there was no voice nor sense: and he returned to meet him, and told him, saying: "The child is not risen."
Eliseus, therefore, went into the house, and behold the child lay dead on his bed: And going in, he shut the door upon him, and upon the child, and prayed to the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child: and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he bowed himself upon him, and the child's flesh grew warm. Then he returned and walked in the house, once to and fro: and he went up, and lay upon him: and the child gaped seven times, and opened his eyes. And he called Giezi, and said to him: "Call this Sunamitess." And she being called, went in to him: and he said: "Take up thy son." She came and fell at his feet, and worshiped upon the ground: and took up her son, and went out. And Eliseus returned to Galgal.

GRADUAL Ps. 73:20, 19, 22
Be mindful of Your covenant, O Lord, and forget not forever the lives of Your poor.
V. Arise, O Lord, defend Your own cause; remember the abuse hurled against Your servants.

GOSPEL Luke 7:11-16
At that time, Jesus went into a city that is called Naim: and there went with him his disciples and a great multitude. And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother: and she was a widow. And a great multitude of the city was with her. Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: "Weep not." And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it stood still. And he said: "Young man, I say to thee, arise." And he that was dead sat up and begun to speak. And he gave him to his mother. And there came a fear upon them all: and they glorified God saying: "A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God hath visited his people."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 69:2, 3, 4
O Lord, make haste to help me. Let all be put to shame who plot evil against Your servants.

SECRET
Cleanse us, O merciful God. Let the prayers of the Church, which are so pleasing to You when they are accompanied by this offering, be even more acceptable to You because our souls are free from sin. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of THE FORTY MARTYRS
Look favorably on the prayers and offerings of Your people, O Lord. May this celebration of the feast of Your saints please You and bring us Your merciful help. Through Our Lord . . . 

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 70:16, 17, 18
O Lord, I will be mindful of Your singular justice. O God, You have taught me from my youth, and when I am old and gray, O God, forsake me not.

POSTCOMMUNIONO Lord, let us not be condemned by unworthily receiving this Gift of Heaven which was instituted for the spiritual health of Your faithful. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of THE FORTY MARTYRS
May the prayers of Your saints win forgiveness for us, O Lord. Grant that the Sacrifice we offer in this life may be our everlasting possession in the life to come. Through Our Lord . . . 

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
O God, Creator and Ruler of Your people, free Your own from the temptations assailing them, so that they may please You and be protected by You. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ . . .

FROM RORATE CÆLI: Event: Solemn High Mass on Passion Sunday - Brooklyn, NYC

RORATE CÆLI: Event: Solemn High Mass on Passion Sunday - Brooklyn, NYC

Holy Name of Jesus Church in Brooklyn, NY will be hosting a Solemn High Mass on Passion Sunday, March 13th at 5:00pm

FRIDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK IN LENT; SAINT CASIMIR (1484 A.D.); SAINT LUCIUS (254 A.D.)

FRIDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK IN LENT

[Commemoration]

SAINT CASIMIR 

Confessor
SAINT LUCIUS 

Pope and Martyr

 

 

Pope Lucius I (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SIMPLE/PURPLE

God is the source of all things--of the natural good of food and shelter as well as the spiritual good of grace. Often, neither natural goods nor supernatural graces come in the form expected, or in the way expected, or to the people who seem most deserving. Infallibly, however, God gives what He knows to be best, in the best possible way, and to the person who is most suited to His purposes and most deserving.

Doubting, Moses and Aaron were denied the promised land. A converted foreigner of Samaria, believing and ardent, became Our Lord's apostle. A harvest of converts, at home and abroad, requires ardent believers who are also apostles.

INTROIT (Ps. 85:17)
Show me, O Lord, a sign of Your beneficence, that my enemies may see, to their confusion, that You, O Lord, have helped and comforted me. Ps. 85:1. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am needy and poor. V. Glory Be . . .

COLLECT
May our Lenten fast please You, O Lord. May we keep our minds free from sin as we deprive our bodies of food. Through our Lord . . .


Commemoration of SAINT CASIMIR
Amid the luxuries of court life in 15th-century Poland, Prince Casimir managed to practice heroic virtue. Such was his love of the needy that the Polish people called him "the father and defender of the poor and unfortunate." He would neither break his vow of celibacy for marriage, nor accept the proffered throne of Hungary--much to the displeasure of his father, King Casimir IV. He also refused to bear arms, believing resolutely in the folly of war among Christians, and is thus referred to as the "Peacemaker." Devoting his days to contemplation and charity, he died at 23. "Being made perfect in a short space, he fulfilled a long time, for his soul pleased God" (Wisdom 4:13,14).

O God, You strengthened blessed Casimir to persevere in virtue even among royal surroundings and worldly pleasures. May all Your faithful despise earthly things and seek those of heaven through the intercession of this saint.

Commemoration of SAINT LUCIUS
Pope Lucius I was a true shepherd of his flock during a time of violent persecution. He laid down his life for Christ in the year 254.

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

LESSON (Num. 20:1-3, 6-13)
In those days, the children of Israel, and all the multitude came into the desert of Sin, in the first month: and the people abode in Cades. And Mary died there, and was buried in the same place.
And the people wanting water, came together against Moses and Aaron: And making a sedition, they said: "Would God we had perished among our brethren before the Lord." And Moses and Aaron leaving the multitude, went into the tabernacle of the covenant, and fell flat upon the ground, and cried to the Lord, and said. "O Lord God, hear the cry of this people, and open to them thy treasure, a fountain of living water, that being satisfied, they may cease to murmur." And the glory of the Lord appeared over them. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Take the rod, and assemble the people together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall yield waters. And when thou hast brought forth water out of the rock, all the multitude and their cattle shall drink."
Moses therefore took the rod, which was before the Lord, as he had commanded him, And having gathered together the multitude before the rock, he said to them: "Hear, ye rebellious and incredulous: Can we bring you forth water out of this rock?" And when Moses bad lifted up his hand, and struck the rock twice with the rod, there came forth water in great abundance, so that the people and their cattle drank, And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: "Because you have not believed me, to sanctify me before the children of Israel, you shall not bring these people into the land, which I will give them." This is the Water of contradiction, where the children of Israel strove with words against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

GRADUAL (Ps. 27:7, 1)
My heart has trusted in God, and I have found help. I have thrived once again, and with all my will I shall give praise to Him. V. To You, O Lord my God, I cry; be not deaf to me, nor depart from me.

TRACT (Ps. 102:10; 78:8-9)
O Lord, repay us not according to the sins we have committed, nor according to our iniquities. V. O Lord, remember not our iniquities of the past; let Your mercy come quickly to us, for we are being brought very low. (All kneel.) V. Help us, O God our Savior, and for the glory of Your name, O Lord, deliver us; and pardon us our sins for Your names sake.

GOSPEL (John 4:5-42)
At that time, Jesus cometh therefore to a city of Samaria, which is called Sichar, near the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. It was about the sixth hour.
There cometh a woman of Samaria, to draw water. Jesus saith to her: "Give me to drink." For his disciples were gone into the city to buy meats. Then that Samaritan woman saith to him: "How dost thou, being a Jew; ask of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans." Jesus answered and said to her: "If thou didst know the gift of God and who he is that saith to thee: Give me to drink; thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."
The woman saith to him: "Sir, thou hast nothing wherein to draw, and the well is deep. From whence then hast thou living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank thereof, himself and his children and his cattle?" Jesus answered and said to her: "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but he that shall drink of the water that I will give him shall not thirst for ever. But the water that I will give him shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting."
The woman said to him: "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come hither to draw." Jesus saith to her: "Go, call thy husband, and come hither." The woman answered and said: "I have no husband." Jesus said to her: "Thou hast said well: I have no husband. For thou hast had five husbands: and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. This, thou hast said truly."
The woman saith to him: "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers adored on this mountain: and you say that at Jerusalem is the place where men must adore." Jesus saith to her:"Woman, believe me that the hour cometh, when you shall neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, adore the Father. You adore that which you know not: we adore that which we know. For salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him. God is a spirit: and they that adore him must adore him in spirit and in truth." The woman saith to him: "I know that the Messias cometh (who is called Christ): therefore, when he is come, he will tell us all things." Jesus saith to her: "I am he, who am speaking with thee."
And immediately his disciples came. And they wondered that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said: "What seekest thou?" Or: "Why talkest thou with her?" The woman therefore left her waterpot and went her way into the city and saith to the men there: "Come, and see a man who has told me all things whatsoever I have done. Is not he the Christ?" They went therefore out of the city and came unto him.
In the mean time, the disciples prayed him, saying: "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them: "I have meat to eat which you know not." The disciples therefore said one to another: "Hath any man brought him to eat?" Jesus saith to them: "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, that I may perfect his work. Do not you say: There are yet four months, and then the harvest cometh? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see the countries. For they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life everlasting: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. For in this is the saying true: 'That it is one man that soweth, and it is another that reapeth.' I have sent you to reap that in which you did not labour. Others have laboured: and you have entered into their labours."
Now of that city many of the Samaritans believed in him, for the word of the woman giving testimony: "He told me all things whatsoever I have done." So when the Samaritans were come to him, they desired that he would tarry there. And he abode there two days. And many more believed in him, because of his own word. And they said to the woman: "We now believe, not for thy saying: for we ourselves have heard him and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 5:3-4)
Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God; for to You I pray, O Lord.

SECRET 
O Lord, look kindly upon these gifts we offer, so that they may please You and always prove helpful to us. Through Our Lord . . .


Commemoration of SAINT CASIMIR
We offer You, O Lord, this Sacrifice of praise in memory of Your saints. Free us from evil now and in the future through their intercession.

Commemoration of SAINT LUCIUS
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 . . .  
 
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (John 4:13, 14)
"He who drinks of the water that I will give him," said the Lord, "it shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up unto life everlasting."

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, cleanse us from sin through the reception of this Sacrament and lead us toward the kingdom of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .



Commemoration of SAINT CASIMIR
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.

Commemoration of SAINT LUCIUS
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 . . .

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
O Almighty God, we trust in Your protection. Help us to overcome all the difficulties that face us. Through Our Lord . . .