TWENTY SEVENTH AND LAST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Lo Judici Final ("The Last Judgment"), oil on canvas, 3,40x2,36 m. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

TWENTY SEVENTH AND LAST
SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

DOUBLE / GREEN

God so made the human mind that it remembers joys more easily than pains. Man's very destiny is eternal joy, and joy is the life of his hope. But for Christ's members, even pain has a vast meaning and dignity, because it is the price by which Christ opened heaven, and the price He asks every Christian to pay in imitation of Him. The Final Judgment will reveal what use each soul has made of joy and of pain. During the past year of worship, what increased sorrow for sin, what deepened love for Our Lord, and what greater kindness to others, especially the poor and forsaken, have prepared you for the joyous peace of heaven?

INTROIT Jer. 29:11, 12, 14
Said the Lord: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places." 
Ps. 84:2. Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, stir up the wills of the faithful that they may be more eager to seek the fruits of divine grace, and to discover in Your mercy greater healing for their sinfulness. Through Our Lord . . .

 

EPISTLE Col. 1:9-14
Brethren: Therefore we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: That you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing; being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God: Strengthened with all might according to the power of his glory, in all patience and long-suffering with joy, giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins.

Gradual Ps. 43:8-9
You have freed us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us. V. In God we will glory all the day, and praise Your name forever.

Alleluia, alleluia! Ps. 129:1-2
V. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 24:15-35
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: "When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand. Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains: And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house: And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And woe to them that are with child and that give suck in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.
"Then if any man shall say to you, 'Lo here is Christ,' or 'there': do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you, beforehand. If therefore they shall say to you, 'Behold he is in the desert': go ye not out. 'Behold he is in the closets': believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of the east and appeareth even into the west: so shall also the cowling of the Son of man be. Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.
"And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. And then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty. And he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them.
"And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors. Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass: but my words shall not pass."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 129:1-2
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET 
O Lord, lend a responsive ear to our petitions. Receive the offerings and prayers of Your people, and turn the hearts of us all towards Yourself, so that we may be drawn from earthly desires to the joys of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .



COMMUNION ANTIPHON Mark 11:24
Amen I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, cure the evil in our hearts by the healing power of the Sacrament we have received. Through Our Lord . . .

SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS (1591 A.D.); SAINT CHRYSOGONUS, MARTYR

SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS
Confessor and Doctor of the Church

SAINT CHRYSOGONUS

Martyr

DOUBLE / WHITE
John of the Cross was born near Avila in Spain in 1542. Educated by the Jesuits, he entered the Carmelite Order at the age of 21. He felt attracted to the life of a Carthusian, but Teresa of Avila asked him to co-operate with her in the restoration of the primitive Carmelite rule. After John established several monasteries of Discalced Carmelites, those opposed to the reform had him imprisoned at Toledo. During the nine months of his imprisonment, he wrote many of the poems and prose works that have made him one of the foremost authorities on mysticism in the West. He had asked God for suffering, and he received an abundance of both physical and spiritual torment right up to his death in 1591.


Mass of a DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, except:

Introit
Sir 15:5
In the midst of the assembly he opened his mouth; and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding; He clothed him with a robe of glory.
Ps 91:2
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to Your name, Most High.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
In the midst of the assembly he opened his mouth; and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding; He clothed him with a robe of glory.
 
COLLECT
O God, who blessed the holy confessor and doctor John with a spirit of complete self-denial and a deep love of the cross, grant that we may always follow his example and thus attain to eternal glory. Though Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of  SAINT CHRYSOGONUS, MARTYR
Mentioned in the Canon of the Mass, Chrysogonus, a Greek Christian, was martyred under Diocletian at Aquileia at the beginning of the fourth century.

O Lord, hear our humble prayers. May the intercession of Your blessed martyr Chrysogonus free us from the guilt of sin which troubles us. Through Our Lord . . .

Lesson
Lesson from the second letter of St Paul the Apostle to Timothy
2 Tim. 4:1-8
Beloved: I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus, Who will judge the living and the dead by His coming and by His kingdom, preach the word, be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, entreat, rebuke with all patience and teaching. for there will come a time when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but having itching ears, will heap up to themselves teachers according to their lusts, and they will turn away their hearing from the truth and turn aside rather to fables. But be watchful in all things, bear with tribulation patiently, work as a preacher of the Gospel, fulfill your ministry. As for me, I am already being poured out in sacrifice, and the time of my deliverance is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. For the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, will give to me in that day; yet not to me only, but also to those who love His coming.

Gradual
Ps 36:30-31
The mouth of the just man tells of wisdom, and his tongue utters what is right.
V. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps do not falter. Alleluia, alleluia.
Sir 45:9
V. The Lord loved him and adorned him; He clothed him with a robe of glory. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Matt. 5:13-19
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its strength, what shall it be salted with? It is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a lamp and put it under the measure, but upon the lampstand, so as to give light to all in the house. Even so let your light shine before men, in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For amen I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall be lost from the Law till all things have been accomplished. Therefore whoever does away with one of these least commandments, and so teaches men, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever carries them out and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

SECRET 
O Lord, let the blessed confessor and doctor John always help us, and through his intercession accept our offering and pardon our sins. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of  SAINT CHRYSOGONUS
O Lord, be moved to compassion by our offerings and shield us from all danger through the prayers of Your holy martyr Chrysogonus. Through Our Lord . . .

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, may this sacrifice bring us closer to our salvation through the intercession of Your blessed confessor and illustrious doctor John. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of  SAINT CHRYSOGONUS
O Lord, may the reception of Your Sacrament cleanse us from our hidden faults, and guard us against the deceptions of our enemies. Through Our Lord . . .

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST; DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

 

[Commemoration]

DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL 

INTROIT Jer. 29:11, 12, 14
SAID THE LORD: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon Me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places." 
Ps. 84:2. Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity.V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
ALMIGHTY GOD, let our minds always be fixed on Your truths, so that, in every word and deed, we may do what is pleasing to You. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

 Today the Church goes on spiritual pilgrimage to the tombs of the two greatest apostles. To the famous basilica of St. Peter's, built over the tomb of the Vicar of Christ at Rome, have come Christians of every age, every race, and every nation, for Peter is the rock and foundation of their faith. while we are thus reminded of the unity of all the members of the Mystical Body, St. Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, directs our thoughts toward those who have yet to be taught the message of Salvation.

 

O God, by Your care we come safely each year to commemorate with these sacred rites the dedication of Your holy temple. Graciously hear the prayers of Your people and grant that all who implore Your blessings in this church may joyfully receive the favors they ask. Through Our Lord . . .

 

EPISTLE I Thess. 1:2-10
Brethren: We give thanks to God always for you all: making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing, being mindful of the work of your faith and labor and charity: and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father.
Knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your election: For our gospel hath not been unto you in word only, but in power also: and in the Holy Ghost and in much fullness, as you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes. And you became followers of us and of the Lord: receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and in Achaia but also in every place: your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you: and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. And to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead), Jesus, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.

GRADUAL Ps. 43:8-9
YOU HAVE FREED us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us.V. In God we will glory all the day and praise Your name forever.

Alleluia, alleluia! Ps. 129:1-2
V. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 13:31-35
AT THAT TIME, Jesus spoke this parable unto them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. Which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof."
Another parable he spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened." All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he did not speak to them. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 129:1-2
OUT OF THE DEPTHS I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET 
O GOD, may this offering cleanse us from sin and bring us life, that by it we may be guided and protected. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

Graciously hear our prayers, O Lord. May the gifts we offer You help us to attain Your eternal rewards. Through our Lord . . .

 

COMMUNION HYMN Mark 11:24
AMEN I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.

POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O LORD, grant that we who have been nourished with the Food of Heaven may always hunger after this Bread which truly makes us live. Through Our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of the DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL 

 

O God, by Your divine choosing, living stones are used to build an everlasting dwelling place for Your majesty. Hear the prayers of Your people who call upon You and grant that the material growth of Your Church may be accompanied by a deepening spiritual development in her. Through our Lord . . . 

Saint Gregory the Wonder Worker (268 A.D.)

SAINT GREGORY 

THE WONDER WORKER
Bishop and Confessor

SIMPLE / WHITE
Gregory, one of the Fathers of the Church, was converted to the faith by Origen about the year 232. He then returned to his native city of Neocaesarea in Asia Minor, and was made its bishop. At that time there were only 17 Christians in the city, but Gregory's apostolic zeal was such that before his death there were only 17 non-Christians left. Gregory was aided in his apostolate by an extraordinary gift of miracles. A legend relating that he once caused the removal of a mountain from the spot where he wished to build a church is alluded to in today's Gospel. He died about the year 270.

Mass of a CONFESSOR BISHOP, except

Introit
Sir 45:30
The Lord made a covenant of friendship with him, and made him a prince; that he should possess the dignity of priesthood forever.
Ps 131:1
Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Lord made a covenant of friendship with him, and made him a prince; that he should possess the dignity of priesthood forever.

COLLECT
O Almighty God, grant that our solemn celebration of the feast of Your confessor bishop Gregory may increase our devotion and bring us closer to our salvation. Through Our Lord . . .

Lesson
Lesson from the book of Ecclesiasticus
Ecclus 44:16-27: 45:3- 20.
Behold, a great priest, who in his days pleased God, and was found just; and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation. There was not found the like to him, who kept the law of the Most High. Therefore, by an oath, the Lord made him to increase among his people. He gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed His covenant upon his head. He acknowledged him in His blessings; He preserved for him His mercy; and he found grace before the eyes of the Lord. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him a crown of glory. He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him a great priesthood; and made him blessed in glory. To execute the office of the priesthood, and to have praise in His name, and to offer Him a worthy incense for an odor of sweetness.

Gradual
Sir 44:16, 20.
Behold, a great priest, who in his days pleased God.
V. There was not found the like to him, who kept the law of the Most High. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps 109:4
V. You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedec. Alleluia.

GOSPEL Mark 11:22-24
At that time, Jesus answering, said to His disciples: "Have faith in God. Amen I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Arise, and hurl thyself into the sea,' and does not waver in his heart, but believes that whatever he says will be done, it shall be done for him. Therefore I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you."

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 blessed confessor bishop Gregory. Through Our Lord . . .

St. Gregory the Wonderworker. Image via Wikipedia

25th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST [5th Sunday after Epiphany]; SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS (397 A.D.); SAINT MENNAS, MARTYR (295 A.D.)

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

[5th Sunday after Epiphany]

SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS
Bishop and Confessor

Monument to Saint Martin of Tours in Odolanów, Poland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

SAINT MENNAS
Martyr

DOUBLE / GREEN
Just as the tiny infant in Mary's arms grew into the physical maturity of Calvary's victim, so His Mystical Body, started with Mary and the Apostles, has spread over the earth, and will continue to grow until the maturity of Judgment Day. In the lives of the martyrs and the saints, in the solid virtue of every genuine Christian, and in every noble word and deed, the irresistible power of Christ shines victoriously. Quietly as leaven spreads by cell dividing by cell, Jesus becomes known to men through those who bear His name, live His life, speak His truth.

INTROIT Jer. 29:11, 12, 14
SAID THE LORD: "I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You shall call upon Me and I will hear you, and I will bring you back from captivity from all places." 
Ps. 84:2. Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity. 
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT 
O Lord, watch over Your household with constant loving care. May they who rely solely on the hope of Your heavenly grace be always defended by Your protection. Through Our Lord . . .

 Commemoration of  SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS

Son of an officer in the Roman army, martin of Tours (c. 316-397) was already a catechumen when he was conscripted into the imperial horse-guards at the age of 15. The famous incident in which Martin cut his cloak in two with his sword to clothe a beggar, took place while he was on garrison duty at Amiens. Soon after this, he was baptized, left the army, and went to serve Bishop Hilary of Poitiers as a cleric in minor orders. Later he founded a famous monastery at Liguge. When St. Hilary died, the people of Tours made Martin his successor, virtually by force. During his long episcopate, Martin not only organized parish life in his diocese, but journeyed throughout Gaul, evangelizing the French countryside, and earning the title, "Apostle of France."

O God, You see that we cannot depend upon our own strength. Mercifully preserve us from all harm through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Martin. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MENNAS 
Mennas was an Egyptian, martyred about 295 under Diocletian. He was one of the most popular saints in the early Eastern Church.

O Almighty God, grant that we who celebrate the birthday of Your blessed Martyr Mennas, may be made stronger in our love of You through his intercession. Through Our Lord . . .
 
 
EPISTLE Col. 3:12-17
Brethren: Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience: Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another. Even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also. But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly: in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

GRADUAL Ps. 43:8-9
YOU HAVE FREED us from those who afflict us, O Lord, and You have put to shame those who hate us. 
V. In God we will glory all the day and praise Your name forever.

Alleluia, alleluia! Ps. 129:1-2
V. Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 13:24-30
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field. But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way. And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle. And the servants of the good man of the house coming said to him. 'Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it cockle?' And he said to them: 'An enemy hath done this.' And the servants said to him: 'Wilt thou that we go and gather it up?' And he said: 'No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it. Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: 'Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.' "

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 129:1-2
OUT OF THE DEPTHS I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my prayer, out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord.

SECRET 
We offer this Sacrifice to You, O Lord, to atone for our sins. Mercifully absolve us from our wrong-doing and exert Your powers over the inconstancy of our hearts. Through Our Lord . . .

 Commemoration of  SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS
 O Lord God, sanctify these gifts we offer on the feast of Your holy bishop Martin, and grant that they may guide our lives in prosperity as well as in adversity. Through Our Lord . . .

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



COMMUNION ANTIPHON Mark 11:24
AMEN I say to you, all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Almighty God, grant that we may attain the salvation promised us through this Sacrament. Through Our Lord . . .


 Commemoration of  SAINT MARTIN OF TOURS
O Lord our God, grant that this sacrifice which we offer on the feast of Your saints may aid our salvation through their intercession. Through Our Lord . . . 

Commemoration of SAINT MENNAS
O Lord our God, may we who now joyfully commemorate Your saints on earth rejoice one day with them in heaven. Through Our Lord . . .