Saturday, December 15, 2018

OCTAVE DAY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION; SAINT CHRISTIANA (NINO) (4th C.)


OCTAVE DAY OF THE 
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION



INTROIT Isa. 30:30
 People of Sion, behold, the Lord shall come to save the nations; and the Lord shall make heard the glory of His voice in the joy of your heart.Ps. 79:2 Take heed, you who rule Israel, you who shepherd over Joseph. 
V.
 Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, stir up our hearts to accept the message of Your only-begotten Son, so that, through His coming on earth, we may serve Him always with a pure intention; who lives and rules with You . . .


EPISTLE Rom. 15:4-13
Brethren: For what things soever were written were written for our learning: that, through patience and the comfort of the scriptures, we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind, one towards another, according to Jesus Christ: That with one mind and with one mouth you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, receive one another, as Christ also hath received you, unto the honour of God. For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles and will sing to thy name." And again he saith: "Rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people." And again: "Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles: and magnify him, all ye people." And again, Isaias saith: "There shall be a root of Jesse; and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope." Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing: that you may abound in hope and in the power of the Holy Ghost.

GRADUAL Ps. 49:2-3, 5
Out of Sion, perfect in beauty, God shall come revealed. 
V. 
Gather before Him His saints, who have ratified His covenant with sacrifice.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 121:1
I rejoiced at the tidings which were told me, "We shall go into the house of the Lord."
Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 11:2-10
At that time, when John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to him: "Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another?" And Jesus making answer said to them: "Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me."
And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: 'Behold I send my angel before my face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.' "

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 84:7-8
You will turn again, O God, and bring us life, and Your people shall rejoice in You. Show us Your mercy, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation.

SECRET
O Lord, let our humble offering of these prayers and sacrifices appease You for our sins. We have no merits of our own to depend on; so assist us with Your aid. Through Our Lord . . .


COMMUNION ANTIPHON Bar. 5:5; 4:36
Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high, and behold the joy that comes to you from your God.

POSTCOMMUNION

We have just been nourished with Your Body and Blood, O Lord. Teach us through this Sacramental rite to despise the things of earth and to yearn for the things of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .



SAINT CHRISTIANA (NINO) (4th C.)

Virgin (Apostle of Georgia (Asia) (Historical)


St. Nino (fl. III/IV Century) was born in Cappadocia. Tradition says she was a relative of St. George who travelled to Iberia (Georgia) to convert the people to Christianity. Scholars believe she was a slave to whom the name Nino (the Georgian form of Nina) was given; she has also been identified as Christiana. The quiet piety of her life and her preaching converted many people, and when she cured Queen Nana of a seemingly incurable disease, Nino converted the queen. When King Mirian also became a Christian, he sent to Constantinople for bishops and priests. Nino continued to preach throughout Georgia until her death at Bodke. A church dedicated to the memory of St. George was built on the site of her grave.



English: A Georgian miniature depicting St. Ni...
English: A Georgian miniature depicting St. Nino and the episode of the legend of the Svetitskhoveli cathedral (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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