SAINT SIMEON
Bishop and Martyr
Image via Wikipedia St. Bernadette Soubirous
Virgin
[In some places]
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON (Ps. 17:5, 6, 7)
The
moaning of death surrounded me, the sorrows of hell enveloped me. In my
distress I called upon the Lord, and from His holy temple He heard my
voice. Ps. 17:2, 3. I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my support, my refuge, and my deliverer. V. Glory be . . .
COLLECT
O
Lord, we beg You to kindly hear the prayers of Your people. We are
being justly punished for our sins, but be merciful and free us for the
glory of Your name. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON
St. Simeon was a close relative of the Blessed Virgin. The Apostles chose him to succeed the martyred St. James the Lesser as bishop of Jerusalem. In all probability Simeon directed the Christians in their retreat to Pella, when the Holy City was destroyed. During Trajan's persecution, Simeon was denounced to the governor Atticus as being not only a Christian, but also a descendant of David. The venerable bishop endured two days of torture before his crucifixion in the year 106.
Almighty God, look upon our
weakness and the heavy burden we carry because of our own deeds. Let
the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon in Heaven be our
protection. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON
St. Simeon was a close relative of the Blessed Virgin. The Apostles chose him to succeed the martyred St. James the Lesser as bishop of Jerusalem. In all probability Simeon directed the Christians in their retreat to Pella, when the Holy City was destroyed. During Trajan's persecution, Simeon was denounced to the governor Atticus as being not only a Christian, but also a descendant of David. The venerable bishop endured two days of torture before his crucifixion in the year 106.
EPISTLE (I Cor. 9:24-27; 10:1-5)
Brethren:
Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one
receiveth the prize. So run that you may obtain. And every one that
striveth for the mastery refraineth himself from all things. And they
indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown: but we an
incorruptible one. I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so
fight, not as one beating the air. But I chastise my body and bring it
into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself
should become a castaway. For I would not have you ignorant, brethren,
that our fathers were all under the cloud: and all passed through the
sea. And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud and in the sea: And
did all eat the same spiritual food: And all drank the same spiritual
drink: (And they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them: and the
rock was Christ.) But with most of them God was not well pleased.
GRADUAL (Ps. 9:10-11, 19-20)
You
are a helper to those in need, in time of distress. Let those who know
You trust in You, O Lord, for You do not forsake those who seek You. For
the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor shall the patience of the
poor forever perish. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail.
TRACT (Ps. 129:1-4)
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the prayer of Your servant. V. If You, O Lord, shall mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? V. But with You there is merciful forgiveness, and because of Your law I have waited for You, O Lord.
GOSPEL (Matt. 20:1-16)
At that time, Jesus spoke to His disciples this parable: "The
kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the
morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And having agreed with the
labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going
out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace
idle. And he said to them: 'Go you also into my vineyard, and I will
give you what shall be just.' And they went their way. And again he went
out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner. But
about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he
saith to them: 'Why stand you here all the day idle?' They say to him:
'Because no man hath hired us.' He saith to them: 'Go ye also into my
vineyard.' And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to
his steward: 'Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from
the last even to the first.' When therefore they were come that came
about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the
first also came, they thought that they should receive more: And they
also received every man a penny. And receiving it they murmured against
the master of the house, Saying: 'These last have worked but one hour.
and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the
day and the heats.' But he answering said to one of them: 'friend, I do
thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Take what is
thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.
Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Is thy eye evil, because I
am good?' So shall the last be first and the first last. For many are
called but few chosen."
OFFERTORY HYMN (Ps. 91:2)
It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing to Your name, O Most High.
SECRET PRAYER
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 SAINT SIMEON
O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we offer You in honor of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon and grant us Your unending assistance through these offerings. Through our Lord . . .
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 SAINT SIMEON
O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we offer You in honor of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon and grant us Your unending assistance through these offerings. Through our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 30:17-18)
Let Your face shine upon Your servant, and save me in Your kindness. Let me not be put to shame, O Lord, for I call upon You.
POSTCOMMUNION PRAYER
O
Lord, may the faithful be strengthened by the reception of Your
Sacramental Gifts. And having received them, may they hunger after them
still; and through hungering may they come constantly to be nourished by
them. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON
We are refreshed by the reception of Your sacred Gift, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon make us feel the benefit of the sacred rite we have performed. Through our Lord . . .
Feastday: April 18 [Traditional Calendar]
Died: 1879
Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON
We are refreshed by the reception of Your sacred Gift, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon make us feel the benefit of the sacred rite we have performed. Through our Lord . . .
St. Bernadette Soubirous
Died: 1879
Famed visionary of Lourdes, baptized Mary
Bernard. She was born in Lourdes, France, on January 7, 1844, the
daughter of Francis and Louise Soubirous. Bernadette, a severe asthma
sufferer, lived in abject poverty. On February 11, 1858, she was granted
a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary
in a cave on the banks of the Gave River near Lourdes. She was placed
in consider able jeopardy when she reported the vision, and crowds
gathered when she had futher visits from the Virgin, from February 18 of
that year through March 4.The civil authorities tried to frighten
Bernadette into recanting her accounts, but she remained faithful to the
vision. On February 25, a spring emerged from the cave and the waters
were discovered to be of a miraculous
nature, capable of healing the sick and lame. On March 25, Bernadette
announced that the vision stated that she was the Immaculate
Conception, and that a church should be erected on the site. Many
authorities tried to shut down the spring and delay the construction of
the chapel, but the influence and fame of the visions
reached Empress Eugenie of France, wife of Napoleon Ill, and
construction went forward. Crowds gathered, free of harassment from the
anticlerical and antireligious officials. In 1866, Bernadette was sent
to the Sisters of Notre Dame in Nevers. There she became a member of
the community, and faced some rather harsh treatment from the mistress
of novices. This oppression ended when it was discovered that she
suffered from a painful, incurable illness. She died in Nevers
on April 16,1879, still giving the same account of her visions.
Lourdes became one of the major pilgrimage destinations in the world,
and the spring has produced 27,000 gallons of water each week since
emerging during Bernadette's visions. She was not involved in the
building of the shrine, as she remained hidden at Nevers. Bernadette
was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI.
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