Saint Athanasius (373 A.D.), Bishop and Doctor of the Church

SAINT ATHANASIUS
Bishop and Doctor of the Church

DOUBLE / WHITE
While he was still a deacon, Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 298-373) was present at the Council of Nicaea, during which the true doctrine of the Church concerning the divinity of Christ was defined; and the rest of his life was an heroic testimony to the profession of the Nicene Fathers. After Athanasius had become bishop of Alexandria, he resisted during long years the pressure put upon him to compromise in essentials of the Faith. Five times he endured exile, and in consequence composed most of his great writings from his see city.

INTROIT Eccli. 15:5
In the gathering of the Church the Lord opened his mouth and filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and clothed him with a robe of glory, alleluia, alleluia!
Ps. 91:2. It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing to Your name, O Most High!
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Lord, graciously hear the prayers we offer on the feast of Your blessed confessor bishop Athanasius. Forgive us all our sins through the merits and intercession of this saint who served You so well on earth. Through Our Lord . . .

EPISTLE II Cor. 4:5-14
Brethren: For we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord: and ourselves your servants through Jesus. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God and not of us. In all things we suffer tribulation: but are not distressed. We are straitened: but are not destitute. We suffer persecution: but are not forsaken. We are cast down: but we perish not. Always bearing about in our body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies. For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake: that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us: but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, as it is written: "I believed, for which cause I have spoken"; we also believe. For which cause we speak also: Knowing that he who raised up Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and place us with you.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 109:4; Jac. 1:12
You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia!
V. Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 10:23-28
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples, "And when they shall persecute you in this city, flee into another. Amen I say to you, you shall not finish all the cities of Israel, till the Son of man come. The disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the good man of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household? Therefore fear them not. For nothing is covered that shall not be revealed: nor hid, that shall not be known. That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light: and that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops. And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 88:21-22
I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him, that My hand may help him and My arm strengthen him, alleluia!

SECRET
Let our annual commemoration of Your blessed confessor bishop Athanasius please You, O Lord. Grant that this sacrifice of atonement which we offer on his feast may bring him greater honor and fill us with Your grace. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matt. 10:27
"What I tell you in darkness, speak it in the light," said the Lord; "and what you hear whispered, preach it on the housetops." Alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION
O God, rewarder of the faithful, pardon our sins through the intercession of Your blessed confessor bishop Athanasius, whom we honor this day. Through Our Lord . . .