The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, Saint Sabina (127 A.D.) Martyr

The Beheading of St. John the Baptist, Saint Sabina (127 A.D.) Martyr

 



Saint Sabina

THE BEHEADING OF SAINT JOHN
THE BAPTIST




SAINT SABINA

Martyr

GREATER DOUBLE / RED

To our short
vision, the beheading of St. John the Baptist to satisfy the rancor of a
wicked woman appears as a painfully ignominious death for the "friend
of the heavenly bridegroom." Yet never was the burning and the shinning
light (John 5:35) of the Precursor's lamp more radiant than at this
moment, when it was absorbed within the abyss of light that is the
Godhead. Because John's role in the economy of redemption was so vital,
the Church has made room for him in her glowing firmament of saints
next to the Mother of God herself. Today, as long ago on the banks of
the Jordan, John leads us to the fount of apostolic zeal -- the divine
simplicity of loving only Christ, and all men in and for Him.



INTROIT Ps. 118:46-47

I spoke of Your testimonies before kings, and I was not ashamed; I meditated on Your commandments, which I loved dearly.

Ps. 91:2. It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing to Your name, O Most High!

V. Glory be . . .



COLLECT

May the holy festival of Thy Forerunner
and Martyr, St. John the Baptist, we beseech Thee, O Lord, afford us
help unto salvation; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .



Commemoration of  SAINT SABINA

St. Sabina, who
gave her name to the famous old church which is now Dominican world
headquarters, was probably martyred during the second century.



O God, one of the marvelous
examples of Your power was granting the victory of martyrdom even to
delicate womanhood. May the example of the blessed martyr Sabina, whose
birthday we celebrate today, draw us closer to You. Through our Lord . .
.



LESSON  Jer. 1:17-19

In those days, the word of the Lord
came to me, saying: "Gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all
that I command thee. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make
thee not to fear their countenance. For behold I have made thee this
day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over
all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the
priests, and to the people of the land. And they shall fight against
them, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee," saith the Lord, "to
deliver thee."



GRADUAL  Ps. 91:13, 14, 3

The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow up like a cedar of Lebanon in the house of the Lord.

V. That he may show forth Your mercy in the morning and Your truth throughout the night.



Alleluia, alleluia!  V. Osee 14:6

The just man shall blossom as the lily, and shall flourish forever before the Lord. Alleluia!



GOSPEL  Mark 6:17-29

At that time, Herod himself had sent
and apprehended John, and bound him prison for the sake of Herodias the
wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John said
to Herod: "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife." Now
Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death and
could not. For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man:
and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him
willingly. And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper for
his birthday, for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee.
And when the daughter of the same Herodias had come in, and had
danced, and pleased Herod, and them that were at table with him, the
king said to the damsel: "Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it
thee." And he swore to her: "Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give
thee, though it be the half of my kingdom." Who when she was gone out,
said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" But her mother said: "The head
of John the Baptist." And when she was come in immediately with haste
to the king, she asked, saying: "I will that forthwith thou give me in a
dish, the head of John the Baptist." And the king was struck sad. Yet
because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table,
he would not displease her: But sending an executioner, he commanded
that his head should be brought in a dish. And he beheaded him in the
prison, and brought his head in a dish: and gave to the damsel, and the
damsel gave it her mother. Which his disciples hearing came, and took
his body, and laid it in a tomb.



OFFERTORY ANTIPHON  Ps. 20:2-3

O Lord, the just man rejoices in Your strength, and he greatly exalts in Your aid. You have granted him his heart's desire.



SECRET 

O Lord, may the gifts we offer You in
memory of the sufferings of Your holy martyr John the Baptist bring us
closer to salvation through his prayers. through our Lord . . .



Commemoration of  SAINT SABINA

O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we
offer You in honor of Your blessed martyr Sabina and help us find in
them unending assistance. Through our Lord . . .



COMMUNION ANTIPHON  Ps. 20:4

O Lord, You have placed on his head a crown of precious stones.



POSTCOMMUNION 

O Lord, may the feast of blessed John
the Baptist teach us to reverence the deep significance of the Holy
Eucharist which we have received, and to be filled with joy at the
fulfillment of this promise in ourselves. Through our Lord . . .



Commemoration of  SAINT SABINA

We have been nourished by Your divine
gift, O Lord our God. May the reception of this Bread of Heaven bring us
eternal life through the intercession of Your blessed martyr Sabina.
Through our Lord . . .