LOW SUNDAY; THE OCTAVE DAY OF EASTER or DOMINICA IN ALBIS; SAINT LEO THE GREAT (461 A.D.)

 

LOW SUNDAY
THE OCTAVE DAY OF EASTER
or DOMINICA IN ALBIS

 

[Commemoration]  

 SAINT LEO I 
Pope, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church

WHITE / DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS

Through Baptism, we are born anew as adopted children of the Father. We live in the security and daring simplicity of faith. We have to believe without fully seeing, to do good without knowing the results, and to suffer without measuring the reward. In the things of God, everyone remains forever a child, needing always to be fed with new grace, always to be carefully guarded and guided. Adopted into the family of the Trinity, we live a life that is above and beyond the greatest knowledge or skill or power.

INTROIT I Peter 2:2

Crave, as newborn babes, alleluia! pure spiritual milk, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Ps. 80:2. Sing joyfully to God, our helper; sing aloud to God of Jacob.

V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT

O Almighty God, let our conduct and our lives always be guided by the Easter feast we have just celebrated. Through Our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of SAINT LEO

Pope Leo the Great (440-461) governed the Church when it was being attacked from within by heretics (Nestorians and Monophysites) and from without by the northern barbarians. By his fearless holiness and learning, Pope Leo overcame the heretics. He stopped the advance of Attila, "the scourge of God," at the very gates of Rome. He attributed all the fruits of his great labors to St. Peter, the glorious Prince of the Apostles. St. Peter, he often declared, lives and governs in Peter's successors.

Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd, and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Leo Thy Sovereign Pontiff, whom Thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ . . .

EPISTLE I John 5:4-10.

Beloved: For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. And this is the victory which overcameth the world: Our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ: not by water only but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit which testifieth that Christ is the truth. And there are Three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit and the water and the blood. And these three are one. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony of God, which is greater, because he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth in the Son of God hath the testimony of God in himself.

Alleluia, alleluia!

V. Matt. 28:7. "On the day of My resurrection," said the Lord, "I will go before you into Galilee." Alleluia!

V. John 20:26. After eight days, the doors being closed, Jesus stood in the midst of His disciples, and said, "Peace be to you." Alleluia!

GOSPEL John 20:19-31.

At that time, when it was late the same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them: "Peace be to you." And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again: "Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them: and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained."
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them: "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the place of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said: "Peace be to you." Then he said to Thomas: "Put in thy finger hither and see my hands. And bring hither the hand and put it into my side. And be not faithless, but believing." Thomas answered and said to him: "My Lord and my God."
Jesus saith to him: "Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and have believed."
Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book.
But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing, you may have life in his name.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Matt. 28:2, 5, 6

An Angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and said to the women, "He whom you seek has risen, as He said." Alleluia!

SECRET

Accept the gifts of Your joyous Church, O Lord. You have given her such cause for joy; grant that she may attain that unending happiness. Through Our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of SAINT LEO

Kindly receive, O Lord, the gifts which in our joy we offer Thee, and grant, by the intercession of blessed Leo, that Thy Church may rejoice in integrity of faith and delight in quiet days. Through our Lord . . . 

COMMUNION ANTIPHON John 20:27

Put in your hand, and feel the place of the nails, alleluia! and be not unbelieving, but believing, alleluia, alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord our God, may we be healed now and forever by these sacred rites which You instituted to protect us in our new life of grace. Through Our Lord . . .

 

Commemoration of SAINT LEO
Appeased by this Sacrifice, O Lord, in which Thou hast nourished Thy Church on heavenly food, do Thou so guide her that She may be steered with a firm hand and, while enjoying more liberty, may persist in wholeness of faith. Through our Lord . . .