THE MOST PURE HEART OF MARY; Saint Juliana Falconieri (1341 A.D.); Saints Gervase and Protase, Martyrs (165 A.D.)

 

THE MOST PURE HEART OF OUR LADY  

Second Saturday after Corpus Christi

from maternalheart.org 

 

Saint Juliana Falconieri

Saints Gervase and Protase

SAINT JULIANA FALCONIERI
Virgin

Saints Gervase and Protase
Martyrs

 

Mary began her journey along the road to perfection at a height to which other Saints arrived only at the end of a long life of saintliness. In all other children of Adam original sin prevented the divine generosity from having a free course. But Mary was created immaculate, and therefore the grace of God streamed into her soul without check or hindrance. Her sinlessness, her heavenly purity, directed every action, every movement to God. Her Heart was the pattern and model of all virtues, of all purity! "Blessed are the pure in heart!".

INTROIT Ps. 44. 14-15

All the glory of the King's Daughter is within, in golden borders, clothed round about with variety: after her shall virgins be brought to the King, her neighbours shall be brought unto thee. (P.T. Alleluia, alleluia). Ps. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak of my works to the King. Glory be to the Father . . . 

COLLECT  
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Heart of Blessed Mary the Virgin didst prepare a dwelling worthy of the Holy Ghost: mercifully grant, that we who with devout minds celebrate the festival of that most pure Heart, may be enabled to live according to Thine own Heart. Through our Lord.  . .

Commemoration of SAINT JULIANA FALCONIERI

Born at Florence, Juliana Falconieri (1270-1341) was the niece of St. Alexis, one of the founders of the Servite Order. At the age of sixteen, Juliana embraced the rule of the Servite Friars. When the community of Servite tertiaries was later established, she served as its first superior. The religious present at Juliana's death-bed testified that, unable to retain food, she nevertheless received Holy Viaticum miraculously. "Then Juliana, with a tender and joyous face, as if she was rapt in ecstasy, died in the kiss of her Lord," the old document reads.

 

God, You miraculously nourished the blessed virgin Juliana by the Precious Body of Your Son, when she was on the point of death. May we likewise be comforted and strengthened at our last hour and brought safely to our heavenly home through the merits of this saint. 

Commemoration of SAINTS GERVASE AND PROTASE, MARTYRS
The relics of these martyrs were discovered at Milan in 386, during the time of St. Ambrose. They were venerated as the first martyrs of Milan, and their cult spread everywhere in the West.

We are made happy, O God, by the annual feast of Your holy martyrs Gervase and Protase. As we joyously remember the merits of these saints, may we also be inspired by their example. Through our Lord . . .

EPISTLE Canticles, 8. 6-7.
Put me as a seal upon thy heart; as a seal upon thine arms; for love is strong as death; jealousy is hard as hell; the lamps thereof are lamps of fire and flames. Many waters cannot quench charity, nor shall the floods drown it; if a man have given all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing. 

 GRADUAL Wisdom 7:25-26
Naught that is defied cometh into her: she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God's Majesty; and the image of His goodness. (Cant. 6. 2). I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feedeth among the lilies.

Alleluia, alleluia. Luke 1:46,47
My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Alleluia. 

 
GOSPEL Luke 2:48-51
At that time: The Mother of Jesus said to Him: Son, why hast Thou done so to us? behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. And He said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business? And they understood not the word that He spoke unto them. And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. And His Mother kept all these words in her heart.

 OFFERTORY Jud 15:11
Because thou hast done manfully, and hast strengthened thy heart: therefore also the hand of the Lord hath strengthened thee, and thou shalt be blessed for ever.

SECRET  
To Thy majesty, O Lord, we offer up the Lamb without blemish, beseeching Thee that in our hearts may be enkindled that divine fire, which so ineffably consumed the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Through the same Lord. 

Commemoration of SAINT JULIANA FALCONIERI
Accept this gift, O Lord, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble. 

Commemoration of SAINTS GERVASE AND PROTASE
O Lord, be moved to compassion by our offerings and shield us from all danger through the prayers of Your holy martyrs Gervase and Protase. Through our Lord . . .

 
COMMUNION Canticles. 2. 3 
(T.P. Allelúja). Under the shadow of Him whom I desired have I sat down, and His fruit is sweet to my taste. (P.T. Alleluia).

POSTCOMMUNION
Refreshed by Thy divine gifts, we humbly entreat Thee, O Lord, that by the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary whose most pure Heart we now solemnly celebrate, we may be delivered from present dangers, and obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through our Lord.  

Commemoration of SAINT JULIANA FALCONIERI

O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your saint whose feast we celebrate this day. 

Commemoration of SAINTS GERVASE AND PROTASE
O Lord, may this Communion cleanse us from sin, and bestow on us spiritual health from heaven through the intercession of Your blessed martyrs Gervase and Protase. Through our Lord . . .