SAINT JEROME Confessor and Doctor of the Church (420 A.D.); SAINT HONORIUS (653 A.D.) Confessor and Bishop

 

 

SAINT JEROME
Confessor and Doctor of the Church

[Image from https://catholicsaintmedals.com/]
 

 

[Commemoration]

SAINT HONORIUS

BISHOP, CONFESSOR

DOUBLE/WHITE
Born in Dalmatia of a Christian family, Jerome (c. 342-420) was baptized in Rome, while taking his classical courses. He then studied under the best masters in foreign cities. But the Church had need of this extraordinarily gifted man. Jerome heard and obeyed the divine call, made a vow of celibacy, and withdrew for four years to a hermitage in the Syrian desert. The Holy Father soon summoned Jerome to Rome and entrusted him with the enormous task of revising the Latin Bible. This work, which took 30 years to complete, is our official Vulgate version of the Scriptures. In 1920, Pope Benedict XV stated: "The Church venerates in Jerome the greatest doctor given her by heaven for the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures."

Introit
Ecclus 15:5
In the midst of the assembly he opened his mouth; and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding; He clothed him with a robe of glory.
Ps 91:2
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to Your name, Most High.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
In the midst of the assembly he opened his mouth; and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding; He clothed him with a robe of glory. 

COLLECT
O God, in the person of Your blessed confessor Jerome You provided Your Church with her greatest scholar in the interpretation of Holy Scripture. may the merits of this saint help us to practice his teachings in our words and deeds. Through our Lord . . .

COMMEMORATION OF SAINT HONORIUS
St. Honorius, a Roman monk, was sent by St. Gregory the Great, with forty companions to help St. Augustine in the English mission. Succeeding St. Justus he became the fifth Archbishop of Canterbury. His death took place on September 30, A.D. 653.

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the solemn feast of blessed Honorius, Thy Confessor and Bishop, may both increase our devotion and advance our salvation. Through our Lord . . .

Lesson
Lesson from the secons letter of St Paul the Apostle to Timotheus
2 Tim. 4:1-8
Beloved: I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus, Who will judge the living and the dead by His coming and by His kingdom, preach the word, be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, entreat, rebuke with all patience and teaching. For there will come a time when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but having itching ears, will heap up to themselves teachers according to their lusts, and they will turn away their hearing from the truth and turn aside rather to fables. But be watchful in all things, bear with tribulation patiently, work as a preacher of the Gospel, fulfill your ministry. As for me, I am already being poured out in sacrifice, and the time of my deliverance is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. For the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, will give to me in that day; yet not to me only, but also to those who love His coming.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gradual
Ps 36:30-31
The mouth of the just man tells of wisdom, and his tongue utters what is right.
V. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps do not falter. Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Ecclus 45:9 The Lord loved him and adorned him; He clothed him with a robe of glory. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Matt 5:13-19
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its strength, what shall it be salted with? It is no longer of any use but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a lamp and put it under the measure, but upon the lampstand, so as to give light to all in the house. Even so let your light shine before men, in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For amen I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall be lost from the Law till all things have been accomplished. Therefore whoever does away with one of these least commandments, and so teaches men, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever carries them out and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

SECRET
Grant us Your heavenly grace, O Lord, that we may serve You in perfect freedom. Let the offerings, which we bring You through the intercession of Your blessed confessor Jerome, heal us and lead us to everlasting glory. Through our Lord . . .

COMMEMORATION OF SAINT HONORIUS 
May Thy Saints, we beseech Thee, O Lord, in all places bring us joy, that while we recall their merits, we may experience their patronage. Through our Lord . . .

Communion
Luke 12:42
The faithful and wise steward, whom his lord setteth over his family, to give them their measure of wheat in due season.

POSTCOMMUNION 
We are refreshed with the Bread of Heaven, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed confessor Jerome make us worthy of Your mercy. Through our Lord . . .

COMMEMORATION OF SAINT HONORIUS 
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that, we who give thanks for the gifts which we have received, may through the intercession of blessed Honorius, Thy Confessor and Bishop, obtain still greater blessings. Through our Lord . . .

photo of Pope Benedict XV (1903-1922) in the year 

1914 at the coronationImage via Wikipedia

DEDICATION OF SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL BASILICA (530 A.D.) (MICHAELMAS DAY)

 

 

 

DEDICATION OF SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL BASILICA

DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / WHITE

This feast commemorates the dedication to St. Michael of an ancient church at Rome at a date earlier than the sixth century. St. Michael the Archangel is honored as the supreme guardian spirit of the universal Church. In heaven Michael led the good angels against Lucifer and his rebel angels. The fallen angels pursue on earth that same war against the Man-God Christ which they began in heaven. Therefore Michael continues to direct the battle against them here on earth. The standard-bearer of the Church, he introduces the departed souls of her children into God's holy light (Offertory Hymn of Requiem Mass). He also presents our prayers to God (Incensation at High Mass), conquers demons (Prayers after Low Mass), and pleads for us sinners (Confiteor). 

INTROIT Ps. 102:20

Bless the Lord, all you His angels, you mighty in strength who do His bidding, obeying the voice of His commands.

Ps. 102:1. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all my being bless His holy name.

V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT

O God, who wondrously directs the services of angels and men, grant that our lives on earth may be guarded by the angels who stand ever before Your face ministering to You in heaven. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Apoc. 1:1-5

In those days, God gave unto him, to make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass: and signified, sending by his angel to his servant John, Who hath given testimony to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, what things soever he hath seen. Blessed is he that readeth and heareth the words of this prophecy: and keepeth those things which are written in it. For the time is at hand. John to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace be unto you and peace, from him that is and that was and that is to come: and from the seven spirits which are before his throne: And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first begotten of the dead and the prince of the kings of the earth, who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

GRADUAL Ps. 102:20, 1

Bless the Lord, all you His angels, you mighty in strength who do His bidding.

V. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all my being bless His holy name.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.

Holy archangel Michael, defend us in battle, that we may not perish in the dreaded judgment. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 18:1-10

At that time, the disciples came to Jesus, saying: "Who, thinkest thou, is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?" And Jesus, calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them. And said: "Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me. But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh. And if thy hand, or thy foot, scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Apoc. 8:3, 4

An angel stood before the altar, having a golden censer in his hand; and there was given to him much incense, and the smoke of the incense went up before God, alleluia!

SECRET 

O Lord, graciously accept the Sacrifice of praise we offer You. May it bring us closer to our salvation through the angels' prayers of intercession. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Dan. 3:58

All you angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, sing a hymn of praise and exalt Him above all forever.

POSTCOMMUNION 

We rely on the prayers of the blessed archangel Michael, O Lord, that the Sacrament which we have received upon our lips may always remain in our hearts. Through our Lord . . .

A 13th-century Byzantine icon of St Michael from Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Saint Wenceslas (929 A.D.) Duke and Martyr

 

 

Young prince Wenceslas

SAINT WENCESLAS
Duke and Martyr

SIMPLE / RED
Son of a Christian duke of tenth-century Bohemia, Wenceslas received a pious upbringing from his grandmother St. Ludmilla, who later died a martyr. Taking over the government at the time of a strong pagan reaction among his people, Wenceslas labored with Christlike patience and mildness to stem this regression. He rebuilt churches, recalled exiled priests, and invited missioners from Germany. But Boleslas, the duke's heathen brother, had Wenceslas assassinated while he was on his way to Mass. The 22-year old martyr died uttering the words, "May God forgive you."

Mass of a MARTYR, except

Introit
Ps 20:2-3
O Lord, in Your strength the just man is glad; in Your victory how greatly he rejoices! You have granted him his heart’s desire.
Ps 20:4
For You welcomed him with goodly blessings, You placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
O Lord, in Your strength the just man is glad; in Your victory how greatly he rejoices! You have granted him his heart’s desire.

COLLECT
O God, You raised blessed Wenceslas from his earthly honors to the glory of heaven by granting him the victory of martyrdom. May his prayers shield us from all harm and bring us to share his heavenly happiness. Through our Lord . . .

Lesson
Lesson from the book of Wisdom
Wis 10:10-14
The Lord guided the just in direct ways, showed him the kingdom of God, and gave him knowledge of holy things. He prospered him in his labors and made abundant the fruit of his works, stood by him against the greed of his defrauders, and enriched him; He preserved him from foes, and secured him against ambush, and He gave him the prize for his stern struggle that he might recognize that devotion to God is mightier than all else. He did not abandon the just man when he was sold, but delivered him from sin. He went down with him into the dungeon, and did not desert him in his bonds, until He brought him the scepter of royalty and authority over his oppressors, and showed those who had defamed him false; and the Lord our God gave him eternal glory.

Gradual
Ps 111:1-2
Happy the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commands.
V. His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps 20:4
V. You placed on his head, O Lord, a crown of pure gold. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Matt 10:34-42
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, Do not think that I have come to send peace upon the earth; I have come to bring a sword, not peace. For I have come to set a man at variance with his father, and a daughter with her mother, and a daughter-in-law with her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me, is not worthy of Me. he who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake, will find it. He who receives you, receives Me; and he who receives Me, receives Him Who sent Me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet, shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a just man because he is a just man, shall receive a just man’s reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones but a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.  

Offertory
Ps 8:6-7
Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour: and hast set him over the works of thy hands.

 

SECRET

Receive our gifts and our prayers, we beseech Thee, O Lord; cleanse us by the heavenly Mysteries and mercifully hear us. Through our Lord . . .

Communion
Matt 16:24
Whoever wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

POSTCOMMUNION

Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our God, that as we rejoice on earth in keeping the memory of Thy saints, so also we may enjoy their company for evermore. Through our Lord . . .

SAINTS COSMAS AND DAMIAN, Martyrs (283 A.D.)

 

Saints Cosmas and Damian performing transplant surgery.
Attributed to Alonso De Sedano, Burgos, Spain, ca. 1495.

SAINTS COSMAS AND DAMIAN
Martyrs

SIMPLE / RED
Doctors and mission dispensaries have special patrons in Cosmas and Damian, brothers who practiced medicine in Syria in the closing years of the third century. They were called in the East "the moneyless ones," because they cared for their patients free of charge. Devout lovers of Jesus, they were even more solicitous for the souls than for the bodies of those they tended. The apostolic brother-physicians converted many sinners and exorcised the possessed. They were given the grace of martyrdom during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian.

INTROIT Eccli. 44:15, 14 
Let the people show forth the wisdom of the saints, and let the Church declare their praise; and their names shall live for all generations.
Ps. 32:1. Rejoice in the Lord, you just; praise befits the upright.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Almighty God, today we are celebrating the birthday of Your blessed martyrs Cosmas and Damian. Hear their prayers and rescue us from all the dangers that threaten us. Through our Lord . . .

READING Wisdom 5:16-20
But the just shall live for evermore: and their reward is with the Lord, and the care of them with the most High. Therefore shall they receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the Lord: for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them. And his zeal will take armour, and he will arm the creature for the revenge of his enemies.
He will put on justice as a breastplate, and will take true judgment instead of a helmet: He will take equity for an invincible shield.

GRADUAL Ps. 33:18-19
The just have cried out, and the Lord answered them and rescued them from all their distress.
V. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and He will save those who are humble in spirit.

Alleluia, alleluia! V.
Here was true brotherliness which overcame the sinfulness of the world and followed Christ to attain the glorious kingdom of heaven. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 6:17-23
At that time, Jesus, coming down from the mountain, stood in a plain place: and the company of his disciples and a very great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast, both of Tyre and Sidon, Who were come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And they that were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the multitude sought to touch him: for virtue went out from him and healed all.
And he, lifting up his eyes on his disciples, said: "Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for you shall laugh. Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Be glad in that day and rejoice: for behold, your reward is great in heaven." 

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 5:12-13
All those who love your name shall glory in You, for You, O Lord, will bless the just man. O Lord, You surround us with Your good will, as with a shield.

SECRET 
O Lord, may Your saints' unfailing prayer of honor render our offerings acceptable to You and obtain Your pardon for us. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 78:2, 11
They have given the dead bodies of Your servants, O Lord, as food to the birds of the air, and the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth. With Your great power, save the sons of those who have been put to death.

POSTCOMMUNION 
O Lord, let Your people find protection in this banquet at which You have generously fed them, and in the prayers of all Your saints. Through our Lord . . .

SAINTS ISAAC JOGUES, JOHN DE BREBEUF, AND THEIR COMPANIONS; 18th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST; SAINTS CYPRIAN AND JUSTINA

 

SAINTS ISAAC JOGUES, JOHN DE BREBEUF,
AND THEIR COMPANIONS
Martyrs

IN ALL DIOCESES OF THE UNITED STATES

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

SAINTS CYPRIAN AND JUSTINA 
Martyrs

DOUBLE, SECOND CLASS / RED 
These eight French Jesuit missioners, the first canonized saints of the North American continent, labored and died among the most barbaric of red men in the most impenetrable fastnesses of the 17th-century New World. After struggling with unbelievable privations and hardships, they were severely tortured and martyred by the Iroquois Indians between the years 1642 and 1649. Fathers Isaac Jogues and Anthony Daniel and the two lay oblates, John Lalande and Rene Goupil, gave their lives in what is now New York State; Fathers John de Brebeuf, Gabriel Lalemant, Charles Garnier, and Noel Chabanel in central Canada.

INTROIT Apoc. 7:14
These are they who have come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.
Ps. 116:1. Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise Him, all you peoples!
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, You blessed the first fruits of the faith in the vast expanse of North America by the missionary labors and martyrdom of blessed Isaac, John, and their companions. May the harvest for Christ grow daily more abundant in the whole world through the intercession of these saints. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the 18th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
O Lord, let Your mercy direct our hearts, for without You we can do nothing to please You.


Commemoration of SAINTS CYPRIAN AND JUSTINA
At Antioch the virtue of the virgin Justina converted Cyprian, a magician, to Christianity. Cyprian later became a priest and then a bishop. Both suffered martyrdom under Diocletian in the year 304, and their bodies were brought to Rome by some Christian mariners.

Comfort us, O Lord, with the unfailing protection of Your holy martyrs Cyprian and Justina, for You are always merciful to those who are helped by Your saints. Through our Lord . . .

READING II Cor. 12:11-15
Brethren: I ought to have been commended by you, For I have no way come short of them that are above measure apostles, although I be nothing. Yet the signs of my apostleship have been wrought on you, in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. For what is there that you have had less than the other churches but that I myself was not burthensome to you? Pardon me this injury. Behold now the third time I am ready to come to you and I will not be burthensome unto you. For I seek not the things that are yours, but you. For neither ought the children to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. But I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls: although loving you more, I be loved less.

GRADUAL Ps. 123:7-8
Our soul has been rescued as a bird from the snare of the hunters.
V. The snare has been broken and we are free. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. II Cor. 1:5
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also through Christ does our comfort abound. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 6:17-23
At that time, Jesus coming down from the mountain, stood in a plain place: and the company of his disciples and a very great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the sea coast, both of Tyre and Sidon, Who were come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And they that were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the multitude sought to touch him: for virtue went out from him and healed all. 
And he, lifting up his eyes on his disciples, said: "Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for you shall laugh. Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Be glad in that day and rejoice: for behold, your reward is great in heaven."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Sap. 3:6
As gold in the furnace the Lord has proved them, and as a victim of a holocaust He received them.

SECRET 
O Lord, let us offer You with pure hearts this spotless Victim, in which Your holy martyrs found a food of unutterable sweetness, because of their own unsullied purity and their tireless zeal for mortification. Through our Lord . . . 
 
Commemoration of the 18th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
 O God, who allows us to share in Your own divine nature by partaking of this sacrifice, grant that our conduct may be guided by Your revealed truth.
 
Commemoration of SAINTS CYPRIAN AND JUSTINA
We offer these gifts to You in sacrifice, O Lord. May the honor we pay to Your saints please You, and may these offerings, through Your mercy, bring us closer to our salvation. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHONPhilipp. 1:20-21
Christ will be glorified in my body whether through life or death. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

POSTCOMMUNION 
Almighty God, we are refreshed by the food of the valiant. When Your holy martyrs Isaac, John, and their companions were strengthened by this same Bread, they were able to lay down their own lives for their brothers; may we also bear one another's burdens and love our neighbors with an effective and sincere charity. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of the 18th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
We thank You, O Lord, for nourishing us with Your Sacred Gift. In Your mercy, make us worthy of the Sacrament we have received.

Commemoration of SAINTS CYPRIAN AND JUSTINA
May the intercession of Your holy martyrs Cyprian and Justina help us to cherish with pure hearts the Sacrament we have received upon our lips. Through our Lord . . .

EMBER SATURDAY IN SEPTEMBER

 

EMBER SATURDAY

DOUBLE / RED

The extra Lessons of today's Mass allow for the conferring of one of the minor or major orders after each reading. Men commonly feel the need of being cleansed from sin and of making atonement for sin. Everyone needs a way to worship God, to make personal contact with God, and to ask Him for many favors. Holy Orders is the sacrament Christ instituted to keep man in close personal contact with God. Each priest personally stands for Christ and goes on doing Christ's work of redeeming and sanctifying men. Without a priesthood, God would seem much more distant. Without Christ's priesthood, there would be no priests at all.

 

 Introit
Ps 94:6-7
Come, let us bow down in worship to God; let us kneel before the Lord. Let us weep before Him Who made us; for He is the Lord our God.
Ps 94:1
Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim God our Savior.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Come, let us bow down in worship to God; let us kneel before the Lord. Let us weep before Him Who made us; for He is the Lord our God.

Collect
Let us pray.
V. Let us kneel.
R. Arise.
Almighty, everlasting God, You Who cure body and soul through healing self-denial, we humbly entreat Your majesty to hear favorably the devout prayer of those who fast, and to grant us help for the present and the future.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.

Lesson
Lev. 23:26-32 In those days, the Lord said to Moses, The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall be most solemn, and shall be called holy; and you shall mortify yourselves on that day and offer an oblation to the Lord. On this day you shall not do any work, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the Lord, your God. Anyone who does not mortify himself on this day shall be cut off from his people; and if anyone does any work on this day, I will remove him from the midst of his people. This is a perpetual statute for you and your descendants wherever you dwell: you shall do no work, but shall keep a Sabbath of complete rest and mortify yourselves. Beginning on the evening of the ninth of the month, you shall keep this Sabbath of yours from evening to evening, says the Lord almighty.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gradual
Ps 78:9-10
Pardon our sins, O Lord; why should the nations say, Where is their God?
V. Help us, O God our Savior; because of the glory of Your name, O Lord, deliver us.

Collect
Let us pray.
V. Let us kneel.
R. Arise.
Grant us, we beseech You, almighty God, that by fasting we may be filled with Your grace, and by abstinence we may be made stronger than all our enemies.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.



Lesson
Lev. 23:39-43
In those days, the Lord said to Moses, On the fifteenth day, then, of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate a pilgrim feast of the Lord for a whole week. The first and the eighth day shall be days of complete rest. On the first day you shall gather foliage from majestic trees, branches of palms and boughs of myrtles and of valley poplars, and then for a week you shall make merry before the Lord, your God. By perpetual statute for you and your descendants you shall keep this pilgrim feast of the Lord for one whole week in the seventh month of the year. During this week you shall dwell in bowers; every native Israelite among you shall dwell in booths, that your descendants may realize that, when I led the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, I made them dwell in booths. I, the Lord, am your God.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gradual
Ps 83:10, 9.
Behold, O God, our Protector, and look upon Your servants.
V. O Lord God of Hosts, hear the prayers of Your servants.

Collect
Let us pray.
V. Let us kneel.
R. Arise.
Protect Your people, we beseech You, O Lord, so that we may by Your gift, obtain those means of eternal salvation which we seek through Your inspiration.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.



Lesson
Mich. 7:14, 16, 18-20.
O Lord, our God, shepherd Your people with Your staff, the flock of Your inheritance, that dwells in a woodland, as in the days of old. The nations shall behold and be put to shame, in spite of all their strength. Who is there like you, the God Who removes guilt and pardons sin for the remnant of His inheritance; Who does not persist in anger forever, but delights rather in clemency, and will again have compassion on us, treading underfoot our guilt? You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, as You have sworn to our fathers from days of old, O Lord, our God.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gradual
Ps 89:13, 1.
Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on Your servants.
V. O Lord, You have been our refuge through all generations.

Collect
Let us pray.
V. Let us kneel.
R. Arise.
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that we may so fast from bodily food as to abstain also from the sins that beset us.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.



Lesson
Zach. 8:14-19
In those days, the word of the Lord came to me saying: Thus says the Lord of Hosts: As I determined to harm you when your fathers provoked Me to wrath, says the Lord of Hosts, and I did not relent, so again in these days I have determined to favor Jerusalem and the house of Juda; do not fear! These then are the things you should do: Speak the truth to one another; let there be honesty and peace in the judgments at your gates, and let none of you plot evil against another in his heart, nor love a false oath. For all these things I hate, says the Lord. This word of the Lord of Hosts came to me: Thus says the Lord of Hosts: The fast days of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months shall become occasions of joy and gladness, cheerful festivals for the house of Juda; only love faithfulness and peace, says the Lord of Hosts.
R. Thanks be to God.

Gradual
Ps 140:2
Let my prayer come like incense before You, O Lord.
V. The lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.

Collect
Let us pray.
V. Let us kneel.
R. Arise.
As You give us the grace, O Lord, to offer You our solemn fast, grant us, we beseech You, the support of Your forgiveness.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.



Lesson
Dan 3:47-51
In those day, the Angel of the Lord went down into the furnace with Azaria and his companions, drove the fiery flames out of the furnace, and made the inside of the furnace as though a dew-laden breeze were blowing through it. And the flames rose forty-nine cubits above the furnace, and spread out, burning the Chaldeans nearby, the king’s men who were stoking the furnace. And the fire in no way touched them or caused them pain or harm. Then these three in the furnace with one voice sang, glorifying and blessing God:

Hymnus
Dan. 3:52-56
Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. And blessed is Your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages. Blessed are You in the temple of Your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. Blessed are You on the holy throne of Your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Blessed are You upon the sceptre of Your divinity, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Blessed are You Who look into the depths from Your throne upon the Cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Blessed are You Who walk upon the wings of the wind, and on the waves of the sea, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Let all Your Angels and Saints bless You, and praise You and exalt You above all forever. Let the heavens, the earth, the sea and all the things that are in them bless You, and praise You and exalt You above all forever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. Blessed are You, O Lord, the God of our father, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

Collect
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O God, You Who tempered the flames of fire for the three young men, mercifully grant that the flames of sin may not burn us, Your servants.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.
 

 

Lesson
Heb 9:2-12
Brethren: There was set up a tabernacle in the outer part of which were the lampstand and the table and the showbread, and this is called the Holy Place; but beyond the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden censer and the ark of the covenant, overlaid on every side with gold. In the ark was a golden pot containing the manna and the rod of Aaron which had budded, and the tablets of the covenant; and above it were the Cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat. But of all these we cannot now speak in detail. Such then being the arrangements, the priests always used to enter into the first tabernacle to perform the sacred rites; but into the second tabernacle the high priest alone entered once a year, not without blood, which he offered for his own and the people’s sins of ignorance. The Holy Spirit signified by this that the way into the Holies was not yet thrown open while the first tabernacle was still standing. This first tabernacle is a figure of the present time, inasmuch as gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshipper in conscience, since they refer only to food and drink and various ablutions and bodily regulations imposed until a time of reformation. But when Christ appeared once for all through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands - that is, not of this creation, - nor again by virtue of blood of goats and calves, but by virtue of His own Blood, into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption.

Gradual
Ps 116:1-2
Praise the Lord, all you nations; glorify Him, all you peoples!
V. For steadfast is His kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the Lord endures forever.

GOSPEL

Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Luke 13:6-17
At that time, Jesus spoke to the multitudes this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. And he said to the vine-dresser, ‘Behold, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down, therefore; why does it still encumber the ground?’ But he answered him and said, ‘Sir, let it alone this year too, till I dig around it and manure it. Perhaps it may bear fruit; but if not, then afterwards you shall cut it down.’ Now He was teaching in one of their synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent over and utterly unable to look upwards. When Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, Woman, you are delivered from your infirmity. And He laid His hands upon her, and instantly she was made straight, and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, addressed the crowd, saying, There are six days in which one ought to work; on these therefore come and be cured, and not on the Sabbath. But the Lord answered him and said, Hypocrites! does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or ass from the manger, and lead it forth to water? And this woman, daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound, lo, for eighteen years, ought not she to be loosed form this bond on the Sabbath? And as He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and the entire crowd rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by Him.

Secret
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that the gift in the sight of Your majesty may obtain for us the grace of reverent devotion and secure eternal happiness.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.
 

  

  Communion 
Lev 21:41, 43.
In the seventh month you shall keep this feast, as I made the Israelites dwell in booths, when I led them out of the land of Egypt. I, the Lord, am your God.

Post Communion
May Your sacrament, we beseech You, O Lord, produce in us what it contains, and may we share in reality what we now perform as a sacramental rite.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.

EMBER FRIDAY IN SEPTEMBER; OUR LADY OF RANSOM

 

 

EMBER FRIDAY IN SEPTEMBER

 

[Commemoration]
OUR LADY OF RANSOM

Like a "little Lent," each series of Ember Days recalls everyone to the fervent living of God's commandments. God draws men to do His will, for His own glory and their happiness, both by threats of just punishment, and by telling them of His mercy, His love, His blessings, His protection. Whether the attraction of love or the pressure of fear motivates the individual at a given moment depends upon the individual's temperament, character, and spiritual condition. But all the ways of God are just and right. For a return to God, either from serious sin or from lukewarmness and hypocrisy, God asks only sorrow, love, and penance.

Introit
Ps 104:3-4
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! Look to the Lord, and be strengthened; seek His face evermore.
Ps 104:1
Give thanks to the Lord, invoke His name; make known among the nations His deeds.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! Look to the Lord, and be strengthened; seek His face evermore.

Collect
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that we who devoutly keep the sacred observances year by year may be pleasing unto You both in body and soul.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. 
 

Commemoration of OUR LADY OF RANSOM
This feast was extended to the whole Church in thanksgiving to the Blessed Virgin, for having in the thirteenth century inspired St. Peter Nolasco and St. Raymond of Pennafort to found a religious order for the release of Christians captured by the Saracens. The Mercedarians vowed to give themselves up as hostages for the imprisoned Christians when ransom and military means failed. Their heroism saved countless souls from apostasy and despair.

O God, through the glorious Mother of Your Son You enriched the Church with a new religious congregation dedicated to freeing Christians from slavery among the heathens. We venerate Mary as the foundress of this institution and pray that she may also deliver us from our sins and the slavery of the devil through her own merits and intercession. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

   

Lesson
Lesson from the book of Osee the Prophet
Osee 14:2-10
Thus says the Lord God: Return, O Israel, to the Lord, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. Take with you words, and return to the Lord; say to Him, ‘Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls. Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; we shall say no more: Our god, to the work of our hands; for in You the orphan finds compassion.’ I will heal their defection, I will love them freely; for My wrath is turned away from them. I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; he shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; they shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. ‘I am like a verdant cypress tree’ - because of Me you bear fruit! Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the Lord, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.

Gradual
Ps 89:13, 1.
Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on Your servants.
V. O Lord, You have been our refute through all generations.

Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

Luke 7:36-50
At that time, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him; so He went into the house of the Pharisee and reclined at table. And behold, a woman in the town who was a sinner, upon learning that He was at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment; and standing behind Him at His feet, she began to bathe His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with ointment. Now when the Pharisee, who had invited Him, saw it, he said to himself, This Man, were He a prophet, would surely know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner. And Jesus answered and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Master, speak. A certain money-lender had two debtors; the one owed five hundred denarii, the other fifty. As they had no means of paying, he forgave them both. Which of them, therefore, will love him more? Simon answered and said, He, I suppose, to whom he forgave more. And He said to him, You have judged rightly. And turning to the woman, He said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I came into your house; you gave Me no water for My feet; but she has bathed My feet with tears, and has wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, from the moment she entered, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil; but she has anointed My feet with ointment. Wherefore I say to you, her sins, many as they are, shall be forgiven her, because she has loved much. But he to whom little is forgiven, loves little. And they who were at table with Him began to say within themselves,Who is this Man, Who even forgives sins? But He said to the woman, Your faith has saved you, go in peace.

Offertory
Ps 102:2, 5
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits; and your youth shall be renewed like the eagle’s.

 

Secret
May the gift of our fasting, we beseech You, O Lord, be acceptable to You, and by its purifying power make us worthy of Your grace and bring us to the eternal bliss You have promised us.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

 

Commemoration of OUR LADY OF RANSOM
O Lord, through Your mercy and the intercession of the Blessed ever-Virgin Mary, let this offering bring us prosperity and peace now and forever. Through our Lord . . .
 

Communion
Ps 118:22, 24
Take away from me reproach and contempt, for I observe Your decrees, O Lord. Your decrees are my delight. 

Post Communion
We beseech You, O almighty God, that, showing gratitude for the gifts we have received, we may obtain yet greater benefits.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. 

 Commemoration of OUR LADY OF RANSOM
O Lord, grant that we who have received the Sacrament of our salvation may be protected through the intercession of the Blessed ever-Virgin Mary, in whose honor we have offered this Sacrifice to Your majesty. Through our Lord . . .