Sunday, October 17, 2021

21st SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST; SAINT MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE (1690 A.D.) Virgin

 


TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY
AFTER PENTECOST

Incorrupt Body of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque 

SAINT MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE
Virgin

DOUBLE / GREEN
Many temptations result from exposing ourselves to persons, places, and things that entice us to unlawful satisfaction. Other temptations come from reflex actions of our instincts. But some temptations may be due to the subtle deceptions of the devil. A fallen angel, the devil retains the intelligence of an angel and directs all his rebellious hatred to detracting from God's glory and undoing Christ's work. But the devil can do only what God permits him to do. Sometimes God may permit severe temptations of every sort, in order to humble and purify a person for a special grace or a special office. Even the devil is made to serve God's purposes.
 
INTROIT Esth. 13:9, 10-11
All things depend on Your will, O Lord, and there is no one who can resist Your will. For You have made all things, heaven and earth, and all things that are under the canopy of heaven. You are the Lord of all.
Ps. 118:1. Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
Keep Your family under Your continual care, O Lord. Shelter it with Your protection from all adversity, that it may be zealous in doing good for the honor of Your name. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE
After a girlhood marked by painful illness and even more painful family discord, Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-90) entered the Visitation convent of Paray-le-Monial, France, at the age of 22. She was ignorant, sickly, and clumsy, but she had great charity and humility. Our Lord chose her to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart, at a time when rebellion without (Protestantism) and heresy within (Jansenism) were doing their best to separate Catholics from their faith and their God. "I will make you so poor and vile and abject in your own eyes, and I shall destroy you so utterly in the thought of your own heart, that I shall be able to build Myself up in the void," Jesus Christ said to the lowly nun. After violent opposition, the devotion to the Sacred Heart triumphed and is now one of the most beloved in the Church.

Lord Jesus Christ, You wondrously revealed all the deep treasures of Your Heart to the blessed virgin Margaret Mary. May her merits and example win us the grace to love You above all things and in all things, so that we may make our abode in Your own Sacred Heart; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

EPISTLE Eph. 6:10-17
Brethren, be strengthened in the Lord and in the might of his power. Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.
Therefore, take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day and to stand in all things perfect. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth and having on the breastplate of justice: And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God).

GRADUAL Ps. 89:1-2
O Lord, You have been our refuge through all generation.
V. Before the mountains were made, or the earth was formed, from eternity to eternity You are God.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 113:1.
When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob fled from a barbarous people. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Matt. 18:23-35
At that time, Jesus spoke to his disciples this parable: "The kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the account, one as brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: 'Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.' And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt.
"But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow-servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, he throttled him, saying: 'Pay what thou owest.' And his fellow-servant falling down, besought him, saying: 'Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.' And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt.
"Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came, and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him: and said to him: 'Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me: Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee?' And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Job 1:2
There was a man in the land of Hus, whose name was Job, simple and upright, and fearing God. Satan asked that he might tempt him, and power was given Satan from the Lord over Job's possessions and his flesh; and Satan destroyed all his substance and his children, and afflicted his body with a grievous ulcer.

SECRET
O Lord, graciously accept this offering which You in Your boundless mercy instituted to atone for our sins and to restore salvation to us. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE
Accept the gifts of Your people, O Lord. Inflame our hearts with the same divine fire that radiated from the Heart of Your Son and burned so brightly in blessed Margaret Mary. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 118:81, 84, 86
My soul looks to Your salvation, and in Your word have I hoped. When will You come in judgment for those who persecute me? The wicked have persecuted me; help me, O Lord my God.

POSTCOMMUNION
We have been seeking the food of immortality and implore Thee, O Lord, that with its savour still on our tongues, we may with pure hearts continue to pursue it. Through our Lord . . .


Commemoration of SAINT MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE
May the prayers of the blessed virgin Margaret Mary expel the desire for worldly pleasures from our hearts, which have received the sacrament of Your Body and Blood, so that they may be filled with the meekness and humility of Your own Heart; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .


The Sacred Heart Sculpture on the High Altar o...Image via Wikipedia

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please no anonymous comments. I require at least some way for people to address each other personally and courteously. Having some name or handle helps.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.