Thursday, February 03, 2022

FERIA 4th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY; SAINT BLAISE Bishop and Martyr (316 A.D.); SAINT LAURENCE (619 A.D.) Bishop, Confessor

 





SAINT BLAISE

Bishop and Martyr


SAINT LAURENCE 
Bishop, Confessor 


INTROIT (Ps. 96:7-8)
Worship God, all you his angels. Sion heard and was glad, and all the daughters of Juda rejoiced. Ps. 96:1. The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad! V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, You know that our weakened nature cannot withstand the dangers that surround us. Make us stron in mind and body, that with Your help we may be able to overcome the afflictions that our own sins have brought upon us. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT BLAISE
Blaise, a physician in Armenia, perceived that the ills of the soul are infinitely more grievious than those of the body. He was ordained a priest and later appointed bishop, but God permitted this healer of souls to retain the power of healing bodies. St. Blaise became known far and wide for his miraculous cures, and he is still invoked for protection against diseases of the throat. He was martyred in 316, during a persecution under Emperor Licinius.

O God, who gladdens us each year by the feast of Your blessed martyr bishop Blaise, mercifully grant that we who celebrate his birthday may also enjoy his protection. 

Commemoration of SAINT LAURENCE
St. Laurence, Bishop of Canterbury, was a companion of Saint Augustine. He spent his life traveling throughout the south of England preaching the Faith and gaining souls to the service of God. After a fruitful apostolate he died A.D. 619.

On this feastday of blessed Laurence Thy Confessor and Bishop hear our prayers to Thee, O Lord, and since he gave Thee such worthy service, be mindful of his merits and blot out all our sins. Through Our Lord . . . 
 
EPISTLE (Rom. 13:8-10)
Brethren: Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. For he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law. For: "Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not covet." And if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this word: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." The love of our neighbour worketh no evil. Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law.

GRADUAL (Ps. 101:16-17)
The nations shall revere Your name, O LOrd, and all the kings of the earth shall reverence Your glory. V. For the Lord has built up Sion, and He shall appear in His glory.

Alleluia, alleluia! (V. Ps. 96:1)
The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad!
Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Matt. 8:23-27)
At that time, Jesus entered into the boat, and his disciples followed him: And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep. And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: "Lord, save us, we perish." And Jesus saith to them: "Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith?" Then rising up, he commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: "What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him?"

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 117:16, 17)
The right hand of the Lord has exercised power; the right hand of the Lord has lifted me up. I shall not die, but live, and shall declare the works of the Lord.

SECRET
Almighty God, grant that our sacrificial offering may cleanse and protect our frail nature from all evil. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT BLAISE
Bless the gifts we have set apart for You, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Blaise help these offerings to win Your mercy for us. 

Commemoration of SAINT LAURENCE
May the annual feast of Saint Laurence Thy Confessor and Bishop make us in Thy kindness acceptable to Thee, O Lord, and may this present rite duly appease Thee, bring happy recompense to him, and assure gifts of Thy grace to us. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Luke 4:22)
All marveled at these things that came from the mouth of God.

POSTCOMMUNION
May this Gift draw us away from earthly pleasures, O God, and may the nourishment we receive from this Bread of Heaven fill us always with new strength. Through Our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT BLAISE
O Lord, may this Communion cleanse us from sin, and bestow on us spiritual health from heaven through the intercession of Your martyr bishop Blaise. 

Commemoration of SAINT LAURENCE
O God, the Rewarder of faithful souls, grant, that by the prayers of blessed Laurence Thy  Confessor and Bishop, whose venerable feast we celebrate, we may obtain pardon. Through our Lord . . .

 

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