Confessor
SAINT GORGONIUS
Martyr
SIMPLE / WHITE
Cartagena,
in Columbia, was the central slave mart of Spanish America. Transported
on filthy ships like animals, the hapless Africans were forgotten men. A young Spanish Jesuit named Peter Claver appeared providentially in Cartagena in 1610, and until his death in 1654, he cared with the tenderness of Christ for the wracked bodies and tortured souls of the slaves. During his long apostolate
he baptized some three hundred thousand Negro children of God. The
Church has designated him the special patron of all Catholic missioners
working among the Negroes.
During the early years of the fourth century, Gorgonius, with the help of his ally Dorotheus, both Christian freedmen
in the palace of Diocletian at Nicomedia, had managed to convert almost
the whole imperial household. When they saw another servant, Peter,
tortured for having borne witness to Jesus, they protested to the
Emperor. Diocletian promptly condemned them to severe tortures, and then
to death by strangulation.
INTROIT Ps. 73:20, 19, 23
Advert
to Your covenant, O Lord, and forget not forever the lives of the poor.
Arise, O Lord, defend Your own cause; and be not unmindful of the cries
of those who seek You.
Ps. 73:1. O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why is Your anger blazing up against the sheep of Your pasture?
V. Glory be . . .
COLLECT
Almighty
and Eternal God, deepen our faith, our hope and our charity, so that we
may attain what You have promised and love what You have commanded.
Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT PETER CLAVER
O
God, in order to bring the enslaved Blacks the knowledge of Your holy
name, You gave blessed Peter the strength to help them through a
wondrous love and patience. May we all seek the things that belong to
Jesus and in doing so love our neighbors in truth and in deed through
the intercession of Your saint.
Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
O Lord, may the intercession of saint Gorgonius fill us with joy and may his holy feast be the occasion of happiness for us. Through our Lord . . .
EPISTLE Gal. 3:16-22
Brethren:
To Abraham were the promises made and to his seed. He saith not: And to
his seeds as of many. But as of one: And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Now this I say: that the testament which was confirmed by God, the law
which was made after four hundred and thirty years doth not disannul, to
make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it
is no more of promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Why
then was the law? It was set because of transgressions, until the seed
should come to whom he made the promise, being ordained by angels in the
hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not of one: but God is one. Was
the law then against the promises of God: God forbid! For if there had
been a law given which could give life, verily justice should have been
by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the
promise, by the faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to them that
believe.
GRADUAL Ps. 73:20, 19, 22
Advert to Your covenant, O Lord, and forget not forever the lives of the poor.
V. Arise, O Lord, and defend Your own cause; remember the abuse hurled against Your servants.
Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 89:1
O Lord, You have been our refuge through all generations. Alleluia!
GOSPEL Luke 17:11-19
At
that time, as Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst
of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain town, there
met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off. And lifted up
their voice, saying: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." Whom when he
saw, he said: "Go, shew yourselves to the priests."
And
it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them,
when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice
glorifying God. And he fell on his face before his feet, giving thanks.
And this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said: "Were not ten made clean? And where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger?" And he said to him: "Arise, go thy way; for thy faith hath made thee whole."
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 30:15-16
I have hoped in You, O Lord. I have said, "You are my God; my life is in Your hands."
SECRET
O
Lord, look with favor upon Your people and their gifts. Let this
offering move You to compassion and grant forgiveness for our sins and a
speedy answer to our prayers. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT PETER CLAVER
O
Lord, may the Victim of love which we offer here in sacrifice obtain
mercy for us; and may the prayers and merits of blessed Peter help us
toward salvation by making us more patient and charitable.
Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
Be
pleased, O Lord, by the offering which we, Your servants, make to You
through the intercession of the blessed martyr Gorgonius. Through our
Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Sap. 16:20
You have given us Bread from Heaven, o Lord, all delicate and sweet to taste.
POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, may the reception of Your Sacrament bring us ever nearer to our eternal redemption. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT PETER CLAVER
Increase in us the effects of Your life-giving love, O Lord, so that after being refreshed by the Food of Heaven we may come to the reward of everlasting life through the intercession of blessed Peter.
Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
Let
the everlasting sweetness of the Sacrifice fill Your household and
bring it to new life, O Lord, so that through Your martyr Gorgonius we
may always be refreshed by the fragrance of Christ, Your Son; who lives
and rules with You . . .
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