EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
SAINT JOHN LEONARDI
Confessor
SAINTS DENIS, RUSTICUS, AND ELEUTHERIUS
Martyrs
DOUBLE / GREEN
Forgiveness is every man's need, for every man is born to sin. God may speak like thunder in the human heart, and then the man of good will has no peace until he kneels and confesses and receives His pardon. God's voice may be ignored or laughed at by others. But His rights to obedience and worship cannot be mocked. Through Christ our mediator, God has amply provided for man's reconciliation with the Deity. The confessional is always at hand, and the priest is God's minister of grace. By His death Christ won every grace needed for our present peace and future happiness.
INTROIT Eccli. 36:18
Grant peace, O Lord, to those who wait for You, that Your prophets may be found faithful. Hear the prayers of Your servant of Your people Israel.
Ps. 121.1. I rejoice at the tidings which were told me, "We shall go into the house of the Lord."
V. Glory be . . .
COLLECT
O Lord, let Your mercy direct our hearts, for without You we can do nothing to please You. Through our Lord . . .Commemoration of SAINT JOHN LEONARDI
ohn Leonardi (1543-1609), a zealous Italian apostle, founded the congregation of the Mother of God, whose priest-members traveled throughout Tuscany urging the people to a stronger interest in their religion. Father John Leonardi longed to convert pagans, but his spiritual director, St. Philip Neri, told him to remain in Italy. So instead he founded in Rome a seminary to train for the priesthood young men from all the mission lands. This seminary developed into the Urban College of Propaganda, which has during succeeding centuries sent forth thousands of priests of all nationalities, to carry the Gospel to their own peoples.
O God, You filled the blessed confessor John with a wondrous zeal to spread the faith among pagans, and through him You established in Your Church a new congregation to instruct the faithful. Grand that his teachings may lead us, Your servants, to the reward of eternal life.
Commemoration of SAINTS DENIS, RUSTICUS, AND ELEUTHERIUS
Denis, a third-century apostle of God, and now one of the "auxiliary saints," became first bishop of Paris. He suffered martyrdom there, together with his priest Rusticus and his deacon Eleutherius.
O God, You sent Rusticus and Eleutherius to join blessed Denis in preaching Your glorious name to the pagans, and on this day You so strengthened this martyr bishop in virtue that he was able to endure martyrdom courageously. May we follow the example of Your saints for love of You and spurn the pleasures of the world, without fearing to face any of its trials. Through our Lord . . .
EPISTLE I Cor. 1:4-8
Brethren: I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus: That in all things you are made rich in him, in all utterance and in all knowledge; As the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, So that nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the days of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GRADUAL Ps. 121:1, 7
I rejoiced at the tidings which were told me, "We shall go into the house of the Lord."
V. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your towers.
Alleluia, alleluia! V.
The nations shall revere Your name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth shall reverence Your glory. Alleluia!
GOSPEL Matt. 9:1-8
At that time, Jesus entering into a boat, passed over the water and came into his own city. And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: "Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee." And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: "He blasphemeth." And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: "Why do you think evil in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins," (then said he to the man sick of the palsy,) "Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house." And he arose, and went into his house. And the multitude seeing it, feared, and glorified God that gave such power to men.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ex. 24:4, 5
Moses consecrated an altar to the Lord, offering holocausts on it, and sacrificing victims. He made an evening sacrifice to the Lord God for an odor of sweetness, in the sight of the children of Israel.
SECRET
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. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT JOHN LEONARDI
Accept the offering of this pure host of salvation, O Lord. May this Sacrifice be presented to You unceasingly throughout the world through the intercession of Your blessed confessor John.
Commemoration of SAINT DENIS AND HIS COMPANIONS
O Lord, graciously accept these gifts which Your people offer in honor of Your saints, that we may be sanctified through their intercession. Through our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 95:8-9
Bring offerings, and enter his courts; worship the Lord in His holy temple.
POSTCOMMUNION
We thank You, O Lord, for nourishing us with Your Sacred Gift. In Your mercy, make us worthy of the Sacrament we have received. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT JOHN LEONARDI
We are refreshed, O Lord, by the Sacrament of Your precious Body and Blood. May we imitate Your blessed confessor John, and profess what he believed and practice what he taught.
Commemoration of SAINT DENIS AND HIS COMPANIONS
O Lord, may the reception of Your Sacrament bring us ever nearer to our eternal redemption through the prayers of Your blessed martyrs Denis, Rusticus, and Eleutherius. Through our Lord . . .
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