THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
GAUDETE SUNDAY
SAINT DAMASUS
Pope and Confessor
THE HUMILITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS
[Historical]
within the octave of the
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / ROSE or PURPLE
Guadete means "Rejoice." Anticipated joy over our Savior's coming breaks through all our serious Advent preparation. Although it cannot be entirely repressed, our joy is yet restrained for two reasons: 1. Like John the Baptist, even the most fervent person feels a great unworthiness either to be a friend of Christ or to be His apostle. 2. Very often our joy is dulled by unnecessary anxiety. We let our peace of soul depend too much upon persons and events and circumstances, and too little upon God's infallible and tender care.
INTROIT Philipp. 4:4-6
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety; but in every prayer let your petitions be made known to God.
Ps. 84:2. O Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity.
V. Glory be . . .
COLLECT
Hear our prayers, O Lord, and enlighten the darkness of our minds by Your coming on earth; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .
The Spaniard Damasus was pope from 366 to 384. During his reign he had to contend with an antipope at Rome, schism at Antioch, Constantinople, and Sardinia, and Arian heresy over the whole Empire. St. Jerome, whom he commissioned to prepare the Vulgatetranslation
of the Bible, calls him "an incomparable person, learned in the
Scriptures, a virgin doctor of the virgin Church, who loved chastity and
heard its praise with pleasure." Pope Damasus had great veneration for
the Christian martyrs,
wrote many of the epitaphs for their tombs, and out of humility, would
not allow himself to be buried among his martyred predecessors.
O
Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Damasus shepherd of the whole
Church, let the prayers of this confessor and supreme pontiff move You
to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual
protection.
Commemoration of THE HUMILITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
The whole life of the Blessed Virgin Mary was a continual practice of humility. She had renounced all the vanities and honors of the world from the moment when, as a child, she offered herself to God in the Temple. She ever sought to appear as a servant although she had been exalted to be the Mistress of the universe. She was in very deed the humble handmaid of the Lord, as she terms herself in the Magnificat.
O God, who regardest the humble and removest Thine eyes from the proud, grant that we Thy servants may imitate with pure heart the humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who pleased Thee by her virginity and who by her humility, became the Mother of the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth . . .
The whole life of the Blessed Virgin Mary was a continual practice of humility. She had renounced all the vanities and honors of the world from the moment when, as a child, she offered herself to God in the Temple. She ever sought to appear as a servant although she had been exalted to be the Mistress of the universe. She was in very deed the humble handmaid of the Lord, as she terms herself in the Magnificat.
O God, who regardest the humble and removest Thine eyes from the proud, grant that we Thy servants may imitate with pure heart the humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who pleased Thee by her virginity and who by her humility, became the Mother of the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth . . .
EPISTLE Philipp. 4:4-7
Brethren: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety, but in every prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God. And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
GRADUAL Ps. 79:2, 3, 2
O Lord, enthroned above the Cherubim, stir up Your might and come.
V. Take heed, you who rule Israel, you who are shepherd over Joseph.
Alleluia, alleluia! V.
Stir up Your might, O Lord, and come to save us.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL John 1:19-28
At that time, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: "Who art thou?" And he confessed and did not deny: and he confessed: "I am not the Christ." And they asked him: "What then? Art thou Elias?" And he said: "I am not." "Art thou the prophet? And he answered: "No." They said therefore unto him: "Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself?" He said: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias." And they that were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him and said to him: "Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?" John answered them, saying: "I baptize with water: but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose." These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 84:2, 3
O Lord, You have blessed Your land; You have restored Jacob from captivity; You have forgiven the sinfulness of Your people.
SECRET
May we always offer the sacrifice of adoration in such a manner, O Lord, that it will attain the purpose for which You instituted this sacred rite, and bring about our salvation. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT DAMASUS
We
have offered our gifts to You, O Lord. Let Your light graciously shine
upon Your Church, so that this flock may everywhere prosper, and its
pastors, under Your guidance, may be truly pleasing to You. Through Our
Lord . . .Commemoration of THE HUMILITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, may this offering, we beseech Thee, O Lord, obtain for us the grace of true humility and take from our hearts the concupiscence of the flesh and of the eyes and all worldly ambition, so that we may live soberly and justly and piously and thus attain our eternal reward. Through our Lord . . .
Image via Wikipedia
"There was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God." St. Luke, 2: 13.
Today we honor Mary as Queen of the Angels. As our thoughts fly up to heaven, we pass by all the nine choirs of angels up to the very throne of God, to behold the Queen of all these heavenly spirits. We can call Our Lady, Queen of the Angels, because she was more favored by God than all the angels, and she can and really does do more for our souls than the heavenly spirits could ever do. These spirits are the servants of God; but Our Blessed Lady is the Daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son, and Spouse of God the Holy Spirit. All through her life we see the angels about our Blessed Mother:
1. We see the Archangel Gabriel announcing to the Blessed Virgin that she is to be the Mother of God. This Archangel salutes her, greets her, honors her, because he realized that Mary was his Queen.
2. At Bethlehem we hear the angels announce the birth of Jesus, the Son of God in a stable. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will." There was a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and honoring their Queen, even though she was a humble, simple Jewish Mother. These heavenly messengers came from the throne of God to tell the world that this Child was really the Son of God.
3. Again the angels enter Our Lady's life when they warned St. Joseph to take the Child and flee into Egypt. What is the power of the sword, when the angels of God spread their wings to protect the Infant Son of God? The angels protected the Holy Family as they made that perilous, tedious trip to a foriegn land, and also during their sojourn there.
4. After the Death and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the angels were at the tomb. One of them rolled away the stone and then announced: "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come and see the place where the Lord was laid." (Matt. 28: 5) They helped Mother Mary to see her risen Son.
5. Finally, on Ascension day two angels addressed the disciples, with Our Lady accompanying them, as they looked at the departing Master: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall come in the same way as you have seen Him going up to heaven." (Acts 1:11)
6. According to an unquestionable tradition of Mother Church, Our Lady was taken into heaven by the hands of angels. Thus, all through her life messengers of the Almighty waited upon her, honored her, and brought her messages. Prayer and devotion to Our Lady, Queen of Angels, and all the choirs of angels throughout our life on earth and especially in death, gives us hope that we too will be assisted into heaven by their hands.
[Adapted from a sermon by Rt. Rev. Arthur Tonne, c/o Didde Printing Co.]
Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, may this offering, we beseech Thee, O Lord, obtain for us the grace of true humility and take from our hearts the concupiscence of the flesh and of the eyes and all worldly ambition, so that we may live soberly and justly and piously and thus attain our eternal reward. Through our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Isa. 35:4
Say to the fainthearted, "Take courage and fear not. Behold, our God will come and will save us."
POSTCOMMUNION
In Your mercy cleanse us from our sins by these divine Rites, O Lord, and make us ready for the coming feast. Through Our Lord . . .
Say to the fainthearted, "Take courage and fear not. Behold, our God will come and will save us."
POSTCOMMUNION
In Your mercy cleanse us from our sins by these divine Rites, O Lord, and make us ready for the coming feast. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT DAMASUS
O
Lord, govern the Church, which You have been pleased to nourish with
Your heavenly Food. Guide her by Your powerful direction, so that she
may enjoy greater freedom and remain unshaken in the fullness of faith.
Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of THE HUMILITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
May the partaking of this sacrament remove from us the stain of sin, O Lord, and through the prayers of the glorious and blessed Virgin Mary bring us by the road of humility unto the kingdom of heaven. Through our Lord . . .
May the partaking of this sacrament remove from us the stain of sin, O Lord, and through the prayers of the glorious and blessed Virgin Mary bring us by the road of humility unto the kingdom of heaven. Through our Lord . . .
OUR LADY QUEEN OF THE ANGELS
FEAST DAY
Image via WikipediaToday we honor Mary as Queen of the Angels. As our thoughts fly up to heaven, we pass by all the nine choirs of angels up to the very throne of God, to behold the Queen of all these heavenly spirits. We can call Our Lady, Queen of the Angels, because she was more favored by God than all the angels, and she can and really does do more for our souls than the heavenly spirits could ever do. These spirits are the servants of God; but Our Blessed Lady is the Daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son, and Spouse of God the Holy Spirit. All through her life we see the angels about our Blessed Mother:
1. We see the Archangel Gabriel announcing to the Blessed Virgin that she is to be the Mother of God. This Archangel salutes her, greets her, honors her, because he realized that Mary was his Queen.
2. At Bethlehem we hear the angels announce the birth of Jesus, the Son of God in a stable. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will." There was a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and honoring their Queen, even though she was a humble, simple Jewish Mother. These heavenly messengers came from the throne of God to tell the world that this Child was really the Son of God.
3. Again the angels enter Our Lady's life when they warned St. Joseph to take the Child and flee into Egypt. What is the power of the sword, when the angels of God spread their wings to protect the Infant Son of God? The angels protected the Holy Family as they made that perilous, tedious trip to a foriegn land, and also during their sojourn there.
4. After the Death and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the angels were at the tomb. One of them rolled away the stone and then announced: "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come and see the place where the Lord was laid." (Matt. 28: 5) They helped Mother Mary to see her risen Son.
5. Finally, on Ascension day two angels addressed the disciples, with Our Lady accompanying them, as they looked at the departing Master: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall come in the same way as you have seen Him going up to heaven." (Acts 1:11)
6. According to an unquestionable tradition of Mother Church, Our Lady was taken into heaven by the hands of angels. Thus, all through her life messengers of the Almighty waited upon her, honored her, and brought her messages. Prayer and devotion to Our Lady, Queen of Angels, and all the choirs of angels throughout our life on earth and especially in death, gives us hope that we too will be assisted into heaven by their hands.
[Adapted from a sermon by Rt. Rev. Arthur Tonne, c/o Didde Printing Co.]
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