SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
DOUBLE / GREEN
"O
thou soul, most beautiful of creatures, who longs to know where your
Beloved is, you are yourself that very tabernacle where He dwells" (St. John of the Cross).
Tabernacles of God and chosen sons of eternity, men from the least
corners of the earth are exalted to reflect the glory of God Himself.
All
this is God's doing, not man's. God's infinite power brought him into
being and must continually sustain him there. He does good only by God's
grace. He needs God's help even to discipline and dispose himself for
the indwelling "fullness of God." Loving truth, man must accept and live
the truth of his own dependence upon God.
INTROIT Ps. 85:3, 5
Have
pity on me, O Lord, for to You I call all the day; for You, O Lord, are
sweet and mild, and plentiful in mercy to all who call upon You.
Ps. 85:1. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am needy and poor.
V. Glory be . . .
COLLECT
O Lord, may Your grace always be with us to make us diligent in performing good deeds. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of THE STIGMATA OF SAINT FRANCIS
In
1224, two years before his death, three years after he had laid down
active leadership of his order, Francis of Assisi received the greatest
gift of his singularly blessed life -- the Stigmata. During the course
of a 40-day fast on Mount Alvernia in honor of St. Michael, Francis was
visited by a dazzling seraphic figure whose feet and hands were nailed
to a cross -- to indicate to Francis that the martyrdom he yearned for
would be of the mystical, rather than the physical order. He was then
afflicted with the five wounds of the Crucifixion, and bore their
sufferings until his death.
O
Lord Jesus Christ, You reproduced the sacred marks of Your suffering in
the body of the most blessed Francis in order that Your love might set
our hearts afire in a world that has grown cold. may the merits and
prayers of saint Francis help us to bear our cross and win forgiveness
through true repentance; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .
Commemoration of SAINT HILDEGARDE
Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)
whom the Church raises up for us is a remarkable woman: deeply
committed to seeking God, a friend of the Lord, and a pastor of souls.
In her era she lived to almost 80 years, a rare age then and as it
echoes the psalmsist. One point of context: Hildegard was born in the
year that the Cistercian reform of monasticism was born. She is
remembered for being an abbess, a reformer, a theologian, a
singer-songwriter, a mystic, a biologist, an environmentalist, and a
dialogue partner with world leaders.
EPISTLE Eph. 3:13-21
Brethren: Wherefore I pray you not to faint at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
For
this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of
whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named: That he would grant
you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened by his
Spirit with might unto the inward man: That Christ may dwell by faith in
your hearts: that, being rooted and founded in charity, You may be able
to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and
height and depth, To know also the charity of Christ, which surpasseth
all knowledge: that you may be filled unto all the fulness of God.
Now
to him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we desire or
understand, according to the power that worketh in us: To him be glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus, unto all generations, world without
end. Amen.
GRADUAL Ps. 101:16-17
The nations all 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. 97:1
Sing to the Lord a new canticle, for He has done wondrous deeds. Alleluia!
GOSPEL Luke 14:1-11
At
that time, when Jesus went into the house of one of the Pharisees, on
the sabbath day, that they watched him. And behold, there was a certain
man before him that had the dropsy. And Jesus answering, spoke to the
lawyers and Pharisees, saying: "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?"
But they held their peace. But he taking him, healed him and sent him away. And answering them, he said: "Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit and will not immediately draw him out, on the sabbath day?" And they could not answer him to these things.
And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: "When
thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the first place, lest
perhaps one more honourable than thou be invited by him: And he that
invited thee and him, come and say to thee: 'Give this man place.' And
then thou begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art
invited, go, sit down in the lowest place; that when he who invited thee
cometh, he may say to thee: 'Friend, go up higher.' Then shalt thou
have glory before them that sit at table with thee. Because every one
that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted."
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 39:14, 15
Look
down, O Lord, to help me. Let them be put to shame and confusion who
seek to snatch away my life. Look down, O Lord, to help me.
SECRET
Cleanse us by this Sacrifice, O Lord, and in Your mercy make us worthy to participate in it. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of THE STIGMATA OF SAINT FRANCIS
Bless
the gifts we offer to You, O Lord, and cleanse us from all stain of sin
through the intercession of blessed Francis. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT HILDEGARDE
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 70:16-17, 18
O
Lord, I will be mindful of Your singular justice. O God, You have
taught me from my youth, and when I am old and gray, O God, forsake me
not!
POSTCOMMUNION
Purify
our souls, O Lord, and instill new life into them through this Heavenly
Sacrament, so that even our bodies may find strength now and for the
future. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of THE STIGMATA OF SAINT FRANCIS
O
God, in many ways You displayed the wondrous mystery of redemption in
Your blessed confessor Francis. Grant that we may imitate his
devotedness to the cross and find our strength by constantly meditating
upon it. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINT HILDEGARDE
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