20th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST; Saint Teresa of Avila, Virgin, Doctor of the Church (1582 A.D.)

 

 

 

TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Commemoration

SAINT TERESA OF AVILA
Virgin, Doctor

DOUBLE / GREEN

Christian Wisdom does not judge and choose according to rebellious instincts or misguided opinion; it chooses according to the teachings of the New Testament and in view of man's destiny for eternal happiness. The wise Christian sees God's Will in all things and surrenders to God's Will in all things. He chooses God's way gladly and gratefully in all things, and not merely when God's Will is in accord with his own inclinations. Moreover, wisdom leads the Christian to be content with God's favor and guidance and not to ask for signs and wonders to prove His presence and power.
Christian wisdom puts charity above everything. Truth and justice are not enough, for they are never complete without charity. And charity has no national boundaries. As Christ cured the officer's son at a distance, so His death offered on a local altar can mean grace to a pagan in a distant land.

 INTROIT (Dan 3:31, 29, 33)
All that you have done to us, O Lord, you have done in just judgment, because we have disobeyed Your Commandments; but give glory to Your own name and deal with us in accord with Your bounteous mercy.
Ps. 118:1. Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
V. Glory be . . .

GLORIA

COLLECT
Forget Your anger, O Lord, and grant Your faithful pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from their sins and serve You without fear. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT TERESA OF AVILA
When she was seven, Teresa of Avila (1515-82) tried unsuccessfully to run away to seek martyrdom at the hands of the Moors. Following this initial frustration, Teresa spent a normal girlhood, until called to the Carmelite Order in 1533. Twenty years later, when she undertook the reform of her order, she founded many convents of Discalced Carmelites throughout Spain, her principal collaborator being St. John of the Cross. She managed to combine a schedule of heavy administrative responsibility with an intense interior program graced with many mystical blessings and issuing in a group of magnificent writings on the spiritual life. She always had great devotion to Christ the King and to St. Joseph (called the patron of interior souls). And she insisted on prayer for priests as one of the primary duties of her nuns. On account of her invaluable works on mystical Theology, she may be considered one of the greatest Doctors of the Church.

Hear our prayer, O God our savior. The feast of the blessed virgin Teresa fills us with joy; may her holy teaching also inspire us, and the example of her virtuous life guide us. Through our Lord . . .

EPISTLE (Eph. 5:15-21)
See therefore, brethren, how you walk circumspectly: not as unwise, But as wise: redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore, become not unwise: but understanding what is the will of God. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury: but be ye filled with the Holy Spirit, Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord: Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father: Being subject one to another, in the fear of Christ.
 

GRADUAL (Ps. 144:15-16)
The eyes of all look hopefully to You, O Lord, and You give them food in due season.
V. You open Your hand, and fill every living creature with blessing.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 107:2
My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready; I will sing and praise You, my glory. Alleluia!

GOSPEL (St. John 4:46-53)
He came again therefore into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain ruler, whose son was sick at Capharnaum. He having heard that Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, sent to him and prayed him to come down and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
Jesus therefore said to him: "Unless you see signs and wonders, you believe not." The ruler saith to him: Lord, come down before that my son die. Jesus saith to him: "Go thy way. Thy son liveth."
The man believed the word which Jesus said to him and went his way. And as he was going down, his servants met him: and they brought word, saying, that his son lived. He asked therefore of them the hour wherein he grew better. And they said to him: "Yesterday at the seventh hour, the fever left him." The father therefore knew that it was at the same hour that Jesus said to him: "Thy son liveth." And himself believed, and his whole house.

CREED 

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 136:1)
By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept, when we remembered you, O Sion.

SECRET
O Lord, let this sacred rite bring us healing from heaven and cleanse our hearts of all sinfulness. Through our Lord . . . 

Commemoration of SAINT TERESA OF AVILA

Accept this gift, O Lord, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your Saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble. Through our Lord . . . 

  
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 118:49-50)
Remember Your promise to Your servant, O Lord, by which You have given me hope. This is my solace in my affliction.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, make us ever obedient to Your Commandments, that we may be deserving of Your heavenly Gifts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and rules with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

Commemoration of SAINT TERESA OF AVILA 

O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your Saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through our Lord . . .