[Commemoration]SAINTS PERPETUA AND FELICITAS
Martyrs
SIMPLE / PURPLE
INTROIT (Ps. 30:7-8)
I will hope in the Lord. I shall rejoice and be glad because of Your mercy, for You have regarded my humility.
Ps. 30:2. In You, O Lord, have I hoped.Let me never be put to shame. In Your justice rescue me and set me free.
V. Glory be . . .
COLLECT
O Lord, may our fasting and our avoidance of sin win for us Your readier forgiveness. Through Our Lord . . .
Vivia Perpetua, a young wife and mother of noble birth, and Felicitas, a slave girl who was with child, were among the Christians arrested in Carthage (Africa) during the year 203. Felicitas gave birth to a daughter in prison, and the baby was adopted by a fellow Christian. Three days later the martyrs were exposed to wild beasts in the arena. The people soon tired of seeing the young mothers tortured and demanded that they should be slain by the sword. Greater devotion no human beings can have than to prefer Christ to the children of their love.
O Lord Our God, grant that we may always honor the victories of Your blessed martyrs Perpetua and Felicitas. Although we are unable to pay them the honor that is due, may we at least offer them our humble tribute. Through Our Lord . . .
LESSON (Ex. 20:12-24)
Thus says the Lord God: "Honour thy
father and thy mother, that thou mayst be long-lived upon the land
which the Lord thy God will give thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt
not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false
witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's
house; neither shalt thou desire his wife, nor his servant, nor his
handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his."
And all the people saw the voices and
the flames, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mount smoking; and
being terrified and struck with fear, they stood afar off, Saying to
Moses: "Speak thou to us, and we will hear: let not the Lord speak to
us, lest we die."
And Moses said to the people: "Fear
not; for God is come to prove you, and that the dread of him might be
in you, and you should not sin."
And the people stood afar off. But
Moses went to the dark cloud wherein God was. And the Lord said to
Moses: "Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel: You have seen
that I have spoken to you from heaven. You shall not make gods of
silver, nor shall you make to yourselves gods of gold. You shall make
an altar of earth unto me, and you shall offer upon it your holocausts
and peace offerings, your sheep and oxen, in every place where the
memory of my name shall be."
GRADUAL (Ps. 6:3-4)
Have pity on me, O Lord, for I am weak; heal me, O Lord.
V. For my body is in terror, and my soul. too, is utterly terrified.
TRACT (Ps. 102:10; 78:8-9)
O Lord, repay us not according to the sins we have committed, nor according to our iniquities.
V. O Lord, remember not our iniquities of the past, let Your mercy come quickly to us, for we are being brought very low. (All Kneel.)
V. Help us, O God our Savior, and for the glory of Your name, O Lord, deliver us; and pardon us our sins for Your name's sake.
GOSPEL (Matt. 15:1-20)
At that time, then came to him from
Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees, saying: "Why do thy disciples
transgress the tradition of the ancients? For they wash not their hands
when they eat bread." But he answering, said to them: "Why
do you also transgress the commandment of God for your tradition? For
God said: 'Honour thy father and mother': And: 'He that shall curse
father or mother, let him die the death.' But you say: 'Whosoever shall
say to father or mother, "The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall
profit thee." And he shall not honour his father or his mother': and
you have made void the commandment of God for your tradition.
Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying: 'This people
honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me. And in
vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines and commandments of men.' "
And having called together the multitudes unto him, he said to them: "Hear ye and understand. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man: but what cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."
Then came his disciples, and said to
him: "Dost thou know that the Pharisees, when they heard this word,
were scandalized?" But he answering, said: "Every
plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Let them alone: they are blind, and leaders of the blind. And if the
blind lead the blind, both fall into the pit."
And Peter answering, said to him: "Expound to us this parable." But he said: "Are
you also yet without understanding? Do you not understand, that
whatsoever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast
out into the privy? But the things which proceed out of the mouth, come
forth from the heart, and those things defile a man. For from the heart
come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,
false testimonies, blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man.
But to eat with unwashed hands doth not defile a man."
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 108:21)
O Lord, be merciful to me for Your name's sake, because Your mercy is sweet.
SECRET
O Lord, accept the prayers and
sacrifice Your people offer You. May we who celebrate Your sacred rites
be guarded from all danger. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINTS PERPETUA & FELICITAS
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ps. 15:11)
You have made known to me the path of life; You shall fill me with the joy of Your presence, O Lord.
POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, may the heavenly banquet of
which we have partaken sanctify us, free us of all error, and make us
worthy of Your promise of heaven. Through Our Lord . . .
We have been filled with spiritual gifts and joy, O Lord. May we always profit spiritually from the service we perform here on earth, through the intercession of Your holy martyrs Perpetua and Felicitas. Through Our Lord . . .
PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
O Almighty God, may we who seek the
help of Your protection be delivered from all evil, to serve You with
untroubled minds. Through Our Lord . . .
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