The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, 4th Sunday after Pentecost

THE NATIVITY OF 
SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

[Commemoration]

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

DOUBLE, FIRST CLASS / WHITE

Our Lord said of His Precursor that among those born of women there had not risen a greater than John the Baptist. John was more than a prophet, because it was his office to point out to mankind the Saviour whom the ancient prophets had foretold obscurely and from afar. The Baptist practiced in a heroic degree the virtues of purity, penance, and incessant prayer; but the crown of his great holiness was his selfless humility. "He must increase, but I must decrease," John said of Christ. These words are the inspiration of foreign missioners striving to train native priests, in order to yield their places to them. They also mark the goal of all sincere Catholics, in whom self must die before they can attain "to the mature measure of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13).

INTROIT Isa. 49:1, 2
The Lord has called me by name from my mother's womb, and He has made my mouth as a sharp sword. Under the shadow of His hand He has protected me, and has made me a chosen arrow.
Ps. 91:2. It is good to praise the Lord, and sing to Your name, O Most High!
V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O God, the birth of blessed John made this day one of honor to us. Grant the grace of spiritual happiness to Your people everywhere, and lead Your people in the path of eternal salvation. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of 4TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that the world may be regulated in its course by Thy governance for our peace, and that Thy Church may with tranquil devotion rejoice. Through our Lord . . .

LESSON Isa. 49:1-3, 5, 6, 7
Give ear, ye islands, and hearken, ye people from afar. The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he hath been mindful of my name. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword: in the shadow of his hand he hath protected me, and hath made me as a chosen arrow: in his quiver he hath hidden me. And he said to me: Thou art my servant Israel, for in thee will I glory. And now the Lord, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, says, "Behold, I have given thee to be the light of the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth. Kings shall see, and princes shall rise up, and adore for the Lord's sake, because he is faithful, and for the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee."

GRADUAL Jer. 1:5, 9
Before I formed you in the body of your mother, I knew you; and before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you.
V. The Lord stretched forth His hand and touched my mouth, and said to me:

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Luke 1:76
"Thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High, for thou shall go before the Lord to prepare His ways." Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 1:57-68
At that time, Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come: and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her: and they congratulated with her. And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child: and they called him by his father's name Zachary. And his mother answering, said: "Not so. But he shall be called John." And they said to her: "There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name." And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: "John is his name." And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed: and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came upon all their neighbours: and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea. And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: "What an one, think ye, shall this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him. And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost. And he prophesied, saying: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people."

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 91:13
The just man shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon.

SECRET
We place our gifts upon Your altar, O Lord, in solemn celebration of the birthday of John. John was the herald of the coming of the Saviour of the world, and pointed Him out when He arrived as Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord; who lives and rules with You.

Commemoration of 4TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Accept our oblations, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and be appeased by them, and mercifully compel even our rebel wills to turn to Thee. Through our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Luke 1:76
Thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High, for thou shalt go before the Lord to prepare His ways.

POSTCOMMUNION
O God, let Your Church rejoice over the birth of blessed John the Baptist, for through him she came to know the author of her own birth, Jesus Christ, Your Son our Lord; who lives and rules with You . . .

Commemoration of 4TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
May the Mysteries which we have received, we beseech Thee, O Lord, purify us, and fulfill their purpose by defending us. Through our Lord . . .

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

THE SEVEN BROTHERS 
Martyrs


SAINTS RUFINA AND SECUNDA 
Virgins and Martyrs

DOUBLE / GREEN
INTROIT Ps. 26:1, 2
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Mine enemies that have troubled me have themselves been weakened and have fallen.Ps. 26:3. If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear.V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that the world may be regulated in its course by Thy governance for our peace, and that Thy Church may with tranquil devotion rejoice. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS RUFINA AND SECUNDA, SEVEN HOLY BROTHERS

The Roman widow Felicitas and her seven sons were martyred in about the year 162. Pope Gregory the Great said of her, "She was more than a martyr, for seeing her seven children martyred before her eyes, she was in some sort a martyr in each of them."
A century later, Rufina and Secunda, daughters of a wealthy Roman, refused to marry two suitors who had apostatized from the Christian religion. They were scourged and beheaded.

O Lord, we pay honor to the bravery of Your glorious Martyrs in bearing witness to You. Grant that we may feel the power of their intercession with You. Through our Lord . . .

EPISTLE Rom. 8:18-23
Brethren: I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that shall be revealed in us. For the expectation of the creature waiteth for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity: not willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject, in hope. Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now. And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit: even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body.

GRADUAL Ps. 78:9, 10
Forgive us our sins, O Lord. lest the Gentiles should at any time say, "Where is their God?"V. Help us, O God, our Savior; and for the honor of Thy Name, O Lord, deliver us.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 9:5
O God, who sittest upon the throne, and judgest justice, be Thou the refuge of the poor in tribulation. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 5:1-11
At that time, when the multitudes pressed upon Jesus to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Genesareth, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets. And going into one of the ships that was Simon's, he desired him to draw back a little from the land. And sitting, he taught the multitudes out of the ship. Now when he had ceased to speak, he said to Simon: "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught." 
And Simon answering said to him: "Master, we have laboured all the night and have taken nothing: but at thy word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes: and their net broke. And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they were almost sinking.
Which when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken. And so were also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. And Jesus saith to Simon: "Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men." And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed him.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 12:4-5
Enlighten mine eyes, that I never sleep in death, lest at any time mine enemy say, "I have prevailed against him."

SECRET
Accept our oblations, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and be appeased by them, and mercifully compel even our rebel wills to turn to Thee. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS RUFINA AND SECUNDA, SEVEN HOLY BROTHERS

Look with favor upon these offerings, O Lord, that they may be an aid to our devotion and to our salvation. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 17:3
The Lord is my firmament, and my refuge, and my deliverer, my God is my helper.

POSTCOMMUNION
May the Mysteries which we have received, we beseech Thee, O Lord, purify us, and fulfill their purpose by defending us. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINTS RUFINA AND SECUNDA, SEVEN HOLY BROTHERS

Almighty God, grant that by the intercession of Your saints we may attain the salvation promised us through this Sacrament. Through our Lord . . .

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

SAINT SILVERIUS
Pope and Martyr

DOUBLE / GREEN
INTROIT Ps. 26:1, 2
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Mine enemies that have troubled me have themselves been weakened and have fallen.Ps. 26:3. If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear.V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that the world may be regulated in its course by Thy governance for our peace, and that Thy Church may with tranquil devotion rejoice. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT SILVERIUS

This brave shepherd of Christ's sheepfold was only a subdeacon when he was elevated to the Roman See. He incurred the unrelenting hatred of the forceful Empress Theodora by refusing to restore to the see of Constantinople the heretical Bishop Anthimos. Pope Silverius was aware that his courageous decision would cost him his life. The Empress had him condemned to banishment on a false charge of high treason. He died in A.D. 537 on an islet off Naples, either of privation or by actual murder.

O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Silverius shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this martyr and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection. Through our Lord . . . 

EPISTLE Rom. 8:18-23
Brethren: I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that shall be revealed in us. For the expectation of the creature waiteth for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity: not willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject, in hope. Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now. And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit: even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body.

GRADUAL Ps. 78:9, 10
Forgive us our sins, O Lord. lest the Gentiles should at any time say, "Where is their God?"V. Help us, O God, our Savior; and for the honor of Thy Name, O Lord, deliver us.

Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 9:5
O God, who sittest upon the throne, and judgest justice, be Thou the refuge of the poor in tribulation. Alleluia!

GOSPEL Luke 5:1-11
At that time, when the multitudes pressed upon Jesus to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Genesareth, And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their nets. And going into one of the ships that was Simon's, he desired him to draw back a little from the land. And sitting, he taught the multitudes out of the ship. Now when he had ceased to speak, he said to Simon: "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught." 
And Simon answering said to him: "Master, we have laboured all the night and have taken nothing: but at thy word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes: and their net broke. And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships, so that they were almost sinking.
Which when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken. And so were also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. And Jesus saith to Simon: "Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men." And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed him.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Ps. 12:4-5
Enlighten mine eyes, that I never sleep in death, lest at any time mine enemy say, "I have prevailed against him."

SECRET
Accept our oblations, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and be appeased by them, and mercifully compel even our rebel wills to turn to Thee. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT SILVERIUS

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 . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 17:3
The Lord is my firmament, and my refuge, and my deliverer, my God is my helper.

POSTCOMMUNION
May the Mysteries which we have received, we beseech Thee, O Lord, purify us, and fulfill their purpose by defending us. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT SILVERIUS

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 . . .