From a treatise On the Refutation of All Heresies by Saint Hippolytus, priest
(Cap. 10, 33-34: PG 16, 3452-3453)
The Word made flesh makes man divine
Our faith is not founded upon empty words; nor are we carried away by mere caprice or beguiled by specious arguments. On the contrary, we put our faith in words spoken by the power of God, spoken by the Word himself at God's command. God wished to win men back from disobedience, not by using force to reduce him to slavery but by addressing to his free will a call to liberty.
The Word spoke first of all through the prophets, but because the message was couched in such obscure language that it could be only dimly apprehended, in the last days the Father sent the Word in person, commanding him to show himself openly so that the world could see him and be saved.
We know that by taking a body from the Virgin he refashioned our fallen nature. We know that his manhood was of the same clay as our own; if this were not so, he would hardly have been a teacher who could expect to be imitated. If he were of a different substance from me, he would surely not have ordered me to do as he did, when by my very nature I am so weak. Such a demand could not be reconciled with his goodness and justice.
No. He wanted us to consider him as no different from ourselves, and so he worked, he was hungry and thirsty, he slept. Without protest he endured his passion, he submitted to death and revealed his resurrection. In all these ways he offered his own manhood as the firstfruits of our race to keep us from losing heart when suffering comes our way, and to make us look forward to receiving the same reward as he did, since we know that we possess the same humanity.
When we have come to know the true God, both our bodies and our souls will be immortal and incorruptible. We shall enter the kingdom of heaven, because while we lived on earth we acknowledged heaven's King. Friends of God and coheirs with Christ, we shall be subject to no evil desires or inclinations, or to any affliction of body or soul, for we shall have become divine. It was because of our human condition that God allowed us to endure these things, but when we have been deified and made immortal, God has promised us a share in his own attributes.
The saying "Know yourself" means therefore that we should recognize and acknowledge in ourselves the God who made us in his own image, for if we do this, we in turn will be recognized and acknowledged by our Maker. So let us not be at enmity with ourselves, but change our way of life without delay. For Christ who is God, exalted above all creation, has taken away man's sin and has refashioned our fallen nature. In the beginning God made man in his image and so gave proof of his love for us. If we obey his holy commands and learn to imitate his goodness, we shall be like him and he will honor us. God is not beggarly, and for the sake of his own glory he has given us a share in his divinity.
Responsory: John 1:14; Baruch 3:38
The Word was made man, and lived among us.
--We have seen his glory,
the glory of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.
He was seen on earth and lived among men.
--We have seen his glory,
the glory of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.
Te Deum
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
R. Govern and uphold them now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you.
R. We praise your name for ever.
V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. for we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope:
R. and we shall never hope in vain.
Prayer
All-powerful God,
may the human birth of your Son free us
from our former slavery to sin and bring us new life.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
From the tractates on the first letter of John by Saint Augustine, bishop
(Tract 1, 1.3: PL 35, 1978. 1980)
Life itself was revealed in the flesh
Our message is the Word of life. We announce what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our own eyes, what we have touched with our own hands. Who could touch the Word with his hands unless the Word was made flesh and lived among us?
Now this Word, whose flesh was so real that he could be touched by human hands, began to be flesh in the Virgin Mary's womb; but he did not begin to exist at that moment. We know this from what John says: What existed from the beginning. Notice how John's letter bears witness to his Gospel, which you just heard a moment ago: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.
Someone might interpret the phrase the Word of life to mean a word about Christ, rather than Christ's body itself which was touched by human hands. But consider what comes next: and life itself was revealed. Christ therefore is himself the Word of life.
And how was this life revealed? It existed from the beginning, but was not revealed to men, only to angels, who looked upon it and feasted upon it as their own spiritual bread. But what does Scripture say? Mankind ate the bread of angels.
Life itself was therefore revealed in the flesh. In this way what was visible to the heart alone could become visible also to the eye, and so heal men's hearts. For the Word is visible to the heart alone, while flesh is visible to bodily eyes as well. We already possessed the means to see the flesh, but we had no means of seeing the Word. The Word was made flesh so that we could see it, to heal the part of us by which we could see the Word.
John continues: And we are witnesses and we proclaim to you that eternal life which was with the Father and has been revealed among us--one might say more simply "revealed to us."
We proclaim to you what we have heard and seen. Make sure that you grasp the meaning of these words. The disciples saw our Lord in the flesh, face to face; they heard the words he spoke, and in turn they proclaimed the message to us. So we also have heard, although we have not seen.
Are we then less favored than those who both saw and heard? If that were so, why should John add: so that you too may have fellowship with us? They saw, and we have not seen; yet we have fellowship with them, because we and they share the same faith.
And our fellowship is with God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son. And we write this to you to make your joy complete--complete in that fellowship, in that love and in that unity.
Responsory
At the last supper John reclined close to the Lord;
--blessed that apostle to whom the mysteries of heaven were revealed.
He drank from the streams of living water
which flowed from the heart of the Lord.
--Blessed that apostle to whom the mysteries of heaven were revealed.
Te Deum
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
R. Govern and uphold them now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you.
R. We praise your name for ever.
V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. for we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope:
R. and we shall never hope in vain.
Prayer
God our Father,
you have revealed the mysteries of your Word
through John the apostle.
By prayer and reflection
may we come to understand the wisdom he taught.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
From a sermon by Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe, bishop
(Sermo 3, 1-3. 5-6: CCL 91A, 905-909)
The armament of love
Yesterday we celebrated the birth in time of our eternal King. Today we celebrate the triumphant suffering of his soldier. Yesterday our king, clothed in his robe of flesh, left his place in the virgin's womb and graciously visited the world. Today his soldier leaves the tabernacle of his body and goes triumphantly to heaven.
Our king, despite his exalted majesty, came in humility for our sake; yet he did not come empty-handed. He brought his soldiers a great gift that not only enriched them but also made them unconquerable in battle, for it was the gift of love, which was to bring men to share in his divinity. He gave of his bounty, yet without any loss to himself. In a marvelous way he changed into wealth the poverty of his faithful followers while remaining in full possession of his own inexhaustible riches.
And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven; shown first in the king, it later shone forth in his soldier. Love was Stephen's weapon by which he gained every battle, and so won the crown signified by his name. His love of God kept him from yielding to the ferocious mob; his love for his neighbor made him pray for those who were stoning him. Love inspired him to reprove those who erred, to make them amend; love led him to pray for those who stoned him, to save them from punishment. Strengthened by the power of his love, he overcame the raging cruelty of Saul and won his persecutor on earth as his companion in heaven. In his holy and tireless love he longed to gain by prayer those whom he could not convert by admonition.
Now at last, Paul rejoices with Stephen, with Stephen he delights in the glory of Christ, with Stephen he exalts, with Stephen he reigns. Stephen went first, slain by the stones thrown by Paul, but Paul followed after, helped by the prayer of Stephen. This, surely, is the true life, my brothers, a life in which Paul feels no shame because of Stephen's death, and Stephen delights in Paul's companionship, for love fills them both with joy. It was Stephen's love that prevailed over the cruelty of the mob, and it was Paul's love that covered the multitude of his sins; it was love that won for both of them the kingdom of heaven.
Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defense, and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in love can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him, protects him, and brings him to his journey's end.
My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.
Responsory
Yesterday the Lord was born on earth that Stephen might be born
in heaven;
--the Lord entered into our world that Stephen might enter into
heaven.
Yesterday our King, clothed in our flesh,
came forth from the virgin's womb to dwell among us.
--The Lord entered into our world that Stephen might enter into
heaven.
Prayer
Lord
today we celebrate the entrance of Saint Stephen
into eternal glory.
He died praying for those who killed him.
Help us to imitate his goodness
and to love our enemies.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God. for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
From a discourse On the Contemplation of God by William of Saint Thierry, abbot
(Nn. 9-11: SC 61, 90-96)
He loved us first
Truly you alone are the Lord. Your dominion is our salvation, for to serve you is nothing else but to be saved by you! O Lord, salvation is your gift and your blessing is upon your people; what else is your salvation but receiving from you the gift of loving you or being loved by you? That, Lord, is why you willed that the Son at your right hand, the man whom you made strong for yourself, should be called Jesus, that is to say, Savior, for he will save his people from their sins, and there is no other in whom there is salvation. He taught us to love him by first loving us, even to death on the cross. By loving us and holding us so dear, he stirred us to love him who had first loved us to the end.
And this is clearly the reason: you first loved us so that we might love you--not because you needed our love, but because we could not be what you created us to be, except by loving you.
In many ways and on various occasions you spoke to our fathers through the prophets. Now in these last days you have spoken to us in the Son, your Word; by him the heavens were established and all their powers came to be by the breath of his mouth.
For you to speak thus in your Son was to bring out in the light of day how much and in what way you loved us, for you did not spare your own Son but delivered him up for us all. He also loved us and gave himself up for us.
This, Lord, is your Word to us, this is your all-powerful message: while all things were in midnight silence (that is, were in the depths of error), he came from his royal throne, the stern conqueror of error and the gentle apostle of love.
Everything he did and everything he said on earth, even enduring the insults, the spitting, the buffeting--the cross and the grave--all of this was actually you speaking to us in your Son, appealing to us by your love and stirring up our love for you.
You know that this disposition could not be forced on men's hearts, my God, since you created them; it must rather be elicited. And this, for the further reason that there is no freedom where there is compulsion, and where freedom is lacking, so too is righteousness.
You wanted us to love you, then, we who could not with justice have been saved had we not loved you, nor could we have loved you except by your gift. So, Lord, as the apostle of your love tells us, and as we have already said, you first loved us: you are first to love all those who love you.
Thus we hold you dear by the affection you have implanted in us. You are the one supremely good and ultimate goodness. Your love is your goodness, the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son! From the beginning of creation it was he who hovered over the waters--that is, over the wavering minds of men, offering himself to all, drawing all things to himself. By his inspiration and holy breath, by keeping us from harm and providing for our needs, he unites God to us and us to God.
Responsory: Isaiah 54:10
My mercy will not leave you,
and the covenant of my peace will not be changed;
--I shall make all your sons learned in the Lord,
and they shall enjoy a lasting peace.
I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is good
and guides you in the path you should walk.
--I shall make all your sons learned in the Lord,
and they shall enjoy a lasting peace.
Prayer
Lord,
hear our voices raised in prayer.
Let the light of the coming of your Son
free us from the darkness of sin.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
Lucy died at Syracuse, probably during the persecution of Diocletian. From antiquity her cult spread throughout the Church, and her name was therefore introduced into the Roman Canon.
From the book On Virginity by Saint Ambrose, bishop
(Cap. 12, 68. 74-75; 13, 77-78: PL 16 [edit. 1845], 281. 283. 285-286)
You light up your grace of body with your splendor of soul
You are one of God's people, of God's family, a virgin among virgins; you light up your grace of body with your splendor of soul. More than others you can be compared to the Church. When you are in your room, then, at night, think always on Christ, and wait for his coming at every moment.
This is the person Christ has loved in loving you, the person he has chosen in choosing you. He enters by the open door; he has promised to come in, and he cannot deceive. Embrace him, the one you have sought; turn to him, and be enlightened; hold him fast, ask him not to go in haste, beg him not to leave you. The Word of God moves swiftly; he is not won by the lukewarm, nor held fast by the negligent. Let your soul be attentive to his word; follow carefully the path God tells you to take, for he is swift in his passing.
What does his bride say? I sought him, and did not find him; I called him, and he did not hear me. Do not imagine that you are displeasing to him although you have called him, asked him opened the door to him, and that this is the reason why he has gone so quickly; no, for he allows us to be constantly tested. When the crowds pressed him to stay, what does he say in the Gospel? I must preach the word of God to other cities, because I have been sent for that. But even if it seems to you that he has left you, go out and seek him once more.
Who but holy Church is to teach you how to hold Christ fast? Indeed, she has already taught you, if you only understood her words in Scripture: How short a time it was when I left them before I found him whom my soul has loved. I held him fast, and I will not let him go.
How do we hold him fast? Not by restraining chains or knotted ropes but by bonds of love, by spiritual reins, by the longing of the soul.
If you also, like the bride, wish to hold him fast, seek him and be fearless of suffering. It is often easier to find him in the midst of bodily torments, in the very hands of persecutors.
His bride says: How short a time it was after I left them. In a little space, after a brief moment, when you have escaped from the hands of your persecutors without yielding to the powers of this world, Christ will come to you, and he will not allow you to be tested for long.
Whoever seeks Christ in this way, and finds him, can say: I held him fast, and I will not let him go before I bring him into my mother's house, into the room of her who conceived me. What is this "house," this "room," but the deep and secret places of your heart?
Maintain this house, sweep out its secret recesses until it becomes immaculate and rises as a spiritual temple for a holy priesthood, firmly secured by Christ, the cornerstone, so that the Holy Spirit may dwell in it.
Whoever seeks Christ in this way, whoever prays to Christ in this way, is not abandoned by him; on the contrary, Christ comes again and again to visit such a person, for he is with us until the end of the world.
Responsory
The grace of the Lord gave her strength in the battle,
and she was glorified before God and man.
In the presence of the prince she spoke with wisdom,
--and therefore the Lord of heaven and earth has loved her.
She is the virgin
who prepared a joyful home for God in her heart.
--And therefore the Lord of heaven and earth has loved her.
Prayer
Lord,
give us courage through the prayers of Saint Lucy.
As we celebrate her entrance into eternal glory,
we ask to share her happiness in the life to come.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, near Mexico City, is one of the most celebrated places of pilgrimage in North America. On 9 December 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to an Indian convert, Juan Diego, at Tepeyac and left him with a picture of herself imprinted upon his cloak. Devotion to Mary under the title of "Our Lady of Guadalupe" has continually increased, and today the is the Patroness of the Americas. Because of the close link between the Church in Mexico and the Church in the United States this feast was also added to the proper calendar for the dioceses of the United States.
From a report by Don Antonio Valeriano, a Native American author of the sixteenth century
The Voice of the Turtledove has been heard in our land
(Nican Mopohua, 12th ed., 3:19, 21)
At daybreak one Saturday morning in 1531, a few days before the month of December, an Indian named Juan Diego was going from the village where he lived to Tlatelolco in order to take part in divine worship and listen to God's commandments. When he came near the hill called Tepeyac, dawn had already come, and Juan Diego heard someone calling him from the very top of the hill: "Juanito, Juan Dieguito."
He went up the hill and caught sight of a lady of unearthly grandeur whose clothing was as radiant as the sun. She said to him in words both gentle and courteous: "Juanito, the humblest of my children, know and understand that I am the ever virgin Mary, Mother of the true God through whom all things live. It is my ardent desire that a church be erected here so that in it I can show and bestow my love, compassion, help, and protection to all who inhabit this land and to those others who love me, that they might call upon and confide in me. Go to the Bishop of Mexico to make known to him what I greatly desire. Go and put all your efforts into this."
When Juan Diego arrived in the presence of the Bishop, Fray Juan de Zumarraga, a Franciscan, the latter did not seem to believe Juan Diego and answered: "Come another time, and I will listen at leisure."
Juan Diego returned to the hilltop where the Heavenly Lady was waiting, and he said to her: "My Lady, my maiden, I presented your message to the Bishop, but it seemed that he did not think it was the truth. For this reason I beg you to entrust your message to someone more illustrious who might convey it in order that they may believe it, for I am only an insignificant man."
She answered him: "Humblest of my sons, I ask that tomorrow you again go to see the Bishop and tell him that I, the ever virgin holy Mary, Mother of God, am the one who personally sent you."
But on the following day, Sunday, the Bishop again did not believe Juan Diego and told him that some sign was necessary so that he could believe that it was the Heavenly Lady herself who sent him. And then he dismissed Juan Diego.
On Monday Juan Diego did not return. His uncle, Juan Bernardino, became very ill, and at night asked Juan to go to Tiatelolco at daybreak to call a priest to hear his confession.
Juan Diego set out on Tuesday, but he went around the hill and passed on the other side, toward the east, so as to arrive quickly in Mexico City and to avoid being detained by the Heavenly Lady. But she came out to meet him on that side of the hill and said to him: "Listen and understand, my humblest son. There is nothing to frighten and distress you. Do not let your heart be troubled, and let nothing upset you. Is it not I, your Mother, who is here? Are you not under my protection? Are you not, fortunately, in my care? Do not let your uncle's illness distress you. It is certain that he has already been cured. Go up to the hilltop, my son, where you will find flowers of various kinds. Cut them, and bring them into my presence.
When Juan Diego reached the peak, he was astonished that so many Castilian roses had burst forth at a time when the frost was severe. He carried the roses in the folds of his tilma (mantle) to the Heavenly Lady. She said to him: "My son, this is the proof and the sign which you will bring to the Bishop so that he will see my will in it. You are my ambassador, very worthy of trust."
Juan Diego set out on his way, now content and sure of succeeding. On arriving in the Bishop's presence, he told him: "My lord, I did what you asked. The Heavenly Lady complied with your request and fulfilled it. She sent me to the hilltop to cut some Castilian roses and told me to bring them to you in person. And this I am doing, so that you can see in them the sign you seek in order to carry out her will. Here they are; receive them."
He immediately opened up his white mantle, and as all the different Castilian roses scattered to the ground, there was drawn on the cloak and suddenly appeared the precious image of the ever virgin Mary, Mother of God, in the same manner as it is today and is kept in her shrine of Tepeyac.
The whole city was stirred and came to see and admire her venerable image and to offer prayers to her; and following the command which the same Heavenly Lady gave to Juan Bernardino when she restored him to health, they called her by the name that she herself had used: "the ever virgin holy Mary of Guadalupe."
Alternative:
From the message of Pope Paul VI to the Mexican people
The best homage to Mary: loving God and neighbor
(L'Osservatore Romano, 18 October 1970)
Beloved sons and daughters, we wish to unite our voice to that filial hymn which the Mexican people raise up today to the Mother of God. Devotion to the most holy Virgin of Guadalupe must be for all of you a constant and specific demand for authentic Christian renewal. The crown which she expects from all of you is not so much a material one as a precious spiritual crown, shaped by a profound love of Christ and a sincere love of all: the two commandments which sum up the gospel message. The same most holy Virgin, with her example, guides us on these two paths.
In the first place, she exhorts us to make Christ the center and summit of our whole Christian life. She remains hidden, with supreme humility, so that the image of her Son might appear to humanity with all its incomparable brightness. For this reason, true Marian devotion reaches its fullness and its most rightful expression when it is a path to the Lord and directs all its love toward him, just as Mary knew how to do, so as to intertwine in one and the same impulse the tenderness of a mother and the piety of a creature.
But in addition, and precisely because she loved Christ so dearly, our Mother fulfilled perfectly that second commandment which must be the norm of all human relations: the love of neighbor. How beautiful and delicate was the intervention of Mary at the wedding feast of Cana, when she moved her Son to accomplish the first miracle of turning the water into wine solely to help those young spouses! It is a complete sign of the constant love of the Virgin for humanity in need, and ought to be an example for all those who seek to be considered truly her sons and daughters.
Christians can do no less than to show solidarity in seeking a solution to the situation of those to whom the bread of culture has not yet come nor the opportunity of honorable and justly remunerated work. They cannot remain indifferent while new generations find no path for the realization of their legitimate aspirations, and while part of humanity continues to be placed at the margins of the advantages of civilization and progress. For this reason, on this celebrated feast, we urge you from our heart to give your Christian life a clear social sense--as the Council has asked--that you may always be in the front line in all efforts to attain progress, and in all the initiatives for improving the situation of those who suffer want. See in each person a brother or a sister--a brother or sister in Christ--in such a way that the love of God and the love of the neighbor become united in the same love, alive and operative, which is the only thing that can redeem the miseries of the world, renewing it in its most profound root, the human heart.
The person who has much should be conscious of his or her obligation to serve and contribute with generosity to the good of all. The person who has little or who has nothing should, with the help of a just society, make every effort at self-improvement and of going beyond self, and even in cooperating in the progress of those who suffer the same situation. And, all of you, feel the obligation to unite fraternally so as to help forge this new world for which the human race longs.
This is what the Virgin of Guadalupe asks of you today, this fidelity to the Gospel, of which she knew how to be the most eminent example.
Upon you, dearly beloved sons and daughters, we implore with confidence the maternal benevolence of the Mother of God and Mother of the Church, in order that she may continue to protect your nation and to direct and impel it more and more along the paths of progress, communal love, and a peaceful life together.
Responsory: See Matthew 22:37-39; Matthew 25:40
You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all
your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first
commandment.
And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
--You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do
for me.
--You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Prayer
God of power and mercy,
you blessed the Americas at Tepeyac
with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe.
May her prayers help all men and women
to accept each other as brothers and sisters.
Through your justice present in our hearts
may your peace reign in the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
From a sermon by Saint Anselm, bishop
(Oratio 52: PL 158, 955-956)
Virgin Mary, all nature is blessed in you
Blessed Lady, sky and stars, earth and rivers, day and night -- everything that is subject to the power or use of man -- rejoice that through you they are in some sense restored to their lost beauty and are endowed with inexpressible new grace. All creatures were dead, as it were, useless for men or for the praise of God, who made them. The world, contrary to its true destiny, was corrupted and tainted by the acts of men who served idols. Now all creation has been restored to life and rejoices that it is controlled and given splendor by men who believe in God.
The universe rejoices with new and indefinable loveliness. Not only does it feel the unseen presence of God himself, its Creator, it sees him openly, working and making it holy. These great blessings spring from the blessed fruit of Mary's womb.
Through the fullness of the grace that was given you, dead things rejoice in their freedom, and those in heaven are glad to be made new. Through the Son who was the glorious fruit of your virgin womb, just souls who died before his life-giving death rejoice as they are freed from captivity, and the angels are glad at the restoration of their shattered domain.
Lady, full and overflowing with grace, all creation receives new life from your abundance. Virgin, blessed above all creatures, through your blessing all creation is blessed, not only creation from its Creator, but the Creator himself has been blessed by creation.
To Mary God gave his only-begotten Son, whom he loved as himself. Through Mary God made himself a Son, not different but the same, by nature Son of God and Son of Mary. The whole universe was created by God, and God was born of Mary. God created all things, and Mary gave birth to God. The God who made all things gave himself form through Mary, and thus he made his own creation. He who could create all things from nothing would not remake his ruined creation without Mary.
God, then, is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Savior of the world. Without God's Son, nothing could exist; without Mary's Son, nothing could be redeemed.
Truly the Lord is with you, to whom the Lord granted that all nature should owe as much to you as to himself.
Responsory: Psalm 34:4; 86:13; Luke 1:48
Proclaim with me the glory of the Lord,
--for great is his merciful love for me.
From this day all generations will call me blessed.
--For great is his merciful love for me.
Te Deum
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
R. Govern and uphold them now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you.
R. We praise your name for ever.
V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. for we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope:
R. and we shall never hope in vain.
Prayer
Father,
you prepared the Virgin Mary
to be the worthy mother of your Son.
You let her share beforehand
in the salvation Christ would bring by his death,
and kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.
Help us by her prayers
to live in your presence without sin.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Alternative Prayer
Father,
the image of the Virgin is found in the Church.
Mary had a faith that your Spirit prepared
and a love that never knew sin,
for you kept her sinless from the first moment of her conception.
Trace in our actions the lines of her love,
in our hearts her readiness of faith.
Prepare once again a world for your Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
The Immaculate Conception of the glorious and ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God. On this day, the Sovereign Pontiff, Pius IX, solemnly defined that by a singular privilege of God, she was preserved free from all stain of original sin. A totum duplex feast of the first class.
At Treves, St. Eucharius, who was a disciple of St. Peter the Apostle, and first Bishop of Treves.
At Alexandria, St. Macarius, martyr. In the time of Decius, the judge tried by many arguments to persuade him to deny Christ, but he confessed the faith with all the greater firmness. Finally, he was ordered to be burned alive.
In Cyprus, St. Sophronius, bishop. He was a wonderful protector of wards, orphans, and widows, and a helper of all the poor and oppressed.
In the monastery of Luxeuil in Gaul, St. Romaricus, abbot. He had very high rank at the court of King Theodebert, but, forsaking the world, he excehed others in his observance of the monastic life.
At Constantinople, St. Patapius, hermit, who was renowned for his virtues and miracles.
At Rome, the finding of the bodies of the holy martyrs Nemesius, deacon, his daughter the virgin Lucina, Symphronius, Olympius the tribune, Exuperia, his wife, and Theodulus, his son. Commemoration of them is made on August 25.
At Verona, the ordination of St. Zeno, bishop.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for the Second Sunday in Advent
From a commentary on Isaiah by Eusebius of Caesarea, bishop
(Cap. 40: PG 24, 366-367)
The voice in the wilderness
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. The prophecy makes clear that it is to be fulfilled, not in Jerusalem but in the wilderness: it is there that the glory of the Lord is to appear, and God's salvation is to be made known to all mankind.
It was in the wilderness that God's saving presence was proclaimed by John the Baptist, and there that God's salvation was seen. The words of this prophecy were fulfilled when Christ and his glory were made manifest to all: after his baptism the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove rested on him, and the Father's voice was heard, bearing witness to the Son: This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
The prophecy meant that God was to come to a deserted place, inaccessible from the beginning. None of the pagans had any knowledge of God, since his holy servants and prophets were kept from approaching them. The voice commands that a way be prepared for the Word of God: the rough and trackless ground is to be made level, so that our God may find a highway when he comes. Prepare the way of the Lord: the way is the preaching of the Gospel, the new message of consolation, ready to bring to all mankind the knowledge of God's saving power.
Climb on a high mountain, bearer of good news to Zion. Lift up your voice in strength, bearer of good news to Jerusalem. These words harmonize very well with the meaning of what has gone before. They refer opportunely to the evangelists and proclaim the coming of God to men, after speaking of the voice crying in the wilderness. Mention of the evangelists suitably follows the prophecy on John the Baptist.
What does Zion mean if not the city previously called Jerusalem? This is the mountain referred to in that passage from Scripture: Here is mount Zion, where you dwelt. The Apostle says: You have come to mount Zion. Does not this refer to the company of the apostles, chosen from the former people of the circumcision?
This is the Zion, the Jerusalem, that received God's salvation. It stands aloft on the mountain of God, that is, it is raised high on the only-begotten Word of God. It is commanded to climb the high mountain and announce the word of salvation. Who is the bearer of the good news but the company of the evangelists? What does it mean to bear the good news but to preach to all nations, but first of all to the cities of Judah, the coming of Christ on earth?
Responsory: See Matthew 11:11, 9
The herald of the Lord approaches,
of whom the Lord says:
--No one born of woman
is greater than John the Baptist.
Truly this is a great prophet,
and more than a prophet,
of whom the Lord says:
--No one born of woman
is greater than John the Baptist.
Te Deum
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
V. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
R. Govern and uphold them now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you.
R. We praise your name for ever.
V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
R. for we put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope:
R. and we shall never hope in vain.
Prayer
God of power and mercy,
open our hearts in welcome.
Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy,
so that we may share his wisdom
and become one with him
when he comes in glory,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Alternative Prayer
Father in heaven,
the day draws near when the glory of your Son
will make radiant the night of the waiting world.
May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy
which moves the hearts of those who seek him.
May the darkness not blind us
to the vision of wisdom
which fills the minds of those who find him.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Let us prais the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
The Vigil of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The octave of St. Andrew the Apostle. A memory.
St. Ambrose, bishop, confessor, and Doctor of the Church. He died in the Lord on April 4; but his feast is observed today -- the day on which he took charge of the Church of Milan. A duplex feast.
At Rome, blessed Eutychian, pope. With his own hands, he buried three hundred and forty-two martyrs in various places. He himself was joined to them by being crowned with martyrdom in the reign of the Emperor Numerian, and was buried in the cemetery of Callistus.
At Alexandria, the birthday of Blessed Agatho, soldier. In the persecution of Decius, he prevented some men from making sport of the bodies of the martyrs. Quickly a cry against him arose from the rabble. He was brought before the judge, and since he remained firm in his confession of Christ, he was sentenced to death for his reverence.
At Antioch, the holy martyrs Polycarp and Theodore.
At Tuburbum in Africa, St. Servus, martyr. In the Vandal persecution under the Arian King Hunneric, he was beaten with clubs for a long time, repeatedly lifted on high by pulleys, then swiftly dropped, with all the weight of his body, on flints. Then he was scraped with very sharp stones until he had gained the palm of martyrdom.
At Teano in Campania, St. Urban, bishop and confessor.
Near Saintes in Gaul, St. Martin, abbot, at whose tomb numerous miracles take place.
At Farmoutiers in the territory of Meaux, the commemoration of St. Fara, also called Burgundofara, abbess and virgin. Her birthday is celebrated on April 3.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for December 6, Optional Memorial of Nicholas, bishop
Nicholas was the bishop of Myra in Lycia (now part of Turkey). He died in the middle of the fourth century and, particularly since the tenth century, has been honored by the whole Church.
From a treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop
(Tract. 123, 5: CCL 36, 678-680)
The strength of love ought to overcome the fear of death
When the Lord asks Peter if he loves him, he is asking something he already knows. Yet he does not ask only once, but a second and third time. Each time Peter's answer is the same: You know I love you. Each time the Lord gives him the same command: Tend my sheep.
Peter had denied Christ three times, and to counter this he must profess his faith three times. Otherwise his tongue would seem quicker to serve fear than love, and the threat of death would seem to have made him more eloquent than did the presence of life. If denying the shepherd was proof of fear, then the task of love is to tend his flock.
When those who are tending Christ's flock wish that the sheep were theirs rather than his, they stand convicted of loving themselves, not Christ. And the Lord's words are a repeated admonition to them and to all who, as Paul writes sadly, are seeking their own ends, not Christ's.
Do you love me? Tend my sheep. Surely this means: "If you love me, your thoughts must focus on taking care of my sheep, not taking care of yourself. You must tend them as mine, not as yours; seek in them my glory, not yours; my sovereign rights, not yours; my gain, not yours. Otherwise you will find yourself among those who belong to the 'times of peril,' those who are guilty of self-love and the other sins that go with that beginning of evils."
So the shepherds of Christ's flock must never indulge in self-love; if they do they will be tending the sheep not as Christ's but as their own. And of all vices this is the one that the shepherds must guard against most earnestly: seeking their own purposes instead of Christ's, furthering their own desires by means of those persons for whom Christ shed his blood.
The love of Christ ought to reach such a spiritual pitch in his shepherds that it overcomes the natural fear of death which makes us shrink from the thought of dying even though we desire to live with Christ. However distressful death may be, the strength of love ought to master the distress. I mean the love we have for Christ who, although he is our life, consented to suffer death for our sake.
Consider this: if death held little or no distress for us, the glory of martyrdom would be less. But if the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for his sheep, has made so many of those same sheep martyrs and witnesses for him, then how much more ought Christ's shepherds to fight for the truth even to death and to shed their blood in opposing sin? After all, the Lord has entrusted them with tending his flock and with teaching and guiding his lambs.
With his passion for their example, Christ's shepherds are most certainly bound to cling to the pattern of his suffering, since even the lambs have so often followed that pattern of the chief shepherd in whose one flock the shepherds themselves are lambs. For the Good Shepherd who suffered for all mankind has made all mankind his lambs, since in order to suffer for them all he made himself a lamb.
Responsory: Sirach 45:3; Psalm 78:70, 71
The Lord glorified him in the sight of kings,
and gave him commandments for his people.
--God revealed to him his glory.
The Lord chose him to be his servant,
a shepherd of his own Israel.
--God revealed to him his glory.
Prayer
Father,
hear our prayers for mercy,
and by the help of St. Nicholas
keep us safe from all danger,
and guide us on the way of salvation.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
At Myra, the capital of Lycia (in Asia Minor), the birthday of St. Nicholas, bishop and confessor. Among his many remarkable miracles, this memorable one is told: although he was far away, he appeared to the Emperor Constantine, and by his warnings and threats induced him to have mercy on, instead of executing, some men who had invoked the assistance of the saint. A duplex feast.
On the same day, St. Polychronius, priest. In the time of the Emperor Constantine, while he was at the altar celebrating Mass, he was attacked by the Arians, who cut his throat.
In Africa, St. Majoricus, son of St. Dionysius. He was a youth who was afraid of torture, but his mother encouraged him by looks and words; whereupon he became more courageous than the rest and gave up his life during the tortures. His mother embraced his body, buried him at home, and made it a practise to pray unceasingly at his tomb.
In the same place, the holy women Dionysia, mother of St. Majoricus the martyr, Dativa, and Leontia; likewise, a religious man named Tertius, Emilian, a physician, Boniface, and three others. In the Vandal persecution under the Arian king Hunneric, they all suffered innumerable and horrible tortures in defense of the Catholic faith, so that they deserve to be associated with the band of holy confessors of Chribe.
At Rome, St. Asella, virgin. St. Jerome wrote that she had been blessed from birth. She spent her whole life, even to old age, in fasting and prayer.
At Granada in Spain, the suffering of Blessed Peter Paschal, Bishop of Jaen and martyr. He belonged to the Order of Our Lady of Ransom for the Redemption of Captives.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for Friday of the First Week in Advent
From the Proslogion by Saint Anselm, bishop
(Cap. 1: Opera omnia, Edit. Schmitt, Secovii, 1938, 1, 97-100)
Desire for the vision of God
Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business for a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a little time for God and rest a while in him.
Enter into your mind's inner chamber. Shut out everything but God and whatever helps you to seek him; and when you have shut the door, look for him. Speak now to God and say with your whole heart: I seek your face; your face, Lord, I desire.
Lord, my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you. Lord, if you are not here where shall I look for you in your absence? Yet if you are everywhere, why do I not see you when you are present? But surely you dwell in "light inaccessible." And where is light inaccessible? How shall I approach light inaccessible? Or who will lead me and bring me into it that I may see you there? And then, by what signs and under what forms shall I seek you? I have never seen you, Lord my God; I do not know your face.
Lord most high, what shall this exile do, so far from you? What shall your servant do, tormented by love of you and cast so far from your face? He yearns to see you, and your face is too far from him. He desires to approach you, and your dwelling is unapproachable. He longs to find you, and does not know your dwelling place. He strives to look for you, and does not know your face.
Lord, you are my God and you are my Lord, and I have never seen you. You have made me and remade me, and you have given me all the good things I possess, and still I do not know you. I was made in order to see you, and I have not yet done that for which I was made.
Lord, how long will it be? How long, Lord, will you forget us? How long will you turn your face away from us? When will you look upon us and hear us? When will you enlighten our eyes and show us your face? When will you give yourself back to us?
Look upon us, Lord, hear us and enlighten us, show us your very self. Restore yourself to us that it may go well with us whose life is so evil without you. Take pity on our efforts and our striving toward you, for we have no strength apart from you.
Teach me to seek you, and when I seek you show yourself to me, for I cannot seek you unless you teach me, nor can I find you unless you show yourself to me. Let me seek you in desiring you and desire you in seeking you, find you in loving you and love you in finding you.
Responsory: Psalm 80:19, 20; 106:4
Never will we leave you, Lord;
you will fill us with life,
and we will call on your name.
--Show us your face and we shall be saved.
Remember us, Lord, because of the love you have for your people.
Come and bring us your salvation.
--Show us your face and we shall be saved.
Prayer
Jesus, our Lord,
save us from our sins.
Come, protect us from all dangers
and lead us to salvation,
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
In Judea, St. Sabas, abbot. He was born in the town of Mutalaska in Cappadocia. He gave a splendid example of holiness and labored most zealously for the Catholic faith against those who attacked the holy Council of Chalcedon. He died peacefully in the laura of the Diocese of Jerusalem, which afterward was called after him the Laura of St. Sabas.
At Nice near the river Var, St. Bassus, bishop. In the persecution of Decius and Valerian, he was tortured for his faith by the governor Perennius. First he was stretched on the rack, then burned with red-hot bars, beaten with clubs and scorpions, and cast into the fire. When he came forth unhurt, he was pierced with two spikes and thus completed his illustrious martyrdom.
At Pavia, St. Dalmatius, bishop and martyr, who suffered in the persecution of Maximian.
At Corfinium among the Pelignians,[1] St. Pelinus, Bishop of Brindisi. In the time of Julian the Apostate, the temple of Mars crashed to the ground at his prayers. The priests of the temple most grievously flogged him and inflicted eighty-five wounds on his body; thus he gained the crown of martyrdom.
Also, St. Athanasius, martyr. Because of his ardent desire for martyrdom, he delivered himself of his own free will to the persecutors.
At Thagura in Africa, the holy martyrs Julius, Potamias, Crispin, Felix, Gratus, and seven others.
At Thebeste in Numidia, St. Crispina, a most noble woman. In the time of Diocletian and Maximian, she was beheaded by command of the proconsul Anolinus because she refused to offer sacrifice. Saint Augustine often praised her.
At Treves, St. Nicetius, bishop, a man of marvellous holiness.
At Polyboton in Asia (Minor), St. John, bishop, surnamed the Wonderworker.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Footnote:
[1] The Pelignians were an ancient Sabine tribe. Their chief town, Corfinium, no longer exists; near its ruins is the city of Valva.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for December 4, Optional Memorial of John Damascene, priest and doctor
John Damascene was born of a Christian family in Damascus in the latter part of the seventh century. Learned in philosophy, he became a monk in the monastery of Saint Sabbas near Jerusalem and was then ordained a priest. He wrote many doctrinal works, particularly against iconoclasts. He died in the middle of the eighth century.
From The Statement of Faith by Saint John Damascene, priest
(Cap. 1: PG 95, 417-419)
You have called me, Lord, to minister to your people
O Lord, you led me from my father's loins and formed me in my mother's womb. You brought me, a naked babe, into the light of day, for nature's laws always obey your commands.
By the blessing of the Holy Spirit, you prepared my creation and my existence, not because man willed it or flesh desired it, but by your ineffable grace. The birth you prepared for me was such that it surpassed the laws of our nature. You sent me forth into the light by adopting me as your son and you enrolled me among the children of your holy and spotless Church.
You nursed me with the spiritual milk of your divine utterances. You kept me alive with the solid food of the body of Jesus Christ, your only-begotten Son and our God, and you let me drink from the chalice of his life-giving blood, poured out to save the whole world.
You loved us, O Lord, and gave up your only-begotten Son for our redemption. And he undertook the task willingly and did not shrink from it. Indeed, he applied himself to it as though destined for sacrifice, like an innocent lamb. Although he was God, he became man, and in his human will, became obedient to you, God his Father, unto death, even death on a cross.
In this way you have humbled yourself, Christ my God, so that you might carry me, your stray sheep, on your shoulders. You let me graze in green pastures, refreshing me with the waters of orthodox teaching at the hands of your shepherds. You pastured these shepherds, and now they in turn tend your chosen and special flock. Now you have called me, Lord, by the hand of your bishop to minister to your people. I do not know why you have done so, for you alone know that. Lord, lighten the heavy burden of the sins through which I have seriously transgressed. Purify my mind and heart. Like a shining lamp, lead me along the straight path. When I open my mouth, tell me what I should say. By the fiery tongue of your Spirit make my own tongue ready. Stay with me always and keep me in your sight.
Lead me to pastures, Lord, and graze there with me. Do not let my heart lean either to the right or to the left, but let your good Spirit guide me along the straight path. Whatever I do, let it be in accordance with your will, now until the end.
And you, O Church, are a most excellent assembly, the noble summit of perfect purity, whose assistance comes from God. You in whom God lives, receive from us an exposition of the faith that is free from error, to strengthen the Church, just as our Fathers handed it down to us.
Responsory: Malachi 2:6; Psalm 89:22
True teaching was in his mouth;
no evil was ever found on his lips.
--He walked with me in goodness and in peace.
My hand will be a steady help to him,
my arm will give him strength.
--He walked with me in goodness and in peace.
Prayer
Lord,
may the prayers of Saint John Damascene help us,
and may the true faith he taught so well
always be our light and our strength.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop of Ravenna, confessor, and Doctor of the Church, whose memory is recalled on December 2. A duplex feast.
At Nicomedia, the suffering of St. Barbara, virgin and martyr. In the persecution of Maximian, she was kept for a long time in prison, burned with torches, mutilated, and subjected to other tortures. She gained martyrdom by being put to the sword. A memory.
At Constantinople, SS. Theophanes and his associates.
In Pontus, St. Melitus, bishop and confessor. He was a man of remarkable learning but he was even more remarkable by reason of the virtue of his soul and the sincerity of his life.
At Bologna, St. Felix, bishop, who was once deacon of the Church of Milan under St. Ambrose.
In England, St. Osmund, bishop and confessor.
At Cologne, St. Anno, bishop.
In Mesopotamia, St. Maruthas, bishop. In Persia, he restored the churches of God that had fallen into ruin during the persecution of King Isdegerd. He was famous for his many miracles and was held in honor even by his enemies.
At Parma, St. Bernard, cardinal, and bishop of that city. He belonged to the Congregation of Vallombrosa of the Order of St. Benedict.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for December 3, Memorial of Francis Xavier, priest
Francis Xavier was born in Spain in 1506. While studying the liberal arts at Paris, he became a follower of Ignatius Loyola. In 1537 he was ordained at Rome and there devoted himself to works of charity. Francis went to the Orient in 1541 where for ten years he tirelessly proclaimed the Gospel in India and Japan, and through his preaching brought many to believe. He died in 1552 near the China coast on the island of Sancian.
From the letters to Saint Ignatius by Saint Francis Xavier, priest
(E Vita Francisci Xaverii, auctore H. Tursellini, Romae, 1956, Lib. 4, epist. 4 [1542] et 5 [1544])
Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel
We have visited the villages of the new converts who accepted the Christian religion a few years ago. No Portuguese live here--the country is so utterly barren and poor. The native Christians have no priests. They know only that they are Christians. There is nobody to say Mass for them; nobody to teach them the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Commandments of God's Law.
I have not stopped since the day I arrived. I conscientiously made the rounds of the villages. I bathed in the sacred waters all the children who had not yet been baptized. This means that I have purified a very large number of children so young that, as the saying goes, they could not tell their right hand from their left. The older children would not let me say my Office or eat or sleep until I taught them one prayer or another. Then I began to understand: "The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
I could not refuse so devout a request without failing in devotion myself. I taught them, first the confession of faith in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, then the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father and Hail Mary. I noticed among them persons of great intelligence. If only someone could educate them in the Christian way of life, I have no doubt that they would make excellent Christians.
Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians. Again and again I have thought of going round the universities of Europe, especially Paris, and everywhere crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity: "What a tragedy: how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!"
I wish they would work as hard at this as they do at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and the talents entrusted to them.
This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God's will and his choice. They would cry out with all their heart: Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do? Send me anywhere you like--even to India!
Responsory: Luke 10:2; Acts 1:8
So great a harvest, and so few to gather it in;
--pray to the Lord of the harvest,
beg him to send out laborers for his harvest.
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.
--Pray to the Lord of the harvest,
beg him to send out laborers for his harvest.
Prayer
God our Father,
by the preaching of Francis Xavier
you brought many nations to yourself.
Give his zeal for the faith to all who believe in you,
that your Church may rejoice in continued growth
throughout the world.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
St. Francis Xavier, priest of the Society of Jesus, confessor, Apostle of the Indies, and heavenly patron of the Society and work of the Propagation of the Faith. He died a peaceful death on December 2. A totum duplex feast.
In Judea, St. Sophonias, prophet.
At Rome, the holy martyrs Claudius the tribune and his wife Hilaria, their two sons Jason and Maurus, and seventy soldiers. The Emperor Numerian ordered Claudius to be fastened to a huge stone and cast into the river, while the soldiers and the sons of Claudius were to be punished by being beheaded. Blessed Hilaria buried the bodies of her sons; shortly after, she was seized by the pagans while she was praying at their sepulchre. She was cast into prison where she died.
At Tangier in Morocco, the suffering of St. Cassian, martyr. For a long time he held the position of public clerk, but eventually he was impressed by the fearless answers and unshaken firmness in the faith of Christ of the centurion St. Marcellus. Then inspired by grace, he felt it was a hateful thing to take part in the slaughter of Christians. He therefore resigned his office, confessed the Christian faith, and merited to obtain the palm of martyrdom.
Also in Africa, the holy martyrs Claudius, Crispin, Magina, John, and Stephen.
In Hungary, St. Agricola, martyr.
At Nicomedia, the suffering of SS. Ambicus, Victor, and Julius.
At Milan, St. Mirocles, bishop and confessor, whom St. Ambrose occasionally mentioned.
At Dorchester in England, St. Birinus, who was first bishop of that city.
At Chur in Germany, St. Lucius, an English king. In the time of St. Eleutherius, he was the first of the English kings to receive the faith of Christ.
At Siena in Tuscany, St. Galganus, hermit.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for Tuesday of the First Week in Advent
From a sermon by Saint Gregory Nazianzen, bishop
(Oratio 45, 9, 22. 26. 28: PG 36, 634-635. 654. 658-659. 662)
The marvel of the Incarnation
The very Son of God, older than the ages, the invisible, the incomprehensible, the incorporeal, the beginning of beginning, the light of light, the fountain of life and immortality, the image of the archetype, the immovable seal, the perfect likeness, the definition and word of the Father: he it is who comes to his own image and takes our nature for the good of our nature, and unites himself to an intelligent soul for the good of my soul, to purify like by like. He takes to himself all that is human, except for sin. He was conceived by the Virgin Mary, who had been first prepared in soul and body by the Spirit; his coming to birth had to be treated with honor, virginity had to receive new honor. He comes forth as God, in the human nature he has taken, one being, made of two contrary elements, flesh and spirit. Spirit gave divinity, flesh received it.
He who makes rich is made poor; he takes on the poverty of my flesh, that I may gain the riches of his divinity. He who is full is made empty; he ig emptied-for a brief space of his glory, that I may share in his fullness. What is this wealth of goodness? What is this mystery that surrounds me? I received the likeness of God, but failed to keep it. He takes on my flesh, to bring salvation to the image, immortality. to the flesh. He enters into a second union with us, a union far more w6nderful than the first.
Holiness had to be brought to man by the humanity assumed by one who was God, so that God might overcome the tyrant by force and so deliver us and lead us back to himself through the mediation of his Son. The Son arranged this for the honor of the Father, to whom the Son is clearly obedient in all things.
The Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep, came in search of the straying sheep to the mountains and hills on which you used to offer sacrifice. When he found it, he took it on the sh6ulders that bore the wood of the cross, and led it back to the life of heaven.
Christ, the light of all lights; follows John, the lamp that goes before him. The Word of God follows the voice in the wilderness; the bridegroom follows the bride-groom's friend, who prepares a worthy people for the Lord by cleansing them by water in preparation for 'the Spirit.
We need God to take our flesh and die, that we might live. We have died with him, that we may be purified. We have risen again with him, because we have died with him. We have been glorified with him, because we have risen again with him.
Responsory - See Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 2:4; Romans 8:3
When at last the appointed-time had come,
God sent his Son into the world,
born of a virgin, subject to the law,
--to redeem those who were subject to the law.
Because of his great love for us,
God sent his Son in the likeness of our sinful human nature.
--To redeem those who were subject to the law.
Prayer
God of mercy and consolation,
help us in our weakness and free us from sin.
Hear our prayers
that we may rejoice at the coming of your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
At Rome, the suffering of St. Bibiana, virgin and martyr. Under the wicked Emperor Julian, she was flogged with whips tipped with lead until she expired. A simplex feast.
At Imola in the province of Aemilia, the birthday of St. Peter, surnamed Chrysologus, Bishop of Ravenna, confessor, and Doctor of the Church. He was distinguished for his learning and holiness. His feast is observed on December 4.
On Sancian, an island of China, the birthday of St. Francis Xavier, priest of the Society of Jesus, confessor, and Apostle of the Indies. He was famed for his conversion of the heathens, his supernatural gifts and miracles. Rich in merit and good works, he died in the Lord. The Sovereign Pontiff, Pius X, chose and appointed him the heavenly patron of the Society and the work for the Propagation of the Faith. By order of Pope Alexander VII, his feast is celebrated on December 3.
At Rome, the holy martyrs Eusebius, priest, Marcellus, deacon, Hippolytus, Maximus, Adria, Paulina, Neon, Mary, Martana, and Aurcha. They all completed their martyrdom in the persecution of Valerian, under the judge Secundian.
Also at Rome, St. Pontianus, martyr, and four others.
In Africa, the birthday of the holy martyrs Severus, Securus, Januarius, and Victorinus, who were there crowned with martyrdom.
At Aquileia, St. Chromatius, bishop and confessor.
At Verona, St. Lupus, bishop and confessor.
At Edessa in Syria, St. Nonus, bishop, by whose prayers Pelagia the penitent was converted to Christ.
At Troas in Phrygia, St. Silvanus, bishop, renowned for miracles.
At Brescia, St. Evasius, bishop.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for Monday of the First Week in Advent
From a pastoral letter by Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop
(Acta Ecclesiae Mediolanensis, t. 2, Lugduni, 1683, 916-917)
The season of Advent
Beloved, now is the acceptable time spoken of by the Spirit, the day of salvation, peace and reconciliation: the great season of Advent. This is the time eagerly awaited by the patriarchs and prophets, the time that holy Simeon rejoiced at last to see. This is the season that the Church has always celebrated with special solemnity. We too should always observe it with faith and love, offering praise and thanksgiving to the Father for the mercy and love he has shown us in this mystery. In his infinite love for us, though we were sinners, he sent his only Son to free us from the tyranny of Satan, to summon us to heaven, to welcome us into its innermost recesses, to show us truth itself, to train us in right conduct, to plant within us the seeds of virtue, to enrich us with the treasures of his grace, and to make us children of God and heirs of eternal life.
Each year, as the Church recalls this mystery, she urges us to renew the memory of the great love God has shown us. This holy season teaches us that Christ's coming was not only for the benefit of his contemporaries; his power has still to be communicated to us all. We shall share his power, if, through holy faith and the sacraments, we willingly accept the grace Christ earned for us, and live by that grace and in obedience to Christ.
The Church asks us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again. When we remove all obstacles to his presence he will come, at any hour and moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his grace.
In her concern for our salvation, our loving mother the Church uses this holy season to teach us through hymns, canticles and other forms of expression, of voice or ritual, used by the Holy Spirit. She shows us how grateful we should be for so great a blessing, and how to gain its benefit: our hearts should be as much prepared for the coming of Christ as if he were still to come into this world. The same lesson is given us for our imitation by the words and example of the holy men of the Old Testament.
Responsory: see Joel 2:15; Isaiah 62:11; Jeremiah 4:5
Sound the trumpets in Zion, summon the nations;
call the people together and tell them the good news:
--Our God and our Savior is coming.
Proclaim the good news, let it be heard;
tell it to everyone, shout it aloud.
--Our God and our Savior is coming.
Prayer
Lord our God,
help us to prepare
for the coming of Christ your Son.
May he find us waiting,
eager in joyful prayer.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
At Montpellier in Gaul, the birthday of Blessed John of Vercelli, the sixth master-general of the Order of Preachers. He was eminent both by his leaming and his virtues. He restored religious discipline in his monasteries, and labored untiringly as an arbitror for peace, in the name of and by the authority of the Roman Pontiff, in reconciling kings and cities. A duplex feast.
St. Nahum, Prophet, who was buried at Beth-Gabre.
At Rome, the holy martyrs Diodorus, priest, and Marian, deacon, together with many others. In the days of the Emperor Numerian, while the Christians were celebrating in the catacombs the anniversaries of their martyrs, the persecutors walled up the entrance to the crypt and heaped a great mass of stones against it. In this manner, the Christians gained the glory of martyrdom.
Also at Rome, the suffering of SS. Lucius, Rogatus, Cassian, and Candida.
At Narni, St. Proculus, bishop and martyr. After he had accomplished numerous exceptional deeds, Totila king of the Goths ordered him to be beheaded.
In the city of Casale, St. Evasius, bishop and martyr.
On the same day, St. Ansanus, martyr. At the time of Diocletian, he confessed Christ at Rome. He was cast into prison and then taken to Siena in Tuscany, where he completed his course of martyrdom by being beheaded.
At Ameria in Umbria, St. Olympiades, a man of consular rank. He was converted to the faith by St. Firmina; under Diocletian, he was tortured on the rack and so achieved martyrdom.
At Arbela in Persia, St. Ananias, martyr.
At Milan, St. Castridan, bishop. At a time of great disturbance in the Church, he was eminent by reason of his virtues and his deeds piously and religiously performed.
At Brescia, St. Ursicinus, bishop.
On the same day, St. Natalia, the wife of the Blessed Martyr Achian. For a long time she ministered to the holy martyrs imprisoned at Nicomedia in the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. When their contest was completed, she went to Constantinople where she died a peaceful death.
The death of the venerable brothers Thomas Turco of Cremona, 56th master general of the Order, Joachim Briz of Spain, 67th master general of the Order, Alexander Vincent Jandel of Nancy in France, 73rd master general of the Order.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
