Second Sunday of Lent

Sunday 28 February 2010

DOMINICA II IN QUADRAGESIMA
Second Sunday of Lent
1st Class, Violet


Oremus.

Deus, qui cónspicis omni nos virtúte destítui : intérius exteriúsque custódi ; ut ab ómnibus adversitátibus muniámur in córpore, et a pravis cogitatiónibus mundémur in mente. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves : keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls ; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul. Through.

~~*~~

From the day Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Master 'began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things...and be killed, and on the third day be raised.'(Mt 16:21.) Peter scorns this prediction, nor do the others understand it any better than he. (Mt 16:22-23.) In this context the mysterious episode of Jesus' Transfiguration takes place on a high mountain, (Mt 17:1-8.) before three witnesses chosen by himself: Peter, James and John. Jesus' face and clothes become dazzling with light, and Moses and Elijah appear, speaking 'of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem.' (Lk 9:31.)" (CCC 554) For a moment Jesus discloses his divine glory, confirming Peter's confession. He also reveals that he will have to go by the way of the cross at Jerusalem in order to 'enter into his glory.' (Lk 24:26.) (CCC 555)

Links:

• Fr Goffine's The Church's Year
• Gregorian Chant propers
• Breviarium Romanum blog
• St Conleth's Catholic Heritage: Lent II: Miserere
  

(image: breviary.net)

Ember Saturday in Lent

Saturday 27 February 2010

SABBATO QUATUOR TEMPORUM QUADRAGESIMAE
Ember Saturday in Lent
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II; Preces;
commem. of St Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows)

Oremus.

Pópulum tuum, quæsumus, Dómine, propítius réspice : atque ab eo flagélla tuæ iracúndiæ cleménter avérte. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

We beseech thee, O Lord, graciously to hear the prayers of thy people : and of thy great goodness turn aside from them the scourges of thine anger. Through.

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (Postcommunion)
  

Ember Friday in Lent

Friday 26 February 2010

FERIA VI QUATUOR TEMPORUM QUADRAGESIMAE
Ember Friday in Lent
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II; Preces)

Oremus.

Esto, Dómine, propítius plebi tuæ : et, quam tibi facis esse devótam, benígno réfove miserátus auxílio. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

We beseech thee, O Lord, mercifully to have compassion on thy people : that they, which by thee are enabled to serve thee in all godliness, may ever be comforted by thy gracious and ready help. Through.

Link:

• Fasting & Abstinence
• WDTPRS: Ember Friday (new!)
  

St Matthias, Apostle

Wednesday 24 February 2010

S. MATTHIAE APOSTOLI
St Matthias, Apostle
2nd Class, Red
(Lauds II;
commem. of Ember Wednesday)

Oremus.

Deus, qui beátum Matthíam Apostolórum tuórum collégio sociásti : tríbue, quæsumus ; ut ejus interventióne, tuæ circa nos pietátis semper víscera sentiámus. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.


O God, who didst join blessed Matthias to the company of thine Apostles, grant, we beseech thee, that by his intercession we may ever be aware of the depths of thy goodness round about us. Through.

~~*~~

Matthias, one of the seventy-two disciples of Jesus, was chosen as Apostle in the place of Judas. St Matthias preached the Gospel for more than thirty years in Judaea, Cappadocia, Egypt and Ethiopia. In AD 80, he was stoned at Jerusalem, and then beheaded.

Chair of St. Peter

Monday 22 February 2010

IN CATHEDRA S. PETRI, AP.
Chair of St Peter, Apostle
2nd Class, White
(Lauds II;
commem. of feria at Lauds and Vespers)


Oremus.

Deus, qui beáto Petro Apóstolo tuo, collátis clávibus regni cæléstis, ligándi atque solvéndi pontifícium tradidísti ; concéde ; ut intercessiónis ejus auxílio, a peccatórum nostrórum néxibus liberémur : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

O God, who didst bestow upon thy blessed Apostle Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and didst appoint unto him the priesthood for the binding and loosing of sin : grant, we beseech thee ; that by the help of his intercession we may be delivered from the bonds of all our iniquities. Who livest and reignest with the Father.

Link:

• Gregorian Chant Propers
  

(image: breviary.net)

First Sunday of Lent

Sunday 21 February 2010

DOMINICA I IN QUADRAGESIMA
First Sunday of Lent
1st Class, Violet
(Lauds II)


Oremus.

Deus, qui Ecclésiam tuam ánnua Quadragesimáli observatióne puríficas : præsta famíliæ tuæ ; ut, quod a te obtinére abstinéndo nítitur, hoc bonis opéribus exsequátur. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

O God, who dost purify thy Church with the annual observance of Lent, grant unto thy household that what it strives to obtain from thee by abstinence it may secure with good works. Through.

Links:

• Fr Goffine's The Church's Year
• The Guéranger Blog: Dom Guéranger on Lent
• Vultus Christi
  
• Gregorian Chant propers
• New Liturgical Movement: Tract "Qui Habitat"
• St Conleth's Catholic Heritage: Lent I: Attende Domine
  

(image: breviary.net)

Ash Wednesday

Wednesday 17 February 2010

FERIA IV. CINERUM
Ash Wednesday
1st Class, Violet
(Lauds II)

Oremus.

Præsta, Dómine, fidélibus tuis : ut jejuniórum veneránda solémnia, et cóngrua pietáte suscípiant, et secúra devotióne percúrrant. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

Grant, O Lord, unto thy faithful people, that they may both piously undertake the venerable solemnities of the Fast, and persevere in the same with unfailing devotion. Through.

~~*~~

Ash Wednesday is, from a liturgical point of view, one of the most important days of the year. In the first place, this day opens the liturgical season of Lent, which formerly began with the First Sunday and comprised only thirty-six days. The addition of Wednesday and three following days brought the number to forty, which is that of our Lord’s fast in the desert.

In the Old Law, ashes were generally a symbolic expression of grief, morning or repentance. In the Early Church, the use of ashes had a like signification and with sackcloth formed part of the public penances. The blessing of the ashes … was originally instituted for public penitents, but is now intended for all Christians, as Lent should be a time of penance for all.

Links:

• Fr Goffine's The Church's Year
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (2006)
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (2009)
  
• Gregorian Chant propers
• Fasting & Abstinence
• Evening Devotions
• Vultus Christi: Pierce Thou My Heart, Love Crucified
  

(image: Spitzweg's Ash Wednesday)

Quinquagesima Sunday

Sunday 14 February 2010

DOMINICA IN QUINQAGESIMA
Quinquagesima Sunday
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II)

Oremus.

Preces nostras, quæsumus, Dómine, cleménter exáudi : atque a peccatórum vínculis absolútos, ab omni nos adversitáte custódi. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

Of thy clemency hearken unto our prayers, O Lord, loose us from the bonds of sin, and keep us from all adversity. Through.

~~*~~

It is Jesus who, by the merits of His Passion, is to open the eyes of man as He did those of the blind man of Jericho, and deliver him alike from the bondage of sin and error.

Links:

• Fr Goffine's The Church's Year
  
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (Secret; 2002)
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (Secret; 2006)
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (2009)
  
• Gregorian Chant propers

(image: Biola University)

Sexagesima Sunday

Sunday 7 February 2010

DOMINICA IN SEXAGESIMA
Sexagesima Sunday
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II)

Oremus.

Deus, qui cónspicis quia ex nulla nostra actióne confídimus : concéde propítius ; ut contra advérsa ómnia Doctóris Géntium protectióne muniámur. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

O God, who seest that we put not our trust in any deed of our own, mercifully grant that by the protection of the Teacher of the Gentiles, we may be defended against all adversities. Through.

Links:

• Fr Goffine's The Church's Year
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (2008)
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (2009)
  
• Gregorian Chant propers

(image: breviary.net)

Purification of the B.V.M.

Tuesday 2 February 2010

IN PURIFICATIONÆ BEATÆ MARIÆ VIRGINÆ
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary
2nd Class, White

Oremus:

Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, majestátem tuam súpplices exorámus : ut, sicut unigénitus Fílius tuus hodiérna die cum nostræ carnis substántia in templo est præsentátus ; ita nos fácias purificátis tibi méntibus præsentári. Per eúmdem Dóminum.

Let us pray:

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty : that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in substance of our flesh ; so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Who.

~~*~~

The Feast of Candlemas, which derives its origin from the local observance of Jerusalem, marks the end of the Feasts included in the Christmas cycle of the liturgy. It is perhaps the most ancient festival of Our Lady. It commemorates, however, not only the obedience of the Blessed Virgin to the Mosaic Law in going to Jerusalem forty days after the birth of her Child and making the accustomed offerings, but also the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, and the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the old man Simeon -- the Occursus Domini, as the Feast was originally termed. This is the principal theme of the liturgy on this day: Jesus is taken into the Temple "to present Him to the Lord." So the Lord comes to His own Temple, and is met by the aged Simeon with joy and recognition.

The procession on this day is one of the most picturesque features of the Western liturgy. The blessing and distribution of candles, to be carried lighted in procession, preceded the Mass today -- a symbolic presentation of the truth proclaimed in the Canticle of Simeon: Our Lord is the "Light for the revelation of the Gentiles." The anthems sung during this procession, eastern in origin, well express the joy and gladness of this happy festival, and the honor and praise we give to our Blessed Lady and her Divine Son by this devout observance.

The Blessing may not take place without being followed by the Procession, nor the Procession without being preceded by the Blessing. At the Mass which follows the Procession there are no Preparatory Prayers. Lit candles are held during the Procession and the Gospel and from the Sanctus to the end of Communion.

Links:

• Fr Goffine's The Church's Year (on the Purification)
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (2006)
  
• What Does the Prayer Really Say? (2009)
  
• Gregorian Chant Propers (for Candlemass)
• The New Liturgical Movement
• chantblog
• Fr Goffine's The Church's Year (on St Blase)

(image: breviary.net)

First Thursday of the Month: Plenary Indulgence Available

For the faithful, a plenary indulgence can be obtained on the opening and closing days of the Year for Priests, on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean-Marie Vianney, on the first Thursday of the month, or on any other day established by the ordinaries of particular places for the good of the faithful.

To obtain the indulgence the faithful must attend Mass in an oratory or Church and offer prayers to "Jesus Christ, supreme and eternal Priest, for the priests of the Church, or perform any good work to sanctify and mould them to his heart."

The conditions for the faithful for earning a plenary indulgence are to have gone to confession and prayed for the intentions of the Pope.

(source: Zenit/A Catholic Life)