Posted by Feast of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor and Religious Founder; Comm. the Octave of the Nativity BVM: Missa “Justus ut palma”
Born at Sant’ Angelo, near Fermo, in the March of Ancona, around the year 1246, Saint Nicholas Tolentino was devote to the devout life. He is often depicted in the black habit of the Hermits of St. Augustine –a star above him or on his breast, a lily, or a crucifix garlanded with lilies, in his hand. Sometimes, instead of the lily, he holds a vial filled with money or bread. His parents, said to have been called Compagnonus de Guarutti and Amata de Guidiani (these surnames may merely indicate their birth-places), were pious folk, perhaps gentle born, living content with a small substance. Nicholas was born in response to prayers, his mother a model of holiness.
He excelled so much in his studies that even before they were over he was made a canon of St. Saviour’s church; but hearing a sermon by a hermit of St. Augustine upon the text: “Nolite diligere mundum, nec ea quae sunt in mundo, quia mundus transit et concupiscentia ejus”, he felt a call to embrace the religious life. He besought the hermit for admittance into his order. His parents gave a joyful consent. Even before his ordination he was sent to different monasteries of his order, at Recanati, Macerata etc., as a model of generous striving after perfection.
He made his profession before he was nineteen. After his ordination he preached with wonderful success, notably at Tolentino, where he spent his last thirty years and gave a discourse nearly every day. Towards the end diseases tried his patience, but he kept up his mortifications almost to the hour of death. d. 10 September, 1306.He possessed an angelic meekness, a guileless simplicity, and a tender love of virginity, which he never stained, guarding it by prayer and extraordinary mortifications. He died around the age of 60 on this date in 1306. He was canonized by His Holiness Pope Eugene IV one hundred and forty years after his death in 1446. His tomb at Tolentino is held in veneration by the faithful.
INTROIT Psalm 91: 13, 14
The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Lebanon. They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat In the midst of the Church..
COLLECT
Give ear, O Lord, to our supplications, which we offer in commemoration of blessed Nicholas, Thy confessor, that, as we have no confidence in our own justice, we may be assisted by the prayers of him who was pleasing to Thee. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God; throughout all ages, world without end. R. Amen
Commemoratio Sexta die infra Octavam Nativitatis Beatae Mariae Virginis
Bestow upon Your servants, we beseech You, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that, as the child-bearing of the Blessed Virgin stood for the beginning of our salvation, so may the solemn feast of her Nativity bring about an increase of peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God; throughout all ages, world without end. R. Amen
EPISTLE 1 Corinthians 4: 4,19
Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. Brethren, we are made a spectacle to the world and to angels and men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ: we are weak, but you are strong: you are honourable, but we without honour. Even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no fixed abode, and we labour working with our own hands. We are reviled, and we bless: we are persecuted, and we suffer it: we are blasphemed, and we entreat: we are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all, even until now. I write not these things to confound you, but I admonish you as my dearest children in Christ Jesus our Lord.
GRADUAL Psalm 44: 5
With thy comeliness and thy beauty set out, proceed prosperously, and reign. V. Because of truth, and meekness and justice: and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully. Alleluia, alleluia. V. (Ps. 111: 1) Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, he delights exceedingly in His commandments. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 12: 33-36
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: “No man lighteth a candle, and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel: but upon a candlestick, that they that come in may see the light. The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome; but if it be evil, thy body also will be darksome. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness, the whole shall be lightsome, and as a bright lamp shall enlighten thee.”
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Psalm 20: 2,3
In thy strength, O Lord, the just shall joy, and in Thy salvation he shall rejoice exceedingly: Thou hast given him his heart’s desire.
SECRET
Grant us, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that the offering of our lowliness may be pleasing to Thee in honour of Thy saints, and purify us in both body and mind. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God; throughout all ages, world without end. R. Amen
Commemoratio Sexta die infra Octavam Nativitatis Beatae Mariae Virginis
May the humanity of Your only-begotten Son help us, O Lord, as He, Who, born of a virgin did not lessen but consecrated the purity of His mother, so, on the festival of her Nativity may Jesus Christ, our Lord, free us from our sins and render our sacrifice acceptable to You. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God; throughout all ages, world without end. R. Amen
PREFACE of the Blessed Virgin Mary
It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty and everlasting God. That on the Festival of the blessed Virgin Mary, we should praise, bless and proclaim Thee. For she conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost; and losing not the glory of her virginity, gave forth to the world the everlasting light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the angels praise Thy majesty, the Dominions worship it, and the powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly Hosts, and the blessed Seraphim join together in celebrating their joy. With these we pray Thee join our voices also, while we say with lowly praise:
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matthew 19: 28-29
Amen I say to you, that you, who have left all things and followed Me, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.
POSTCOMMUNION
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our God, that by the intercession of those on whose feast the mysteries are offered, they may be made efficacious for our salvation. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. R. Amen.
Commemoratio Sexta die infra Octavam Nativitatis Beatae Mariae Virginis
We have partaken of the solemn sacrament on this annual feast: grant we beseech You, that it may bring us assistance both for the present and for life everlasting. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God world without end. R. Amen.