Posted by Thursday Lent I: Missa “Conféssio et pulchritúdo”
Collecta at St. Agatha in Monasterio. Station at St. Lawrence in Panisperna.
The titular church of the famous deaconry of the Suburra was dedicated to the Sicilian martyr Agatha; in the eighth century a monastery was attached to it.
St. Lawrence in Panisperna on the Viminal marks the spot of his martyrdom. Pope Gregory II who instituted this station with a graceful allusion to the splendor of the sepulchral Basilica, called the Speciosa, (St. Lawrence-outside-theWalls) in the Introit celebrates the sanctity of the great archdeacon, to whose prayers the early Fathers especially attributed the final triumph at Rome of the cross over paganism.
The Mass dwells on fasting and prayer; the Epistle says if we will reject the evil deeds of our life and practice perfectly the Christian law of penance and charity, God will give us His grace and everlasting reward. The Gospel recalls the woman of Chanaan who, by humility and perseverance in prayer, obtained the cure of her daughter. Our Lord at first appeared to refuse to perform a miracle in favour of a Gentile woman; the cure of her daughter showed the mercy of God calling to penance the Chanaanite and the publican.
INTROIT Psalm 95: 6
Praise and beauty are before Him: holiness and majesty in His sanctuary (Ps. 95: 1) Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: sing to the Lord all the earth. v. 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 Praise and beauty…
COLLECT
Behold with kindness, we beseech Thee O Lord, the devotion of Thy people, that they, who are now mortified in body by abstinence, may be refreshed in soul by the fruit of their good work. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen.
Second Collect for the Intercession of Thy Saints
Defend us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, from all dangers of mind and body; that through the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, together with blessed Joseph, Thy blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and blessed N. (Here mention the titular saint of the church), and all the saints, mercifully grant us safety and peace; that all adversities and errors being overcome, Thy Church may serve Thee in security and freedom.
Third Collect for the Living and the Dead
O almighty and eternal God, who hast dominion over both the living and the dead, and hast mercy on all whom Thou forekowest shall be Thine by faith and good works : we humbly beseech Thee that all for whom we have resolved to make supplication whether the present world still holds them in the flesh or the world to come has already received them out of the body, may, through the intercession of all Thy saints, obtain of Thy goodness and clemency pardon for all their sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
EPISTLE Ezechiel 18: 1-9
Lesson from Ezechiel the Prophet. In those days, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, What is the meaning that you use among you this parable as a proverb in the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord, this parable shall be no more to you a proverb in Israel. Behold all souls are Mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die. And if a man be just, and do justice, and hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Isræl; and hath not defiled his neighbor’s wife, nor come near to a menstruous woman; and hath not wronged any man, but hath restored the pledge to the debtor; hath taken nothing away by violence; hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; hath not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase; hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man; hath walked in My commandments, and kept My judgments, to do truth; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord almighty.
GRADUAL Psalm 16: 8, 2
Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of Thy eye; protect me under the shadow of Thy wings. V. Let my judgment come forth from Thy countenance; let Thy eyes behold the things that are equitable.
GOSPEL Matthew 15: 21-28
At that time, Jesus went forth, and retired into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And behold a woman of Canaan who came out of those coasts, crying out, said to Him, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou son of David: my daughter is grievously troubled by a devil. Who answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us: and He answering, said, “I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Isræl.” But she came and adored Him, saying, Lord, help me. Who answering, said, “It is not good to take the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs.” But she said, Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters. Then Jesus answering, said to her, “O woman, great is thy faith; be it done to thee as thou wilt”, and her daughter was cured from that hour.
OFFERTORY Psalm 33: 8-9
The angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them: taste and see that the Lord is sweet.
SECRET
Mercifully grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that these sacrifices, offered up with wholesome fasting, may insure our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen.
Second Secret to implore the Intercession of the Saints
Graciously hear us, O God our Savior, and by the virtue of this sacrament protect us from all enemies of soul and body, bestowing on us both grace in this life and glory hereafter.
Third Secret for the Living and the Dead
O God, Who alone knowest the number of the elect to be admitted to the happiness of Heaven, grant, we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of all Thy saints, the names of all who have been recommended to our prayers and of all the faithful, may be inscribed in the book of blessed predestination. Protect us, O Lord, who assist at Thy mysteries; that, fixed upon things divine we may serve Thee in both body and mind. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
PREFACE of Lent
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God: Who by this bodily fast, dost curb our vices, dost lift up our minds and bestow on us strength and rewards; through Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY…
COMMUNION John 6:52
The bread that I will give, is My flesh for the life of the world.
POSTCOMMUNION
By the plenteous bestowal of Thy gifts, O Lord, sustain us by temporal aids and renew us by those that are eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
Second Postcommunion to implore the Intercession of the Saints
May the oblation of this divine sacrament cleanse and defend us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and, through the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with blessed Joseph, Thy blessed apostles Peter and Paul, blessed N. (here mention the titular saint of the church), and all the saints, purify us from all our sins and deliver us from all adversity.
Third Postcommunion for the Living and the Dead
Let us pray. May the sacraments which we have received purify us, we beseech Thee, O almighty and merciful Lord; and through the intercession of all Thy saints, grant that this Thy sacrament may not be unto us a condemnation, but a salutary intercession for pardon; may it be the washing away of sin, the strength of the weak, a protection against all dangers of the world, and a remission of all the sins of the faithful, whether living or dead. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
Let us pray. Bow down your heads before God.
Grant we beseech You, O Lord, that Your faithful people may be aware of what they profess and may love the heavenly gift which they regularly receive. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.