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St. Louis IX, Confessor, King of France: Missa “Os justi“
Louis IX, King of France, son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile, was born at Poissy, April 25, 1215. Louis was twelve years old when his father’s death made him king.At that time, his mother Queen Blanche of Castile, was declared regent and remained an important influence throughout his life.
Louis had tutors who made him a master of Latin, taught him to speak easily in public and write with dignity and grace. But Blanche’s primary concern was to implant in him a deep regard and awe for everything related to religion. She used often to say to him as he was growing up, “I love you my dear son, as much as a mother can love her child; but I would rather see you dead at my feet than that you should commit a mortal sin.”
At nineteen, he married Marguerite of Provence and the couple had eleven children. Louis was a model father and his children received careful instruction from him in the Christian life.
Louis brought justice to France. When, for example, a baron hanged three students for poaching rabbits, the King’s response was firm. He forced the Baron to surrender his forest, imprisoned him for a time, fined him heavily, made him build a chapel in memory of each student, and ordered him to crusade for three years in Palestine.
Louis was a loving and generous king. The poorest of the poor were recipients of his charity and alms everyday. Beggars were fed from his table, he ate their leavings, washed their feet, and ministered to the needs of the lepers. Daily, he fed 120 poor people. He founded many hospitals and houses: the House of the Felles-Dieu for reformed prostitutes; the Quinze-Vingt for 300 blind men (1254), and hospitals at Pontoise, Vernon, Compiégne.
Louis was a faithful Christian sovereign. One of his first acts as King was to build the famous monastery of Royaumont, with funds left for the purpose by his father. Louis gave encouragement to the religious orders, placing the Carthusians in the palace of Vauvert in Paris, and assisting his mother in founding the convent of Maubuisson.
Louis led an exemplary life, secretly spending long hours in prayer, fasting, and penance. He attended Holy Mass twice daily, and was surrounded, even while traveling, with priests chanting the hours.
Louis died near Tunis, August 25, 1270 and was canonized in Orvieto in 1297, by Boniface VIII.
Patron: barbers; builders; button makers; construction workers; Crusaders; death of children; difficult marriages; distillers; embroiderers; French monarchs; grooms; haberdashers; hairdressers; hair stylists; kings; masons; needle workers; parenthood; parents of large families; prisoners; sculptors; sick people; soldiers; stone masons; stonecutters; tertiaries; Archdiocese of Saint Louis, Missouri.
Quotes:
“If God send thee adversity, receive it in patience and give thanks to our Saviour and bethink thee that thou hast deserved it, and that He will make it turn to thine advantage. If He send thee prosperity, then thank Him humbly, so that thou becomest not worse from pride or any other cause, when thou oughtest to be better. For we should not fight against God with his own gifts.”
“In prosperity, give thanks to God with humility and fear lest by pride you abuse God’s benefits and so offend him.”
INTROIT Psalm 36: 30, 31
The mouth of the just man shall meditate wisdom and his tongue shall speak judgment: the law of his God is in his heart. (Ps. 36: 1). Be not emulous of evil-doers; nor envy them that work iniquity. v. Glory be…etc
COLLECT
O God, Who transported Your blessed Confessor Louis from an earthly throne to the glory of the heavenly kingdom, by his merits and intercession we beseech You to make us of the company of the King of kings, Jesus Christ Your Son. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. R. Amen
EPISTLE Wis 10:10:14
The Lord guided the just in direct ways, showed him the kingdom of God, and gave him knowledge of holy things; He prospered him in his labors and made abundant the fruit of his works, stood by him against the greed of his defrauders, and enriched him; He preserved him from foes, and secured him against ambush, and He gave him the prize for his stern struggle that he might recognize that devotion to God is mightier than all else. He did not abandon the just man when he was sold, but delivered him from sin. He went down with him into the dungeon, and did not desert him in his bonds, until He brought him the scepter of royalty and authority over his oppressors, and showed those who had defamed him false; and the Lord our God gave him eternal glory.
GRADUAL/ALLELUIA Psalm 91:13-14
The just man shall flourish like the palm tree, like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow in the house of the Lord. Ps 91:3 V. To proclaim Your kindness at dawn and Your faithfulness throughout the night. Alleluia, alleluia. James 1:12 V. Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 19:12-26
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to His disciples: A certain nobleman went into a far country to obtain for himself a kingdom and then return. And having summoned ten of his servants, he gave them ten gold pieces and said to them, ‘Trade till I come.’ But his citizens hated him; and they sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not wish this man to be king over us.’ And it came to pass when he had returned, after receiving the kingdom, that he ordered the servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him in order that he might learn how much each one had made by trading. And the first came, saying, ‘Lord, your gold piece has earned ten gold pieces.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten towns.’ Then the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your gold piece has made five gold pieces.’ And he said to him, ‘Be you also over five towns.’ And another came, saying, ‘Lord, behold your gold piece, which I have kept laid up in a napkin; for I feared you, because you are a stern man. You take up what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I am a stern man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow. Why, then, did you not put my money in a bank, so that I on my return might have gotten it with interest?’ And he said to the bystanders, ‘Take away the gold piece from him, and give it to him who has the ten gold pieces.’ But they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten gold pieces.’ I say to you that to everyone who has shall be given; but from him who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken away.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Psalm 88:25
My faithfulness and My kindness shall be with him, and through My name shall his horn be exalted.
SECRET
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that as blessed Louis, Your Confessor, spurning the delights of the world, labored earnestly to please Christ, the only King, so may his prayer make us pleasing to You. 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.
PREFACE of the Common
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: 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 them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say in lowly praise: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY…
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matthew 24: 46-47
Blessed is the servant, whom when the Lord shall come, He shall find watching: Amen I say to you, He shall set him over all his goods.
POSTCOMMUNION
O God, Who made Your blessed Confessor, Louis, wonderful on earth and glorious in heaven, make him, we beseech You, the defender of Your Church. 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.