Friday, November 22, 2013

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Litany of St. Cecilia

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, wise virgin,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, whose heart burned with the fire of Divine love,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, apostle by thy zeal and charity,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, who converted thy spouse and procured for him the crown of Martyrdom,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, who by thy pleadings moved the hearts of pagans, and brought them into the true Church,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, who didst unceasingly see thy guardian Angel by thy side,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, who didst mingle thy voice with the celestial harmonies of the virgins,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, who by thy melodious accents celebrated the praises of Jesus,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, illustrious Martyr of Jesus Christ, Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, who during three days dist suffer most excruciating torments,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, consolation of the afflicted,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, protectress of all who invoke thee,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, patroness of holy canticles,
Pray for us.
Saint Cecilia, special patroness and advocate of all singers, musicians, authors, and students,
Pray for us.

We salute thee, O Virgin,
who didst give thy blood for the defense and faith of Jesus Christ.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

God glorified Saint Cecilia,
And He crowned her virtues.

Let us pray:

O Eternal God,
Who didst give us, in the person of Saint Cecilia,
a powerful protectress,
grant that after having faithfully passed our days,
like herself,
in innocence and holiness,
we may one day attain the land of beatitude,
where in concert with her,
we may praise Thee and bless Thee forevermore in eternity.

Amen.

DAILY MASS READINGS

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Reading
1 MC 4:36-37, 52-59

Judas and his brothers said,
“Now that our enemies have been crushed,
let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it.”
So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion.

Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,
that is, the month of Chislev,
in the year one hundred and forty-eight,
they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law
on the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made.
On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it,
on that very day it was reconsecrated
with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals.
All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven,
who had given them success.

For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar
and joyfully offered burnt offerings and sacrifices
of deliverance and praise.
They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields;
they repaired the gates and the priests’ chambers
and furnished them with doors.
There was great joy among the people
now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed.
Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel
decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar
should be observed with joy and gladness
on the anniversary every year for eight days,
from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev.


Responsorial Psalm
1 CHR 29:10BCD, 11ABC, 11D-12A, 12BCD

R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

“Blessed may you be, O LORD,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity.”

R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

“Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory.
For all in heaven and on earth is yours.”

R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

“Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honor are from you.”

R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

“You have dominion over all,
In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.”

R. We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.


Gospel
LK 19:45-48

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,

“It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves.”

And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,
but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.

SAINT OF THE DAY

November 22

St. Cecilia (3rd century)

Although Cecilia is one of the most famous of the Roman martyrs, the familiar stories about her are apparently not founded on authentic material. There is no trace of honor being paid her in early times. A fragmentary inscription of the late fourth century refers to a church named after her, and her feast was celebrated at least in 545.

According to legend, Cecilia was a young Christian of high rank betrothed to a Roman named Valerian. Through her influence Valerian was converted, and was martyred along with his brother. The legend about Cecilia’s death says that after being struck three times on the neck with a sword, she lived for three days, 
and asked the pope to convert her home into a church.

Since the time of the Renaissance she has usually been portrayed with a viola or a small organ.


OFFICE OF READINGS

O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will proclaim Your Praise!

Invitatory Psalm
Psalm 23 (24)

The Lord is the king of martyrs:
come, let us adore him.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all who live in it.
He himself founded it upon the seas
and set it firm over the waters.

The Lord is the king of martyrs:
come, let us adore him.

Who will climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who will stand in his holy place?
The one who is innocent of wrongdoing and pure of heart,
who has not given himself to vanities or sworn falsely.
He will receive the blessing of the Lord
and be justified by God his savior.
This is the way of those who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.

The Lord is the king of martyrs:
come, let us adore him.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,
and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of might and power.
The Lord, strong in battle.

The Lord is the king of martyrs:
come, let us adore him.

Gates, raise your heads. Stand up, eternal doors,
and let the king of glory enter.
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord of hosts
– he is the king of glory.

The Lord is the king of martyrs:
come, let us adore him.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

The Lord is the king of martyrs:
come, let us adore him.


Hymn
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal

In ancient times God spoke to us
Through prophets, and in varied ways,
But now he speaks through Christ his Son,
His radiance through eternal days.
To God the Father of the world,
His Son through whom he made all things,
And Holy Spirit, bond of love,
All glad creation glory sings.


Psalm 34 (35)
The Lord, a savior in time of persecution

O Lord, arise to help me.

Judge, Lord, those who are judging me:
attack those who are attacking me.
Take up your shield and come out to defend me.
Brandish your spear and hold back my pursuers.
Say to my soul, “I am your deliverance.”
Let them be thrown into confusion,
those who are after my life.
Let them be weakened and put to flight,
those who plan harm to me.
Let them be like chaff blowing in the wind,
when the angel of the Lord scatters them.
Let their paths be dark and slippery,
when the angel of the Lord harries them.
For it was without cause that they spread out their nets to ensnare me,
without cause that they dug a pit to take my life.
Let death come upon them suddenly,
may they be entangled in their own nets.
But my soul will exult in the Lord
and rejoice in his aid.
My bones themselves will say
“Lord, who is your equal?”
You snatch the poor man
from the hand of the strong,
the needy and weak
from those who would destroy them.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

O Lord, arise to help me.


Psalm 34 (35)

Lord, plead my cause;
defend me with your strength.

Lying witnesses rose up against me;
they asked me questions I could not answer.
They paid me back evil for the good I did,
my soul is desolation.
Yet I – when they were ill, I put on sackcloth,
I mortified my soul with fasting,
I prayed for them from the depths of my heart.
I walked in sadness as for a close friend, for a brother;
I was bowed down with grief as if mourning my own mother.
But they – when I was unsteady, they rejoiced and gathered together.
They gathered and beat me: I did not know why.
They were tearing me to pieces, there was no end to it:
they teased me, heaped derision on me, they ground their teeth at me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Lord, plead my cause;
defend me with your strength.


Psalm 34 (35)

My tongue shall speak of your justice,
all day long.

Lord, how long will you wait?
Rescue my life from their attacks,
my only life from the lions.
I will proclaim you in the great assembly,
in the throng of people I will praise you.
Let not my lying enemies triumph over me,
those who hate me for no reason,
who conspire against me by secret signs,
who do not speak of peace,
who plan crimes against the innocent,
who cry out slanders against me,
saying “Yes! Yes! We saw it ourselves!”
You see them, Lord, do not stay silent:
Lord, do not leave me.
Rise up and keep watch at my trial:
my God and my Lord, watch over my case.
Judge me according to your justice,
Lord: my God, let them not rejoice over me!
Let them not think to themselves,
“Yes! We have what we wanted!”
Let them not say,
“We have swallowed him up.”
But let those who support my cause rejoice,
let them say always “How great is the Lord,
who takes care of his servant’s welfare.”
And my tongue too will ponder your justice,
and praise you all day long.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

My tongue shall speak of your justice,
all day long.

My son, keep my words in your heart.
– Follow my commandments and you will live.


First Reading
Zechariah 12:9-12,13:1-9

‘When that day comes, I shall set myself to destroy all the nations who advance against Jerusalem. But over the House of David and the citizens of Jerusalem I will pour out a spirit of kindness and prayer. They will look on the one whom they have pierced; they will mourn for him as for an only son, and weep for him as people weep for a first-born child. When that day comes, there will be great mourning in Judah, 
like the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. And the country will mourn clan by clan.

‘When that day comes, a fountain will be opened for the House of David and the citizens of Jerusalem, 
for sin and impurity.

‘When that day comes – it is the Lord (of Hosts) who speaks – I am going to root out the names of the idols from the country, and they shall never be mentioned again; and I will also rid the country of the prophets, and of the spirit of impurity. If anyone still wants to prophesy, his father and the mother who gave him birth shall say to him, “You have no right to live, since you utter lies in the name of the Lord.” And while he is prophesying, his father and the mother who gave him birth shall run him through. When that day comes, every prophet shall be ashamed of his prophetic vision; they will no longer put on their hair cloaks to utter their lies, but they will all say, “I am no prophet. I am a peasant; the land has been my living ever since I was a boy.” And if anyone asks him, “Then what are these wounds on your body?” 
he will reply, “ These I received in the house of my friends.”

‘Awake, sword, against my shepherd
and against the man who is my companion –
it is the Lord of Hosts who speaks.
I am going to strike the shepherd
so that the sheep may be scattered,
and I will turn my hand against the weak.
And it will happen throughout this territory –
it is the Lord who speaks –
that two-thirds in it will be cut off (‘will be killed’)
and the remaining third will be left.
I will lead that third into the fire,
and refine them as silver is refined,
test them as gold is tested.
They will call on my name
and I shall listen;
and I shall say: These are my people;
and each will say, “The Lord is my God!”’


Responsory

You will all lose faith in me this night,
for the scripture says:
I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

Let the sword be unsheathed against my shepherd and against the man who is my companion
– it is the Lord who speaks.
I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.


Second Reading
A commentary of St Augustine on Psalm 32

Sing to God in jubilation

Praise the Lord with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song. Rid yourself of what is old and worn out, for you know a new song. A new man, a new covenant; a new song. This new song does not belong to the old man. Only the new man learns it: the man restored from his fallen condition through the grace of God, and now sharing in the new covenant, that is, the kingdom of heaven. To it all our love now aspires and sings a new song. Let us sing a new song not with our lips but with our lives.

Sing to him a new song, sing to him with joyful melody. Every one of us tries to discover how to sing to God. You must sing to him, but you must sing well. He does not want your voice to come harshly to his ears, so sing well, brothers!

If you were asked, “Sing to please this musician,” you would not like to do so without having taken some instruction in music, because you would not like to offend an expert in the art. An untrained listener does not notice the faults a musician would point out to you. Who, then, will offer to sing well for God, the great artist whose discrimination is faultless, whose attention is on the minutest detail, whose ear nothing escapes? When will you be able to offer him a perfect performance that you will in no way displease such a supremely discerning listener?
See how he himself provides you with a way of singing. Do not search for words, as if you could find a lyric which would give God pleasure. Sing to him “with songs of joy.” This is singing well to God, just singing with songs of joy.

But how is this done? You must first understand that words cannot express the things that are sung by the heart. Take the case of people singing while harvesting in the fields or in the vineyards or when any other strenuous work is in progress. Although they begin by giving expression to their happiness in sung words, yet shortly there is a change. As if so happy that words can no longer express what they feel, they discard the restricting syllables. 
They burst out into a simple sound of joy, of jubilation. 
Such a cry of joy is a sound signifying that the heart is bringing to birth what it cannot utter in words.

Now, who is more worthy of such a cry of jubilation than God himself, whom all words fail to describe? If words will not serve, and yet you must not remain silent, what else can you do but cry out for joy? Your heart must rejoice beyond words, soaring into an immensity of gladness, unrestrained by syllabic bonds. Sing to him with jubilation.


Responsory

My lips speak your praise,
your glory all the day long.
When I sing to you, my lips shall rejoice.

I will rejoice in you and be glad,
and sing psalms to your name, O Most High.
When I sing to you, my lips shall rejoice.

Let us pray.

Lord God, in your mercy listen to our prayers,
which we offer you under the patronage of Saint Cecilia.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.