OFFICE OF READINGS
0116 Martyrs Feast
Invitatory Antiphon
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;
hail the God who save us.
Let us come before him giving thanks,
with songs let us hail the Lord.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
A mighty God is the Lord,
a great king above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his.
To him belongs the sea, for he made it,
and the dry land shaped by his hands.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Come in; let us bow and bend low;
let us kneel before the God who made us
for he is our God and we +
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert +
when your fathers put me to the test; *
when they tried me, though they saw my work.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
For forty years I was wearied of these people
and I said: 'Their hearts are astray,
these people do not know my ways.' +
Then I took an oath in my anger:
'Never shall they enter my rest.'"
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Hymn
Faith of our fathers! faith and prayer
Shall win all nations unto thee;
And through the truth that comes from God,
Mankind shall then indeed be free.
Refrain:
Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.
Faith of our fathers! we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife:
And preach thee too, as love knows how,
By kindly deeds and virtuous life.
Psalmody
Psalm 2
Ant. 1: The holy martyrs died for Christ; with their blood they enriched the earth. Their gift is crowned with everlasting life.
Why this tumult among nations, *
among peoples this useless murmuring?
They arise, the kings of the earth, *
princes plot against the Lord and his Anointed.
Come, let us break their fetters, *
come, let us cast off their yoke.
He who sits in the heavens laughs; *
the Lord is laughing them to scorn.
Then he will speak in his anger, *
his rage will strike them with terror.
It is I who have set up my king on Zion, *
my holy mountain.
I will announce the decree of the Lord:+
The Lord said to me: You are my Son. *
It is I who have begotten you this day.
Ask and I will bequeath you the nations, *
put the ends of the earth in your possession.
With a rod of iron you will break them, *
shatter them like a potter's jar.
Now, O kings, understand,+
take warning, rulers of the earth; *
serve the Lord with awe +
and trembling, pay him your homage
lest he be angry and you perish;+
for suddenly his anger will blaze. *
Blessed are they who put their trust in God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. 1: The holy martyrs died for Christ; with their blood they enriched the earth. Their gift is crowned with everlasting life.
Psalm 33 I
Ant. 2: The just will live for ever; to live for God is their reward.
Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just; *
for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
Give thanks to the Lord upon the lyre, *
with a ten-stringed harp sing him songs.
O sing him a song that is new, *
play loudly, with all your skill.
For the word of the Lord is faithful *
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right *
and fills the earth with his love.
By his word the heavens were made, *
by the breath of his mouth all the stars.
He collects the waves of the ocean; *
he stores up the depths of the sea.
Let all the earth fear the Lord *
all who live in the world revere him.
He spoke; and it came to be. *
He commanded; it sprang into being.
He frustrates the designs of the nations, *
he defeats the plans of the peoples.
His own designs shall stand for ever, *
the plans of his heart from age to age.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. 2: The just will live for ever; to live for God is their reward.
Psalm 33 II
Ant. 3: My saints, you fought the good fight in this world; I will give you the reward of your labors.
They are happy, whose God is the Lord, *
the people he has chosen as his own.
From the heavens the Lord looks forth, *
he sees all the children of men.
From the place where he dwells he gazes *
on all the dwellers on the earth;
he who shapes the hearts of them all; *
and considers all their deeds.
A king is not saved by his army, *
nor a warrior preserved by his strength.
A vain hope for safety is the horse; *
despite its power it cannot save.
The Lord looks on those who revere him, *
on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death, *
to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord. *
The Lord is our help and our shield.
In him do our hearts find joy. *
We trust in his holy name.
May your love be upon us, O Lord, *
as we place all our hope in you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. 3: My saints, you fought the good fight in this world; I will give you the reward of your labors.
【V】: Our spirits yearn for the Lord.
【R】: He is our help and our protector.
The First Reading
From the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Romans (Rm. 8:18-39)
Nothing is able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through Jesus Christ
I consider the sufferings of the present to be as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us. Indeed, the whole created world eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God. Creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but by him who once subjected it; yet not without hope, because the world itself will be freed from its slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. Yes, we know that all creation groans and is in agony even until now. Not only that, but we ourselves, although we have the Spirit as first fruits, groan inwardly while we await the redemption of our bodies. In hope we were saved. But hope is not hope if its object is seen; how is it possible for one to hope for what he sees? And hoping for what we cannot see means awaiting it with patient endurance.
The Spirit too helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in speech. He who searches hearts knows what the Spirit means, for the Spirit intercedes for the saints as God himself wills.
We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his decree. Those whom he foreknew he predestined to share the image of his Son, that the Son might be the first-born of many brothers. Those he predestined he likewise called; those he called he also justified; and those he justified he in turn glorified.
What shall we say after that? If God is for us, who can be against us? Is it possible that he who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for the sake of us all will not grant us all things besides? Who shall bring a charge against God's chosen ones? God, who justifies? Who shall condemn them? Christ Jesus, who died or rather was raised up, who is at the right hand of God and who intercedes for us?
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Trial, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? As Scripture says: "For your sake we are being slain all the day long; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered. Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of him who had loved us.
For I am certain that neither death nor life neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Responsory [Mt. 5:44-45]
【V】: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; pray for those who persecute and insult you.
【R】: Then you will be true sons of your Father who is in heaven.
【V】: You must be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
【R】: Then you will be true sons of your Father who is in heaven.
The Second Reading
A reading from the Chronicle of the Ministers General of the Friars Minor (Analecta Franciscana III,15-19)
Blessed Francis, following the will of the Lord, sent six of his most virtuous brethren to Morocco to preach the Catholic faith ceaselessly to the infidel. While they were in Aragon, Brother Vitalis fell seriously ill and foresaw that it would be no short matter. Anxious not to allow his sickness to delay the work of God he bade the other five continue to Morocco and fulfil the command of God and Brother Francis. Leaving Brother Vitalis behind the holy company continued on obediently to Coimbra. There, they doffed their habits, left Coimbra and arrived in Seville, then a Moslem town.
One day, in their eagerness, they came without any guide to the principal mosque, or Moslem house of prayer. When they tried to go in there was uproar and commotion among the indignant Saracens. So they then showed themselves at the palace gates, saying they had been sent as ambassadors, as it were, from the king of kings, our Lord Jesus Christ. Seeing that they were expounding matters of Catholic faith with a view to his conversion and baptism the king was angry and ordered that they be beheaded; but later, on the advice of his ministers, he sent them on to Morocco as they had wished.
Once in the city, they began immediately to preach to the Moslems round the market place. When he heard of it the king clapped them in gaol for twenty days without food or drink, their only nourishment being divine consolation. The king was further incensed by their perseverance in the faith and had them subjected to various tortures including scourging, each of the brothers in a different house. Iniquitous officials then bound them hand and foot, put a rope round their necks and dragged them along the ground, flaying them so that their entrails were almost visible. They proceeded to pour boiling oil and vinegar on the open wounds and then to roll them on straw bedding littered with broken pottery. There were almost thirty Moslems to watch and scourge them throughout the night.
In his frenzy the king had them brought before him the next day. They were brought, with their hands tied. They were stripped and barefoot, their bodies covered with blood from the floggings they had received. When the king found them immovable in their faith, he ushered everyone out of the room and had women brought in. He made a proposal: "Become converts to our faith and I shall give you these women for your wives, with money enough and a respected place in our realm." The holy martyrs were ready with their answer. "We don't want your women or your money. We despise all things for Christ's sake." Furious, the king had them separated from one another, took his sword and split their heads open through the forehead, one after another. It took three swords to sever their necks; and so with his own hand he put them to death with savage ferocity.
Responsory
【V】:These saints died for Christ's sake, unafraid of their murderers *
【R】:to claim their inheritance from the Lord.
【V】:For God's sake, they gave their bodies up to every torment, *
【R】:to claim their inheritance from the Lord.
TeDeum
We praise you, O God: *
we acclaim you as the Lord.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers,
all the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending song:
Holy, Holy, Holy, *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled *
with your majesty and glory.
The glorious band of apostles, *
the noble company of prophets,
the white-robed army who shed their blood for Christ, *
all sing your praise.
And to the ends of the earth *
your holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, whose majesty is boundless, +
your true and only Son, who is to be adored *
the Holy Spirit sent to be our Advocate.
You, Christ, are the king of glory, *
Son of the eternal Father.
When you took our nature to save mankind *
you did not shrink from birth in the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the power of death *
opening the Father's kingdom to all who believe in you.
Enthroned at God's right hand in the glory of the Father, *
you will come in judgment according to your promise.
You redeemed your people by your precious blood. *
Come we implore you, to our aid.
Grant us with the saints *
a place in eternal glory.
***
Lord, save your people *
and bless your inheritance.
Rule them and uphold them *
for ever and ever.
Day by day we praise you: *
we acclaim you now and to all eternity.
In your goodness, Lord, keep us free from sin. *
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
May your mercy always be with us, Lord, *
for we have hoped in you.
In you, Lord, we put our trust: *
we shall not be put to shame.
Concluding Prayer
Lord God, you consecrated the infancy of the Franciscan Order by the glorious martyrdom of Berard and his companions; grant that as they died heroically for you so we may grow in persevering faith. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;
hail the God who save us.
Let us come before him giving thanks,
with songs let us hail the Lord.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
A mighty God is the Lord,
a great king above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his.
To him belongs the sea, for he made it,
and the dry land shaped by his hands.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Come in; let us bow and bend low;
let us kneel before the God who made us
for he is our God and we +
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert +
when your fathers put me to the test; *
when they tried me, though they saw my work.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
For forty years I was wearied of these people
and I said: 'Their hearts are astray,
these people do not know my ways.' +
Then I took an oath in my anger:
'Never shall they enter my rest.'"
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.
Hymn
Faith of our fathers! faith and prayer
Shall win all nations unto thee;
And through the truth that comes from God,
Mankind shall then indeed be free.
Refrain:
Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.
Faith of our fathers! we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife:
And preach thee too, as love knows how,
By kindly deeds and virtuous life.
Psalmody
Psalm 2
Ant. 1: The holy martyrs died for Christ; with their blood they enriched the earth. Their gift is crowned with everlasting life.
Why this tumult among nations, *
among peoples this useless murmuring?
They arise, the kings of the earth, *
princes plot against the Lord and his Anointed.
Come, let us break their fetters, *
come, let us cast off their yoke.
He who sits in the heavens laughs; *
the Lord is laughing them to scorn.
Then he will speak in his anger, *
his rage will strike them with terror.
It is I who have set up my king on Zion, *
my holy mountain.
I will announce the decree of the Lord:+
The Lord said to me: You are my Son. *
It is I who have begotten you this day.
Ask and I will bequeath you the nations, *
put the ends of the earth in your possession.
With a rod of iron you will break them, *
shatter them like a potter's jar.
Now, O kings, understand,+
take warning, rulers of the earth; *
serve the Lord with awe +
and trembling, pay him your homage
lest he be angry and you perish;+
for suddenly his anger will blaze. *
Blessed are they who put their trust in God.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. 1: The holy martyrs died for Christ; with their blood they enriched the earth. Their gift is crowned with everlasting life.
Psalm 33 I
Ant. 2: The just will live for ever; to live for God is their reward.
Ring out your joy to the Lord, O you just; *
for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
Give thanks to the Lord upon the lyre, *
with a ten-stringed harp sing him songs.
O sing him a song that is new, *
play loudly, with all your skill.
For the word of the Lord is faithful *
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right *
and fills the earth with his love.
By his word the heavens were made, *
by the breath of his mouth all the stars.
He collects the waves of the ocean; *
he stores up the depths of the sea.
Let all the earth fear the Lord *
all who live in the world revere him.
He spoke; and it came to be. *
He commanded; it sprang into being.
He frustrates the designs of the nations, *
he defeats the plans of the peoples.
His own designs shall stand for ever, *
the plans of his heart from age to age.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. 2: The just will live for ever; to live for God is their reward.
Psalm 33 II
Ant. 3: My saints, you fought the good fight in this world; I will give you the reward of your labors.
They are happy, whose God is the Lord, *
the people he has chosen as his own.
From the heavens the Lord looks forth, *
he sees all the children of men.
From the place where he dwells he gazes *
on all the dwellers on the earth;
he who shapes the hearts of them all; *
and considers all their deeds.
A king is not saved by his army, *
nor a warrior preserved by his strength.
A vain hope for safety is the horse; *
despite its power it cannot save.
The Lord looks on those who revere him, *
on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death, *
to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord. *
The Lord is our help and our shield.
In him do our hearts find joy. *
We trust in his holy name.
May your love be upon us, O Lord, *
as we place all our hope in you.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. 3: My saints, you fought the good fight in this world; I will give you the reward of your labors.
【V】: Our spirits yearn for the Lord.
【R】: He is our help and our protector.
The First Reading
From the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Romans (Rm. 8:18-39)
Nothing is able to separate us from the love of God which comes to us through Jesus Christ
I consider the sufferings of the present to be as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed in us. Indeed, the whole created world eagerly awaits the revelation of the sons of God. Creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but by him who once subjected it; yet not without hope, because the world itself will be freed from its slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. Yes, we know that all creation groans and is in agony even until now. Not only that, but we ourselves, although we have the Spirit as first fruits, groan inwardly while we await the redemption of our bodies. In hope we were saved. But hope is not hope if its object is seen; how is it possible for one to hope for what he sees? And hoping for what we cannot see means awaiting it with patient endurance.
The Spirit too helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in speech. He who searches hearts knows what the Spirit means, for the Spirit intercedes for the saints as God himself wills.
We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his decree. Those whom he foreknew he predestined to share the image of his Son, that the Son might be the first-born of many brothers. Those he predestined he likewise called; those he called he also justified; and those he justified he in turn glorified.
What shall we say after that? If God is for us, who can be against us? Is it possible that he who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for the sake of us all will not grant us all things besides? Who shall bring a charge against God's chosen ones? God, who justifies? Who shall condemn them? Christ Jesus, who died or rather was raised up, who is at the right hand of God and who intercedes for us?
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Trial, or distress, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? As Scripture says: "For your sake we are being slain all the day long; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered. Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of him who had loved us.
For I am certain that neither death nor life neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, neither height nor depth nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Responsory [Mt. 5:44-45]
【V】: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you; pray for those who persecute and insult you.
【R】: Then you will be true sons of your Father who is in heaven.
【V】: You must be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
【R】: Then you will be true sons of your Father who is in heaven.
The Second Reading
A reading from the Chronicle of the Ministers General of the Friars Minor (Analecta Franciscana III,15-19)
Blessed Francis, following the will of the Lord, sent six of his most virtuous brethren to Morocco to preach the Catholic faith ceaselessly to the infidel. While they were in Aragon, Brother Vitalis fell seriously ill and foresaw that it would be no short matter. Anxious not to allow his sickness to delay the work of God he bade the other five continue to Morocco and fulfil the command of God and Brother Francis. Leaving Brother Vitalis behind the holy company continued on obediently to Coimbra. There, they doffed their habits, left Coimbra and arrived in Seville, then a Moslem town.
One day, in their eagerness, they came without any guide to the principal mosque, or Moslem house of prayer. When they tried to go in there was uproar and commotion among the indignant Saracens. So they then showed themselves at the palace gates, saying they had been sent as ambassadors, as it were, from the king of kings, our Lord Jesus Christ. Seeing that they were expounding matters of Catholic faith with a view to his conversion and baptism the king was angry and ordered that they be beheaded; but later, on the advice of his ministers, he sent them on to Morocco as they had wished.
Once in the city, they began immediately to preach to the Moslems round the market place. When he heard of it the king clapped them in gaol for twenty days without food or drink, their only nourishment being divine consolation. The king was further incensed by their perseverance in the faith and had them subjected to various tortures including scourging, each of the brothers in a different house. Iniquitous officials then bound them hand and foot, put a rope round their necks and dragged them along the ground, flaying them so that their entrails were almost visible. They proceeded to pour boiling oil and vinegar on the open wounds and then to roll them on straw bedding littered with broken pottery. There were almost thirty Moslems to watch and scourge them throughout the night.
In his frenzy the king had them brought before him the next day. They were brought, with their hands tied. They were stripped and barefoot, their bodies covered with blood from the floggings they had received. When the king found them immovable in their faith, he ushered everyone out of the room and had women brought in. He made a proposal: "Become converts to our faith and I shall give you these women for your wives, with money enough and a respected place in our realm." The holy martyrs were ready with their answer. "We don't want your women or your money. We despise all things for Christ's sake." Furious, the king had them separated from one another, took his sword and split their heads open through the forehead, one after another. It took three swords to sever their necks; and so with his own hand he put them to death with savage ferocity.
Responsory
【V】:These saints died for Christ's sake, unafraid of their murderers *
【R】:to claim their inheritance from the Lord.
【V】:For God's sake, they gave their bodies up to every torment, *
【R】:to claim their inheritance from the Lord.
TeDeum
We praise you, O God: *
we acclaim you as the Lord.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers,
all the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending song:
Holy, Holy, Holy, *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled *
with your majesty and glory.
The glorious band of apostles, *
the noble company of prophets,
the white-robed army who shed their blood for Christ, *
all sing your praise.
And to the ends of the earth *
your holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, whose majesty is boundless, +
your true and only Son, who is to be adored *
the Holy Spirit sent to be our Advocate.
You, Christ, are the king of glory, *
Son of the eternal Father.
When you took our nature to save mankind *
you did not shrink from birth in the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the power of death *
opening the Father's kingdom to all who believe in you.
Enthroned at God's right hand in the glory of the Father, *
you will come in judgment according to your promise.
You redeemed your people by your precious blood. *
Come we implore you, to our aid.
Grant us with the saints *
a place in eternal glory.
***
Lord, save your people *
and bless your inheritance.
Rule them and uphold them *
for ever and ever.
Day by day we praise you: *
we acclaim you now and to all eternity.
In your goodness, Lord, keep us free from sin. *
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
May your mercy always be with us, Lord, *
for we have hoped in you.
In you, Lord, we put our trust: *
we shall not be put to shame.
Concluding Prayer
Lord God, you consecrated the infancy of the Franciscan Order by the glorious martyrdom of Berard and his companions; grant that as they died heroically for you so we may grow in persevering faith. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.