Office of Readings
0524 Dedication of a Church Feast
Invitatory Antiphon
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
HYMN
The church's one foundation
is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.
Elect from every nation,
yet one o'er all the earth;
her charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.
Though with a scornful wonder
we see her sore oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder,
by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping;
their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
shall be the morn of song. Amen.
PSALMODY
Psalm 24
Ant. 1: Open wide the doors and gates. Lift high the ancient portals.
The Lord's is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, *
who desires not worthless things,
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor. *
He shall receive blessings from the Lord +
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
O gates, lift high your heads; *
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory! *
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
O gates, lift high your heads; *
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory! *
Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
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:Open wide the doors and gates. Lift high the ancient portals.
Psalm 84
Ant. 2: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of power and might.
How lovely is your dwelling place, *
Lord, God of hosts.
My soul is longing and yearning, *
is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy *
to God, the living God.
The sparrow herself finds a home *
and the swallow a nest for her brood;
she lays her young by your altars, *
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
They are happy, who dwell in your house, *
for ever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you, *
in whose hearts are the roads to Zion.
As they go through the Bitter Valley *
they make it a place of springs
(the autumn rain covers it with blessings).
They walk with ever growing strength, *
they will see the God of gods in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer, *
give ear, O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield, *
look on the face of your anointed.
One day within your courts *
is better than a thousand elsewhere.
The threshold of the house of God *
I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield; *
he will give us his favor and glory.
The Lord will not refuse any good *
to those who walk without blame.
Lord, God of hosts, *
happy the man who trusts 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. 2:How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of power and might.
Psalm 87
Ant. 3:Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.
On the holy mountain is his city *
cherished by the Lord.
The Lord prefers the gates of Zion *
to all Jacob's dwellings.
Of you are told glorious things, *
O city of God!
Babylon and Egypt I will count *
among those who know me;
Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia, +
these will be her children *
and Zion shall be called Mother +
for all shall be her children.
It is he, the Lord Most High, *
who gives each his place.
In his register of peoples he writes: *
These are her children,
and while they dance they will sing: *
In you all find their home.
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: Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.
【V】:I will worship at your holy temple.
【R】:And I will extol your name, O Lord.
FIRST READING
From the first letter of Peter [2:1-17]
We are built as living stones
Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander; like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation, for you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it says in scripture:
"Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame." Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and "A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall." They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
But you are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises" of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were "no people" but now you are God's people; you "had not received mercy" but now you have received mercy.
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul. Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that if they speak of you as evildoers, they may observe your good works and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the approval of those who do good. For it is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish people. Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God. Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king.
RESPONSORY [See Tobit 13:21; Revelation 21:19-21]
【V】:The walls of Jerusalem will be precious stones.
【R】:The towers of Jerusalem will be built with jewels.
【V】:The gates of Jerusalem will be built of sapphire and emerald,and the wall around the city will be made of precious stones.
【R】:The towers of Jerusalem will be built with jewels.
The Second Reading
From the Constitution of Pope Benedict XIV "Fidelis Dominus"
The Lord exalts saints to stimulate the faith of men on earth
The Lord keeps his word. In Holy Scripture he frequently declares that he will exalt those whom he finds like to his Son in humility. Not only does he crown them with marvelous glory and honour in the kingdom of heaven, but here on earth as well. Thus their memory enshrined in honour and glory arouses and strengthens men's faith.
We clearly see this promise fulfilled in the exaltation of Saint Francis. While on earth it was his constant endeavour to be held in low esteem by himself and by others. Through the unalterable decision of the Church he has already been honoured and venerated for centuries with highest praise throughout the world as one reigning in heaven among God's friends.
In body, Francis never ceased to care about the dying of Christ. At his death, that body was made resplendent with extraordinary signs and marvels from heaven. It was so venerated by the devotion of the people that his sepulchre became more glorious than the pretentious monuments of powerful worldlings.
Scarcely a year after the death of Francis, a place for the remains of the Servant of God was under consideration. When a suitable location near the walls of Assisi had been offered, our predecessor Gregory IX accepted the place as the property of the Apostolic See. Moreover, he decreed that the church to be erected thereon should be subject to the Apostolic See alone. Later, after the same Pope Gregory had enrolled the glorious patriarch in the catalogue of saints at Assisi, he personally laid the cornerstone of the church and declared it to be the chief and mother church of the Order of Friars Minor.
After the body of Saint Francis was transferred there with memorable solemnity and the church was completed, Pope Innocent IV solemnly consecrated it on the Sunday before the feast of the Ascension of our Lord in the year 1253.
Following the example of so many of our predecessors we, too, have been willingly led to add to the splendour and honour of this church. This is the chief reason that motivated us: We concluded that the more the Apostolic See honoured the memory of Saint Francis, the more could the Roman Church hope for greater protection through his intercession. Therefore, by means of this our constitution, valid in perpetuity, we raise the aforesaid church to the dignity of a Patriarchal Basilica and Papal Chapel.
Responsory
【V】:God has made holy his dwelling place *
【R】:and his splendour has shone forth in his servant Francis (alleluia) .
【V】:To make know to the people the abundant riches of his grace. *
【R】: and his splendour has shone forth in his servant Francis (alleluia).
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 choose men as living stones to become an eternal dwelling, built to the glory of your name. Increase your gifts of grace to the Church. Through the prayers of our Blessed Father Francis may your faithful people throng in ever greater numbers to form the heavenly Jerusalem: We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
【Ant.】:Come, let us worship Christ, the Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
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 Bridegroom of his Church.
HYMN
The church's one foundation
is Jesus Christ her Lord;
she is his new creation
by water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her,
and for her life he died.
Elect from every nation,
yet one o'er all the earth;
her charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.
Though with a scornful wonder
we see her sore oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder,
by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping;
their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
shall be the morn of song. Amen.
PSALMODY
Psalm 24
Ant. 1: Open wide the doors and gates. Lift high the ancient portals.
The Lord's is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, *
who desires not worthless things,
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor. *
He shall receive blessings from the Lord +
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
O gates, lift high your heads; *
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory! *
Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
O gates, lift high your heads; *
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory! *
Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
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:Open wide the doors and gates. Lift high the ancient portals.
Psalm 84
Ant. 2: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of power and might.
How lovely is your dwelling place, *
Lord, God of hosts.
My soul is longing and yearning, *
is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy *
to God, the living God.
The sparrow herself finds a home *
and the swallow a nest for her brood;
she lays her young by your altars, *
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.
They are happy, who dwell in your house, *
for ever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you, *
in whose hearts are the roads to Zion.
As they go through the Bitter Valley *
they make it a place of springs
(the autumn rain covers it with blessings).
They walk with ever growing strength, *
they will see the God of gods in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer, *
give ear, O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield, *
look on the face of your anointed.
One day within your courts *
is better than a thousand elsewhere.
The threshold of the house of God *
I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield; *
he will give us his favor and glory.
The Lord will not refuse any good *
to those who walk without blame.
Lord, God of hosts, *
happy the man who trusts 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. 2:How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of power and might.
Psalm 87
Ant. 3:Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.
On the holy mountain is his city *
cherished by the Lord.
The Lord prefers the gates of Zion *
to all Jacob's dwellings.
Of you are told glorious things, *
O city of God!
Babylon and Egypt I will count *
among those who know me;
Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia, +
these will be her children *
and Zion shall be called Mother +
for all shall be her children.
It is he, the Lord Most High, *
who gives each his place.
In his register of peoples he writes: *
These are her children,
and while they dance they will sing: *
In you all find their home.
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: Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.
【V】:I will worship at your holy temple.
【R】:And I will extol your name, O Lord.
FIRST READING
From the first letter of Peter [2:1-17]
We are built as living stones
Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander; like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation, for you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it says in scripture:
"Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame." Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and "A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall." They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
But you are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises" of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were "no people" but now you are God's people; you "had not received mercy" but now you have received mercy.
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul. Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that if they speak of you as evildoers, they may observe your good works and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the approval of those who do good. For it is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish people. Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God. Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king.
RESPONSORY [See Tobit 13:21; Revelation 21:19-21]
【V】:The walls of Jerusalem will be precious stones.
【R】:The towers of Jerusalem will be built with jewels.
【V】:The gates of Jerusalem will be built of sapphire and emerald,and the wall around the city will be made of precious stones.
【R】:The towers of Jerusalem will be built with jewels.
The Second Reading
From the Constitution of Pope Benedict XIV "Fidelis Dominus"
The Lord exalts saints to stimulate the faith of men on earth
The Lord keeps his word. In Holy Scripture he frequently declares that he will exalt those whom he finds like to his Son in humility. Not only does he crown them with marvelous glory and honour in the kingdom of heaven, but here on earth as well. Thus their memory enshrined in honour and glory arouses and strengthens men's faith.
We clearly see this promise fulfilled in the exaltation of Saint Francis. While on earth it was his constant endeavour to be held in low esteem by himself and by others. Through the unalterable decision of the Church he has already been honoured and venerated for centuries with highest praise throughout the world as one reigning in heaven among God's friends.
In body, Francis never ceased to care about the dying of Christ. At his death, that body was made resplendent with extraordinary signs and marvels from heaven. It was so venerated by the devotion of the people that his sepulchre became more glorious than the pretentious monuments of powerful worldlings.
Scarcely a year after the death of Francis, a place for the remains of the Servant of God was under consideration. When a suitable location near the walls of Assisi had been offered, our predecessor Gregory IX accepted the place as the property of the Apostolic See. Moreover, he decreed that the church to be erected thereon should be subject to the Apostolic See alone. Later, after the same Pope Gregory had enrolled the glorious patriarch in the catalogue of saints at Assisi, he personally laid the cornerstone of the church and declared it to be the chief and mother church of the Order of Friars Minor.
After the body of Saint Francis was transferred there with memorable solemnity and the church was completed, Pope Innocent IV solemnly consecrated it on the Sunday before the feast of the Ascension of our Lord in the year 1253.
Following the example of so many of our predecessors we, too, have been willingly led to add to the splendour and honour of this church. This is the chief reason that motivated us: We concluded that the more the Apostolic See honoured the memory of Saint Francis, the more could the Roman Church hope for greater protection through his intercession. Therefore, by means of this our constitution, valid in perpetuity, we raise the aforesaid church to the dignity of a Patriarchal Basilica and Papal Chapel.
Responsory
【V】:God has made holy his dwelling place *
【R】:and his splendour has shone forth in his servant Francis (alleluia) .
【V】:To make know to the people the abundant riches of his grace. *
【R】: and his splendour has shone forth in his servant Francis (alleluia).
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 choose men as living stones to become an eternal dwelling, built to the glory of your name. Increase your gifts of grace to the Church. Through the prayers of our Blessed Father Francis may your faithful people throng in ever greater numbers to form the heavenly Jerusalem: We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.