Office of Readings
1019 Pastors Memorial
Invitatory Antiphon
【Ant.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
HYMN
The king of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness fails me never:
I nothing lack if I am his,
And he is mine for ever.
Where streams of living water flow,
To rest my soul he leads me:
Where fresh and fertile pastures grow,
With heav’nly food he feeds me.
Perverse and foolish I have strayed,
But he with love has sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death’s dark vale, I fear no ill,
With you, dear Lord, beside me:
Your rod and staff my comfort still,
Your cross will ever guide.
You spread a banquet in my sight,
My head with oil anointing,
And let me taste the sweet delight
From your pure chalice flowing.
And so through all the length of days
Your goodness fails me never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise
Within your house forever.
PSALMODY
Antiphons and Psalms and The First Reading of the Weekday
The Second Reading
From a letter of Saint Peter of Alcantara to Saint Teresa (Annales Minores XIX pp 340-341)
How sweet is God to those who serve him
It is no small wonder to me that your Ladyship should have entrusted an affair of this kind to men of culture, which is outside their province. For when it is a question of litigation or of matters of conscience, it would be praiseworthy to consult lawyers and theologians, and to abide by their opinions. But with regard to the life of perfection, one ought to take counsel only from those who aim at it themselves. Right reason suggests that the study and clear exposition of their works proves that no better ruling or opinion on this matter can be had. Where the evangelical counsels are concerned, there is no need of outside assistance, unless it be to consider whether they should be embraced or whether they can be observed, and this is a most sure sign of unfaithfulness.
For the counsel of God can be nothing but good, nor can its observance be difficult except for the incredulous, or for those who have scant trust in God. These prefer rather to put their trust solely in the rules of human prudence. But he who offers advice will also bestow his assistance, seeing that he is powerful in all things. Man of himself cannot be the author of any good counsel, however much he may desire to appear good, for by nature he is evil. How much more is he who is goodness itself willing and able to enable those who follow his advice to make progress in goodness.
If anyone wishes to follow the counsels of Christ concerning greater perfection, let him follow them in a way which is just as possible for women as for men. He will bring him to a successful ending just as he has done for many others who have followed in his footsteps. But if anyone desires to give heed to the advice of learned but unspiritual men, let him attempt to arrive successfully at his goal, so that he may learn by personal experience whether this is better than to rely on the Lord's gentle urgings to go forward without any earthly goods.
When we see certain imperfections in the monasteries of poor women, let us consider that this has come to pass mainly because they endure this poverty unwillingly, instead of embracing it as a divine counsel: I do not praise poverty as such, but only that which we endure patiently out of love for our Crucified Redeemer and that, still more to be desired, which we freely undertake out of love for him. For if I were to think otherwise, or believe with a fixed determination, I should not consider myself to be very secure in my faith. But in all these matters I put my trust in Christ, and firmly believe that his counsels, being divine, must be the best. And although they do not oblige under pain of sin, a person may be obliged to strive for a greater degree of perfection in imitation of our Lord, so that if he abandoned its pursuit he could not do so without fault. I say that these counsels oblige because they urge him towards perfection, and thus render him holier and more pleasing to God. I think therefore that as the Lord himself has said, blessed are the poor in spirit, provided they are so of their own free choice. I myself have experienced this, although I would rather believe in God than in my own experience.
May the Lord grant your Ladyship so much light that you may understand this truth and base your life on it. And you should not give credence to those who state the contrary, be it from disbelief, or from their never having tasted how sweet God is to those who serve and love him, and who, for his love, give up all unnecessary earthly goods. Men of this kind are enemies of the Cross of Christ, and do not believe in the glory which will be theirs in the end.
May I also add that your Ladyship should not waver in the face of so manifest a truth, nor accept advice except from those who have embraced the evangelical counsels. For although others who observe the precepts to which they are obliged will be saved, yet generally speaking they have only that degree of light which is given for the works which they perform. And however good may be the advice of others, the advice of Christ our Lord will be better since he bestows help for the perfecting of the same gift,and in the end renders rewards to those who place their full trust in him and not in earthly goods.
Responsory [James 2,5; Mt. 19, 21]
【V】:God has chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
【R】:which he has promised to those who love him.
【V】:If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven,
【R】:which he has promised to those who love him.
Concluding Prayer
O God, you glorified blessed Peter with the gift of wonderful penance and lofty contemplation. Mercifully grant that through his merits we may mortify our flesh, and deserve to share in the gifts of heaven: grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
【Ant.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
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.】:How wonderful is God among his saints: come, let us adore him.
HYMN
The king of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness fails me never:
I nothing lack if I am his,
And he is mine for ever.
Where streams of living water flow,
To rest my soul he leads me:
Where fresh and fertile pastures grow,
With heav’nly food he feeds me.
Perverse and foolish I have strayed,
But he with love has sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death’s dark vale, I fear no ill,
With you, dear Lord, beside me:
Your rod and staff my comfort still,
Your cross will ever guide.
You spread a banquet in my sight,
My head with oil anointing,
And let me taste the sweet delight
From your pure chalice flowing.
And so through all the length of days
Your goodness fails me never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise
Within your house forever.
PSALMODY
Antiphons and Psalms and The First Reading of the Weekday
The Second Reading
From a letter of Saint Peter of Alcantara to Saint Teresa (Annales Minores XIX pp 340-341)
How sweet is God to those who serve him
It is no small wonder to me that your Ladyship should have entrusted an affair of this kind to men of culture, which is outside their province. For when it is a question of litigation or of matters of conscience, it would be praiseworthy to consult lawyers and theologians, and to abide by their opinions. But with regard to the life of perfection, one ought to take counsel only from those who aim at it themselves. Right reason suggests that the study and clear exposition of their works proves that no better ruling or opinion on this matter can be had. Where the evangelical counsels are concerned, there is no need of outside assistance, unless it be to consider whether they should be embraced or whether they can be observed, and this is a most sure sign of unfaithfulness.
For the counsel of God can be nothing but good, nor can its observance be difficult except for the incredulous, or for those who have scant trust in God. These prefer rather to put their trust solely in the rules of human prudence. But he who offers advice will also bestow his assistance, seeing that he is powerful in all things. Man of himself cannot be the author of any good counsel, however much he may desire to appear good, for by nature he is evil. How much more is he who is goodness itself willing and able to enable those who follow his advice to make progress in goodness.
If anyone wishes to follow the counsels of Christ concerning greater perfection, let him follow them in a way which is just as possible for women as for men. He will bring him to a successful ending just as he has done for many others who have followed in his footsteps. But if anyone desires to give heed to the advice of learned but unspiritual men, let him attempt to arrive successfully at his goal, so that he may learn by personal experience whether this is better than to rely on the Lord's gentle urgings to go forward without any earthly goods.
When we see certain imperfections in the monasteries of poor women, let us consider that this has come to pass mainly because they endure this poverty unwillingly, instead of embracing it as a divine counsel: I do not praise poverty as such, but only that which we endure patiently out of love for our Crucified Redeemer and that, still more to be desired, which we freely undertake out of love for him. For if I were to think otherwise, or believe with a fixed determination, I should not consider myself to be very secure in my faith. But in all these matters I put my trust in Christ, and firmly believe that his counsels, being divine, must be the best. And although they do not oblige under pain of sin, a person may be obliged to strive for a greater degree of perfection in imitation of our Lord, so that if he abandoned its pursuit he could not do so without fault. I say that these counsels oblige because they urge him towards perfection, and thus render him holier and more pleasing to God. I think therefore that as the Lord himself has said, blessed are the poor in spirit, provided they are so of their own free choice. I myself have experienced this, although I would rather believe in God than in my own experience.
May the Lord grant your Ladyship so much light that you may understand this truth and base your life on it. And you should not give credence to those who state the contrary, be it from disbelief, or from their never having tasted how sweet God is to those who serve and love him, and who, for his love, give up all unnecessary earthly goods. Men of this kind are enemies of the Cross of Christ, and do not believe in the glory which will be theirs in the end.
May I also add that your Ladyship should not waver in the face of so manifest a truth, nor accept advice except from those who have embraced the evangelical counsels. For although others who observe the precepts to which they are obliged will be saved, yet generally speaking they have only that degree of light which is given for the works which they perform. And however good may be the advice of others, the advice of Christ our Lord will be better since he bestows help for the perfecting of the same gift,and in the end renders rewards to those who place their full trust in him and not in earthly goods.
Responsory [James 2,5; Mt. 19, 21]
【V】:God has chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
【R】:which he has promised to those who love him.
【V】:If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven,
【R】:which he has promised to those who love him.
Concluding Prayer
O God, you glorified blessed Peter with the gift of wonderful penance and lofty contemplation. Mercifully grant that through his merits we may mortify our flesh, and deserve to share in the gifts of heaven: grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.