Saint Ferga (c.700 – 784)
Green/White
He is also known as Vergilius of Salzburg. He was born of a noble family and educated in the monastery at Iona. In 745 he left Ireland on pilgrimage. He became Abbot of St Peter’s at Salzburg. He engaged in controversy with St Boniface, but on Boniface’s martyrdom he became his successor as Bishop of Salzburg in 767.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 84: 9
The Lord speaks of peace to his people and his holy ones and to those who turn to him.
Collect
Stir up the will of your faithful, we pray, O Lord, that, striving more eagerly to bring your divine work to fruitful completion, they may receive in greater measure the healing remedies your kindness bestows. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Apocalypse 15:1-4
What I, John, saw in heaven was a great and wonderful sign: seven angels were bringing the seven plagues that are the last of all, because they exhaust the anger of God. I seemed to see a glass lake suffused with fire, and standing by the lake of glass, those who had fought against the beast and won, and against his statue and the number which is his name. They all had harps from God, and they were singing the hymn of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb: ‘How great and wonderful are all your works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are all your ways, King of nations. Who would not revere and praise your name, O Lord? You alone are holy, and all the pagans will come and adore you for the many acts of justice you have shown.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
97(98):1-3,7-9
R/ How great and wonderful are all your works, Lord God almighty.
Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.
Let the sea and all within it, thunder; the world, and all its peoples. Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy at the presence of the Lord.
For the Lord comes, he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.
Gospel Acclamation: Lk21:36
Alleluia, alleluia! Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to stand with confidence before the Son of Man. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 21:12-19
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, O Lord, the sacred offerings which at your bidding we dedicate to your name and, in order that through these gifts we may become worthy of your love, grant us unfailing obedience to your commands. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Ps 116: 1, 2
O praise the Lord, all you nations, for his merciful love towards us is great.
Prayer after Communion
We pray, almighty God, that those to whom you give the joy of participating in divine mysteries may never be parted from you. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Discipleship entails paying a cost. The disciple is not greater than the master. If Jesus was persecuted by men of his time, the disciple cannot expect a fairer treatment. Persecutions and trials are however opportunities to test our fidelity in Jesus, opportunities to bear witness for Jesus. In the Acts of the Apostles we see how the early Christians were harassed and killed, but these persecutions and the blood of the martyrs became the seed that grew the faith. The early church thrived despite the intense persecution. Jesus tells us that in these persecutions, Christians will be betrayed even by members of their families. .Jesus assures us of the Father’s providential care in the midst of persecutions – not a hair of our head will perish. The key to victory over persecution is perseverance. We must stand firm, fight the good fight and run the race to the end.