SAINT PETER ORSEOLO
MONK
Psalter II
WHITE
A Venetian ruler who later became a Benedictine monk. Born into a powerful family, he rose through the ranks, serving as commander of the Venetian fleet and eventually becoming Doge (duke) of Venice. He later renounced worldly power to live a life of solitude and prayer, eventually becoming a saint.
Entrance Antiphon: Gal 4: 4-5
God sent his Son, born of a woman, so that we might receive adoption as children.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, who through your Only Begotten Son have made us a new creation for yourself, grant, we pray, that by your grace we may be found in the likeness of him, in whom our nature is united to you. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
First Reading: First John 5: 14-21
And this is the confidence which we have towards him: That, whatsoever we shall ask according to his will, he heareth us. And we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask: we know that we have the petitions which we request of him. He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask, and life shall be given to him, who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death: for that I say not that any man ask. All iniquity is sin. And there is a sin unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God, sinneth not: but the generation of God preserveth him, and the wicked one toucheth him not. We know that we are of God, and the whole world is seated in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come: and he hath given us understanding that we may know the true God, and may be in his true Son. This is the true God and life eternal. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 149: 1-2, 3-4, 5 and 6a and 9b
R. (4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
- Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
- Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
- Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
- For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
- The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
- The high praise of God shall be in their mouth. This glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.
Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 4: 16
Alleluia, alleluia. The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: John 3: 22-30
After these things Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea: and there he abode with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Ennon near Salim; because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. And there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews concerning purification: And they came to John, and said to him: Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou gavest testimony, behold he baptizeth, and all men come to him. John answered, and said: A man cannot receive any thing, unless it be given him from heaven. You yourselves do bear me witness, that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that, through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 1: 16
From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Prayer after Communion
May your people, O Lord, whom you guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and in the future, the remedies which you bestow, that, with the needed solace of things that pass away, they may strive with ever deepened trust for things eternal. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.” St. John teaches us in the First Reading that we will receive from God whatever we ask him if it is in accordance with his will. Armed with this assurance, let us pray today for the humility to avoid drawing attention to ourselves and to rather lead people to God. John the Baptist is a model of the true prophet; he points people to Jesus, and once people have encountered Jesus, he disappears from the scene. We are prophets by virtue of our baptism, and we too should lead people to God. But sometimes we get carried away by the admiration people have for us and our efforts to do what is right. We are tempted to think that the good things we accomplish are the work of our hands. These feelings stem from the root of pride, and we must uproot it from our hearts. We should teach people to turn to Christ and not try to make them depend on us. We should accept the fact that people can be better than us in one thing or the other. Finally, we should always remind ourselves that it is by God’s grace, and not by our power, that we do the things we do.