Saturday

23

October

St. John of Capistrano

(1386 – 1456)

Green / White

He was born in Capistrano in the Abruzzi in 1386. He joined the Friars Minor and was ordained. John preached a crusade against the invading Turks in 1456 and took part in the battles that kept Christian Europe safe from Turkish invasion. He died of the Plague in 1456. He is the patron saint of military chaplains.

Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 16: 6, 8

To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me.

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart. 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 : Romans 8:1-11

The reason why those who are in Christ Jesus are not condemned is that the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. God has done what the Law, because of our unspiritual nature, was unable to do. God dealt with sin by sending his own Son in a body as physical as any sinful body, and in that body God condemned sin. He did this in order that the Law’s just demands might be satisfied in us, who behave not as our unspiritual nature but as the spirit dictates. The unspiritual are interested only in what is unspiritual, but the spiritual are interested in spiritual things. It is death to limit oneself to what is unspiritual; life and peace can only come with concern for the spiritual. That is because to limit oneself to what is unspiritual is to be at enmity with God: such a limitation never could and never does submit to God’s law. People who are interested only in unspiritual things can never be pleasing to God. Your interests, however, are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him. Though your body may be dead it is because of sin, but if Christ is in you then your spirit is life itself because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.

Psalm 23(24):1-6

R/     Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord.

1.     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.

2.     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.

3.     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.

Gospel Acclamation: Ps144:13

Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord is faithful in all his words and loving in all his deeds. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 13:1-9

Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’ He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’

Prayer over the Offerings

Grant us, Lord, we pray, a sincere respect for your gifts, that, through the purifying action of your grace, we may be cleansed by the very mysteries we serve. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon Cf. Ps 32: 18-19

Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, who hope in his merciful love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.

Prayer after Communion

Grant, O Lord, we pray, that, benefiting from participation in heavenly things, we may be helped by what you give in this present age and prepared for the gifts that are eternal. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

Death is certain and no one can escape it. The focus should not be on dying, since it will come and in some cases, unannounced. The focus should be on the question: how prepared and ready are you to face eternity when it comes? Today Jesus is exhorting us to convert from our evil ways for it is the best way of preparing for the life to come. We pray for the grace to turn away from our evil ways.

samedi

23

Octobre

Saint Jean de Capistran, prêtre

Vert / Blanc

Gouverneur de Pérouse, Jean (1386-1456) a trente ans quand il entre chez les Franciscains. Prêtre en 1425, il parcourt l’Europe, y propageant la dévotion au Nom de Jésus. Il prêche la croisade qui enraye les progrès des Turcs, battus à Belgrade en 1456. Auparavant, il avait été au Concile de Florence où il avait amené les Arméniens en vue de l’union des Eglises séparées. A cette unité de l’Eglise, compromise par le grand schisme d’Occident, il travailla toute sa vie.

Antienne d’ouverture : Ps 16, 6 .8

Je t’appelle, mon Dieu, car tu peux me répondre. Écoute-moi! Entends ce que je dis. Garde-moi comme la prunelle de l’œil; sois mon abri, protège-moi.

Prière d’ouverture

Dieu éternel et tout-puissant, Fais-nous toujours vouloir ce que tu veux et servir ta gloire d’un coeur sans partage. Par Jésus Christ.

Première Lecture : Romains 8, 1-11

Frères, pour ceux qui sont dans le Christ Jésus, il n’y a plus de condamnation. Car la loi de l’Esprit qui donne la vie dans le Christ Jésus t’a libéré de la loi du péché et de la mort. En effet, quand Dieu a envoyé son propre Fils dans une condition charnelle semblable à celle des pécheurs pour vaincre le péché, il a fait ce que la loi de Moïse ne pouvait pas faire à cause de la faiblesse humaine : il a condamné le péché dans l’homme charnel. Il voulait ainsi que l’exigence de la Loi s’accomplisse en nous, dont la conduite n’est pas selon la chair mais selon l’Esprit. En effet, ceux qui se conforment à la chair tendent vers ce qui est charnel ; ceux qui se conforment à l’Esprit tendent vers ce qui est spirituel ; et la chair tend vers la mort, mais l’Esprit tend vers la vie et la paix. Car la tendance de la chair est ennemie de Dieu, elle ne se soumet pas à la loi de Dieu, elle n’en est même pas capable. Ceux qui sont sous l’emprise de la chair ne peuvent pas plaire à Dieu. Or, vous, vous n’êtes pas sous l’emprise de la chair, mais sous celle de l’Esprit, puisque l’Esprit de Dieu habite en vous. Celui qui n’a pas l’Esprit du Christ ne lui appartient pas. Mais si le Christ est en vous, le corps, il est vrai, reste marqué par la mort à cause du péché, mais l’Esprit vous fait vivre, puisque vous êtes devenus des justes. Et si l’Esprit de celui qui a ressuscité Jésus d’entre les morts habite en vous, celui qui a ressuscité Jésus, le Christ, d’entre les morts donnera aussi la vie à vos corps mortels par son Esprit qui habite en vous.

Psaume : 23 (24), 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R/ Voici le peuple  de ceux qui cherchent ta face, Seigneur. (cf. 23, 6)

1. Au Seigneur, le monde et sa richesse, la terre et tous ses habitants ! C’est lui qui l’a fondée sur les mers et la garde inébranlable sur les flots.

2.  Qui peut gravir la montagne du Seigneur et se tenir dans le lieu saint ? L’homme au cœur pur, aux mains innocentes, qui ne livre pas son âme aux idoles.

3. Il obtient, du Seigneur, la bénédiction, et de Dieu son Sauveur, la justice. Voici le peuple de ceux qui le cherchent ! Voici Jacob qui recherche ta face !

Acclamation

Alléluia. Alléluia.  Je ne prends pas plaisir à la mort du méchant, dit le Seigneur. Qu’il se détourne de sa conduite, et qu’il vive ! Alléluia. (cf. Ez 33, 11)

Évangile : Luc 13, 1-9

Un jour, des gens rapportèrent à Jésus l’affaire des Galiléens que Pilate avait fait massacrer, mêlant leur sang à celui des sacrifices qu’ils offraient. Jésus leur répondit : « Pensez-vous que ces Galiléens étaient de plus grands pécheurs que tous les autres Galiléens, pour avoir subi un tel sort ? Eh bien, je vous dis : pas du tout ! Mais si vous ne vous convertissez pas, vous périrez tous de même. Et ces dix-huit personnes tuées par la chute de la tour de Siloé, pensez-vous qu’elles étaient plus coupables que tous les autres habitants de Jérusalem ? Eh bien, je vous dis : pas du tout ! Mais si vous ne vous convertissez pas, vous périrez tous de même. » Jésus disait encore cette parabole : « Quelqu’un avait un figuier planté dans sa vigne. Il vint chercher du fruit sur ce figuier, et n’en trouva pas. Il dit alors à son vigneron : “Voilà trois ans que je viens chercher du fruit sur ce figuier, et je n’en trouve pas. Coupe-le. À quoi bon le laisser épuiser le sol ?” Mais le vigneron lui répondit : “Maître, laisse-le encore cette année, le temps que je bêche autour pour y mettre du fumier. Peut-être donnera-t-il du fruit à l’avenir. Sinon, tu le couperas.” »

Prière sur les offrandes

Accorde-nous, Seigneur, de te servir à cet autel en toute liberté d’esprit. Ainsi ta grâce pourra nous purifier dans le mystère que nous célébrons. Par Jésus.

Antienne de la communion : Ps 32, 18-19

Le Seigneur veille sur ceux qui le craignent, sur ceux qui espèrent son amour, pour les préserver de la mort, les garder en vie aux jours de famine.

Prière apres la communion

Seigneur, fais-nous trouver des forces neuves dans cette communion aux réalités du ciel. Assure-nous tes bienfaits ici-bas et instruis-nous des richesses de ton Royaume. Par Jésus.

Méditation « Frères, pour ceux qui sont dans le Christ Jésus, il n’y a plus de condamnation ». Le chrétien dans son combat contre la loi du péché s’oriente radicalement vers la vie divine. Son sort est connu de par cette orientation et son existence terrestre a désormais un but précis : atteindre les rives de la maison de Dieu. Dieu attend de lui une bonne moisson. Sa conversion permanente selon la volonté de Dieu doit être sa quête quotidienne car le chrétien ne dort pas sur ses lauriers. Il est sans cesse redevable des grâces de Dieu, d’où son engagement dans les œuvres de bienfaisance.  

Friday

22

October

St. John Paul II

(1920-2005)

Green / White

He became Archbishop of Kraków in 1964 and took part in the Second Vatican Council. On 16th October 1978 he was elected pope and took the name John Paul II. He is remembered for his exceptional apostolic zeal, particularly for families, young people and the sick. He departed peacefully in the Lord in 2005. He was canonized by Pope Francis on 27th April, the Second Sunday of Easter 2014.

Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Ps 16: 6, 8

To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me.

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart. 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 : Romans 7:18-25

I know of nothing good living in me – living, that is, in my unspiritual self – for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me. In fact, this seems to be the rule, that every single time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand. In my inmost self I dearly love God’s Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Psalm 118(119):66,68,76-77,93-94

R/     Lord, teach me your statutes.

1.     Teach me discernment and knowledge for I trust in your commands. You are good and your deeds are good; teach me your statutes.

2.     Let your love be ready to console me by your promise to your servant. Let your love come and I shall live for your law is my delight.

3.     I will never forget your precepts for with them you give me life. Save me, for I am yours since I seek your precepts.

Gospel Acclamation : Ps94:8

Alleluia, alleluia! Harden not your hearts today, but listen to the voice of the Lord. Alleluia!

Gospel: Luke 12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times? Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Grant us, Lord, we pray, a sincere respect for your gifts, that, through the purifying action of your grace, we may be cleansed by the very mysteries we serve. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon:  Ps 32: 18-19

Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, who hope in his merciful love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.

Prayer after Communion

Grant, O Lord, we pray, that, benefiting from participation in heavenly things, we may be helped by what you give in this present age and prepared for the gifts that are eternal. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

We find men who are filled with knowledge of the law. These men tell you how things must be done. All they do is criticise, judge and remind you of the laws. Yet they do not understand the movement of the Sprit, they cannot see God’s hand at work because they are blinded by their self-righteousness. Wisdom entails making use of the knowledge you have in seeking ways to sustain life, peace and harmony.

vendredi

22

Octobre

Saint Jean-Paul II, Pape

Sainte Elodie

Vert / Blanc

Karol Wojtyła (1920-2005) est né en Pologne. Ordonné prêtre, il devient évêque, puis archevêque de Cracovie. Élu pape en 1978 sous le nom de Jean-Paul II.

Antienne d’ouverture : Ps 16, 6 .8

Je t’appelle, mon Dieu, car tu peux me répondre. Écoute-moi! Entends ce que je dis. Garde-moi comme la prunelle de l’œil; sois mon abri, protège-moi.

Prière d’ouverture

Dieu éternel et tout-puissant, fais-nous toujours vouloir ce que tu veux et servir ta gloire d’un cœur sans partage. Par Jésus Christ.

Première lecture : Romains 7, 18-25a

Frères, je sais que le bien n’habite pas en moi, c’est-à-dire dans l’être de chair que je suis. En effet, ce qui est à ma portée, c’est de vouloir le bien, mais pas de l’accomplir. Je ne fais pas le bien que je voudrais, mais je commets le mal que je ne voudrais pas. Si je fais le mal que je ne voudrais pas, alors ce n’est plus moi qui agis ainsi, mais c’est le péché, lui qui habite en moi. Moi qui voudrais faire le bien, je constate donc, en moi, cette loi : ce qui est à ma portée, c’est le mal.  Au plus profond de moi-même, je prends plaisir à la loi de Dieu. Mais, dans les membres de mon corps, je découvre une autre loi, qui combat contre la loi que suit ma raison et me rend prisonnier de la loi du péché présente dans mon corps. Malheureux homme que je suis ! Qui donc me délivrera de ce corps qui m’entraîne à la mort ? Mais grâce soit rendue à Dieu par Jésus Christ notre Seigneur !

Psaume :  118 (119), 66.68, 76-77, 93-94

R/ Seigneur, apprends- moi tes commandements.  (118, 68b)

1. Apprends-moi à bien saisir, à bien juger : je me fie à tes volontés. Toi, tu es bon, tu fais du bien : apprends-moi tes commandements.

2.  Que j’aie pour consolation ton amour selon tes promesses à ton serviteur ! Que vienne à moi ta tendresse, et je vivrai : ta loi fait mon plaisir.

3.     Jamais je n’oublierai tes préceptes: par eux tu me fais vivre. Je suis à toi : sauve-moi, car je cherche tes préceptes.

Acclamation

Alléluia. Alléluia. Tu es béni, Père, Seigneur du ciel et de la terre, tu as révélé aux tout-petits les mystères du Royaume !Alléluia. (cf. Mt 11, 25)

Évangile : Luc 12, 54-59

En ce temps-là, Jésus disait aux foules :« Quand vous voyez un nuage monter au couchant, vous dites aussitôt qu’il va pleuvoir, et c’est ce qui arrive. Et quand vous voyez souffler le vent du sud, vous dites qu’il fera une chaleur torride, et cela arrive. Hypocrites ! Vous savez interpréter l’aspect de la terre et du ciel ; mais ce moment-ci, pourquoi ne savez-vous pas l’interpréter ? Et pourquoi aussi ne jugez-vous pas par vous-mêmes ce qui est juste ? Ainsi, quand tu vas avec ton adversaire devant le magistrat, pendant que tu es en chemin mets tout en œuvre pour t’arranger avec lui, afin d’éviter qu’il ne te traîne devant le juge, que le juge ne te livre à l’huissier, et que l’huissier ne te jette en prison.  Je te le dis :tu n’en sortiras pas avant d’avoir payé jusqu’au dernier centime. »

Prière sur les offrandes

Accorde-nous, Seigneur, de te servir à cet autel en toute liberté d’esprit. Ainsi ta grâce pourra nous purifier dans le mystère que nous célébrons. Par Jésus.

Antienne de la communion : Ps 32, 18-19

Le Seigneur veille sur ceux qui le craignent, sur ceux qui espèrent son amour, pour les préserver de la mort, les garder en vie aux jours de famine.

Prière après la communion

Seigneur, fais-nous trouver des forces neuves dans cette communion aux réalités du ciel. Assure-nous tes bienfaits ici-bas et instruis-nous des richesses de ton Royaume. Par Jésus.

Méditation

« Je ne fais pas le bien que je voudrais, mais je commets le mal que je ne voudrais pas ». L’être humain est faible. Le péché par omission est celui où nous faisons le mal non prémédité, non voulu. Dans notre contrition, nous devons garder en mémoire que notre force c’est le Seigneur qui connait le fond de nos cœurs et qui peut nous délivrer. Ayons toujours l’humilité de rester sous sa protection et recourons à sa miséricorde. L’homme ne peut jamais se bomber le torse devant Dieu car c’est Dieu qui lui accorde sa grâce en tout temps. Laisser à lui-même, l’être humain n’arriverait pas à se libérer de la dictature du péché.

Thursday

21

October

St. John of Bridlington

(1319 – 1379)

Green

John Twenge was born near Bridlington, in Yorkshire. In his lifetime he enjoyed a reputation for great holiness and for miraculous powers. After his death the fame of the miracles wrought by his intercession spread rapidly through the land, and he was canonized by Pope Boniface IX in 1404.

Entrance Antiphon: Ps 16: 6, 8

To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me.

Collect

Almighty ever-living God, grant that we may always conform our will to yours and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart. 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 : Romans 6:19-23

If I may use human terms to help your natural weakness: as once you put your bodies at the service of vice and immorality, so now you must put them at the service of righteousness for your sanctification. When you were slaves of sin, you felt no obligation to righteousness, and what did you get from this? Nothing but experiences that now make you blush, since that sort of behaviour ends in death. Now, however, you have been set free from sin, you have been made slaves of God, and you get a reward leading to your sanctification and ending in eternal life. For the wage paid by sin is death; the present given by God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 1:1-4,6

R/     Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.

1.     Happy indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked; nor lingers in the way of sinners nor sits in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord and who ponders his law day and night.

2.     He is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves shall never fade; and all that he does shall prosper.

3.     Not so are the wicked, not so! For they like winnowed chaff shall be driven away by the wind: for the Lord guards the way of the just but the way of the wicked leads to doom.

Gospel Acclamation : Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia!

Gospel : Luke 12:49-53

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over! ‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Grant us, Lord, we pray, a sincere respect for your gifts, that, through the purifying action of your grace, we may be cleansed by the very mysteries we serve. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon: Ps 32: 18-19

Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, who hope in his merciful love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.

Prayer after Communion

Grant, O Lord, we pray, that, benefiting from participation in heavenly things, we may be helped by what you give in this present age and prepared for the gifts that are eternal. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

Jesus does not in any way imply that families ought to be divided. Yet, sincerely, this statement of Christ shakes the minds of those who read it. The very disturbance you feel now is what is needed to make you understand the message behind those words. Family is everything and it is the most important component of society, and nothing else stands tall against the family, except the purpose of God. God’s will is not to be compromised.