February - Saint Maria De Mattias (5)
HYMN
Father, we thank you; you loved us
and redeemed us in Christ, your Son,
To Him, the Sacrificial Lamb, we raise
our hymn of eternal praise and blessing.
Through the Blood he shed for us,
he lavished upon us the great gift
of Saint Maria De Mattias,
imbued with the charism of love.
We glorify you, Holy Spirit;
with your love you sanctified her,
and fashioned her into a faithful adorer
of the most precious blood of Christ.
With Saint Maria we sing eternal praise,
to the Father, source of life,
to the Son for the gift of love,
passed on to us by the Divine Spirit. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 You gather us on the mountain of your delight
and give us your word of peace and salvation.
PSALM 122 Greeting to the holy city Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).
I rejoiced when I heard them say:*
“Let us go to God’s house.”
And now our feet are standing*
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city*
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. †
For Israel’s law it is,*
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment*
of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray:*
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,*
in your palaces, peace!”
For love of my brethren and friends, *
I say: “Peace upon you!”
For love of the house of the Lord, *
I will ask for your good.
Ant. 1 You gather us on the mountain of your delight
and give us your word of peace and salvation.
Ant. 2 Founded on the love of Christ the Lord,
we remain firm in our vocation.
PSALM 127 Apart from God our labor is worthless
Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. You are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:7, 9).
If the Lord does not build the house, *
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city, *
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.
In vain is your earlier rising, †
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat:*
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.
Truly sons are a gift from the Lord, *
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth *
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
O the happiness of the man *
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
he will have no cause for shame *
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.
Ant. 2 Founded on the love of Christ the Lord,
we remain firm in our vocation.
Ant. 3 With Saint Maria De Mattias,
we sing to the Father of his mystery of love,
revealed to us in his son, Jesus Christ.
CANTICLE Ephesians 1:3-10 God our Savior
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 With Saint Maria De Mattias,
we sing to the Father of his mystery of love,
revealed to us in his son, Jesus Christ.
READING 1 John 4: 7-11
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another.
RESPONSORY
R. The Lord has chosen you * and favored you.
-- The Lord has chosen you and favored you.
V. In his tent he invited you to live *
-- and favored you.
Glory to the Father…
-- The Lord has chosen you and favored you.
Magnificat Ant. Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb
follow him and will be sharers in his endless glory.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb
follow him and will be sharers in his endless glory.
INTERCESSIONS
As evening approaches, with Saint Maria De Mattias we join our voice with that of the whole Church who in this hour recalls Christ’s evening sacrifice on the Cross:
You have redeemed us, O Lord, with your Blood.
Lord Jesus, you were raised up on the cross to draw all peoples to you,
- direct and lead all peoples back to you.
Lord Jesus, you walked beside the disciples of Emmaus to encourage and teach them,
- infuse new vigor in all those whom you call to lead your pilgrim Church in the world.
Lord Jesus, your death is our life,
- grant that leaders of institutions be able to create justice and peace and combat all forms of exploitation.
Lord Jesus, you moved among us providing peace, comfort and dignity,
- make us instruments of your consolation for those crucified by illness, desperation and poverty.
Lord Jesus, in your great goodness open your Kingdom to our deceased brothers and sisters,
- let them participate at the banquet of eternal joy with Maria De Mattias and all the saints.
Our Father.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Father, we thank you; you loved us
and redeemed us in Christ, your Son,
To Him, the Sacrificial Lamb, we raise
our hymn of eternal praise and blessing.
Through the Blood he shed for us,
he lavished upon us the great gift
of Saint Maria De Mattias,
imbued with the charism of love.
We glorify you, Holy Spirit;
with your love you sanctified her,
and fashioned her into a faithful adorer
of the most precious blood of Christ.
With Saint Maria we sing eternal praise,
to the Father, source of life,
to the Son for the gift of love,
passed on to us by the Divine Spirit. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 You gather us on the mountain of your delight
and give us your word of peace and salvation.
PSALM 122 Greeting to the holy city Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).
I rejoiced when I heard them say:*
“Let us go to God’s house.”
And now our feet are standing*
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built as a city*
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. †
For Israel’s law it is,*
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment*
of the house of David.
For the peace of Jerusalem pray:*
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,*
in your palaces, peace!”
For love of my brethren and friends, *
I say: “Peace upon you!”
For love of the house of the Lord, *
I will ask for your good.
Ant. 1 You gather us on the mountain of your delight
and give us your word of peace and salvation.
Ant. 2 Founded on the love of Christ the Lord,
we remain firm in our vocation.
PSALM 127 Apart from God our labor is worthless
Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. You are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:7, 9).
If the Lord does not build the house, *
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city, *
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.
In vain is your earlier rising, †
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat:*
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.
Truly sons are a gift from the Lord, *
a blessing, the fruit of the womb.
Indeed the sons of youth *
are like arrows in the hand of a warrior.
O the happiness of the man *
who has filled his quiver with these arrows!
he will have no cause for shame *
when he disputes with his foes in the gateways.
Ant. 2 Founded on the love of Christ the Lord,
we remain firm in our vocation.
Ant. 3 With Saint Maria De Mattias,
we sing to the Father of his mystery of love,
revealed to us in his son, Jesus Christ.
CANTICLE Ephesians 1:3-10 God our Savior
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 With Saint Maria De Mattias,
we sing to the Father of his mystery of love,
revealed to us in his son, Jesus Christ.
READING 1 John 4: 7-11
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another.
RESPONSORY
R. The Lord has chosen you * and favored you.
-- The Lord has chosen you and favored you.
V. In his tent he invited you to live *
-- and favored you.
Glory to the Father…
-- The Lord has chosen you and favored you.
Magnificat Ant. Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb
follow him and will be sharers in his endless glory.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. Those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb
follow him and will be sharers in his endless glory.
INTERCESSIONS
As evening approaches, with Saint Maria De Mattias we join our voice with that of the whole Church who in this hour recalls Christ’s evening sacrifice on the Cross:
You have redeemed us, O Lord, with your Blood.
Lord Jesus, you were raised up on the cross to draw all peoples to you,
- direct and lead all peoples back to you.
Lord Jesus, you walked beside the disciples of Emmaus to encourage and teach them,
- infuse new vigor in all those whom you call to lead your pilgrim Church in the world.
Lord Jesus, your death is our life,
- grant that leaders of institutions be able to create justice and peace and combat all forms of exploitation.
Lord Jesus, you moved among us providing peace, comfort and dignity,
- make us instruments of your consolation for those crucified by illness, desperation and poverty.
Lord Jesus, in your great goodness open your Kingdom to our deceased brothers and sisters,
- let them participate at the banquet of eternal joy with Maria De Mattias and all the saints.
Our Father.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Published in
February - Saint Maria De Mattias
Complementary psalmody. However, if the solemnity is celebrated on Sunday, the psalms are taken from Sunday, Week I.
Mid-morning
Ant. The blood of Jesus is all our hope
and all our good.
READING 1 Peter 4: 13-14
Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
V. Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example,
R. so that you will follow in his footsteps.
Midday
Ant. Let us offer the most precious blood of Jesus Christ
for the reconciliation of heaven with earth and of earth with heaven.
READING Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
V. Let us draw near to the throne of God,
R. to receive mercy and find grace.
Mid-afternoon
Ant. Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ
who for love of us willed to die amid terrible suffering
and to pour out his blood until the last drop.
READING 1 Corinthians 2:1-2
When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
V. We speak of a divine wisdom,
R. that is mysterious and remains hidden.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Mid-morning
Ant. The blood of Jesus is all our hope
and all our good.
READING 1 Peter 4: 13-14
Rejoice to the extent that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice exultantly. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
V. Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example,
R. so that you will follow in his footsteps.
Midday
Ant. Let us offer the most precious blood of Jesus Christ
for the reconciliation of heaven with earth and of earth with heaven.
READING Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
V. Let us draw near to the throne of God,
R. to receive mercy and find grace.
Mid-afternoon
Ant. Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ
who for love of us willed to die amid terrible suffering
and to pour out his blood until the last drop.
READING 1 Corinthians 2:1-2
When I came to you, brothers, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
V. We speak of a divine wisdom,
R. that is mysterious and remains hidden.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Published in
February - Saint Maria De Mattias
HYMN
O Father, you surround us with unspeakable love
and bathe us in new light,
while, at daybreak, a shining joy
brightens our hearts.
You crowned Saint Maria De Mattias
with honor and glory;
and now, unceasingly, the eternal light
of your dwelling envelops her.
In heaven she experiences and enjoys
the treasure that she earned by loving on earth.
Faithful Adorer of the Lamb,
she suffered, lived and died for him.
Glory to the Father, king of the universe,
to the Son, suffering redeemer,
sacrificed on the cross for love,
and to the Holy Sprit, who groans within us. Amen.
Or:
Clap your hands, all you peoples, *
Sing unto God with a voice of jubilation.
For the Lord high and mighty *
has shown to us his mercy,
For he has not spared his own Son *
but has delivered him up in our behalf,
That we might be redeemed by his blood *
and freed from our sins;
That justified in his blood *
we might be saved from his wrath;
That we who were separated from him *
might be reconciled through the blood of his Son.
O Lord, my God, what can I render unto you *
for all the good you have bestowed upon me?
I will take the chalice of salvation *
and I will call upon the power of this blood.
Sing to Jesus, all you saints, *
and make known the memory of his holiness.
For he has loved us and has washed us in his blood *
and he has become our helper and our redeemer.
Blessed forever be the blood of Christ *
which has wrought such wonders in us.
Blessed be Jesus for all eternity, *
and may the heavens and the earth be filled with the glory of his blood.
Come, let us adore Christ, the Son of God, *
who has redeemed us with his blood. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant.1 I sought him whom my heart loves;
I found him and I will not leave him.
PSALM 63: 2-9 A soul thirsting for God
The Church thirsts for her Savior, yearning to drink at the fount of living water that springs up for eternal life. (Cf Cassiodorus).
O God, you are my God, for you I long; *
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you *
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary *
to see your strength and your glory.
For your love is better than life, *
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life, *
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, *
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
On my bed I remember you. *
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help; *
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you; *
your right hand holds me fast.
Ant.1 I sought him whom my heart loves;
I found him and I will not leave him
Ant. 2. May every creature praise God
in the Blood of Jesus.
CANTICLE Daniel 3: 57-88, 56 Let all creatures praise the Lord
Praise our God, all you his servants. (Rv 19:5)
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, *
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, *
you heavens, bless the Lord,
All you waters above the heavens, *
all you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
sun and moon, bless the Lord; *
stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
every shower and dew, bless the Lord; *
all you winds, bless the Lord;
fire and heat, bless the Lord; *
cold and chill, bless the Lord;
dew and rain, bless the Lord; *
frost and chill, bless the Lord;
ice and snow, bless the Lord; *
nights and days, bless the Lord;
light and darkness, bless the Lord; *
lightning and clouds, bless the Lord;
let the earth bless the Lord, *
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord; *
everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
you springs, bless the Lord; *
seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
you dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord; *
all you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
all you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; *
you sons of men, bless the Lord;
O Israel, bless the Lord; *
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; *
servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord; *
holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord;*
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. *
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, *
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
At the end of the canticle the Glory be to the Father is not said.
Ant. 2. May every creature praise God
in the Blood of Jesus.
Ant. 3 Standing before the throne of God,
PSALM 149 The joy of God’s holy people
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).
Sing a new song to the Lord, *
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker, *
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing *
and make music with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people. *
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, *
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips *
and a two-edged sword in their hand,
to deal out vengeance to the nations *
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains *
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained; *
this honor is for all his faithful.
let us sing a new song to the Lamb.
Ant. 3 Standing before the throne of God,
let us sing a new song to the Lamb.
READING 1 Corinthians 1:26-30
Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
RESPONSORY
R. God sustains her * with the light of his face.
-- God sustains her with the light of his face.
V. She cannot waver: God is with her
-- with the light of his face.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- God sustains her with the light of his face.
Benedictus Ant. Let us bless the Lord;
in Jesus Christ he has visited and redeemed us.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son *
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be *
world without end. Amen
Benedictus Ant. Let us bless the Lord;
in Jesus Christ he has visited and redeemed us.
INTERCESSIONS
With confidence, we address our prayer to Christ, spouse and crown of virgins:
Lord, may your kingdom come.
Lord Jesus, in baptism you made us a royal priesthood:
- make our whole life a sacrifice pleasing to you.
Lord Jesus, by the blood you shed on the cross you reconciled the entire world:
- overcome human injustice and be our peace.
Lord Jesus, in the Eucharistic sacrifice you render the sacrifice of the cross present:
- make our hearts attentive to the cry of suffering humanity.
Lord Jesus, your associated your Virgin Mother to your work of salvation:
- grant us the grace to collaborate in this mystery of saving love through our life.
Lord Jesus, in Saint Maria De Mattias you offer us an example of a strong, wise woman:
- grant us evangelical wisdom and strength in our times of trial.
Our Father.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
O Father, you surround us with unspeakable love
and bathe us in new light,
while, at daybreak, a shining joy
brightens our hearts.
You crowned Saint Maria De Mattias
with honor and glory;
and now, unceasingly, the eternal light
of your dwelling envelops her.
In heaven she experiences and enjoys
the treasure that she earned by loving on earth.
Faithful Adorer of the Lamb,
she suffered, lived and died for him.
Glory to the Father, king of the universe,
to the Son, suffering redeemer,
sacrificed on the cross for love,
and to the Holy Sprit, who groans within us. Amen.
Or:
Clap your hands, all you peoples, *
Sing unto God with a voice of jubilation.
For the Lord high and mighty *
has shown to us his mercy,
For he has not spared his own Son *
but has delivered him up in our behalf,
That we might be redeemed by his blood *
and freed from our sins;
That justified in his blood *
we might be saved from his wrath;
That we who were separated from him *
might be reconciled through the blood of his Son.
O Lord, my God, what can I render unto you *
for all the good you have bestowed upon me?
I will take the chalice of salvation *
and I will call upon the power of this blood.
Sing to Jesus, all you saints, *
and make known the memory of his holiness.
For he has loved us and has washed us in his blood *
and he has become our helper and our redeemer.
Blessed forever be the blood of Christ *
which has wrought such wonders in us.
Blessed be Jesus for all eternity, *
and may the heavens and the earth be filled with the glory of his blood.
Come, let us adore Christ, the Son of God, *
who has redeemed us with his blood. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant.1 I sought him whom my heart loves;
I found him and I will not leave him.
PSALM 63: 2-9 A soul thirsting for God
The Church thirsts for her Savior, yearning to drink at the fount of living water that springs up for eternal life. (Cf Cassiodorus).
O God, you are my God, for you I long; *
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you *
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary *
to see your strength and your glory.
For your love is better than life, *
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life, *
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet, *
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
On my bed I remember you. *
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help; *
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you; *
your right hand holds me fast.
Ant.1 I sought him whom my heart loves;
I found him and I will not leave him
Ant. 2. May every creature praise God
in the Blood of Jesus.
CANTICLE Daniel 3: 57-88, 56 Let all creatures praise the Lord
Praise our God, all you his servants. (Rv 19:5)
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, *
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, *
you heavens, bless the Lord,
All you waters above the heavens, *
all you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
sun and moon, bless the Lord; *
stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
every shower and dew, bless the Lord; *
all you winds, bless the Lord;
fire and heat, bless the Lord; *
cold and chill, bless the Lord;
dew and rain, bless the Lord; *
frost and chill, bless the Lord;
ice and snow, bless the Lord; *
nights and days, bless the Lord;
light and darkness, bless the Lord; *
lightning and clouds, bless the Lord;
let the earth bless the Lord, *
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord; *
everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
you springs, bless the Lord; *
seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
you dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord; *
all you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
all you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; *
you sons of men, bless the Lord;
O Israel, bless the Lord; *
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; *
servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord; *
holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord;*
praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. *
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, *
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
At the end of the canticle the Glory be to the Father is not said.
Ant. 2. May every creature praise God
in the Blood of Jesus.
Ant. 3 Standing before the throne of God,
PSALM 149 The joy of God’s holy people
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).
Sing a new song to the Lord, *
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker, *
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing *
and make music with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people. *
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory, *
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips *
and a two-edged sword in their hand,
to deal out vengeance to the nations *
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains *
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained; *
this honor is for all his faithful.
let us sing a new song to the Lamb.
Ant. 3 Standing before the throne of God,
let us sing a new song to the Lamb.
READING 1 Corinthians 1:26-30
Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
RESPONSORY
R. God sustains her * with the light of his face.
-- God sustains her with the light of his face.
V. She cannot waver: God is with her
-- with the light of his face.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- God sustains her with the light of his face.
Benedictus Ant. Let us bless the Lord;
in Jesus Christ he has visited and redeemed us.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son *
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be *
world without end. Amen
Benedictus Ant. Let us bless the Lord;
in Jesus Christ he has visited and redeemed us.
INTERCESSIONS
With confidence, we address our prayer to Christ, spouse and crown of virgins:
Lord, may your kingdom come.
Lord Jesus, in baptism you made us a royal priesthood:
- make our whole life a sacrifice pleasing to you.
Lord Jesus, by the blood you shed on the cross you reconciled the entire world:
- overcome human injustice and be our peace.
Lord Jesus, in the Eucharistic sacrifice you render the sacrifice of the cross present:
- make our hearts attentive to the cry of suffering humanity.
Lord Jesus, your associated your Virgin Mother to your work of salvation:
- grant us the grace to collaborate in this mystery of saving love through our life.
Lord Jesus, in Saint Maria De Mattias you offer us an example of a strong, wise woman:
- grant us evangelical wisdom and strength in our times of trial.
Our Father.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Published in
February - Saint Maria De Mattias
INVITATORY
Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Son of God,
who has redeemed us with his blood.
PSALM 95 Invitation to praise God
Encourage yourself daily while it is still “today” (Heb 3:13).
Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving, *
and sing joyful songs to the Lord. (Ant.)
The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands. (Ant.)
Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
the flock he shepherds. (Ant.)
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: Do not grow stubborn, *
as your fathers did in the wilderness, †
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works. (Ant.)
Forty years I endured that generation; †
I said: “They are a people whose hearts go astray *
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.” (Ant.)
Glory to the Father and to the Son *
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever will be. Amen (Ant.)
Alternative Invitatory Psalms: 100, 67, 24
HYMN
Father, mysterious creative power,
in your love, you raise up life;
we sing hymns of praise to your mercy
which has redeemed us in the Blood of Christ.
With the everlasting light that shines
from the open wounds in his Body
He drew to himself, beside his cross,
the virgin Saint Maria De Mattias.
She gave herself unhesitatingly,
and responded with intense joy
to the sublime invitation of her Spouse,
consecrating her whole life to him.
Praise to the everlasting Blessed Trinity:
to the Father who generously gives us life,
to the Son who saves us on the cross
and to the powerful breath of the Spirit. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 The announcement has gone out to the entire world:
Jesus loves us; he washes us in his blood.
PSALM 19 A Hymn to God the Creator
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation ( Isaiah 52:7).
The heavens proclaim the glory of God *
and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story *
and night unto night makes known the message.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard †
yet their span extends through all the earth, *
their words to the utmost bounds of the world.
There he has placed a tent for the sun; †
it comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent, *
rejoices like a champion to run its course.
At the end of the sky is the rising of the sun; †
to the furthest end of the sky is its course. *
There is nothing concealed from its burning heat.
Ant. 1 The announcement has gone out to the entire world:
Jesus loves us; he washes us in his blood.
Ant. 2 I love you and want to love you forever.
You are my love and I am all yours.
PSALM 45, 2-10 (I) The marriage of the king
At midnight there came a cry, “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” (Matthew 25:6).
My heart overflows with noble words. †
To the king I must speak the song I have made; *
my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.
You are the fairest of the children of men †
and graciousness is poured upon your lips: *
because God has blessed you for evermore.
O mighty one, gird your sword upon your thigh; †
in splendor and state, ride on in triumph *
for the cause of truth and goodness and right.
Take aim with your bow in your dread right hand. †
Your arrows are sharp: peoples fall beneath you. *
The foes of the king fall down and lost heart.
Your throne, O God, shall endure forever.*
A scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
Your love is for justice; your hatred for evil. †
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *
with the oil of gladness above other kings.
Your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh. *
From the ivory palace you are greeted with music.
The daughters of kings are among your loved ones. *
On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Ant. 2 I love you and want to love you forever.
You are my love and I am all yours.
Ant. 3 God wanted me wholly for himself,
and I wanted to belong wholly to God.
PSALM 45,11-18 (II) The Queen and the Bride
I saw the new Jerusalem…prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2).
Listen O daughter, give ear to my words: *
forget your own people and your father’s house.
So will the king desire your beauty: *
he is your lord, pay homage to him.
And the people of Tyre shall come with gifts, *
the richest of the people shall seek your favor.
The daughter of the king is clothed with splendor, *
her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.
She is led to the king with her maiden companions. †
They are escorted amid gladness and joy; *
they pass within the palace of the king.
Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers: *
you will make them princes over all the earth.
May this song make your name forever remembered.*
May the peoples praise you from age to age.
Ant. 3 God wanted me wholly for himself,
and I wanted to belong wholly to God.
V. The Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them
R. and lead them to springs of life-giving water.
FIRST READING
From the Book of Revelation of Saint John, the apostle Revelation 7: 1-4, 9-17
They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb
I, John, saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on land or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites.
After this I saw before me a huge crowd, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed:
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“For this reason they stand before God's throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them.
They will not hunger
or thirst anymore,
nor will the sun
or any heat strike them.
For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne
will shepherd them
and lead them to springs of life-giving water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
RESPONSORY cf. Revelation 7:9-10
R. The redeemed cried out in a loud voice: * Salvation comes from our God and from the Lamb.
V. To our God be blessing, glory and wisdom.
R. Salvation comes from our God and from the Lamb.
SECOND READING
From the writings of Saint Maria de Mattias, virgin
(Rules and Constitutions of 1857, Preface; Letters of Saint Maria De Mattias, nn. 91; 151; 254; 328; ed. 1944 and 1947)
We are called to work in the vineyard of Jesus Crucified
For the triumph of his mercy and to show his infinite love for us, our divine Redeemer Jesus Christ shed all his precious Blood with great suffering and humiliation, as price of salvation and of glory. He gave it all, he gave it for all, and he does not stop giving it. His Blood is a fountain, or rather, a life-giving river available to all. It springs up and flows on unendingly for all the children of Adam and remains with them, accompanying them every moment of their life on earth to make them holy and to bring them to eternal joy of life in heaven.
This lowly Congregation, which lives and labors under the glorious title of the most precious Blood of Jesus Christ, must itself take on the shape and pattern of a living image of that divine love with which it was shed, and of which it was and is symbol, expression, measure and pledge.
The spirit of this holy work is all charity. We have carved this word in our minds and on our hearts. I repeat: Charity! Charity toward God and our dear neighbor.
What a beautiful consolation it is to see the spouses of the divine Lamb, the Adorers of his most precious Blood, motivated by one sole will, the will of God, forming but one heart and one soul, and thus united, making the heavens resound with a hymn of thanksgiving to the infinite goodness of God, while at the same time they offer the Blood of his Son for the reconciliation of heaven with earth, and of earth with heaven.
We are called to labor in the vineyard of Jesus Crucified. Oh, what a beautiful honor it is for us to weary ourselves so that souls may be forever happy in the beautiful Jerusalem where Jesus will reunite us one day!
Be strong in the vocation you have chosen, which will one day reunite all of us in heaven with Jesus our Spouse, carrying the palm of victory in our hands and chanting the glories of the divine Blood.
RESPONSORY cf. Rev 5:9-10, 19:5
R. You have redeemed us for God with your blood. * You have made us a kingdom for our God.
V. Praise our God, all you his servants, the small and great, who revere him.
R. You have made us a kingdom for our God.
Or
SECOND READING
From the Funeral Oration written by Venerable Fr. Giovanni Merlini, Missionary of the Most Precious Blood, spiritual director of Maria De Mattias
(Giovanni Merlini’s Letters to Maria De Mattias, vol. II, n. 400, p. 106)
We celebrate a life
We are celebrating Maria De Mattias, a strong woman, a tireless worker, a mirror of Christian virtues, an ornament of the Church, the Foundress of the Congregation of the Adorers of the Most Precious Blood.
She lives, and will live for all eternity in the company of the blessed, in the kingdom of heavenly bliss, victor over the world and even over death. She lives, and will live in the memory of humankind and, as I hope, will live also in the annals of the Church.
She lives and will live forever because God wanted her to be wholly his and she wanted to belong entirely to him.
When God selects anyone and wishes to use this person for works pertaining to his glory, he usually prepares the way and dispenses those gifts of nature and grace necessary for the attainment of the end. And so he designed to establish an institute of religious women in his Church … and having chosen Maria De Mattias, he granted her special protection and favored her in advance with special aptitudes for such a noble and difficult position. Therefore, he gave her a heart that was sensitive and open to the impressions of grace, a ready and energetic spirit and a character of angelic purity.
The holy Virgin took it upon herself to instruct her in her inner heart, and she gave her explanations, reproving her for her vanity and showing her Jesus, her divine Son, and the desire that he had to be loved by the souls he redeemed with his most precious Blood. The most holy Virgin showed her Calvary and the cross, and invited her to ascend.
Thus, by degrees, grace began molding that soul which was destined to form numerous religious and instruct many other women whom God would send to her. Furthermore, God wanted to perfect her virtue and prepare her to carry out his will. As it is a grace to know how to suffer for God out of love, God purified her with sufferings of mind and spirit, which became all the more painful when they involved also her soul.
But what will you say when I reveal also those gifts of nature which the most gracious God was pleased to add to those of his grace, so that nothing would be lacking to make of her an excellent foundress, a woman able to govern numerous communities and many daughters dispersed here and there in various towns to promote the glory of God? You may find this hard to believe. Yet you need only recall what she said, what she did, and you will find a woman of talent and genius, of charity and sweetness, strong and kind, wise and alert, joyous, friendly and lively, compassionate, affectionate and loving; simple as a dove, prudent as a serpent, accurate in judgment; sensible, just in her principles, beautiful. In a word, you will find in her a mingling of qualities that will delight and charm you.
And oh! how many and various are the sufferings she has to endure! She suffers for her sisters who are in pain and makes all their troubles her own. For herself she reserves the bitter and gives others all the sweetness she can.
She is wholly sold to the glory of God and the neighbor’s wellbeing. She no longer thinks of herself; her days are consecrated to God and she wants to live only to please him.
RESPONSORY
R. She lives and will live forever * because God wanted her totally for himself.
V. In the assembly of the just and in the kingdom of happiness, she will live forever.
R. because God wanted her totally for himself.
Hymn Te Deum
We praise you, O God; *
we acclaim you Lord and Master.
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 chorus:
Holy, holy, holy *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled, Lord, *
with your majesty and glory.
Your praises are sung *
by the renowned Apostles;
By all the prophets, *
who themselves deserve our praise;
By that mighty white-robed army *
who shed their blood for Christ.
And to the ends of the earth, *
the holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, *
whose majesty is boundless;
Your only Son, *
who is true God and who is to be adored;
The Holy Spirit, *
sent to be our Advocate.
O Christ, the King of glory! *
You alone are the Father’s eternal Son.
When you were to become man so as to save humankind, *
you did not shrink back from the chaste Virgin’s womb.
When you triumphantly destroyed death’s sting, *
you opened up to believers the kingdom of haven.
You are now enthroned at God’s right hand, in the Father’s glory: *
We believe that you will come for judgment.
We therefore implore you to grant your servants grace and aid, *
for you shed your precious blood for their redemption.
Admit them all to the ranks of your saints *
in everlasting glory.
Be their Shepherd, Lord, *
uphold and exalt them forever and ever.
Day by day we praise you, *
daily we acclaim you.
We will confess and glorify your hold name, *
now and for all eternity.
In your great mercy, Lord, throughout this day *
keep us free from sin by your protection.
Have mercy on us, we humbly pray; *
Lord, have mercy on us.
May your mercy, Lord, your loving-kindness, always remain with us; *
for we have placed our confidence in you.
In you alone, Lord, I have hoped; *
may I not be disappointed.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Ant. Come, let us adore Christ, the Son of God,
who has redeemed us with his blood.
PSALM 95 Invitation to praise God
Encourage yourself daily while it is still “today” (Heb 3:13).
Come, let us sing to the Lord; *
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving, *
and sing joyful songs to the Lord. (Ant.)
The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands. (Ant.)
Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
the flock he shepherds. (Ant.)
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: Do not grow stubborn, *
as your fathers did in the wilderness, †
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works. (Ant.)
Forty years I endured that generation; †
I said: “They are a people whose hearts go astray *
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.” (Ant.)
Glory to the Father and to the Son *
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever will be. Amen (Ant.)
Alternative Invitatory Psalms: 100, 67, 24
HYMN
Father, mysterious creative power,
in your love, you raise up life;
we sing hymns of praise to your mercy
which has redeemed us in the Blood of Christ.
With the everlasting light that shines
from the open wounds in his Body
He drew to himself, beside his cross,
the virgin Saint Maria De Mattias.
She gave herself unhesitatingly,
and responded with intense joy
to the sublime invitation of her Spouse,
consecrating her whole life to him.
Praise to the everlasting Blessed Trinity:
to the Father who generously gives us life,
to the Son who saves us on the cross
and to the powerful breath of the Spirit. Amen.
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastical authority.
Ant. 1 The announcement has gone out to the entire world:
Jesus loves us; he washes us in his blood.
PSALM 19 A Hymn to God the Creator
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation ( Isaiah 52:7).
The heavens proclaim the glory of God *
and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story *
and night unto night makes known the message.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard †
yet their span extends through all the earth, *
their words to the utmost bounds of the world.
There he has placed a tent for the sun; †
it comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent, *
rejoices like a champion to run its course.
At the end of the sky is the rising of the sun; †
to the furthest end of the sky is its course. *
There is nothing concealed from its burning heat.
Ant. 1 The announcement has gone out to the entire world:
Jesus loves us; he washes us in his blood.
Ant. 2 I love you and want to love you forever.
You are my love and I am all yours.
PSALM 45, 2-10 (I) The marriage of the king
At midnight there came a cry, “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” (Matthew 25:6).
My heart overflows with noble words. †
To the king I must speak the song I have made; *
my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.
You are the fairest of the children of men †
and graciousness is poured upon your lips: *
because God has blessed you for evermore.
O mighty one, gird your sword upon your thigh; †
in splendor and state, ride on in triumph *
for the cause of truth and goodness and right.
Take aim with your bow in your dread right hand. †
Your arrows are sharp: peoples fall beneath you. *
The foes of the king fall down and lost heart.
Your throne, O God, shall endure forever.*
A scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
Your love is for justice; your hatred for evil. †
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *
with the oil of gladness above other kings.
Your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh. *
From the ivory palace you are greeted with music.
The daughters of kings are among your loved ones. *
On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Ant. 2 I love you and want to love you forever.
You are my love and I am all yours.
Ant. 3 God wanted me wholly for himself,
and I wanted to belong wholly to God.
PSALM 45,11-18 (II) The Queen and the Bride
I saw the new Jerusalem…prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2).
Listen O daughter, give ear to my words: *
forget your own people and your father’s house.
So will the king desire your beauty: *
he is your lord, pay homage to him.
And the people of Tyre shall come with gifts, *
the richest of the people shall seek your favor.
The daughter of the king is clothed with splendor, *
her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.
She is led to the king with her maiden companions. †
They are escorted amid gladness and joy; *
they pass within the palace of the king.
Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers: *
you will make them princes over all the earth.
May this song make your name forever remembered.*
May the peoples praise you from age to age.
Ant. 3 God wanted me wholly for himself,
and I wanted to belong wholly to God.
V. The Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them
R. and lead them to springs of life-giving water.
FIRST READING
From the Book of Revelation of Saint John, the apostle Revelation 7: 1-4, 9-17
They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb
I, John, saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on land or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, “Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the Israelites.
After this I saw before me a huge crowd, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed:
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“For this reason they stand before God's throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them.
They will not hunger
or thirst anymore,
nor will the sun
or any heat strike them.
For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne
will shepherd them
and lead them to springs of life-giving water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
RESPONSORY cf. Revelation 7:9-10
R. The redeemed cried out in a loud voice: * Salvation comes from our God and from the Lamb.
V. To our God be blessing, glory and wisdom.
R. Salvation comes from our God and from the Lamb.
SECOND READING
From the writings of Saint Maria de Mattias, virgin
(Rules and Constitutions of 1857, Preface; Letters of Saint Maria De Mattias, nn. 91; 151; 254; 328; ed. 1944 and 1947)
We are called to work in the vineyard of Jesus Crucified
For the triumph of his mercy and to show his infinite love for us, our divine Redeemer Jesus Christ shed all his precious Blood with great suffering and humiliation, as price of salvation and of glory. He gave it all, he gave it for all, and he does not stop giving it. His Blood is a fountain, or rather, a life-giving river available to all. It springs up and flows on unendingly for all the children of Adam and remains with them, accompanying them every moment of their life on earth to make them holy and to bring them to eternal joy of life in heaven.
This lowly Congregation, which lives and labors under the glorious title of the most precious Blood of Jesus Christ, must itself take on the shape and pattern of a living image of that divine love with which it was shed, and of which it was and is symbol, expression, measure and pledge.
The spirit of this holy work is all charity. We have carved this word in our minds and on our hearts. I repeat: Charity! Charity toward God and our dear neighbor.
What a beautiful consolation it is to see the spouses of the divine Lamb, the Adorers of his most precious Blood, motivated by one sole will, the will of God, forming but one heart and one soul, and thus united, making the heavens resound with a hymn of thanksgiving to the infinite goodness of God, while at the same time they offer the Blood of his Son for the reconciliation of heaven with earth, and of earth with heaven.
We are called to labor in the vineyard of Jesus Crucified. Oh, what a beautiful honor it is for us to weary ourselves so that souls may be forever happy in the beautiful Jerusalem where Jesus will reunite us one day!
Be strong in the vocation you have chosen, which will one day reunite all of us in heaven with Jesus our Spouse, carrying the palm of victory in our hands and chanting the glories of the divine Blood.
RESPONSORY cf. Rev 5:9-10, 19:5
R. You have redeemed us for God with your blood. * You have made us a kingdom for our God.
V. Praise our God, all you his servants, the small and great, who revere him.
R. You have made us a kingdom for our God.
Or
SECOND READING
From the Funeral Oration written by Venerable Fr. Giovanni Merlini, Missionary of the Most Precious Blood, spiritual director of Maria De Mattias
(Giovanni Merlini’s Letters to Maria De Mattias, vol. II, n. 400, p. 106)
We celebrate a life
We are celebrating Maria De Mattias, a strong woman, a tireless worker, a mirror of Christian virtues, an ornament of the Church, the Foundress of the Congregation of the Adorers of the Most Precious Blood.
She lives, and will live for all eternity in the company of the blessed, in the kingdom of heavenly bliss, victor over the world and even over death. She lives, and will live in the memory of humankind and, as I hope, will live also in the annals of the Church.
She lives and will live forever because God wanted her to be wholly his and she wanted to belong entirely to him.
When God selects anyone and wishes to use this person for works pertaining to his glory, he usually prepares the way and dispenses those gifts of nature and grace necessary for the attainment of the end. And so he designed to establish an institute of religious women in his Church … and having chosen Maria De Mattias, he granted her special protection and favored her in advance with special aptitudes for such a noble and difficult position. Therefore, he gave her a heart that was sensitive and open to the impressions of grace, a ready and energetic spirit and a character of angelic purity.
The holy Virgin took it upon herself to instruct her in her inner heart, and she gave her explanations, reproving her for her vanity and showing her Jesus, her divine Son, and the desire that he had to be loved by the souls he redeemed with his most precious Blood. The most holy Virgin showed her Calvary and the cross, and invited her to ascend.
Thus, by degrees, grace began molding that soul which was destined to form numerous religious and instruct many other women whom God would send to her. Furthermore, God wanted to perfect her virtue and prepare her to carry out his will. As it is a grace to know how to suffer for God out of love, God purified her with sufferings of mind and spirit, which became all the more painful when they involved also her soul.
But what will you say when I reveal also those gifts of nature which the most gracious God was pleased to add to those of his grace, so that nothing would be lacking to make of her an excellent foundress, a woman able to govern numerous communities and many daughters dispersed here and there in various towns to promote the glory of God? You may find this hard to believe. Yet you need only recall what she said, what she did, and you will find a woman of talent and genius, of charity and sweetness, strong and kind, wise and alert, joyous, friendly and lively, compassionate, affectionate and loving; simple as a dove, prudent as a serpent, accurate in judgment; sensible, just in her principles, beautiful. In a word, you will find in her a mingling of qualities that will delight and charm you.
And oh! how many and various are the sufferings she has to endure! She suffers for her sisters who are in pain and makes all their troubles her own. For herself she reserves the bitter and gives others all the sweetness she can.
She is wholly sold to the glory of God and the neighbor’s wellbeing. She no longer thinks of herself; her days are consecrated to God and she wants to live only to please him.
RESPONSORY
R. She lives and will live forever * because God wanted her totally for himself.
V. In the assembly of the just and in the kingdom of happiness, she will live forever.
R. because God wanted her totally for himself.
Hymn Te Deum
We praise you, O God; *
we acclaim you Lord and Master.
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 chorus:
Holy, holy, holy *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled, Lord, *
with your majesty and glory.
Your praises are sung *
by the renowned Apostles;
By all the prophets, *
who themselves deserve our praise;
By that mighty white-robed army *
who shed their blood for Christ.
And to the ends of the earth, *
the holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, *
whose majesty is boundless;
Your only Son, *
who is true God and who is to be adored;
The Holy Spirit, *
sent to be our Advocate.
O Christ, the King of glory! *
You alone are the Father’s eternal Son.
When you were to become man so as to save humankind, *
you did not shrink back from the chaste Virgin’s womb.
When you triumphantly destroyed death’s sting, *
you opened up to believers the kingdom of haven.
You are now enthroned at God’s right hand, in the Father’s glory: *
We believe that you will come for judgment.
We therefore implore you to grant your servants grace and aid, *
for you shed your precious blood for their redemption.
Admit them all to the ranks of your saints *
in everlasting glory.
Be their Shepherd, Lord, *
uphold and exalt them forever and ever.
Day by day we praise you, *
daily we acclaim you.
We will confess and glorify your hold name, *
now and for all eternity.
In your great mercy, Lord, throughout this day *
keep us free from sin by your protection.
Have mercy on us, we humbly pray; *
Lord, have mercy on us.
May your mercy, Lord, your loving-kindness, always remain with us; *
for we have placed our confidence in you.
In you alone, Lord, I have hoped; *
may I not be disappointed.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Published in
February - Saint Maria De Mattias
HYMN
Father, we thank you; you loved us
and redeemed us in Christ, your Son,
To Him, the Sacrificial Lamb, we raise
our hymn of eternal praise and blessing.
Through the Blood he shed for us,
he lavished upon us the great gift
of Saint Maria De Mattias,
imbued with the charism of love.
We glorify you, Holy Spirit;
with your love you sanctified her,
and fashioned her into a faithful adorer
of the most precious blood of Christ.
With Saint Maria we sing eternal praise,
to the Father, source of life,
to the Son for the gift of love,
passed on to us by the Divine Spirit. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 How lovable and infinitely good is Jesus;
in him we find everything: the fullness of grace and love.
PSALM 113 Praise the name of the Lord
He has thrown down the powerful from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. (Luke 1:52).
Praise, you servants of the Lord *
praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord *
both now and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting *
let the name of the Lord be praised.
High above all nations is the Lord; *
above the heavens God's glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God *
enthroned on high, looking down on heaven and earth?
The Lord raises the needy from the dust, *
lifts the poor from the ash heap,
Seats them with princes, *
the princes of the people,
Gives the childless wife a home,*
the joyful mother of children.
Ant. 1 How lovable and infinitely good is Jesus;
in him we find everything: the fullness of grace and love.
Ant. 2. Let us glorify the Father;
in his Son he speaks to us and redeems us.
PSALM 147 Jerusalem Restored
Come, I will show you the bride, the spouse of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:9).
O, praise the Lord, Jerusalem! *
Zion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates, *
he has blessed the children within you,
He established peace on your borders, *
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth; *
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool, *
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
He hurls down hailstones like crumbs. *
The waters are frozen at his touch.
He sends forth his word and it melts them; *
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.
He makes his work known to Jacob, *
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations; *
he has not taught them his decrees.
Ant. 2 Let us glorify the Father;
in his Son he speaks to us and redeems us.
Ant. 3 Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ,
who has scattered the darkness of my ignorance
and called me to adoring and redeeming love.
CANTICLE cf. Ephesians 1: 3-10 God our Savior
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ,
who has scattered the darkness of my ignorance
and called me to adoring and redeeming love.
READING Romans 8:28-30
We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
RESPONSORY
R. The Lord has chosen you * and has favored you.
-- The Lord has chosen you and has favored you.
V. He has taken you to live with him,
-- and has favored you.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- The Lord has chosen you and has favored you.
Magnificat Ant. Do not fear, for I have ransomed you;
I have called you by name; you belong to me.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. Do not fear, for I have ransomed you;
I have called you by name; you belong to me.
INTERCESSIONS
We joyfully thank God our Creator, who in his goodness has filled Saint Maria De Mattias with many gifts of nature and grace, making her an apostle of the blood of his Son.
Let us acclaim him:
We praise you, Father, with the entire Church redeemed by the blood of Christ.
Father most merciful, we glorify you because in Saint Maria De Mattias you showed the world your charity and your mercy,
- grant that we, too, may be imbued with these virtues and witness them with courage and fidelity.
Father most holy, may we be filled with your Spirit, poured out on your sons and daughters,
- according to your loving plan.
Father of infinite goodness, you made Saint Maria De Mattias a fearless herald of your word and a faithful witness of your love,
- awaken in your Church young people who will enthusiastically follow the footsteps of your crucified and risen Son.
Father most just, who called Saint Maria De Mattias to “labor for the glories of the divine Blood”,
- grant that we may celebrate your justice and clemency with renewed hearts.
Father, source of light, grant that all those who sang the glories of the Lamb on earth,
- may join the chorus of the blessed in heaven singing your glories forever.
Our Father.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Father, we thank you; you loved us
and redeemed us in Christ, your Son,
To Him, the Sacrificial Lamb, we raise
our hymn of eternal praise and blessing.
Through the Blood he shed for us,
he lavished upon us the great gift
of Saint Maria De Mattias,
imbued with the charism of love.
We glorify you, Holy Spirit;
with your love you sanctified her,
and fashioned her into a faithful adorer
of the most precious blood of Christ.
With Saint Maria we sing eternal praise,
to the Father, source of life,
to the Son for the gift of love,
passed on to us by the Divine Spirit. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 How lovable and infinitely good is Jesus;
in him we find everything: the fullness of grace and love.
PSALM 113 Praise the name of the Lord
He has thrown down the powerful from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly. (Luke 1:52).
Praise, you servants of the Lord *
praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord *
both now and forever.
From the rising of the sun to its setting *
let the name of the Lord be praised.
High above all nations is the Lord; *
above the heavens God's glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God *
enthroned on high, looking down on heaven and earth?
The Lord raises the needy from the dust, *
lifts the poor from the ash heap,
Seats them with princes, *
the princes of the people,
Gives the childless wife a home,*
the joyful mother of children.
Ant. 1 How lovable and infinitely good is Jesus;
in him we find everything: the fullness of grace and love.
Ant. 2. Let us glorify the Father;
in his Son he speaks to us and redeems us.
PSALM 147 Jerusalem Restored
Come, I will show you the bride, the spouse of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:9).
O, praise the Lord, Jerusalem! *
Zion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates, *
he has blessed the children within you,
He established peace on your borders, *
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth; *
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool, *
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
He hurls down hailstones like crumbs. *
The waters are frozen at his touch.
He sends forth his word and it melts them; *
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.
He makes his work known to Jacob, *
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations; *
he has not taught them his decrees.
Ant. 2 Let us glorify the Father;
in his Son he speaks to us and redeems us.
Ant. 3 Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ,
who has scattered the darkness of my ignorance
and called me to adoring and redeeming love.
CANTICLE cf. Ephesians 1: 3-10 God our Savior
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, †
who has blessed us in Christ *
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him, †
before the foundation of the world, *
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us †
for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, *
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace *
that he granted us in the beloved.
In Christ we have redemption by his blood, *
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace *
that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight †
God has made known to us the mystery of his will *
in accord with his favor that he set forth in him,
as a plan for the fullness of times, *
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
Ant. 3 Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ,
who has scattered the darkness of my ignorance
and called me to adoring and redeeming love.
READING Romans 8:28-30
We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.
RESPONSORY
R. The Lord has chosen you * and has favored you.
-- The Lord has chosen you and has favored you.
V. He has taken you to live with him,
-- and has favored you.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
-- The Lord has chosen you and has favored you.
Magnificat Ant. Do not fear, for I have ransomed you;
I have called you by name; you belong to me.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; *
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; *
behold, from now on all ages will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, *
and holy is his name.
His mercy is from age to age *
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm, *
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones*
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things; *
the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped Israel his servant, *
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our fathers, *
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.
Magnificat Ant. Do not fear, for I have ransomed you;
I have called you by name; you belong to me.
INTERCESSIONS
We joyfully thank God our Creator, who in his goodness has filled Saint Maria De Mattias with many gifts of nature and grace, making her an apostle of the blood of his Son.
Let us acclaim him:
We praise you, Father, with the entire Church redeemed by the blood of Christ.
Father most merciful, we glorify you because in Saint Maria De Mattias you showed the world your charity and your mercy,
- grant that we, too, may be imbued with these virtues and witness them with courage and fidelity.
Father most holy, may we be filled with your Spirit, poured out on your sons and daughters,
- according to your loving plan.
Father of infinite goodness, you made Saint Maria De Mattias a fearless herald of your word and a faithful witness of your love,
- awaken in your Church young people who will enthusiastically follow the footsteps of your crucified and risen Son.
Father most just, who called Saint Maria De Mattias to “labor for the glories of the divine Blood”,
- grant that we may celebrate your justice and clemency with renewed hearts.
Father, source of light, grant that all those who sang the glories of the Lamb on earth,
- may join the chorus of the blessed in heaven singing your glories forever.
Our Father.
PRAYER
Father most holy, who in your loving plan adorned Saint Maria De Mattias with exceptional gifts of grace so that in the Church she might be a witness to the blood of Christ; grant that, through her intercession, we may faithfully adore the Lamb without blemish who died and rose for us, celebrate with thanksgiving the new and eternal covenant in his blood and with zeal proclaim to all peoples the power of the love of Christ crucified. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Published in
February - Saint Maria De Mattias