In grateful jubilation, O Father, we praise you:
You are our light and guide to heaven;
Every follower, O blessed Gaspar,
In you confides.
You made the ardent soul spotless
In the divine blood of the Lamb.
From the meek, crucified Nazarene,
You drew strength.
The wicked and treacherous, Gaspar,
you brought to gentle tears.
You happily pointed the way to Christ,
the joy of our life.
Driven by infinite charity,
by the mystical bloodless sacrifice
you yearn to be fed, to imitate God
who became our food.
At your voice, how many vile, unworthy,
wicked and corrupt ones repented,
and from the Cross received
hidden bursts of love!
O glorious one, from your celestial honors,
fill your children from your bounty.
May they bring to an oppressed world
Living gifts of salvation.
O kind Father, Redeemer Son,
Holy Spirit, fount of all life,
to you be eternal praise, adoration,
and infinite glory. Amen
Ant.1 At all times and everywhere
may the Lord be blessed and loved.
PSALM 113 Give praise to the name of the Lord
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly (Luke1:52).
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 At all times and everywhere
may the Lord be blessed and loved.
Ant. 2 May our hearts be fixed on God,
our all.
PSALM 146 Blessed are they who hope in the Lord
Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them (Matthew 11:5).
Praise the Lord, my soul; *
I shall praise the Lord all my life, †
sing praise to my God while I live.
I put no trust in princes, *
in mere mortals powerless to save.
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth; *
that day all their planning comes to nothing.
Happy those whose help is Jacob’s God, *
whose hope is in the Lord, their God,
The maker of heaven and earth, *
the seas and all that is in them,
Who keeps faith forever, *
secures justice for the oppressed, †
gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free; *
the Lord gives sight to the blind.
The Lord raises up those who are bowed down; *
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects the stranger, †
sustains the orphan and the widow, *
but thwarts the way of the wicked.
The Lord shall reign forever, *
your God, Zion, through all generations!
Ant. 2 May our hearts be fixed on God,
our all.
Ant. 3 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
we sing the praise of the Church to the Father.
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 Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
we sing the praise of the Church to the Father.
READING 2 Timothy 4:1-2, 5
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry.
RESPONSORY 1 Corinthians 4:1
R. Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ * and stewards of the mysteries of God.
-- Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
V. We have become ministers of the gospel
-- and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Glory be to the Father….
-- Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Magnificat Ant. Let us exalt the Lamb of God with the saints:
He has prepared for us a kingdom from the foundation of the world.
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. Let us exalt the Lamb of God with the saints:
He has prepared for us a kingdom from the foundation of the world
INTERCESSIONS
God has reconciled us to himself through the blood of Christ. In the power of this blood and through the intercession of Saint Gaspar, let us present our prayers as we say:
Save your people, O Lord.
Lord Jesus, at the foot of the cross we raise the cry of the victims of injustice:
- by the power of your blood, give them courage.
Lord Jesus, at the foot of the cross we raise the cry of those in search of a country, a home and work:
- by the power of your blood, sustain them.
Lord Jesus, at the foot of the cross we raise the cry of prisoners, of refugees, of immigrants and of slaves everywhere:
- by the love of your blood, give them hope.
Lord Jesus, at the foot of the cross we raise the cry of the suffering, the sick, the lonely and misunderstood:
- by your restoring blood, heal their sufferings.
Lord Jesus, at the foot of the cross we raise the cry of all those who live in areas plagued by war, instability and poverty:
- by your peace-bearing blood, reconcile us to God and nation to nation.
Lord Jesus, at the foot of the cross we raise our prayer for all the departed:
- may they celebrate with you the banquet of life without end.
Our Father.
Prayer
Almighty and merciful God, who gave us an ardent witness of love for your divinity and for our neighbour in Saint Gaspar del Bufalo, priest and dedicated missionary of the Precious Blood of Christ; through his intercession, listen to the voice of the blood of your Son which daily rises to you from the earth in the painful cry of suffering humanity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
