I saw a man, sent by God,
shouting in the land of death:
“Come back to life! Open wide the doors
to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“Come back to life, you are worth a treasure!
The Blood of Christ is your price!
In his name”, he says, “I break
the chains that enslave you.”
“Away with the weapons, away with hate.
May Love win in every dispute!
One sole Covenant, one Church
Jesus founded in his blood!”
“A thousand tongues I would like to possess,
a thousand lives to live and to sacrifice!
May I my blood, my suffering
Give back to the loving Lord!”
Let us joyfully acclaim your name:
Father, Son, Holy Spirit:
To you be glory forever, O Lord,
In your kingdom that has no end. Amen
Or another suitable hymn approved by ecclesiastic authority.
Ant. 1 Let us rekindle our intimacy with the Lord,
the only delight of our hearts.
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 Let us rekindle our intimacy with the Lord,
the only delight of our hearts
Ant. 2 Let us give thanks to God
and let us bless him along with all the creatures.
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 Let us give thanks to God
and let us bless him along with all the creatures
Ant. 3 Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus
who with his blood has saved us.
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.
Ant. 3 Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus
who with his blood has saved us.
READING Hebrews 12, 1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
RESPONSORY
R. Let us remain firm in the work undertaken, * keeping our gaze on Jesus.
-- Let us remain firm in the work undertaken, keeping our gaze on Jesus.
V. Being careful that no one disregards the grace of God,
-- and keeping our gaze on Jesus.
R. Glory be to the Father and to the Holy Spirit.
-- Let us remain firm in the work undertaken, keeping our gaze on Jesus.
Benedictus Ant. Let us serve the Lord with joy:
who in his kindness 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 serve the Lord with joy:
who in his kindness has visited and redeemed us.
INTERCESSIONS
To Jesus, who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, in true faith let us ask:
Grant us, O Lord, the power of your Blood.
Lord Jesus, you chose to live a family life:
- by the intercession of Saint Gaspar, educated by saintly parents,
may every family, as a small domestic church, foster your peace and live in your grace.
Lord Jesus, you want to be acknowledged in the poor and in the marginalized:
- by the intercession of Saint Gaspar, raise authentic missionaries who will serve you in the needy, everywhere in the world.
Lord Jesus, your word offers hope to prisoners:
- by the intercession of Saint Gaspar, jailed and exiled, grant us the opportunity to lift up those who are denied a country and freedom, to be made worthy to share in the victory of the Lamb.
Lord Jesus, sent as missionary by the Father to announce the Word:
- by the intercession of Saint Gaspar, make all missionaries, catechists, collaborators, inflamed by your Spirit, witnesses of your future kingdom.
Lord Jesus, you endured our sins in your body:
- by the intercession of Saint Gaspar, give us strength in trials, patience in suffering, perseverance in witnessing to your mercy.
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.
