23 January 2017 - Saint Raymond de Pennafort, Confessor (Commemoration of Saint Emerentiana, V.M.)

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Saint Raymond de Pennafort was a Dominican Friar in the 12th century. He was born in Catalonia, Aragon, in modern-day Spain. He played a key role in founding the Mercedarians, otherwise known as the Order of the Blessed Virgin of Mercy or the Royal, Celestial and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of Captives. Its main role was to secure the ransom of Christian captives in Muslim lands. Though he was appointed as Archbishop of Tarragona, he did not want the honor. He resigned two years after his appointment due to health concerns. He died 6 January 1275 in Barcelona. He was canonized in 1601 by Pope Clement VIII. 

Saint Emerentiana was a 4th century Roman martyr. Shortly after the martyrdom of St. Agnes, for whom Emerentiana's mother had been wet nurse, Emerentiana was seen praying at her tomb. She rebuked the crowd, which then stoned her to death. 

INTROIT Ps. 36.30-31.

THE mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom and his tongue shall speak judgement: the law of his God is in his heart. Ps. 36.1. Be not emulous of evildoers: nor envy them that work iniquity. V.: Glory be.

COLLECT

O GOD, who didst choose blessed Raymund to be eminent as a minister of the Sacrament of Penance and didst lead him in wondrous wise through the waves of the sea: grant that by his intercession we may be able to bring forth worthy fruits of penance and to reach the port of everlasting salvation. Through.

Commemoration: Of St. Emerentiana.

May blessed Emerentiana, thy Virgin and Martyr, we beseech thee, O Lord, obtain pardon for us: both by her chastity and by her confession of thy power, she was ever pleasing to thee. Through.

LESSON Ecclus. 31.8-11.

BLESSED is the man that is found without blemish, and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures. Who is he, and we will praise him? For he hath done wonderful things in his life. Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting: he that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed: and could do evil things, and hath not done them: therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the Church of the Saints shall declare his alms.

GRADUAL Ps. 91.13,14.

The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus in the house of the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia. V.: James 1.12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he hath been proved, he shall receive the crown of life. Alleluia.

+ The Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke (12.35-40)

AT that time, Jesus said to his disciples: Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands. And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of Man will come.

OFFERTORY Ps. 88.25.

My truth and my mercy shall be with him, and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.

SECRET

In memory of thy Saints, O Lord, we offer thee the sacrifice of praise, by which we trust to be freed from both present and future evils. Through.

Commemoration: Of St. Emerentiana.

Graciously receive, O Lord, the offerings consecrated to thee by the merits of blessed Emerentiana, thy Virgin and Martyr, and grant that they may ever bring us help. Through.

COMMUNION Matt. 24.46-47.

Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord cometh he shall find watching: amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.

POSTCOMMUNION

We who are refreshed by heavenly meat and drink, humbly entreat thee, O our God, that we may be defended by the prayers of him in whose memory we have received them. Through.

Commemoration: Of St. Emerentiana.


Filled with the Gifts of thy divine bounty, we beseech thee, O Lord, our God; that by the intercession of blessed Emerentiana, thy Virgin and Martyr, we may partake thereof for evermore. Through.