2 February 2017 - Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Double of the Second Class

Purple (Blessing/Procession), White (Mass) 

¶ If this feast falls on Septuagesima, Sexagesima, or Quinquagesima Sundays, then only the blessing of the candles and the procession is done, and the mass is of the Sunday. This mass may then be transferred to the next day following, provided it is otherwise permitted by the Calendar.

THE BLESSING

OF THE CANDLES AND

THE PROCESSION

¶ The Celebrant, vested in a violet cope, blesses the candles, which are placed near the altar.

V. Dominus Vobiscum.
(The Lord be with you.)

R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
(And with thy Spirit.)

Oremus.
(Let us pray.)

FIRST PRAYER

O HOLY Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, who hast created all things out of nothing, and by thy command hast caused this liquid to become perfect wax by the labor of bees: and who, on this day didst fulfill the petition of the righteous man Simeon: we humbly entreat thee, that by the invocation of thy most holy Name and through the intercession of Blessed Mary ever Virgin whose feast is today devoutly observed, and by the prayers of all thy Saints, thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless + and sanctify + these candles for the service of men and for the health of their bodies and souls, whether on land or on sea: and that thou wouldst hear from thine holy heaven, and from the throne of thy Majesty the voices of this thy people, who desire to carry them in their hands with honor, and to praise thee with hymns; and wouldst be propitious to all that call upon thee, whom thou hast redeemed with the precious Blood of thy Son. Through the same. R. Amen.

SECOND PRAYER

Let us pray.

O ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who on this day didst present thine only-begotten Son in thy holy temple to be received in the arms of holy Simeon: we humbly entreat thy clemency, that thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless + and sanctify + and to kindle with the light of thy heavenly benediction these candles, which we, thy servants, desire to receive and to bear lighted in the honor of thy Name: that, by offering them to thee our Lord God, being worthily inflamed with the holy fire of thy most sweet charity, we may deserve to be presented in the holy temple of thy glory. Through the same. R. Amen.

THIRD PRAYER

Let us pray.

O LORD Jesus Christ, the true Light who enlightenest every man that cometh into this world: pour forth thy blessing + upon these candles, and sanctify + them with the light of thy grace, and mercifully grant, that as these lights enkindled with visible fire dispel the darkness of night, so our hearts illumined by invisible fire, that is, by the splendor of the Holy Spirit, may be free from the blindness of all vice, that the eye of our mind being cleansed, we may be able to discern what is pleasing to thee and profitable to our salvation; so that after the perilous darkness of this life we may deserve to attain to neverfailing light. Through thee, O Christ Jesus, Savior of the world, who in the perfect Trinity, livest and reignest. R. Amen.

FOURTH PRAYER

Let us pray.

O ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who by thy servant Moses didst command the purest oil to be prepared for lamps to burn continuously before thee: vouchsafe to pour forth the grace of thy blessing + upon these candles: that they may so afford us light outwardly that by thy gift, the gift of thy Spirit may never be wanting inwardly to our minds. Through. R. Amen.

FIFTH PRAYER

Let us pray.

O LORD Jesus Christ, who appearing on this day among men in the substance of our flesh, wast presented by thy parents in the temple: whom the venerable and aged Simeon, illuminated by the light of thy Spirit, recognized, received into his arms, and blessed: mercifully grant that, enlightened and taught by the grace of the same Holy Ghost, we may truly acknowledge thee and faithfully love thee; Who with God the Father in the unity of the same Holy Ghost livest and reignest.

R. Amen.

¶ The Celebrant sprinkles the candles three times with holy water, saying the Antiphon Asperges me, and also incenses them thrice.

THE DISTRIBUTION

¶ During the distribution the choir sings the Canticle of Simeon as given below.

ANTIPHON Luke 2.32 A light for the revelation of the Gentiles: and for the glory of thy people Israel.

THE CANTICLE OF SIMEON

¶ The above Antiphon is repeated after each Versicle.

V. Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace.

V. Because mine eyes have seen thy salvation.

V. Which thou hast prepared, before the face of all peoples.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

V. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

¶ And then the priest continues:

V. Dominus vobiscum
(The Lord be with you.)

R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
(And with thy spirit.)

Oremus.
(Let us pray.)

WE beseech thee, O Lord, hearken unto thy people, and grant that by the light of thy grace, we may inwardly attain to those things which thou grantest us outwardly to venerate by this yearly observance. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

THE PROCESSION

¶ The procession takes place according to the form given in the Rituale Anglicanum and the Liber Processionalis.

¶ And then at the end of the procession the celebrant and the ministers remove the purple vestments and vest in white for Mass.

¶ Lighted candles are held during the chanting of the Gospel, and again from the beginning of the Canon until the end of the communion of the priest.

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THE MASS

INTROIT Ps. 47.10-11

WE have received thy mercy, O God, in the midst of thy temple; according to thy Name, O God, so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth; thy right hand is full of justice. Ps.47.2. Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised, in the city of God, in his holy mountain. V. Glory be.

COLLECT

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that as thine only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so thou wouldst cause us too to be presented unto thee with purified hearts. Through the same.

SEASONAL COLLECTS
Against the Persecutors of the Church
Of the Holy Spirit

EPISTLE Malach. 3.1-4.

THUS saith the Lord God: Behold I send my Angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face; and presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the Angel of the testament, whom you desire, shall come to his temple. Behold he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts; and who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? And who shall stand to see him? For he is like the fuller's herb; and he shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice. And the sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient years; saith the Lord almighty.

GRADUAL Ps. 47.10-11,9

We have received thy mercy, O God, in the midst of thy temple; according to thy Name, O God, so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth. As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of our God, and in his holy mountain.

TRACT Luke 2.29-32

Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace. Because mine eyes have seen thy salvation; Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; A light for the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

+ The Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke (2.22-32)

AT that time, after the days of Mary's purification according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried Jesus to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb, shall be called holy to the Lord; and to offer sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was in him: and he received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law, he also took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

The Creed is said.

OFFERTORY Ps. 44.3

Grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee forever, and for ages of ages.

SECRET

O LORD, graciously hear our prayers; and that the gifts we offer in the sight of thy Majesty may be found worthy, grant us the help of thy mercy. Through.

SEASONAL COLLECTS
Against the Persecutors of the Church
Of the Holy Spirit

PREFACE: Of the Nativity.

COMMUNION Luke 2.26

Simeon received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, until he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

POSTCOMMUNION

WE beseech thee, O Lord our God, that the most holy Mysteries, which thou hast given us as a safeguard for our regenerated nature, may, through the intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin, be to us an healing remedy, both for the present and for the future. Through.

SEASONAL COLLECTS
Against the Persecutors of the Church
Of the Holy Spirit

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¶ The Seasonal Collects after 2 February until Ash Wednesday exclusive are Of the Holy Spirit, as given below, and a Collect Ad Libitum from the Table of Prayers or Various Prayers, except where otherwise noted.

OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

COLLECT

O GOD, who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that, by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be always truly wise, and ever rejoice in his consolation. Through.

SECRET

SANCTIFY, we beseech thee, O Lord, the gifts we offer, and cleanse our hearts with the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Through...in the unity of the same Holy Ghost.

POSTCOMMUNION

MAY the infusion of the Holy Spirit cleanse our hearts, O Lord, and make them fruitful by the inward watering with his heavenly dew. Through.