Tuesday, September 7

St. Melichar, St. Marek, and St. Stefan priests,
martyrs of Košice – feast

INTRODUCTION

÷. God, come to my assistance.
ð. Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Christ, in whose passion once was sown
All virtue of all saints to be,
From the white field of these thy own
We praise the seed and sower, thee.

Thine was the first and holiest grain
To die and quicken and increase;
And then came these, and died again,
That spring and harvest should not cease.

From thee the martyrs, we from those,
Each in thy grace’s measure, spring;
Their strength upon our weakness flows
And guides us to the goal we sing.

These were thy great ones: we, thy least,
One in desire and faith with them,
Called by the Lord to keep one feast,
Journey to one Jerusalem. Amen.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1: The martyrs fixed their eyes on heaven, and cried out in their torments: Come, Lord, be with us in this hour.

(Psalm 62, 2-9)

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.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. 1: The martyrs fixed their eyes on heaven, and cried out in their torments: Come, Lord, be with us in this hour.

Ant. 2: Blessed spirits and souls of the just, pour out your songs of praise to the Lord, alleluia.

(Canticle – Daniel 3:57-88,56)

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, bless the Lord.
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.
Lightnings 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, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Ant. 2: Blessed spirits and souls of the just, pour out your songs of praise to the Lord, alleluia.

Ant. 3: You throng of martyrs, give endless praise to God on high.

(Psalm 149)

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.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:

as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. 3: You throng of martyrs, give endless praise to God on high.

READING 2 Cor 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. For as Christ’s sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement also overflow.

HOMILY

RESPONSORY

The just are the friends of God. They live with him forever.

– The just are the friends of God. They live with him forever.

God himself is their reward.

– They live with him forever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

– The just are the friends of God. They live with him forever.

BENEDICTUS Canticle – Lk 1:68-79

Ant.: Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice; the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

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 will be for ever. Amen.

Ant.: Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice; the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

INTERCESSIONS

Our Savior’s faithfulness is mirrored in the fidelity of his witnesses who shed their blood for the Word of God. Let us praise him in remembrance of them: – Kyrie eleison, eleison.

You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs freely embraced death in bearing witness for the faith,
– give us the true freedom of the Spirit, O Lord.

Your martyrs professed their faith by shedding their blood,
– give us a faith, O Lord, that is constant and pure.

Your martyrs followed in your footstep by carrying the cross,
– help us to endure courageously the misfortunes of life.

Your martyrs washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb,
– Help us to avoid the weaknesses of the flesh and worldly
allurements.

Pater noster

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Lord, hear the prayers of the martyrs Melichar, Marek, and Stefan and give us the courage to bear witness to your truth. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. – Amen.

BLESSING

The Lord be with you. – And with your spirit.

Blessed be the name of the Lord. – Now and for ever.

Our help is in the name of the Lord.
– Our help is in the name of the Lord.

May almighty God bless you, the † Father, and the † Son, and the † Holy Spirit.
– Amen.

Go in peace.
– Thanks be to God.