Universalis
Saturday 24 May 2025    (other days)

 or Saturday of the 5th week of Eastertide 

Using calendar: Estonia. You can change this.

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.
INTRODUCTION
Deus, in adiutórium meum inténde.
  Dómine, ad adiuvándum me festína.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen. Allelúia.
INTRODUCTION
O God, come to our aid.
  O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be 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. Alleluia.
Hymnus
Hic est dies verus Dei,
sancto serénus lúmine,
quo díluit sanguis sacer
probrósa mundi crímina.
Fidem refúndit pérditis
cæcósque visu illúminat;
quem non gravi solvit metu
latrónis absolútio?
Opus stupent et ángeli,
pœnam vidéntes córporis
Christóque adhæréntem reum
vitam beátam cárpere.
Mystérium mirábile,
ut ábluat mundi luem,
peccáta tollat ómnium
carnis vítia mundans caro,
Quid hoc potest sublímius,
ut culpa quærat grátiam,
metúmque solvat cáritas
reddátque mors vitam novam?
Esto perénne méntibus
paschále, Iesu, gáudium
et nos renátos grátiæ
tuis triúmphis ággrega.
Iesu, tibi sit glória,
qui morte victa prǽnites,
cum Patre et almo Spíritu,
in sempitérna sǽcula. Amen.
Hymn
Love’s redeeming work is done,
fought the fight, the battle won.
Lo, our Sun’s eclipse is o’er!
Lo, he sets in blood no more!
Vain the stone, the watch, the seal!
Christ has burst the gates of hell;
death in vain forbids him rise;
Christ has opened paradise.
Lives again our victor King;
where, O death, is now thy sting?
Dying once, he all doth save;
where thy victory, O grave?
Soar we now where Christ has led,
following our exalted Head;
made like him, like him we rise,
ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Hail the Lord of earth and heaven!
Praise to thee by both be given:
thee we greet triumphant now;
hail, the Resurrection thou!

Ps 104:1-15
Dominus promissionibus fidelis

“Apostoli gentibus manifestant mirabilia Dei in adventu eius” (S. Athanasius).

Cantáte Dómino, mementóte mirabílium eius quæ fecit, allelúia.
1Confitémini Dómino et invocáte nomen eius,*
  annuntiáte inter gentes ópera eius.
2Cantáte ei et psállite ei,*
  meditámini in ómnibus mirabílibus eius.
3Laudámini in nómine sancto eius,*
  lætétur cor quæréntium Dóminum.
4Quǽrite Dóminum et poténtiam eius,*
  quǽrite fáciem eius semper.
5Mementóte mirabílium eius, quæ fecit,*
  prodígia eius et iudícia oris eius:
6semen Abraham, servi eius,*
  fílii Iacob, elécti eius.
7Ipse Dóminus Deus noster;*
  in univérsa terra iudícia eius.
8Memor fuit in sǽculum testaménti sui,*
  verbi, quod mandávit in mille generatiónes,
9quod dispósuit cum Abraham,*
  et iuraménti sui ad Isaac.
10Et státuit illud Iacob in præcéptum*
  et Israel in testaméntum ætérnum
11dicens: «Tibi dabo terram Chánaan*
  funículum hereditátis vestræ».
12Cum essent número brevi,*
  paucíssimi et peregríni in ea
13et pertransírent de gente in gentem*
  et de regno ad pópulum álterum,
14non permísit hóminem nocére eis*
  et corrípuit pro eis reges:
15«Nolíte tángere christos meos*
  et in prophétis meis nolíte malignári».
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Cantáte Dómino, mementóte mirabílium eius quæ fecit, allelúia.

Psalm 104 (105)
The Lord is faithful to his promises

Sing to the Lord; tell all his wonderful works, alleluia.
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name;
  proclaim his works among the peoples.
Sing and make music to him
  and reflect on all the wonders he has performed.
Glory in his holy name,
  let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Seek the Lord in his power,
  always seek his face.
Remember the wonders he performed,
  his miracles and the judgements he has uttered.
Seed of Abraham, his servants,
  children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
The Lord himself is our God,
  his rule extends over the whole earth.
He has always remembered his covenant,
  that he made to last a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
  the oath he swore to Isaac.
He made it a decree for Jacob,
  an eternal covenant for Israel, saying
“I will give you Canaan
  and measure it out as your inheritance.”
Although they were few in number,
  a handful of wanderers,
although they were travelling from nation to nation,
  from one kingdom to another,
he let no harm come to them,
  he rebuked kings in their defence:
“do not touch my anointed ones,
  do no harm to my prophets.”
Glory be 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.
Sing to the Lord; tell all his wonderful works, alleluia.

How to listen

Ps 104:16-22

Vénditum iustum Dóminus non derelíquit, sed a peccatóribus liberávit eum, allelúia.
16Et vocávit famem super terram*
  et omne báculum panis contrívit.
17Misit ante eos virum,*
  in servum venúmdatus est Ioseph.
18Strinxérunt in compédibus pedes eius,*
  in ferrum intrávit collum eius,
19donec veníret verbum eius,*
  elóquium Dómini purgáret eum.
20Misit rex et solvit eum,*
  princeps populórum, et dimísit eum;
21constítuit eum dóminum domus suæ*
  et príncipem omnis possessiónis suæ,
22ut erudíret príncipes eius sicut semetípsum*
  et senes eius prudéntiam docéret.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Vénditum iustum Dóminus non derelíquit, sed a peccatóribus liberávit eum, allelúia.

Psalm 104 (105)

The Lord did not forget the just man who was sold as a slave: he released him from the power of sinful men. Alleluia.
The Lord called down famine upon the land, he ground away every stick of bread.
He had sent a man to them, Joseph, and he was sold as a slave.
They confined his feet in fetters and put a ring around his neck –
until the Lord’s word came, the Lord spoke and justified him.
The king sent for him and released him – the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He set him to rule over his house, made him lord of all his possessions,
so that he could make the princes as wise as himself and teach wisdom to the elders.
Glory be 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.
The Lord did not forget the just man who was sold as a slave: he released him from the power of sinful men. Alleluia.

Ps 104:23-45

Memor fuit Dóminus verbi sancti sui, et edúxit pópulum suum in exsultatióne, allelúia.
23Et intrávit Israel in Ægýptum,*
  et Iacob peregrínus fuit in terra Cham.
24Et auxit pópulum suum veheménter*
  et confortávit eum super inimícos eius.
25Convértit cor eórum, ut odírent pópulum eius*
  et dolum fácerent in servos eius.
26Misit Móysen servum suum,*
  Aaron, quem elégit.
27Pósuit in eis verba signórum suórum*
  et prodigiórum in terra Cham.
28Misit ténebras et obscurávit,*
  et restitérunt sermónibus eius.
29Convértit aquas eórum in sánguinem*
  et occídit pisces eórum.
30Edidit terra eórum ranas*
  in penetrálibus regum ipsórum.
31Dixit, et venit cœnomýia*
  et scínifes in ómnibus fínibus eórum.
32Pósuit plúvias eórum grándinem,*
  ignem comburéntem in terra ipsórum.
33Et percússit víneas eórum et ficúlneas eórum*
  et contrívit lignum fínium eórum.
34Dixit, et venit locústa*
  et bruchus, cuius non erat númerus,
35et comédit omne fenum in terra eórum*
  et comédit fructum terræ eórum.
36Et percússit omne primogénitum in terra eórum,*
  primítias omnis róboris eórum.
37Et edúxit eos cum argénto et auro;*
  et non erat in tríbubus eórum infírmus.
38Lætáta est Ægýptus in profectióne eórum,*
  quia incúbuit timor eórum super eos.
39Expándit nubem in protectiónem*
  et ignem, ut lucéret eis per noctem.
40Petiérunt, et venit cotúrnix,*
  et pane cæli saturávit eos.
41Dirúpit petram, et fluxérunt aquæ,*
  abiérunt in sicco flúmina.
42Quóniam memor fuit verbi sancti sui*
  ad Abraham púerum suum.
43Et edúxit pópulum suum in exsultatióne,*
  eléctos suos in lætítia.
44Et dedit illis regiónes géntium,*
  et labóres populórum possedérunt,
45ut custódiant iustificatiónes eius*
  et leges eius servent.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Memor fuit Dóminus verbi sancti sui, et edúxit pópulum suum in exsultatióne, allelúia.

Psalm 104 (105)

The Lord remembered his holy word, and he brought out his people with joy. Alleluia.
And so Israel passed into Egypt
  and Jacob lived in the country of Ham.
The Lord made his people grow enormously
  and strengthened them against their enemies.
Then he turned the hearts of men against his chosen people,
  so that they hated them and made plots against them.
He sent Moses, his servant,
  and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
He made them prophesy
  the signs and prodigies he would work in the land of Ham.
He sent shadows and darkness,
  but they would not listen to his words.
He turned their rivers into blood,
  killing all the fish.
Frogs ate up the earth,
  even in the secret gardens of the palaces.
He summoned flies
  and insects throughout the land.
He sent stones of hail and fire
  to devastate their land.
He struck their vines and their fig-trees,
  broke down the trees of their country.
He spoke, and locusts came,
  and worms without number:
they ate all the grain of the land,
  consumed all of the fruit.
He struck down the first-born of their land,
  the flower of all their strength.
He led his people out with silver and gold;
  not a single one of them stumbled.
Egypt rejoiced to see them go,
  to see the last of the people they feared.
He sent a cloud to protect them,
  and fire to light up their nights.
When they asked for food, he sent them quails
  and bread from heaven, to quench their hunger.
He split the rock, and water flowed:
  in the dry places, rivers ran.
For he remembered his holy word,
  given to Abraham his servant.
He led out his people in exultation,
  his chosen ones in gladness.
He gave them the territory of the nations,
  the fruits of the labours of the peoples.
All this he did
  so that they would keep his decrees
  and follow his laws.
Glory be 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.
The Lord remembered his holy word, and he brought out his people with joy. Alleluia.
℣. Deus regenerávit nos in spem vivam, allelúia.
℟. Per resurrectiónem Iesu Christi ex mórtuis, allelúia.
℣. God has given us a new birth and a living hope, alleluia.
℟. By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, alleluia.
Lectio prior
De libro Apocalýpsis beáti Ioánnis apóstoli 22, 10-21

Attestatio spei nostræ

10Dicit mihi Ioánni ángelus: «Ne signáveris verba prophetíæ libri huius; tempus enim prope est! 11Qui nocet, nóceat adhuc, et, qui sórdidus est, sordéscat adhuc, et iustus iustítiam fáciat adhuc, et sanctus sanctificétur adhuc.
  12Ecce vénio cito, et merces mea mecum est, réddere unicuíque sicut opus eius est. 13Ego Alpha et Omega, primus et novíssimus, princípium et finis. 14Beáti, qui lavant stolas suas, ut sit potéstas eórum super lignum vitæ, et portis intrent in civitátem. 15Foris canes et venéfici et impudíci et homicídæ et idólis serviéntes et omnis, qui amat et facit mendácium!
  16Ego Iesus misi ángelum meum testificári vobis hæc super ecclésiis. Ego sum radix et genus David, stella spléndida matutína».
  17Et Spíritus et sponsa dicunt: «Veni!». Et, qui audit, dicat: «Veni!». Et, qui sitit, véniat; qui vult, accípiat aquam vitæ gratis.
  18Contéstor ego omni audiénti verba prophetíæ libri huius: Si quis apposúerit ad hæc, appónet Deus super illum plagas scriptas in libro isto; 19et si quis abstúlerit de verbis libri prophetíæ huius, áuferet Deus partem eius de ligno vitæ et de civitáte sancta, de his, quæ scripta sunt in libro isto.
  20Dicit, qui testimónium pérhibet istórum: «Etiam, vénio cito». «Amen. Veni, Dómine Iesu!». 21Grátia Dómini Iesu cum ómnibus.
First Reading
Apocalypse 22:10-21

A testimony of our hope

This, too, he said to me, ‘Do not keep the prophecies in this book a secret, because the Time is close. Meanwhile let the sinner go on sinning, and the unclean continue to be unclean; let those who do good go on doing good, and those who are holy continue to be holy. Very soon now, I shall be with you again, bringing the reward to be given to every man according to what he deserves. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Happy are those who will have washed their robes clean, so that they will have the right to feed on the tree of life and can come through the gates into the city. These others must stay outside: dogs, fortune-tellers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone of false speech and false life.’
  I, Jesus, have sent my angel to make these revelations to you for the sake of the churches. I am of David’s line, the root of David and the bright star of the morning.
  The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ Let everyone who listens answer, ‘Come.’ Then let all who are thirsty come: all who want it may have the water of life, and have it free.
  This is my solemn warning to all who hear the prophecies in this book: if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him every plague mentioned in the book; if anyone cuts anything out of the prophecies in this book, God will cut off his share of the tree of life and of the holy city, which are described in the book.
  The one who guarantees these revelations repeats his promise: I shall indeed be with you soon. Amen; come, Lord Jesus.
  May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.
Responsorium
Ap 22, 16 b. 17 ab. 20 c; Is 55, 1 a. 3 a
℟. Ego sum radix et genus David, stella spléndida matutína; et Spíritus et Sponsa dicunt: Veni;* Et qui audit dicat: Veni. Amen. Veni, Dómine Iesu, allelúia.
℣. Omnes sitiéntes, veníte ad aquas; inclináte aurem vestram et veníte ad me.* Et qui.
Responsory
Rv 22:16-17,20; Is 55:1,3
℟. I am of David’s line, the root of David and the bright star of morning. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come.* Everyone who hears this must also say, Come. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, alleluia!
℣. Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters. Come to me and listen to my words.* Everyone who hears this must also say, Come. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, alleluia!
Lectio altera
Ex Enarratiónibus sancti Augustíni epíscopi in Psalmos
(Ps 148, 1-2: CCL 40, 2165-2166)

Alleluia paschale

Meditátio præséntis vitæ nostræ in laude Dei esse debet, quia exsultátio sempitérna futúræ nostræ vitæ, laus Dei erit; et nemo potest idóneus fíeri futúræ vitæ, qui non se ad illam modo exercúerit. Modo ergo laudámus Deum, sed et rogámus Deum. Laus nostra lætítiam habet, orátio gémitum. Promíssum est enim nobis áliquid quod nondum habémus; et quia verax est qui promísit, in spe gaudémus; quia tamen nondum habémus, in desidério gémimus. Bonum est nobis perseveráre in desidério, donec véniat quod promíssum est, et tránseat gémitus, succédat sola laudátio.
  Propter hæc duo témpora, unum quod nunc est in tentatiónibus et tribulatiónibus huius vitæ, álterum quod tunc erit in securitáte et exsultatióne perpétua, institúta est nobis étiam celebrátio duórum témporum, ante Pascha, et post Pascha. Illud quod est ante Pascha, signíficat tribulatiónem in qua modo sumus; quod vero nunc ágimus post Pascha, signíficat beatitúdinem in qua póstea érimus. Ante Pascha ergo quod celebrámus, hoc et ágimus; post Pascha autem quod celebrámus, significámus quod nondum tenémus. Proptérea illud tempus in ieiúniis et oratiónibus exercémus; hoc vero tempus relaxátis ieiúniis in láudibus ágimus. Hoc est enim: Allelúia, quod cantámus.
  In cápite enim nostro nobis utrúmque figurátum est, utrúmque demonstrátum est. Pássio Dómini osténdit nobis vitam præséntis necessitátis, quia opórtet laboráre et tribulári et ad extrémum mori; resurréctio vero et clarificátio Dómini osténdit nobis vitam quam acceptúri sumus.
  Nunc ergo, fratres, exhortámur vos ut laudétis Deum; et hoc est quod nobis omnes dícimus, quando dícimus: Allelúia. Laudáte Dóminum, dicis tu álteri, dicit ipse tibi; cum se omnes exhortántur, omnes fáciunt quod hortántur. Sed laudáte de totis vobis; id est, ut non sola lingua et vox vestra laudet Deum, sed et consciéntia vestra, vita vestra, facta vestra.
  Etenim laudámus modo in ecclésia quando congregámur; cum quisque discédit ad própria, quasi cessat laudáre Deum. Non cesset bene vívere, et semper laudat Deum. Tunc désinis laudáre Deum, quando a iustítia, et ab eo quod illi placet, declínas. Nam si a vita bona numquam declínes, lingua tua tacet, vita tua clamat; et aures Dei ad cor tuum. Quómodo enim aures nostræ ad voces nostras, sic aures Dei ad cogitatiónes nostras.
Second Reading
From a discourse on the psalms by Saint Augustine, Bishop

The Easter alleluia

Our thoughts in this present life should turn on the praise of God, because it is in praising God that we shall rejoice for ever in the life to come; and no one can be ready for the next life unless he trains himself for it now. So we praise God during our earthly life, and at the same time we make our petitions to him. Our praise is expressed with joy, our petitions with yearning. We have been promised something we do not yet possess, and because the promise was made by one who keeps his word, we trust him and are glad; but insofar as possession is delayed, we can only long and yearn for it. It is good for us to persevere in longing until we receive what was promised, and yearning is over; then praise alone will remain.
  Because there are these two periods of time – the one that now is, beset with the trials and troubles of this life, and the other yet to come, a life of everlasting serenity and joy – we are given two liturgical seasons, one before Easter and the other after. The season before Easter signifies the troubles in which we live here and now, while the time after Easter which we are celebrating at present signifies the happiness that will be ours in the future. What we commemorate before Easter is what we experience in this life; what we celebrate after Easter points to something we do not yet possess. This is why we keep the first season with fasting and prayer; but now the fast is over and we devote the present season to praise. Such is the meaning of the Alleluia we sing.
  Both these periods are represented and demonstrated for us in Christ our head. The Lord’s passion depicts for us our present life of trial – shows how we must suffer and be afflicted and finally die. The Lord’s resurrection and glorification show us the life that will be given to us in the future.
  Now therefore, brethren, we urge you to praise God. That is what we are all telling each other when we say Alleluia. You say to your neighbour, “Praise the Lord!” and he says the same to you. We are all urging one another to praise the Lord, and all thereby doing what each of us urges the other to do. But see that your praise comes from your whole being; in other words, see that you praise God not with your lips and voices alone, but with your minds, your lives and all your actions.
  We are praising God now, assembled as we are here in church; but when we go on our various ways again, it seems as if we cease to praise God. But provided we do not cease to live a good life, we shall always be praising God. You cease to praise God only when you swerve from justice and from what is pleasing to God. If you never turn aside from the good life, your tongue may be silent but your actions will cry aloud, and God will perceive your intentions; for as our ears hear each other’s voices, so do God’s ears hear our thoughts.
ResponsoriumIo 16, 20 b
℟. Tristítia vestra* Vertétur in gáudium, allelúia.
℣. Mundus autem gaudébit, vos contristabímini; sed tristítia vestra.* Vertétur.
Responsory
℟. You will be sorrowful,* but your sorrow will turn into joy, alleluia.
℣. You will weep while the world rejoices,* but your sorrow will turn into joy, alleluia.
Oremus.
  Omnípotens ætérne Deus, qui nobis regeneratióne baptísmatis cæléstem vitam conférre dignátus es, præsta, quǽsumus, ut, quos immortalitátis éfficis iustificándo capáces, usque ad plenitúdinem glóriæ, te moderánte, pervéniant.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum,
qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,
per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Let us pray.
Almighty, ever-living God,
  you gave us the life of heaven
  by the new birth of baptism;
you implanted in us the seed of eternity
  by your gift of grace.
Lead us, in your providence,
  to the fullness of glory.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Benedicámus Dómino.
– Deo grátias.
Let us praise the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.

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