Universalis
Wednesday 4 October 2023    (other days)
Saint Francis of Assisi 
 on Wednesday of week 26 in Ordinary Time

Using calendar: Australia - Darwin. 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
Inclitos Christi fámulos canámus,
quos, fide claros nitidísque gestis,
hac die tellus sociáta cælo
láudibus ornat.
Quippe qui mites, húmiles, pudíci,
nésciam culpæ coluére vitam,
donec e terris ánimus volávit
liber ad astra.
Inde iam gaudent míseris adésse,
fléntium tergunt lácrimas, medéntur
méntium plagis, vitiáta reddunt
membra salúti.
Nostra laus ergo résonet benígnis
his Dei servis referátque grates,
qui pia pergant ope nos iuváre
rebus in arctis.
Sit Deo soli decus et potéstas,
laus in excélsis honor ac perénnis,
qui suis totum móderans gubérnat
légibus orbem. Amen.
Hymn
O God, creation’s secret force,
yourself unmoved, all motion’s source,
who from the morn till evening ray
through all its changes guide the day:
Grant us, when this short life is past,
the glorious evening that shall last;
that, by a holy death attained,
eternal glory may be gained.
To God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Spirit, Three in One,
may every tongue and nation raise
an endless song of thankful praise!
St Ambrose of Milan

Ps 38:2-7
Ægrotantis deprecatio

“Vanitati creatura subiecta est ... propter eum qui subiecit eam in spe” (Rom 8, 20).

Ipsi intra nos gémimus, exspectántes redemptiónem córporis nostri.
2Dixi: «Custódiam vias meas,*
  ut non delínquam in lingua mea;
ponam ori meo custódiam,*
  donec consístit peccátor advérsum me».
3Tacens obmútui et sílui absque ullo bono,*
  et dolor meus renovátus est.
4Concáluit cor meum intra me,*
  et in meditatióne mea exársit ignis.
5Locútus sum in lingua mea:*
  «Notum fac mihi, Dómine, finem meum;
et númerum diérum meórum quis est,*
  ut sciam quam brevis sit vita mea».
6Ecce paucórum palmórum fecísti dies meos,*
  et spátium vitæ meæ tamquam níhilum ante te.
Etenim univérsa vánitas omnis homo constitútus est.*
  7Etenim ut imágo pertránsit homo.
Etenim vánitas est et concitátur;*
  thesaurízat et ignórat quis congregábit ea.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Ipsi intra nos gémimus, exspectántes redemptiónem córporis nostri.

Psalm 38 (39)
A prayer in sickness

We groan inwardly and await the redemption of our bodies.
I said, “I will watch my ways,
  I will try not to sin in my speech.
I will set a guard on my mouth,
  for as long as my enemies are standing against me.”
I stayed quiet and dumb, spoke neither evil nor good,
  but my pain was renewed.
My heart grew hot within me,
  and fire blazed in my thoughts.
Then I spoke out loud:
  “Lord, make me know my end.
Let me know the number of my days,
  so that I know how short my life is to be.”
All the length of my days is a handsbreadth or two,
  the expanse of my life is as nothing before you.
For in your sight all men are nothingness:
  man passes away, like a shadow.
Nothingness, although he is busy:
  he builds up treasure, but who will collect it?
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.
We groan inwardly and await the redemption of our bodies.

Ps 38:8-14

Exáudi oratiónem meam, Dómine; pércipe lácrimas meas.
8Et nunc quæ est exspectátio mea, Dómine?*
  Spes mea apud te est.
9Ab ómnibus iniquitátibus meis érue me,*
  oppróbrium insipiénti ne ponas me.
10Obmútui et non apériam os meum,*
  quóniam tu fecísti.
11Amove a me plagas tuas:*
  ab ictu manus tuæ ego deféci.
12In increpatiónibus, propter iniquitátem, corripuísti hóminem,†
  et tabéscere fecísti sicut tínea desiderabília eius.*
  Etenim vánitas omnis homo.
13Exáudi oratiónem meam, Dómine,*
  et clamórem meum áuribus pércipe.
Ad lácrimas meas ne obsurdéscas,†
  quóniam ádvena ego sum apud te,*
  peregrínus sicut omnes patres mei.
14Avértere a me, ut refrígerer,*
  priúsquam ábeam et non sim ámplius.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Exáudi oratiónem meam, Dómine; pércipe lácrimas meas.

Psalm 38 (39)

Lord, hear my prayer: do not be deaf to my tears.
What, now, can I look forward to, Lord?
  My hope is in you.
Rescue me from all my sins,
  do not make me a thing for fools to laugh at.
I have sworn to be dumb, I will not open my mouth:
  for it is at your hands that I am suffering.
Aim your blows away from me,
  for I am crushed by the weight of your hand.
You rebuke and chastise us for our sins.
Like the moth you consume all we desire
 – for all men are nothingness.
Listen, Lord, to my prayer:
  turn your ear to my cries.
Do not be deaf to my weeping,
  for I come as a stranger before you,
  a wanderer like my fathers before me.
Turn away from me, give me respite,
  before I leave this world,
  before I am no more.
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.
Lord, hear my prayer: do not be deaf to my tears.

Ps 51:3-11
Contra calumniatorem

“Qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur” (1 Cor 1, 31).

Ego autem sperávi in misericórdia Dei in ætérnum.
3Quid gloriáris in malítia,*
  qui potens es iniquitáte?
4Tota die insídias cogitásti;*
  lingua tua sicut novácula acúta, qui facis dolum.
5Dilexísti malítiam super benignitátem,†
  mendácium magis quam loqui æquitátem.*
  6Dilexísti ómnia verba perditiónis, lingua dolósa.
7Proptérea Deus déstruet te in finem;†
  evéllet te et emigrábit te de tabernáculo*
  et radícem tuam de terra vivéntium.
8Vidébunt iusti et timébunt*
  et super eum ridébunt:
«9Ecce homo, qui non pósuit Deum refúgium suum,†
  sed sperávit in multitúdine divitiárum suárum*
  et præváluit in insídiis suis».
10Ego autem sicut virens olíva in domo Dei.†
  Sperávi in misericórdia Dei*
  in ætérnum et in sǽculum sǽculi.
11Confitébor tibi in sǽculum, quia fecísti;†
  et exspectábo nomen tuum, quóniam bonum est,*
  in conspéctu sanctórum tuórum.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Ego autem sperávi in misericórdia Dei in ætérnum.

Psalm 51 (52)
Against calumny

I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.
Why do you take pride in your malice,
  you expert in evil-doing?
All day long you plan your traps,
  your tongue is sharp as a razor –
  you master of deceit!
You have chosen malice over kindness;
  you speak lies rather than the truth;
  your tongue is in love with every deceit.
For all this, in the end God will destroy you.
  He will tear you out and expel you from your dwelling,
  uproot you from the land of the living.
The upright will see and be struck with awe:
  they will deride the evil-doer.
“Here is the man who did not make God his refuge,
  but put his hope in the abundance of his riches
  and in the power of his stratagems.”
But I flourish like an olive in the palace of God.
  I hope in the kindness of God,
  for ever, and through all ages.
I shall praise you for all time for what you have done.
  I shall put my hope in your name and in its goodness
  in the sight of your chosen ones.
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.
I trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever.
℣. Iustum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas.
℟. Et osténdit illi regnum Dei.
℣. The Lord led the virtuous man along straight paths.
℟. He showed him the kingdom of God.
Lectio prior
De Epístola beáti Pauli apóstoli ad Philippénses 2, 12-30

Salutem vestram operamini

12Caríssimi mei, sicut semper obœdístis, non ut in præséntia mei tantum sed multo magis nunc in abséntia mea, cum metu et tremóre vestram salútem operámini; 13Deus est enim, qui operátur in vobis et velle et perfícere pro suo beneplácito. 14Omnia fácite sine murmuratiónibus et hæsitatiónibus, 15ut efficiámini sine queréla et símplices, fílii Dei sine reprehensióne in médio generatiónis pravæ et pervérsæ, inter quos lucétis sicut luminária in mundo, 16verbum vitæ fírmiter tenéntes ad glóriam meam in die Christi, quia non in vácuum cucúrri neque in vácuum laborávi. 17Sed et si delíbor supra sacrifícium et obséquium fídei vestræ, gáudeo et congáudeo ómnibus vobis; 18idípsum autem et vos gaudéte et congaudéte mihi.
  19Spero autem in Dómino Iesu Timótheum cito me míttere ad vos, ut et ego bono ánimo sim, cógnitis, quæ circa vos sunt. 20Néminem enim hábeo tam unánimem, qui sincére pro vobis sollícitus sit; 21omnes enim sua quærunt, non quæ sunt Iesu Christi. 22Probatiónem autem eius cognóscitis, quóniam sicut patri fílius mecum servívit in evangélium. 23Hunc ígitur spero me míttere, mox ut vídero, quæ circa me sunt; 24confído autem in Dómino, quóniam et ipse cito véniam.
  25Necessárium autem existimávi Epaphrodítum fratrem et cooperatórem et commilitónem meum, vestrum autem apóstolum et minístrum necessitátis meæ, míttere ad vos, 26quóniam omnes vos desiderábat et mæstus erat, proptérea quod audierátis illum infirmátum. 27Nam et infirmátus est usque ad mortem, sed Deus misértus est eius; non solum autem eius, verum et mei, ne tristítiam super tristítiam habérem.28Festinántius ergo misi illum, ut, viso eo, íterum gaudeátis, et ego sine tristítia sim. 29Excípite ítaque illum in Dómino cum omni gáudio et eiúsmodi cum honóre habetóte, 30quóniam propter opus Christi usque ad mortem accéssit in intéritum tradens ánimam suam, ut suppléret id, quod vobis déerat ministérii erga me.
First Reading
Philippians 2:12-30 ©

“Work out your own salvation”

My dear friends, continue to do as I tell you, as you always have; not only as you did when I was there with you, but even more now that I am no longer there; and work for your salvation ‘in fear and trembling.’ It is God, for his own loving purpose, who puts both the will and the action into you. Do all that has to be done without complaining or arguing and then you will be innocent and genuine, perfect children of God among a deceitful and underhand brood, and you will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word of life. This would give me something to be proud of for the Day of Christ, and would mean that I had not run in the race and exhausted myself for nothing. And then, if my blood has to be shed as part of your own sacrifice and offering – which is your faith – I shall still be happy and rejoice with all of you, and you must be just as happy and rejoice with me.
  I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, and I shall be reassured by having news of you. I have nobody else like him here, as wholeheartedly concerned for your welfare: all the rest seem more interested in themselves than in Jesus Christ. But you know how he has proved himself by working with me on behalf of the Good News like a son helping his father. That is why he is the one that I am hoping to send you, as soon as I know something definite about my fate. But I continue to trust, in the Lord, that I shall be coming soon myself.
  It is essential, I think, to send brother Epaphroditus back to you. He was sent as your representative to help me when I needed someone to be my companion in working and battling, but he misses you all and is worried because you heard about his illness. It is true that he has been ill, and almost died, but God took pity on him, and on me as well as him, and spared me what would have been one grief on top of another. So I shall send him back as promptly as I can; you will be happy to see him again, and that will make me less sorry. Give him a most hearty welcome, in the Lord; people like him are to be honoured. It was for Christ’s work that he came so near to dying, and he risked his life to give me the help that you were not able to give me yourselves.
Responsorium
2 Petr 1, 10 a. 11; Eph 5, 8 b. 11 a
℟. Magis satágite ut firmam vestram vocatiónem et electiónem faciátis.* Sic enim abundánter ministrábitur vobis intróitus in ætérnum regnum Dómini nostri et salvatóris Iesu Christi.
℣. Ut fílii lucis ambuláte; et nolíte communicáre opéribus infructuósis tenebrárum.* Sic enim.
Responsory
2 P 1:10-11; Ep 5:8,11
℟. You have been called and chosen. Work to justify this by good deeds:* then you will be granted admittance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
℣. Be like children of light, having nothing to do with the worthless deeds of darkness:* then you will be granted admittance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Lectio altera
E Lítteris a sancto Francísco Asisiénsi ómnibus fidélibus scriptis (Opuscula, edit. Quaracchi 1949, 87-94)

Debemus esse simplices, humiles et puri

Verbum Patris tam dignum, tam sanctum et gloriósum nuntiávit altíssimus Pater de cælo ventúrum per sanctum Gabriélem archángelum suum sanctæ et gloriósæ Vírgini Maríæ, ex cuius útero veram recépit carnem humanitátis et fragilitátis nostræ. Qui, cum dives esset super ómnia, vóluit tamen ipse cum beatíssima matre sua elígere paupertátem. Et prope passiónem suam celebrávit Pascha cum discípulis suis. Deínde orávit ad Patrem dicens: Pater, si fíeri potest, tránseat a me calix iste.
  Posuit tamen voluntátem suam in voluntáte Patris. Cuius Patris talis fuit volúntas, ut Fílius eius benedíctus et gloriosus, quem dedit nobis et natus fuit pro nobis, se ipsum per próprium sánguinem suum sacrifícium et hóstiam in ara crucis offérret, non pro se, per quem facta sunt ómnia, sed pro peccátis nostris, relínquens nobis exémplum, ut sequámur vestígia eius. Et vult ut omnes salvémur per ipsum et recipiámus ipsum puro corde et casto corpore.
  O quam beáti et benedícti sunt illi, qui Dóminum díligunt et fáciunt sicut dicit ipse Dóminus in Evangelio: Díliges Dóminum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo et ex tota ánima tua et próximum tuum sicut te ipsum! Diligámus ígitur Deum et adorémus eum puro corde et pura mente, quia ipse super ómnia quærens hoc dicit: Veri adoratóres adorábunt Patrem in spíritu et veritáte. Omnes enim, qui adórant eum, in spíritu veritátis opórtet eum adoráre. Et dirigámus ei laudes et oratiónes die ac nocte dicéndo: Pater noster, qui es in cælis; quia opórtet nos semper oráre et non defícere.
  Faciámus ínsuper fructus dignos pæniténtiæ. Et diligámus próximos sicut nosmetípsos. Habeámus caritátem et humilitátem et faciámus eleemósynas, quia ipsæ lavant ánimas a sórdibus peccatórum. Hómines enim ómnia perdunt, quæ in hoc sǽculo relínquunt; secum tamen portant caritátis mercédem et eleemósynas quas fecérunt, de quibus habébunt a Dómino prǽmium et dignam remuneratiónem.
  Non debémus secúndum carnem esse sapiéntes atque prudéntes, sed magis debémus esse símplices, húmiles et puri. Numquam debémus desideráre esse super álios, sed magis debémus esse servi et súbditi omni humánæ creatúræ propter Deum. Et omnes, qui tália fécerint et perseveráverint usque in finem, requiéscet super eos Spíritus Dómini et fáciet in eis habitáculum et mansiónem et erunt fílii Patris cæléstis, cuius ópera fáciunt, et sunt sponsi, fratres et matres Dómini nostri Iesu Christi.
Second Reading
A letter from St Francis of Assisi to all the faithful

We must be simple, humble and pure

It was through his archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above made known to the holy and glorious Virgin Mary that the worthy, holy and glorious Word of the Father would come from heaven and take from her womb the real flesh of our human frailty. Though he was wealthy beyond reckoning, he still willingly chose to be poor with his blessed mother. And shortly before his passion he celebrated the Passover with his disciples. Then he prayed to his Father saying: Father, if it be possible, let this cup be taken from me.
  Nevertheless, he reposed his will in the will of his Father. The Father willed that his blessed and glorious Son, whom he gave to us and who was born for us, should through his own blood offer himself as a sacrificial victim on the altar of the cross. This was to be done not for himself through whom all things were made, but for our sins. It was intended to leave us an example of how to follow in his footsteps. And he desires all of us to be saved through him, and to receive him with pure heart and chaste body.
  O how happy and blessed are those who love the Lord and do as the Lord himself said in the gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul; and your neighbour as yourself. Therefore, let us love God and adore him with pure heart and mind. This is his particular desire when he says: True worshippers adore the Father in spirit and truth. For all who adore him must do so in the spirit of truth. Let us also direct to him our praises and prayers saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, since we must always pray and never grow slack.
  Furthermore, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbours as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God’s sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father’s children who do his work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ResponsoriumMt 5, 3. 5. 6
℟. Beáti páuperes spíritu, quóniam ipsórum est regnum cælórum.* Beáti mites, quóniam ipsi possidébunt terram.
℣. Beáti qui esúriunt et sítiunt iustítiam, quóniam ipsi saturabúntur.* Beáti mites.
Responsory
℟. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;* blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
℣. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, they shall be satisfied:* blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Oremus.
  Deus, qui beáto Francísco paupertáte et humilitáte Christo configurári tribuísti, concéde, ut, per illíus sémitas gradiéntes, Fílium tuum sequi et tibi coniúngi læta valeámus caritáte.
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.
Lord God, you made Saint Francis of Assisi
  Christ-like in his poverty and humility.
Help us so to walk in his ways that,
  with joy and love,
  we may follow Christ your Son,
  and be united to you.
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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