Universalis
Thursday 21 May 2026    (other days)
Thursday of the 7th week of Eastertide 
 or Saint Christopher Magallanes and his Companions, Martyrs 

Using calendar: Middle East - Southern Arabia. You can pick a diocese or region.

Office of Readings

If you have already recited the Invitatory Psalm today, you should use the alternative opening.
Dómine, lábia mea apéries.
  Et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.
Lord, open our lips.
  And we shall praise your name.
Ps 66 (67)

“Notum sit vobis quoniam gentibus missum est hoc salutare Dei” (Act 28, 28).

Christum Dóminum, qui Sanctum nobis promísit Spíritum, veníte, adorémus, allelúia.
(repeat antiphon*)
2Deus misereátur nostri et benedícat nobis;*
  illúminet vultum suum super nos,
3ut cognoscátur in terra via tua,*
  in ómnibus géntibus salutáre tuum.
  (repeat antiphon*)
4Confiteántur tibi pópuli, Deus;*
  confiteántur tibi pópuli omnes.
5Læténtur et exsúltent gentes,†
  quóniam iúdicas pópulos in æquitáte*
  et gentes in terra dírigis.
  (repeat antiphon*)
6Confiteántur tibi pópuli, Deus,*
  confiteántur tibi pópuli omnes.
7Terra dedit fructum suum;*
  benedícat nos Deus, Deus noster,
8benedícat nos Deus,*
  et métuant eum omnes fines terræ.
  (repeat antiphon*)
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
(repeat antiphon*)
Invitatory PsalmPsalm 66 (67)
Christ the Lord has promised us the Holy Spirit: come, let us adore him, alleluia.
(repeat antiphon*)
O God, take pity on us and bless us,
  and let your face shine upon us,
so that your ways may be known across the world,
  and all nations learn of your salvation.
  (repeat antiphon*)
Let the peoples praise you, O God,
  let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and rejoice,
  for you judge the peoples with fairness
  and you guide the nations of the earth.
  (repeat antiphon*)
Let the peoples praise you, O God,
  let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has produced its harvest:
  may God, our God, bless us.
May God bless us,
  may the whole world revere him.
  (repeat antiphon*)
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.
(repeat antiphon*)

* If you are reciting this on your own, you can choose to say the antiphon once only at the start of the psalm and not repeat it.

Hymnus
Ætérne rex altíssime,
redémptor et fidélium,
quo mors solúta déperit,
datur triúmphus grátiæ,
Scandis tribúnal déxteræ
Patris tibíque cǽlitus
fertur potéstas ómnium,
quæ non erat humánitus,
Ut trina rerum máchina
cæléstium, terréstrium
et inferórum cóndita,
flectat genu iam súbdita.
Tremunt vidéntes ángeli
versam vicem mortálium;
culpat caro, purgat caro,
regnat caro Verbum Dei.
Tu, Christe, nostrum gáudium,
manens perénne prǽmium,
mundi regis qui fábricam,
mundána vincens gáudia.
Hinc te precántes quǽsumus,
ignósce culpis ómnibus
et corda sursum súbleva
ad te supérna grátia,
Ut, cum rubénte cœ́peris
clarére nube iúdicis,
pœnas repéllas débitas,
reddas corónas pérditas.
Iesu, tibi sit glória,
qui scandis ad cæléstia,
cum Patre et almo Spíritu,
in sempitérna sǽcula. Amen.
Hymn
Eternal Father, through your Word
You gave new life to Adam’s race,
And call us now to live in light,
New creatures by your saving grace.
To you who stooped to all who sin
We render homage and give praise:
To Father, Son and Spirit blest
Whose loving gift is endless days.
Stanbrook Abbey Hymnal

Ps 88:39-46
Lamentatio de ruina domus David

“Erexit cornu salutis nobis in domo David” (Lc 1, 69).

Intuére, Dómine, et réspice oppróbrium nostrum.
39Tu vero reppulísti et reiecísti,*
  irátus es contra christum tuum;
40evertísti testaméntum servi tui,*
  profanásti in terram diadéma eius.
41Destruxísti omnes muros eius,*
  posuísti munitiónes eius in ruínas.
42Diripuérunt eum omnes transeúntes viam,*
  factus est oppróbrium vicínis suis.
43Exaltásti déxteram depriméntium eum,*
  lætificásti omnes inimícos eius.
44Avertísti áciem gládii eius*
  et non es auxiliátus ei in bello.
45Finem posuísti splendóri eius*
  et sedem eius in terram collisísti.
46Minorásti dies iuventútis eius,*
  perfudísti eum confusióne.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Intuére, Dómine, et réspice oppróbrium nostrum.

Psalm 88 (89)
A lament at the ruin of the house of David

Pay heed, Lord, and see how we are taunted.
But you have spurned and rejected him;
  you are enraged against your anointed.
You have repudiated the covenant of your servant,
  you have trampled his crown in the dust.
You have demolished his walls
  and laid his fortifications in ruins.
Anyone who passes can despoil him;
  he is a mockery among his neighbours.
You have strengthened the arm of those who oppress him,
  you have gladdened the hearts of his enemies.
You have turned back the sharp edge of his sword;
  you have deprived him of your help in battle.
You have put an end to his splendour,
  and cast his throne to the ground.
You have cut short the days of his youth;
  you have covered him from head to foot in shame.
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.
Pay heed, Lord, and see how we are taunted.

How to listen

Ps 88:47-53

Ego sum radix et genus David, stella spléndida et matutína, allelúia.
47Usquequo, Dómine, abscondéris in finem,*
  exardéscet sicut ignis ira tua?
48Memoráre, quam brevis mea substántia.*
  Ad quam vanitátem creásti omnes fílios hóminum?
49Quis est homo, qui vivet et non vidébit mortem,*
  éruet ánimam suam de manu ínferi?
50Ubi sunt misericórdiæ tuæ antíquæ, Dómine,*
  sicut iurásti David in veritáte tua?
51Memor esto, Dómine, oppróbrii servórum tuórum,*
  quod contínui in sinu meo, multárum géntium,
52quo exprobravérunt inimíci tui, Dómine,*
  quo exprobravérunt vestígia christi tui.
53Benedíctus Dóminus in ætérnum.*
  Fiat, fiat.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Ego sum radix et genus David, stella spléndida et matutína, allelúia.

Psalm 88 (89)

I am the root and stock of David; I am the splendid morning star. Alleluia.
How long, O Lord, will you hide yourself? For ever?
  Will your anger always burn like fire?
Remember how short is my time.
  Was it truly so pointless, your creation of man?
Who is the man who can live and not die,
  who can save his life from the grasp of the underworld?
Where are the kindnesses you showed us of old?
  Where is the truth of your oath to David?
Remember, Lord, how your servants are taunted,
  the taunts I bear in my bosom, the taunts of the nations –
  the insults of your enemies, Lord,
  the insults that follow the steps of your anointed!
Blessed be the Lord for ever!
  Amen, amen!
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 am the root and stock of David; I am the splendid morning star. Alleluia.

Ps 89:1-17
Sit splendor Domini super nos

“Unus dies apud Dominum sicut mille anni, et mille anni sicut dies unus” (2 Petr 3, 8).

Anni nostri sicut herba tránseunt: a sǽculo tu es, Deus, allelúia.
1Dómine, refúgium factus es nobis*
  a generatióne in generatiónem.
2Priúsquam montes nasceréntur†
  aut gignerétur terra et orbis,*
  a sǽculo et usque in sǽculum tu es Deus.
3Redúcis hóminem in púlverem;*
  et dixísti: «Revertímini, fílii hóminum».
4Quóniam mille anni ante óculos tuos tamquam dies hestérna, quæ prætériit,*
  et custódia in nocte.
5Auferes eos, sómnium erunt:*
  6mane sicut herba succréscens,
mane floret et crescit,*
  véspere décidit et aréscit.
7Quia defécimus in ira tua*
  et in furóre tuo turbáti sumus.
8Posuísti iniquitátes nostras in conspéctu tuo,*
  occúlta nostra in illuminatióne vultus tui.
9Quóniam omnes dies nostri evanuérunt in ira tua,*
  consúmpsimus ut suspírium annos nostros.
10Dies annórum nostrórum sunt septuagínta anni*
  aut in valéntibus octogínta anni,
et maior pars eórum labor et dolor,*
  quóniam cito tránseunt, et avolámus.
11Quis novit potestátem iræ tuæ*
  et secúndum timórem tuum indignatiónem tuam?
12Dinumeráre dies nostros sic doce nos,*
  ut inducámus cor ad sapiéntiam.
13Convértere, Dómine, úsquequo?*
  Et deprecábilis esto super servos tuos.
14Reple nos mane misericórdia tua,*
  et exsultábimus et delectábimur ómnibus diébus nostris.
15Lætífica nos pro diébus, quibus nos humiliásti,*
  pro annis, quibus vídimus mala.
16Appáreat servis tuis opus tuum*
  et decor tuus fíliis eórum.
17Et sit splendor Dómini Dei nostri super nos,†
  et ópera mánuum nostrárum confírma super nos*
  et opus mánuum nostrárum confírma.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Anni nostri sicut herba tránseunt: a sǽculo tu es, Deus, allelúia.

Psalm 89 (90)
Let the Lord's glory shine upon us

Our years pass like grass; but you, God, are without beginning or end. Alleluia.
Lord, you have been our refuge
  from generation to generation.
Before the mountains were born,
  before earth and heaven were conceived,
  from all time to all time, you are God.
You turn men into dust,
  you say to them “go back, children of men.”
A thousand years in your sight
  are like yesterday, that has passed;
  like a short watch in the night.
When you take them away, they will be nothing but a dream;
  like the grass that sprouts in the morning:
in the morning it grows and flowers,
  in the evening it withers and dries.
For we are made weak by your anger,
  thrown into confusion by your wrath.
You have gazed upon our transgressions;
  the light of your face illuminates our secrets.
All our days vanish in your anger,
  we use up our years in a single breath.
Seventy years are what we have,
  or eighty for the stronger ones;
and most of that is labour and sadness –
  quickly they pass, and we are gone.
Who can comprehend the power of your wrath?
  Who can behold the violence of your anger?
Teach us to reckon our days like this,
  so that our hearts may be led at last to wisdom.
Turn to us, Lord, how long must we wait?
  Let your servants call on you and be answered.
Fill us with your kindness in the morning,
  and we shall rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.
Give us joy for as long as you afflicted us,
  for all the years when we suffered.
Let your servants see your great works,
  and let their children see your glory.
Let the glory of the Lord God be upon us:
  make firm the work of your hands.
  Make firm the work of your hands.
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.
Our years pass like grass; but you, God, are without beginning or end. Alleluia.
℣. Deus et Dóminum suscitávit, allelúia.
℟. Et nos suscitábit per virtútem suam, allelúia.
℣. God raised our Lord from the dead, alleluia.
℟. He will also raise us by his power, alleluia.
Lectio prior
De Epístola prima beáti Ioánnis apóstoli 5, 13-21

De oratione pro peccatoribus

Caríssimi: 13Hæc scripsi vobis, ut sciátis quóniam vitam habétis ætérnam, qui créditis in nomen Fílii Dei.
  14Et hæc est fidúcia, quam habémus ad eum, quia si quid petiérimus secúndum voluntátem eius, audit nos. 15Et si scimus quóniam audit nos, quidquid petiérimus, scimus quóniam habémus petitiónes, quas postulávimus ab eo.
  16Si quis videt fratrem suum peccáre peccátum non ad mortem, petet, et dabit ei Deus vitam, peccántibus non ad mortem. Est peccátum ad mortem; non pro illo dico, ut roget. 17Omnis iniustítia peccátum est, et est peccátum non ad mortem.
  18Scimus quóniam omnis, qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat, sed ille qui génitus est ex Deo, consérvat eum, et Malígnus non tangit eum. 19Scimus quóniam ex Deo sumus, et mundus totus in Malígno pósitus est. 20Et scimus quóniam Fílius Dei venit et dedit nobis sensum, ut cognoscámus eum, qui verus est; et sumus in eo, qui verus est, in Fílio eius Iesu Christo. Hic est qui verus est, Deus et vita ætérna. 21Filíoli, custodíte vos a simulácris!
First Reading1 John 5:13-21

Concerning prayer for sinners

I have written all this to you
so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God
may be sure that you have eternal life.
We are quite confident that if we ask him for anything,
and it is in accordance with his will,
he will hear us;
and, knowing that whatever we may ask, he hears us,
we know that we have already been granted what we asked of him.
If anybody sees his brother commit a sin
that is not a deadly sin,
he has only to pray, and God will give life to the sinner
– not those who commit a deadly sin;
for there is a sin that is death,
and I will not say that you must pray about that.
Every kind of wrong-doing is sin,
but not all sin is deadly.
We know that anyone who has been begotten by God
does not sin,
because the begotten Son of God protects him,
and the Evil One does not touch him.
We know that we belong to God,
but the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.
We know, too, that the Son of God has come,
and has given us the power
to know the true God.
We are in the true God,
as we are in his Son, Jesus Christ.
This is the true God,
this is eternal life.
Children, be on your guard against false gods.
Responsorium
1 Io 5, 20; Io 1, 18
℟. Scimus quóniam Fílius Dei venit,* Et dedit nobis sensum ut cognoscámus eum qui verus est Deus, allelúia.
℣. Deum nemo vidit umquam; unigénitus Deus, qui est in sinu Patris, ipse enarrávit.* Et dedit.
Responsory
1 Jn 5:20; Jn 1:18
℟. We know that the Son of God has come,* and he has given us the power to know the true God, alleluia.
℣. No-one has ever seen God: it is God’s only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart, who has made him known,* and he has given us the power to know the true God, alleluia.
Lectio altera
Ex Commentário sancti Cyrílli Alexandríni epíscopi in Evangélium Ioánnis
(Lib. 10, 16, 6-7: PG 74, 434)

Si non abiero, Paraclitus non veniet ad vos

Perácta erant ómnia quæ in terris dispensánda erant; sed oportébat omníno fíeri nos consórtes et divínæ Verbi natúræ partícipes, seu, nostra vita relícta, in áliam quandam transformári et ad novitátem piæ conversatiónis instaurári; quod áliter quam participatióne Sancti Spíritus fíeri non póterat.
  Tempus autem máxime opportúnum missióni Spíritus, et eius in nos illápsui, illud erat quod discéssum Christi nostri servatóris excépit.
  Nam quámdiu Christus cum fidélibus adhuc in carne versabátur, omnis, ut reor, boni largítor eis apparébat; verum ubi ad cæléstem Patrem ascendéndi tempus et necéssitas áffuit, quómodo non oportébat eum cultóribus suis per Spíritum adésse, et per fidem in nostris córdibus habitáre, ut, ipsum habéntes in nobis, cum fidúcia clamarémus: «Abba, Pater», et ad omnem virtútem fácile currerémus, ac prætérea poténtes et invícti advérsus diáboli insídias et insúltus hóminum reperirémur, ut qui cunctipoténtem Spíritum habeámus?
  Quod enim in álium quendam hábitum transfórmet eos in quibus fúerit et inhabitárit Spíritus, eósque in novitátem vitæ restáuret, nonne fácile est cuívis, cum ex véteris tum novæ Scriptúræ testimóniis, osténdere?
  Divínus quippe Sámuel, cum ad Saulem verba fáceret: Et insíliet, inquit, super te Spíritus Dómini, et vertéris in virum álium. Beátus autem Paulus: Nos vero omnes, reveláta fácie glóriam Dómini speculántes, in eándem imáginem transformámur a claritáte in claritátem, tamquam a Dómini Spíritu. Dóminus autem Spíritus est.
  Vides ut Spíritus transfórmet quodámmodo in áliam imáginem eos in quibus inhábitat? Transfert enim fácile a rerum terrenárum sensu ad spectánda solum ea quæ sunt in cælis, et ex imbélli timiditáte ad strénuam et generosíssimam vim ánimi. Neque vero dúbium est quin ita afféctos reperiámus discípulos et sic per Spíritum confirmátos, ut persequéntium incúrsibus nequáquam vinceréntur, sed dilectióni in Christum mórdicus adhærérent.
  Verum ígitur est quod ait Servátor: Expedit vobis, ut ego ad cælos revértar. Tempus enim illud erat descensúri Spíritus.
Second Reading
From a commentary on the gospel of John by Saint Cyril of Alexandria, bishop

If I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you

After Christ had completed his mission on earth, it still remained necessary for us to become sharers in the divine nature of the Word. We had to give up our own life and be so transformed that we would begin to live an entirely new kind of life that would be pleasing to God. This was something we could do only by sharing in the Holy Spirit.
  It was most fitting that the sending of the Spirit and his descent upon us should take place after the departure of Christ our Saviour. As long as Christ was with them in the flesh, it must have seemed to believers that they possessed every blessing in him; but when the time came for him to ascend to his heavenly Father, it was necessary for him to be united through his Spirit to those who worshipped him, and to dwell in our hearts through faith. Only by his own presence within us in this way could he give us confidence to cry out, Abba, Father, make it easy for us to grow in holiness and, through our possession of the all-powerful Spirit, fortify us invincibly against the wiles of the devil and the assaults of men.
  It can easily be shown from examples both in the Old Testament and the New that the Spirit changes those in whom he comes to dwell; he so transforms them that they begin to live a completely new kind of life. Saul was told by the prophet Samuel: The Spirit of the Lord will take possession of you, and you shall be changed into another man. Saint Paul writes: As we behold the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, that glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit, transforms us all into his own likeness, from one degree of glory to another.
  Does this not show that the Spirit changes those in whom he comes to dwell and alters the whole pattern of their lives? With the Spirit within them it is quite natural for people who had been absorbed by the things of this world to become entirely other-worldly in outlook, and for cowards to become men of great courage. There can be no doubt that this is what happened to the disciples. The strength they received from the Spirit enabled them to hold firmly to the love of Christ, facing the violence of their persecutors unafraid. Very true, then, was our Saviour’s saying that it was to their advantage for him to return to heaven: his return was the time appointed for the descent of the Holy Spirit.
ResponsoriumIo 16, 7 b. 13
℟. Si non abíero, Paráclitus non véniet ad vos; si autem abíero, mittam eum ad vos.* Cum autem vénerit ille, dedúcet vos in omnem veritátem, allelúia.
℣. Non enim loquétur a semetípso; sed quæcúmque áudiet, loquétur; et quæ ventúra sunt, annuntiábit.* Cum autem.
Responsory
℟. If I do not go, your Advocate will not come, whereas if I go, I will send him to you.* When he comes, he will guide you into all the truth, alleluia.
℣. He will not speak on his own authority, but will tell only what he hears, and he will make known to you things that are to come.* When he comes, he will guide you into all the truth, alleluia.
Oremus.
  Spíritus tuus, quǽsumus, Dómine, spiritália nobis dona poténter infúndat, ut det nobis mentem, quæ tibi sit plácita, et aptet nos tuæ propítius voluntáti.
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,
  let your Spirit come upon us in power
  and fill us with his gifts,
to render our minds pleasing to you
  and make us docile to your will.
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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