St. John Eudes
John was born in the year 1601, of pious and
respectable parents, at a village commonly known as Ri, in the diocese of Seez.
While still a boy, when he was fed with the bread of Angels, he cheerfully made
a vow of perpetual chastity. Having been received at the College of Caen,
directed by the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, he was conspicuous for a
remarkable piety; and, committing himself to the protection of the Virgin Mary,
when still a youth he signed with his own blood, the special covenant he had
entered into with her. Having completed his courses of letters and of
philosophy with great distinction, and having spurned opportunities of marriage
which had been arranged for him, he enrolled himself with the Congregation of
the Oratory de Bérulle, and was ordained priest at Paris. He was on fire with a
marvellous love towards his neighbour: for he took the most constant pains in
caring for both the souls and bodies of those smitten with the Asiatic plague,
in many different places. He was made Rector of the Oratorian house at Caen,
but since he had been thinking for a long time of educating suitable young men
for the ministry of the Church, earnestly asking for the divine assistance,
with a brave spirit he most regretfully departed from the associates with whom
he had lived for twenty years.
Accordingly,
associating five priests with himself, in the year 1643, on the feastday of the
Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, he founded a Congregation of Priests,
to whom he gave the most holy names of Jesus and Mary, and opened the first
seminary at Caen; and a great many others followed immediately in Normandy and
Brittany, also founded by him. For the recalling of sinful women to a Christian
life, he founded the Order of Our Lady of Charity; of which most noble tree,
the Congregation of the Good Shepherd of Angers is a branch. Furthermore, he
founded the Society of the Admirable Heart of the Mother of God, and other
charitable institutions. He was the author of many excellent treatises, and
laboured as an Apostolic Missionary to the very end of his life, preaching the
Gospel in very many villages, towns, and cities, and even in the royal court.
His
matchless zeal was very conspicuous in promoting the salutary devotion towards
the most sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, whose liturgical worship he was the
first of all to devise, although not without some divine inspiration. He is
therefore held to be the father, the teacher, and the apostle of that worship.
Courageously withstanding the doctrines of the Jansenists, he preserved
unalterable obedience towards the Chair of Peter, and he constantly prayed to
God, both for his enemies as well as for his brethren. Broken by so many
labours, rather than by years, desiring to be freed and to be with Christ, on
the 19th day of August, 1680, frequently repeating the sweet names of Jesus and
Mary, he died in peace. As he became illustrious by many miracles, Pope Pius X
added him to the list of the Blessed, and as he still shone forth with new
signs and wonders, Pope Pius XI, in the holy year and on the day of Pentecost,
placed him among the Saints, and extended his Office and Mass to the universal
Church.
Hymn
This the confessor of the Lord, whose triumph
Now all the faithful celebrate, with gladness
On this feast day year by year receiveth
Merited honors.
Saintly and prudent, modest in behaviour,
Peaceful and sober, chaste was he, and lowly.
While that life's vigour, coursing through his
members,
Quickened his being.
Sick ones of old time, to his tomb resorting,
Sorely by ailments manifold afflicted,
Oft-times have welcomed health and strength
returning,
At his petition.
Whence we in chorus gladly do him honour,
Chanting his praises with devout affection,
That in his merits we may have a portion,
Now and forever.
His be the glory, power and salvation,
Who over all things reigneth in the highest,
Earth's mighty fabric ruling and directing,
Onely and Trinal.
Amen.
Magnificat of Saint John Eudes
My soul doth magnify the admirable Heart of Jesus
and Mary,
And my spirit rejoices in my great Heart.
Jesus and Mary have given me their Heart,
This immense Heart in order that all in me
May be performed in its love.
Infinite thanks to them for their ineffable gift.
This heart infinitely merciful has done great
things for me;
It has possessed me from the womb of my mother.
Infinite thanks for His ineffable gifts.
The abyss of my misery has called on the abyss of
His Mercy.
Infinite thanks for His ineffable gifts.
This Heart infinitely meek has presented me
With blessings of its sweetness.
Infinite thanks for His ineffable gifts.
August 19 - Mass Propers
St. John Eudes
Twelfth week after Pentecost within the
Octave of the Assumption
Double/White Vestments
Missa 'Os Justi'
INTROIT - Psalm 36: 30-31
The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his
tongue shall speak judgment: the law of his God is in his heart. Ps. Be not
emulous of evildoers: nor envy them that work iniquity. Glory be to the Father.
Os justi meditabitur sapientiam, et lingua ejus
loquetur judicium: lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius. Ps. Noli æmulari in
malignantibus: neque zelaveris facientes iniquitatem. Gloria Patri.
COLLECT
O God, Who didst wonderfully inflame blessed John, Thy
Confessor, to promote the public worship of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and
Mary, and through him didst will to found new religious families in Thy Church:
grant, we beseech Thee, that we who venerate his merits may also be taught by
the example of his virtues. Through the same Lord.
Second Collect - Commemoration of the Octave of the Assumption
Almighty, everlasting God, Who took up, body and soul,
the immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Your Son, into heavenly glory, grant, we
beseech You, that, always devoting ourselves to heavenly things, we may be
found worthy to share in her glory. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son…
EPISTLE - Ecclesiasticus 31: 8-11
Blessed is the man that is found without blemish, and
that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures. Who
is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful things in his life.
Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting:
he that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed: and could do evil
things, and hath not done them: therefore are his goods established in the
Lord, and all the Church of the Saints shall declare his alms.
GRADUAL - Psalm 91: 13, 14
The Just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall
grow up like the cedar of Libanus in the house of the Lord. To show forth Thy
mercy in the morning, and Thy truth in the night.
ALLELUIA - James 1: 12
Alleluia. Alleluia. Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation for when he hath been proved, he shall receive the crown of life.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL - Luke 12: 35-40
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: Let your
loins be girt and lamps burning in your hands, and you yourselves like to men
who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding: that when he
cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those
servants whom the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: amen I say to you
that he will girt himself and make them sit down to meat, and passing will
minister unto them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the
third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know ye,
that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would
surely watch. and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be you then
also ready, for at what hour you think not the Son of man will come.
Madonna and Child with St. Jerome and St. Gregory the Great
(Pinturicchio, Louvre)
Homily by Pope St Gregory
the Great
Dearly
beloved brethren, the words of the Holy Gospel, which have just been read, lie
open before you, and, lest their very plainness should make them seem to some
to be hard, we will go through them with such shortness as that neither may
they which understand not remain unenlightened, nor they which understand be
wearied. The Lord saith Let your loins be girded about. Now, we gird our loins
about, when by continency we master the lustful inclination of the flesh. But,
forasmuch as it sufficeth not for a man to abstain from evil deeds, if he
strive not to join thereto the earnest doing of good works, it is immediately
added And your lights burning. Our lights burn when, by good works, we give
bright example to our neighbour; concerning which works the Lord saith Let your
light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father Which is in heaven.
Here,
then, are two commandments, to gird our loins about, and to keep our lights
burning the cleanness of purity in our body, and the light of the truth in our
works. Whoso hath the one and not the other, pleaseth not thereby our Redeemer;
that is, he pleaseth Him not which doth good works, but bridleth not himself
from the pollutions of lust, neither he which is eminent in chastity, but
exerciseth not himself in good works. Neither is chastity a great thing without
good works, nor good works anything without chastity. And if any man do both,
it remaineth that he must look by hope toward our Fatherland above, and not
have for his reason wherethrough he turneth himself away from vice, the love of
honour in this present world.
And ye yourselves
like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding
that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. The Lord
cometh at the hour of judgment He knocketh when, by the pains of sickness, He
biddeth us know that death is nigh. To Him open we immediately, if we receive
Him in love. Whoso feareth to leave this body, will not open to the Judge when
He knocketh, for he dreadeth to see that Judge, Whom he knoweth that he hath
despised. But whosoever knoweth that his hope and works are built upon a good
foundation, when he heareth the Judge knock, openeth to Him immediately, for to
such an one that coming is blessed, yea, when the hour of death is at hand,
such an one haileth with gladness a glorious reward.
OFFERTORY - Psalm 88: 25
My truth and My mercy shall be with him: and in My
name shall his horn be exalted.
SECRET
In memory of Thy Saints, O Lord, we offer Thee the
sacrifice of praise, by which we trust to be freed from both present and future
evils. Through our Lord.
Commemoration of the Octave of the Assumption
May the offering of our devotion rise unto You, O
Lord, and by the intercession of the most blessed Virgin Mary, who was taken up
into heaven, may our hearts, on fire with love, strive ever upward to You. Through
Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord…
COMMON PREFACE
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation
that we should at all times and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy
Lord, Father almighty, eternal God: through Christ our Lord. through Whom the
Angels praise Thy Majesty, Dominations worship, Powers stand in awe. The
Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant
chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we entreat Thee, that Thou
mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say in lowly praise…
COMMUNION - Matthew 24: 46-47
Blessed is that servant, whom when his Lord shall come
he shall find watching: amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his
goods.
POSTCOMMUNION
Refreshed by meat and drink from heaven, O God, we
humbly entreat Thee, that we may be protected by the prayers of him in whose
memory we have partaken. Through our Lord.
Commemoration
of the Octave of the Assumption
Having partaken, O Lord, of the sacrament of
salvation, grant, we beseech You, that through the merits and intercession of
the blessed Virgin Mary, who was taken up into heaven, we may be delivered from
all the evils that threaten us. Through Jesus Christ…
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