Sunday, December 6, 2015

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT - MASS PROPERS




                 ST. NICHOLAS

        Bishop and Confessor
Nicholas, the patron Saint of Russia, was born toward the end of the third century. His uncle, the Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, ordained him priest, and appointed him abbot of a monastery; and on the death of the archbishop he was elected to the vacant see. Throughout his life he retained the bright and guileless manners of his early years, and showed himself the special protector of the innocent and the wronged. Nicholas once heard that a person who had fallen into poverty intended to abandon his three daughters to a life of sin. Determined, if possible, to save their innocence, the Saint went out by night, and, taking with him a bag of gold, flung it into the window of the sleeping father and hurried off. He, on awaking, deemed the gift a godsend, and with it dowered his eldest child. The Saint, overjoyed at his success, made like venture for the second daughter; but the third time as he stole away, the father, who was watching, overtook him and kissed his feet, saying: “Nicholas, why dost thou conceal thyself from me? Thou art my helper, and he who has delivered my soul and my daughters’ from hell.” St. Nicholas is usually represented by the side of a vessel, wherein a certain man had concealed the bodies of his three children whom he had killed, but who were restored to life by the Saint. He died in 342. His relics were translated in 1807, to Bari, Italy, and there, after fifteen centuries, “the manna of St. Nicholas” still flows from his bones and heals all kinds of sick.


              SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
STATION AT THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS IN JERUSALEM
Privileged Sunday of the Second Class  -  Semi-double
                     Violet vestments                         
              Missa – ‘Populus Sion’

INTROIT
Isaias (Isaiah) 30:30
Populus Sion, ecce Dóminus véniet ad salvándas gentes: et audítam fáciet Dóminus glóriam vocis suæ in lætítia cordis vestri.
Psalm 79: 2 Qui regis Israel, inténde: qui dedúcis, velut ovem, Joseph. Glória Patri.

People of Sion, behold the Lord shall come to save the nations: and the Lord shall make the glory of His voice to  be heard, in the joy of your heart.
Psalm 79: 2  Give ear, O Thou that rulest Israel: Thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. Glory be to the Father.

COLLECT – SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Thine only-begotten Son; that through His coming we may attain to serve Thee with purified minds. Who with Thee liveth and reigneth.

       St. Nicholas providing dowries - Bicci di Lorenzo

COMMEMORATION FOR ST. NICHOLAS
O God, who didst adorn the blessed Bishop Nicholas with countless miracles: grant, we beseech Thee, that by his merits and prayers we may be delivered from the flames of hell. Through our Lord.

EPISTLE
Romans 15: 4-13

Brethren, what things soever were written, were written for our learning: that, through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures, we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ; that with one mind and with one mouth you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you unto the honor of God. For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to con- firm the promises made unto the fathers but that the Gentiles are to glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to Thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles and will sing to Thy name. And again He saith: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people. And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify Him, all ye people. And again, Isaias saith: There shall be a root of Jesse; and He that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing: that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.

GRADUAL
Psalm 49: 2, 3, 5
Out of Sion hath he appeared in perfect beauty. God shall come plainly. Gather ye his saints together unto him; who ordained his covenant above sacrifice.

ALLELUIA
Alleluia, alleluia.
Psalm 121: 1
I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of the Lord.  Allelúia.


GOSPEL
Matthew 11. 2-10
At that time, when John had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples, he said to Him: Art thou He that art to come, or look we for another? And Jesus making answer, said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them: and blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in Me. And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send My angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.

OFFERTORY
Psalm 84: 7-8
Thou wilt turn, O God, and bring us to life, and Thy people shall rejoice in Thee: show us, O Lord, Thy mercy, and grant us Thy salvation.

SECRET
Be appeased, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the prayers and offerings of our humility: and where we have no merits to plead for us, do Thou help us with Thine aid. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord.


SECRET FOR ST. NICHOLAS
O Lord God, sanctify, we beseech Thee, these gifts which we offer up on the festival of Thy holy Bishop Nicholas: that by means of them our life may ever be directed both in adversity and in prosperity. Through our Lord.

PREFACE OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
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, ever-lasting God: Who, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, are one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For what we believe by Thy revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty may be adored. Which the Angels and Archangels, the Cherubim also and Seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out with one voice saying:


THE SANCTUS
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dóminus Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt cæli et terra glória tua. Hosánna in excélsis. Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini. Hosánna in excélsis.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

COMMUNION
Baruch 5: 5; 4: 36
Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high, and behold the joy that cometh to thee from thy God.

POSTCOMMUNION

Filled with the food of this spiritual nourishment, we suppliantly entreat Thee, O Lord, that through our participation in this Mystery Thou wouldst teach us to despise earthly things and to love heavenly ones. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord.

         St. Nicholas giving alms to the poor and needy

POSTCOMMUNION FOR ST. NICHOLAS
May the Sacrifice which we have received, O Lord, on the festival of Thy holy Bishop Nicholas, preserve and protect us for ever- more. Through our Lord









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