Jesus and Mary are
both honoured by the Church in this feast wherein they fulfilled the Law of
Moses, and in the case of the Child Jesus, fulfilled what He Himself
promulgated to the Israelites. The new liturgical calendar honours Jesus in His
utter humanity and His divine majesty as He, the God made man, entered in His
own Temple as the Light of the world that enlightened the Gentiles. The old
calendar, on the other hand, honours Mary in her humility as a subject of the
Mosaic Law despite the fact that she worthily bore the Son of God to be her
own.
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READINGS AND PROPERS
Extraordinary
Form (Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
The
Feast of Candlemas, which derives its origin from the local observance of
Jerusalem, marks the end of the Feasts included in the Christmas cycle of the
liturgy. It is perhaps the most ancient festival of Our Lady. It commemorates,
however, not only the obedience of the Blessed Virgin to the Mosaic Law in
going to Jersualem forty days after the birth of her Child and making the
accustomed offerings, but also the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, and
the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the old man Simeon -- the Occursus Domini, as the Feast was originally
termed. This is the principal theme of the liturgy on this day: Jesus is taken
into the Temple "to present Him to the Lord." So the Lord comes to
His own Temple, and is met by the aged Simeon with joy and recognition.
The
procession on this day is one of the most picturesque features of the Western
liturgy. The blessing and distribution of candles, to be carried lighted in
procession, preceded the Mass today -- a symbolic presentation of the truth
proclaimed in the Canticle of Simeon: Our Lord is the "Light for the
revelation of the Gentiles." The anthems sung during this procession,
eastern in origin, well express the joy and gladness of this happy festival,
and the honor and praise we give to our Blessed Lady and her Divine Son by this
devout observance.
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BLESSING
OF CANDLES
The
priest, vested in a purple cope, blesses the candles, which are placed near the
altar.
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V. Dominus
vobiscum.
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V. The Lord be
with you.
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R. Et cum spiritu
tuo.
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R. And with thy
spirit.
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Let us pray. -- O Holy Lord, Father
almighty, everlasting God, who hast created all things out of nothing, and by
Thy command hast caused this liquid to become perfect wax by the labor of
bees: and who, on this day didst fulfill the petition of the righteous man
Simeon: we humbly entreat Thee, that by the invocation of Thy most holy Name
and through the intercession of Blessed Mary ever Virgin whose feast is today
devoutly observed, and by the prayers of all Thy Saints, Thou wouldst
vouchsafe to bless † and sanctify † these candles for the service of men and
for the health of their bodies and souls, whether on land or on sea: and that
Thou wouldst hear from Thy holy heaven, and from the throne of Thy Majesty
the voices of this Thy people, who desire to carry them in their hands with
honor, and to praise Thee with hymns; and wouldst be propitious to all that
call upon Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
R.: Amen.
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|
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Let us pray. -- O almighty and
everlasting God, who on this day didst present Thine only-begotten Son in Thy
holy temple to be received in the arms of holy Simeon: we humbly entreat Thy
clemency, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless † and sanctify † and to kindle
with the light of Thy heavenly benediction these candles, which we, Thy
servants, desire to receive and to bear lighted in the honor of Thy Name:
that, by offering them to Thee our Lord God, being worthily inflamed with the
holy fire of Thy most sweet charity, we may deserve to be presented in the
holy temple of Thy glory. Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world
without end.
R.: Amen.
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|
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Let us pray. -- O Lord Jesus Christ,
the true Light who enlightenest every man that cometh into this world: pour
forth Thy blessing † upon these candles, and sanctify † them with the light
of Thy grace, and mercifully grant, that as these lights enkindled with visible
fire dispel the darkness of night, so our hearts illumined by invisible fire,
that is, by the splendor of the Holy Spirit, may be free from the blindness
of all vice, that the eye of our mind being cleansed, we may be able to
discern what is pleasing to Thee and profitable to our salvation; so that
after the perilous darkness of this life we may deserve to attain to
neverfailing light: through Thee, O Christ Jesus, Savior of the world, who in
the perfect Trinity, livest and reignest, God, world without end.
R.: Amen.
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|
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Let us pray. -- O almighty and
everlasting God, who by Thy servant Moses didst command the purest oil to be
prepared for lamps to burn continuously before Thee: vouchsafe to pour forth
the grace of Thy blessing † upon these candles: that they may so afford us light
outwardly that by Thy gift, the gift of Thy Spirit may never be wanting
inwardly to our minds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and
reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, God, world without
end.
R.: Amen.
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Let us pray. -- O Lord Jesus Christ,
who appearing on this day among men in the substance of our flesh, wast
presented by Thy parents in the temple: whom the venerable and aged Simeon,
illuminated by the light of Thy Spirit, recognized, received into his arms, and
blessed: mercifully grant that, enlightened and taught by the grace of the
same Holy Ghost, we may truly acknowledge Thee and faithfully love Thee; Who
with God the Father in the unity of the same Holy Ghost livest and reignest,
God, world without end.
R.: Amen.
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The celebrant sprinkles the candles three times with holy water,
saying the anthem Asperges me Domine . . ., and also incensing them thrice.
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DISTRIBUTION
OF CANDLES
During the distribution the choir sings the Canticle
of Simeon. The antiphon is repeated after each verse.
ANTHEM ¤ Luke 2. 32
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Lumen
ad revelationem gentium: et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.
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A
light for the revelation of the Gentiles: and for the glory of Thy people
Israel.
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After which is sung the following:
THE CANTICLE OF
SIMEON ¤ Luke 2. 29-32
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Nunc
dimittis servum tuum, Domine: secundum verbum tuum in pace.
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Now
Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace.
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Lumen
. . .
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A
light . . .
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Quia
viderunt oculi mei: salutare tuum.
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Because
mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.
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Lumen
. . .
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A
light . . .
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Quod
parasti ante faciem omnium populorum.
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Which
Thou hast prepared, before the face of all peoples.
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Lumen
. . .
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A
light . . .
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Gloria
Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
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Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
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Lumen
. . .
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A
light . . .
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Sicut
erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
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As
it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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Lumen
. . .
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A
light . . .
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After which is sung the following:
ANTHEM ¤ Ps. 43. 26
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Exsurge,
Domine, adjuva nos: et libera nos propter nomen tuum. -- Deus, auribus
nostris audivimus: patres nostri annuntiaverunt nobis. V.: Gloria Patri . . .
-- Exsurge, Domine . . .
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Arise,
O Lord, help us and deliver us for Thy Name's sake. -- (Ps. 43. 2). We have heard, O God, with
our ears: our fathers have declared to us. V.: Glory be to the Father . . .
Arise, O Lord . . .
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After Septuagesima, and not on a Sunday,
the deacon says:
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V.: Flectamus
genua.
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V.: Let us kneel.
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R.: Levate.
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R.: Arise.
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Let us pray. -- We beseech Thee, O
Lord, hearken unto Thy people, and grant that by the light of Thy grace, we
may inwardly attain to those things which Thou grantest us outwardly to
venerate by this yearly observance. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen
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PROCESSION
The deacon turns to the people and says:
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V.: Procedamus in
pace.
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V.: Let us go
forth in peace.
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R.: In Nomine
Christi. Amen.
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R.: In the Name of
Christ. Amen.
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The procession takes place in the usual order, all
bearing the lighted candles: the following anthems are sung the while:
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Adorna
thalamum tuum, Sion, et suscipe Regem Christum amplectere Mariam, quae est
coelestis porta: ipsa enim portat Regem gloriae novi luminis: subsistit
Virgo, ad ducens manibus Filium ante luciferum genitum: quem accipiens Simeon
in ulnas suas, praedicavit populis, Dominum eum esse vitae et mortis, et
Salvatorem mundi.
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Adorn
thy bridal-chamber, O Sion, and welcome Christ the King: with loving embrace
greet Mary who is the very gate of heaven; for she bringeth to thee the
glorious King of the new light: remaining ever a Virgin yet she bearest in
her arms the Son begotten before the day-star: even the Child, whom Simeon
taking into his arms, declared to the peoples to be the Lord of life and
death, and the Savior of the world.
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ANTHEM ¤ Luke 2. 26,
27, 28, 29
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Responsum
accepit Simeon a Spiritu Sancto, non visurum se mortem, nisi videre Christum
Domini: et cum inducerent Puerum in templum, accepit eum in ulnas suas, et
benedixit Deum, et dixit: Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, in pace. V.: Cum
inducerent puerum Jesum parentes ejus, ut facerent secundum consuetudinem
legis pro eo, ipse accepit eum in ulnas suas.
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Simeon
received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before
he had seen the Christ of the Lord; and when they brought the Child into the
temple, he took Him into His arms, and blessed God, and said: Now dost Thou dismiss
Thy servant, O Lord, in peace. V.: When His parents brought in the Child
Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him into His
arms.
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On entering the church, the choir sings:
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V.:
Obtulerunt pro eo Domino par turturum, aut duos pullos columbarum: * Sicut
scriptum est in lege Domini.
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V.:
They offered for Him to the Lord a pair of turtle doves, or two young
pigeons: * As it is written in the Law of the Lord.
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V.:
Postquam impleti sunt dies purgationis Mariae, secundum legem Moysi, tulerunt
Jesum in Jerusalem, ut sisterent eum Domino. * Sicut scriptum est in lege
Domini.
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V.:
After the days of the purification of Mary, according to the law of Moses,
were fulfilled, they carried Jesus to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord.
* As it is written in the Law of the Lord.
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V.:
Gloria Patri . . . * Sicut scriptum est in lege Domini.
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V.:
Glory be to the Father . . . * As it is written in the Law of the Lord.
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THE
MASS
Introit (Ps. 47: 10-11)
Suscepimus, Deus,
misericordiam tuam in medio templi tui: secundum nomen tuum, Deus, ita et laus
tua in fines terrae: iustitia plena est dextera tua. (Ps. ibid., 2) Magnus
Dominus, et laudabilis nimis: in civitate Dei nostri, in monte sancto eius.
Gloria Patri…. Suscepimus….
We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of
Thy temple. According to Thy name, O God, so also is Thy praise unto the ends
of the earth: Thy right hand is full of justice. -- (v.2) Great is the
Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy
mountain. Glory be…. We have received Thy mercy….
Collect
Omnipotens
sempiterne Deus, maiestatem tuam supplices exoramus: ut, sicut unigenitus
Filius tuus hodierna die cum nostrae carnis substantia in templo est
praesentatus; Ita nos facias purificatis tibi mentibus praesentari. Per eundem
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in
unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
Almighty and
everlasting God, we humbly beseech Thy Majesty, that as Thine only-begotten Son
was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so Thou
wouldst cause us too to be presented unto Thee with purified hearts. Through
our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity
of the Holy Ghost: One God, world without end.
Lesson (Mal. 3: 1-4)
[The prophet foretells the coming of Christ the Lord
to His Temple, Himself the Sacrifice which "shall please the
Lord."]
Lectio Malachiae
Prophetae.
Haec dicit Dominus
Deus: Ecce ego mitto Angelum meum, et prasparabit viam ante faciem meam. Et statim veniet ad templum suum
Dominator, quem vos quseritis, et Angelus testamenti, quem vos vultis.
Ecce venit, dicit Dominus exercituum: et quis poterit cogitare diem adventus
eius, et quis stabit ad videndum eum? Ipse enim quasi ignis conflans, et quasi
herba fullonum: et sedebit conflans et emundans argentum, et purgabit filios Levi et colabit
eos quasi aurum et quasi argentum: et erunt Domino offerentes sacrificia in
iustitia. Et placebit Domino sacrificium Iuda et Ierusalem, sicut dies
saeculi, et sicut anni antiqui: dicit Dominus omnipotens.
A lesson from the
Prophet Malachias.
Thus saith the Lord:
Behold I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face. And
presently the Lord, whom you seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you
desire, shall come to his temple. Behold, he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts.
And who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? and who shall stand to
see him? for he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller's herb: And he
shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the sons of
Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall offer
sacrifices to the Lord in justice. And the sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem
shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient years: saith
the Lord almighty.
Gradual (Ps. 47: 10-11, 9)
Suscepimus, Deus,
misericordiam tuam in medio templi tui: secundum nomen tuum, Deus, ita et laus
tua in fines terrae. V. Sicut audivimus, ita et vidimus in civitate Dei nostri,
in monte sancto eius.
Alleluia, alleluia.
V. Senex Puerum portabat: Puer autem senem regebat. Alleluia.
We have received Thy
mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy temple. According to Thy name, O God, so also
is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth. V.: As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord
of hosts, in the city of our God: and in his holy mountain.
Alleluia, alleluia.
V. The old man carried the
Child: but the Child governed the old man. Alleluia.
After Septuagesima the Alleluia and the Verse Senex Puerum . .
. are omitted and the following is said
instead.
TRACT ¤ Luke 2. 29,
30-32
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Nunc
dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace. V.: Quia viderunt
oculi mei salutare tuum. V.: Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum. V.:
Lumen ad revelationem gentium et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.
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Now
Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace. V.:
Because my eyes have seen Thy salvation. V.: Which Thou hast prepared before
the face of all peoples. V.: A light for the revelation of the Gentiles, and
the glory of Thy people Israel.
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The candles should be held lighted during the Gospel
and from the beginning of the Canon to the Communion.
Gospel
Sequentia sancti
Evangelii secundum Lucam. (Lk. 2: 22-32)
In illo tempore:
Postquam impleti sunt dies purgationis Mariae, secundum legem Moysi, tulerunt
Iesum in Ierusalem, ut sisterent eum Domino, sicut scriptum est in lege Domini:
Quia omne masculinum adaperiens vulvam sanctum
Domino vocabitur. Et ut darent hostiam secundum quod dictum est in lege
Domini, par turturum, aut duos pullos columbarum. Et ecce homo erat in
Ierusalem, cui nomen Simeon, et homo iste iustus et timoratus, exspectans
consolationem Israel, et
Spiritus Sanctus erat in eo. Et responsum acceperat a Spiritu
Sancto, non visiirum se mortem, nisi prius videret Christum Domini. Et
venit in spiritu in
templum. Et cum
inducerent puerum Iesum parentes eius, ut facerent secundum
consuetudinem legis
pro eo: et ipse accepit eum in ulnas suas, et benedixit
Deum, et dixit:
Nunc dimittis servum
tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace: Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum: Quod parasti ante
faciem omnium populorum: Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae
Israel.
A continuation of
the Holy Gospel according to Luke.
At that time: After
the days of Mary's purification, according to the law of Moses, were
accomplished, they carried Jesus to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord: As
it is written in the law of the Lord: Every
male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord: And to offer a
sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of
turtledoves or two young pigeons: And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named
Simeon: and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of
Israel. And the Holy Ghost was
in him. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not
see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the
Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do
for him according to the custom of the law, He also took him into his arms and
blessed God and said:
Now thou dost
dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace: Because my eyes have seen thy
salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: A light to
the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.
(with Credo)
Offertory (Ps. 44: 3)
Diffusa est gratia
in labiis tuis: propterea benedixit te Deus in aeternum, et in saeculum
saeculi.
Grace is poured
abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever.
Secret
Exaudi, Domine,
preces nostras: et, ut digna sint munera, quae oculis tuae maiestatis
offerimus, subsidium nobis tuae pietatis impende. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum
Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti
Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
O Lord, graciously
hear our prayers; and that the gifts we offer in the sight of Thy Majesty may
be found worthy, grant us the help of Thy mercy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost: One
God, world without end.
Preface
Preface of
the Nativity
Vere dignum et
justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere:
Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus: Quia per incarnati Verbi
mysterium nova mentis nostrae oculis lux tuae claritatis infulsit: ut, dum
visibiliter Deum cognoscimus, per hunc in invisibilum amorem rapiamur. Et ideo
cum Angelis et Archangelis, cum Thronis et Dominationibus, cumque omni militari
coelestis exercitus, hymnum gloriae tuae canimus sine fine dicentes:
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, everlasting God,
for through the Mystery of the Word made flesh, the new light of Thy glory hath
shone upon the eyes of our mind, so that while we acknowledge God in visible
form, we may through Him be drawn to the love of things invisible. And
therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Throne and Dominations, and with all
the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying:
Communion (Lk. 2: 26)
Responsum accepit
Simeon a Spiritu Sancto, non visiirum se mortem, nisi videret Christum Domini.
Simeon had received
an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen
the Christ of the Lord.
Postcommunion
Quaesumus, Domine
Deus noster: ut sacrosancta mysteria, quae pro reparationis nostrae munimine
contulisti, intercedente beata Maria semper Virgine, et praesens nobis remedium
esse facias, et futurum. Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum
vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
We beseech Thee, O
Lord our God, that the most holy Mysteries, which Thou hast given us as a
safeguard for our regenerated nature, may, through the intercession of blessed
Mary ever Virgin, be to us a healing remedy, both for the present and for the
future.
Ordinary
Form (Feast of the Presentation of the Lord)
Prophecy:
Mal. 3:1-4
Thus saith the Lord:
Behold I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face. And presently the Lord, whom you
seek, and the angel of the testament, whom you desire, shall come to his temple.
Behold, he cometh, saith the Lord of hosts. And who shall be able to think of
the day of his coming? and who shall stand to see him? for he is like a
refining fire, and like the fuller's herb: And he shall sit refining and
cleansing the silver, and he
shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver,
and they shall offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice. And the
sacrifice of Juda and of Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of
old, and in the ancient years.
Responsorial:
Ps. 24 (23): 7, 8, 9, 10
R: Who is the King of glory? It is the Lord!
R: Who is the King of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up your gates, O ye princes,
and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates:
and the King of Glory shall enter in.
Who is this King of
Glory?
the Lord who is
strong and mighty:
the Lord mighty in
battle.
Lift up your gates,
O ye princes,
and be ye lifted up,
O eternal gates:
and the King of
Glory shall enter in.
Who is this King of Glory?
the Lord of hosts, he is the King of
Glory.
Epistle:
Heb. 2:14-18
Brethren: Because
the children are partakers of flesh and blood, Jesus also in like manner hath
been partaker of the same: that,
through death, he might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to
say, the devil: And might deliver them, who through the fear of death were all
their lifetime subject to servitude. For nowhere doth he take hold of
the angels: but of the seed of Abraham he taketh hold. Wherefore, it behoved
him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest before God, that he might be a propitiation for the sins of the people.
For in that wherein he himself hath suffered and been tempted he is able to
succour them also that are tempted.
Gospel:
Lk. 2:22-40
At that time: After
the days of Mary's purification, according to the law of Moses, were
accomplished, they carried Jesus to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord: As
it is written in the law of the Lord: Every
male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord: And to offer a
sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
And behold there was
a man in Jerusalem named Simeon: and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was in him. And
he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit
into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him
according to the custom of the law, He also took him into his arms and blessed
God and said:
Now thou dost
dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace: Because my eyes have seen thy
salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples: A light to
the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.
And his father and
mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. And
Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection
of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be contradicted. And thy
own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be
revealed.
And there was one
Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser. She was far
advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years from her
virginity. And she was a widow until fourscore and four years: who departed not
from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. Now she, at the same hour, coming
in, confessed to the Lord: and spoke of him to all that looked for the
redemption of Israel.
And after they had
performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into
Galilee, to their city Nazareth. And
the child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom: and the grace of God was in
him.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
REFLECTIONS
AND INSIGHTS
This is one of the
many reasons why we have to thank Benedict XVI for his motu proprio
"Summorum Pontificum". To recall, he stated that the Tridentine Mass
and the Mass of Paul VI are "two Forms of the one Roman
Rite"--Extraordinary and Ordinary, respectively. In this case, we cannot separate Jesus from
Mary: It was Jesus who chose Mary as His mother by divine right; it was Mary
who gave life to Jesus in His humanity. We also have to commend the Pontificate
of Francis who, though in a passive manner as some of us say, augments and
transforms the enlightening thoughts of his predecessor into practical action.
It is interesting to
note that the Second of February marks the official end of the Christmas
season, at least in the traditional calendar. It is more interesting to note
that this date is the 40th day since the 25th of December, and if we read the
Gospel passage of today's feast, we realize that the Jews present to the Lord
their firstborn males in His Temple forty days after the birth of the child;
and as a Jewish family, Mary and Joseph are obliged to present Jesus in the
Temple. In this regard, He is both presented to His Father in heaven and at the
same time illuminating His Temple by His presence. If the adoration of the Magi
is the first Epiphany of the Holy Trinity (wherein the Father bestowed His Son
as a Child, with the Holy Spirit enlightening the hearth of the Holy Family
with a star), the purification of Mary and the presentation of the Child Jesus
in the Temple can be considered as the second (the Father is delighted in His
Son by anointing Him with the Holy Spirit, which, in turn, further enlightens
the Temple with the Son's presence, as well as pointing two old prophets to
Him). Thus, the blessing of candles
before the Mass as a symbol of Christ being the light of the world.
The Prophecy of the
new liturgical calendar, which is also the Lesson of the old, comes from the
Prophecy of Malachias, the first time since the beginning of the Liturgical
Year, where the Prophecy of Isaias is extensively used. I have once mentioned
that the Isaianic prophecy is very Messianic in nature that the Jewish
leaders--and subsequently the Ecclesiastical Fathers--gave it a place of
precedence in the second half of the Jewish canon of the Scriptures, our Old
Testament. Maybe this gesture of taking the Lesson from the Prophecy of
Malachias, the last in the order of books in
the Old Testament, not only relates the passage to the presentation of
our Lord in His own Temple, but would also imply that the Christmas season is
officially over.
The pro-life
movement in the Philippines declared that the first Sunday of the month of
February is delegated as "Pro-life Sunday", and what great
coincidence it is for the Church in our nation celebrating the culture of life
while we commemorate the Feast of the Presentation and of the Purification!
This implies that every life is sacred, even if
we are bitter that criminals of the highest order have the right to live, that
is, of course, behind bars.
What strikes me the
most is the Gradual of the Old Rite which goes: The old man carried the Child: but the Child governed the
old man. Simeon, and Anna the Prophetess in extension, were filled by
the Holy Spirit because they have been patient in expecting the Messiah; and
when the right time came, the same Holy Spirit showed Himself associated to
Jesus, and by Simeon's words, he have recognized that God willed that His Son be made human, that we may be
inspired to live in holiness.
Simeon was told by the Holy Spirit that he will not die unless he has seen the Messiah. Nothing was heard of him after his encounter with Jesus; this only meant that he died shortly, but not without a swan song: his own canticle which monastics recite at the Compline or at the final Hour of the Liturgy of the Hours:
Simeon was told by the Holy Spirit that he will not die unless he has seen the Messiah. Nothing was heard of him after his encounter with Jesus; this only meant that he died shortly, but not without a swan song: his own canticle which monastics recite at the Compline or at the final Hour of the Liturgy of the Hours:
Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in
pace: Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum: Quod parasti ante faciem omnium
populorum: Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.
Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy
word in peace: Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast
prepared before the face of all peoples: A light to the revelation of the
Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.
This also is the
first prophecy about the saving mission of Christ: that He would have to die in order for us to live. At the end of our lives, we hope
that Simeon's "Nunc dimittis..." would also be our own. And we
hope that when our soul leaves our body, we see light and the beatific vision
of God, and that we may avoid the flames of Purgatory.
We hope that at the
end of our lives, we would have the utter joy of seeing the Lord face-to-face
just like Simeon and Anna did.
So we ask: Do we
recognize Jesus in our everyday lives? Do we make the necessary
actions/reparations in order for us to be holy, righteous, and pleasing in the
Father's sight, just as His Son was purely offered? Are we worthy to let our
Lord "enter under our roofs" every time we receive Him to be His
temple?
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PRAYING
THE COLLECT
Almighty and
everlasting God, we humbly beseech Thy Majesty, that as Thine only-begotten Son
was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so Thou
wouldst cause us too to be presented unto Thee with purified hearts.
Through our Lord
Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the
Holy Ghost: One God, world without end. Amen.
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