Universalis
Tuesday 23 April 2024    (other days)
Saint George, Martyr 
 or Tuesday of the 4th week of Eastertide 
 or Saint Adalbert of Prague, Bishop, Martyr 

Using calendar: Netherlands. 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
Beáte (Beáta) martyr, próspera
diem triumphálem tuum,
quo sánguinis merces tibi
coróna vincénti datur.
Hic te ex ténebris sǽculi,
tortóre victo et iúdice,
evéxit ad cælum dies
Christóque ovántem réddidit.
Nunc angelórum párticeps
collúces insígni stola,
quam testis indomábilis
rivis cruóris láveras.
Adésto nunc et óbsecra,
placátus ut Christus suis
inclínet aurem prósperam,
noxas nec omnes ímputet.
Paulísper huc illábere
Christi favórem déferens,
sensus graváti ut séntiant
levámen indulgéntiæ.
Honor Patri cum Fílio
et Spíritu Paráclito,
qui te coróna pérpeti
cingunt in aula glóriæ. Amen.
Hymn
The martyrs living now with Christ
In suffering were tried,
Their anguish overcome by love
When on his cross they died.
Across the centuries they come,
In constancy unmoved,
Their loving hearts make no complaint,
In silence they are proved.
No man has ever measured love,
Or weighed it in his hand,
But God who knows the inmost heart
Gives them the promised land.
Praise Father, Son and Spirit blest,
Who guides us through the night
In ways that reach beyond the stars
To everlasting light.
Francis E. Mostyn (1860-1939)

Ps 101:2-12
Exsulis vota et preces

“Consolatur nos Deus in omni tribulatione nostra” (2 Cor 1, 4).

Clamor meus, Dómine, ad te pervéniat; non abscóndas fáciem tuam a me.
2Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam,*
  et clamor meus ad te véniat.
3Non abscóndas fáciem tuam a me;†
  in quacúmque die tríbulor,*
  inclína ad me aurem tuam.
In quacúmque die invocávero te,*
  velóciter exáudi me.
4Quia defecérunt sicut fumus dies mei,*
  et ossa mea sicut crémium aruérunt.
5Percússum est ut fenum et áruit cor meum,*
  étenim oblítus sum comédere panem meum.
6A voce gémitus mei*
  adhǽsit os meum carni meæ.
7Símilis factus sum pellicáno solitúdinis,*
  factus sum sicut nyctícorax in ruínis.
8Vigilávi*
  et factus sum sicut passer solitárius in tecto.
9Tota die exprobrábant mihi inimíci mei,*
  exardescéntes in me per me iurábant.
10Quia cínerem tamquam panem manducábam*
  et potum meum cum fletu miscébam,
11a fácie iræ et increpatiónis tuæ,*
  quia élevans allisísti me.
12Dies mei sicut umbra declinavérunt,*
  et ego sicut fenum árui.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Clamor meus, Dómine, ad te pervéniat; non abscóndas fáciem tuam a me.

Psalm 101 (102)
Prayers and vows of an exile

Let my cry come to you, Lord: do not hide your face from me.
Lord, listen to my prayer
  and let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me:
  whenever I am troubled,
  turn to me and hear me.
Whenever I call on you,
  hurry to answer me.
For my days vanish like smoke,
  and my bones are dry as tinder.
My heart is cut down like grass, it is dry –
  I cannot remember to eat.
The sound of my groaning
  makes my bones stick to my flesh.
I am lonely as a pelican in the wilderness,
  as an owl in the ruins,
  as a sparrow alone on a rooftop:
  I do not sleep.
All day long my enemies taunt me,
  they burn with anger and use my name as a curse.
I make ashes my bread,
  I mix tears with my drink,
  because of your anger and reproach –
you, who raised me up, have dashed me to the ground.
My days fade away like a shadow:
  I wither like grass.
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.
Let my cry come to you, Lord: do not hide your face from me.

Ps 101:13-23

Réspice, Dómine, in oratiónem humílium.
13Tu autem, Dómine, in ætérnum pérmanes,*
  et memoriále tuum in generatiónem et generatiónem.
14Tu exsúrgens miseréberis Sion,†
  quia tempus miseréndi eius,*
  quia venit tempus,
15quóniam placuérunt servis tuis lápides eius*
  et púlveris eius miseréntur.
16Et timébunt gentes nomen tuum, Dómine,*
  et omnes reges terræ glóriam tuam,
17quia ædificávit Dóminus Sion*
  et appáruit in glória sua.
18Respéxit in oratiónem ínopum*
  et non sprevit precem eórum.
19Scribántur hæc pro generatióne áltera,*
  et pópulus, qui creábitur, laudábit Dóminum.
20Quia prospéxit de excélso sanctuário suo,*
  Dóminus de cælo in terram aspéxit,
21ut audíret gémitus compeditórum,*
  ut sólveret fílios mortis;
22ut annúntient in Sion nomen Dómini*
  et laudem eius in Ierúsalem,
23cum congregáti fúerint pópuli in unum*
  et regna, ut sérviant Dómino.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Réspice, Dómine, in oratiónem humílium.

Psalm 101 (102)

Turn, Lord, to the prayers of the helpless.
But you, Lord, remain for ever
  and your name lasts from generation to generation.
You will rise up and take pity on Zion,
  for it is time that you pitied it,
  indeed it is time:
for your servants love its very stones
  and pity even its dust.
Then, Lord, the peoples will fear your name.
  All the kings of the earth will fear your glory,
when the Lord has rebuilt Zion
  and appeared there in his glory;
when he has listened to the prayer of the destitute
  and not rejected their pleading.
These things shall be written for the next generation
  and a people yet to be born shall praise the Lord:
because he has looked down from his high sanctuary,
  – the Lord has looked down from heaven to earth –
and heard the groans of prisoners
  and freed the children of death
so that they could proclaim the Lord’s name in Zion
  and sing his praises in Jerusalem,
where people and kingdoms gather together
  to serve the Lord.
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.
Turn, Lord, to the prayers of the helpless.

Ps 101:24-29

Tu, Dómine, terram fundásti et ópera mánuum tuárum sunt cæli, allelúia.
24Humiliávit in via virtútem meam,*
  abbreviávit dies meos.
Dicam: «Deus meus,†
  25ne áuferas me in dimídio diérum meórum;*
  in generatiónem et generatiónem sunt anni tui.
26Inítio terram fundásti;*
  et ópera mánuum tuárum sunt cæli.
27Ipsi períbunt, tu autem pérmanes;†
  et omnes sicut vestiméntum veteráscent,*
  et sicut opertórium mutábis eos, et mutabúntur.
28Tu autem idem ipse es,*
  et anni tui non defícient.
29Fílii servórum tuórum habitábunt,*
  et semen eórum in conspéctu tuo firmábitur».
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Tu, Dómine, terram fundásti et ópera mánuum tuárum sunt cæli, allelúia.

Psalm 101 (102)

You founded the earth, Lord, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Alleluia.
He has brought down my strength in the midst of my journey;
  he has shortened my days.
I will say, “My God, do not take me away
  half way through the days of my life.
Your years last from generation to generation:
  in the beginning you founded the earth,
  and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will pass away but you will remain;
  all will grow old, like clothing,
  and like a cloak you will change them, and they will be changed.
“But you are always the same,
  your years will never run out.
The children of your servants shall live in peace,
  their descendants will endure in your sight.”
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.
You founded the earth, Lord, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Alleluia.
℣. Tribulátio et angústia invenérunt me, allelúia.
℟. Mandáta tua meditátio mea est, allelúia.
℣. Anguish and distress have taken hold of me, alleluia.
℟. Yet will I delight in your commands, alleluia.
Lectio prior
De libro Apocalýpsis beáti Ioánnis apóstoli 14, 1-13

Agnus iam victor

Ego Ioánnes 1vidi: et ecce Agnus stans supra montem Sion, et cum illo centum quadragínta quáttuor mília, habéntes nomen eius et nomen Patris eius scriptum in fróntibus suis. 2Et audívi vocem de cælo tamquam vocem aquárum multárum et tamquam vocem tonítrui magni; et vox, quam audívi, sicut citharœdórum citharizántium in cítharis suis. 3Et cantant quasi cánticum novum ante thronum et ante quáttuor animália et senióres. Et nemo póterat díscere cánticum nisi illa centum quadragínta quáttuor mília, qui empti sunt de terra. 4Hi sunt qui cum muliéribus non sunt coinquináti, vírgines enim sunt. Hi qui sequúntur Agnum, quocúmque abíerit. Hi empti sunt ex homínibus primítiæ Deo et Agno; 5et in ore ipsórum non est invéntum mendácium: sine mácula sunt.
  6Et vidi álterum ángelum volántem per médium cælum, habéntem evangélium ætérnum, ut evangelizáret super sedéntes in terra et super omnem gentem et tribum et linguam et pópulum, 7dicens magna voce: «Timéte Deum et date illi glóriam, quia venit hora iudícii eius, et adoráte eum, qui fecit cælum et terram et mare et fontes aquárum».
  8Et álius ángelus secútus est dicens: «Cécidit, cécidit Bábylon illa magna, quæ a vino iræ fornicatiónis suæ potionávit omnes gentes!».
  9Et álius ángelus tértius secútus est illos dicens voce magna: «Si quis adoráverit béstiam et imáginem eius et accéperit charactérem in fronte sua aut in manu sua, 10et hic bibet de vino iræ Dei, quod mixtum est mero in cálice iræ ipsíus, et cruciábitur igne et súlphure in conspéctu angelórum sanctórum et ante conspéctum Agni. 11Et fumus tormentórum eórum in sǽcula sæculórum ascéndit, nec habent réquiem die ac nocte, qui adoravérunt béstiam et imáginem eius, et si quis accéperit charactérem nóminis eius».
  12Hic patiéntia sanctórum est, qui custódiunt mandáta Dei et fidem Iesu. 13Et audívi vocem de cælo dicéntem: «Scribe: Beáti mórtui, qui in Dómino moriúntur ámodo. Etiam, dicit Spíritus, ut requiéscant a labóribus suis; ópera enim illórum sequúntur illos».
First Reading
Apocalypse 14:1-13 ©

The victorious Lamb

Next in my vision I saw Mount Zion, and standing on it a Lamb who had with him a hundred and forty-four thousand people, all with his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. I heard a sound coming out of the sky like the sound of the ocean or the roar of thunder; it seemed to be the sound of harpists playing their harps. There in front of the throne they were singing a new hymn in the presence of the four animals and the elders, a hymn that could only be learnt by the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the world. These are the ones who have kept their virginity and not been defiled with women; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes; they have been redeemed from amongst men to be the first-fruits for God and for the Lamb. They never allowed a lie to pass their lips and no fault can be found in them.
  Then I saw another angel, flying high overhead, sent to announce the Good News of eternity to all who live on the earth, every nation, race, language and tribe. He was calling, ‘Fear God and praise him, because the time has come for him to sit in judgement; worship the maker of heaven and earth and sea and every water-spring.’
  A second angel followed him, calling, ‘Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, Babylon which gave the whole world the wine of God’s anger to drink.’
  A third angel followed, shouting aloud, ‘All those who worship the beast and his statue, or have had themselves branded on the hand or forehead, will be made to drink the wine of God’s fury which is ready, undiluted, in his cup of anger; in fire and brimstone they will be tortured in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb and the smoke of their torture will go up for ever and ever. There will be no respite, night or day, for those who worshipped the beast or its statue or accepted branding with its name.’ This is why there must be constancy in the saints who keep the commandments of God and faith in Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven say to me, ‘Write down: Happy are those who die in the Lord! Happy indeed, the Spirit says; now they can rest for ever after their work, since their good deeds go with them.’
ResponsoriumCf. Ap 14, 7. 6
℟. Audívi vocem in cælo angelórum multórum dicéntium:* Timéte Dóminum, et date illi glóriam, et adoráte eum, qui fecit cælum et terram, mare et fontes aquárum, allelúia.
℣. Vidi ángelum Dei fortem, volántem per médium cæli, voce magna clamántem et dicéntem.* Timéte.
ResponsoryCf. Rv 14:6-7
℟. I heard the voice of many angels in heaven, saying,* Fear God and praise his greatness. Worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water, alleluia.
℣. I saw a mighty angel of God flying in mid-heaven, and he cried out in a loud voice:* Fear God and praise his greatness. Worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water, alleluia.
Lectio altera
Ex Sermónibus sancti Petri Damiáni epíscopi (Sermo 3, De sancto Georgio: PL 144, 567-571)

Vexillo crucis inexpugnabiliter præmunitus

Hodiérna festívitas, dilectíssimi, paschális glóriæ lætítiam géminat, et, velut pretiósa gemma, aurum, cui imprímitur, decóre próprii splendóris illústrat.
  Plane de milítia translátus est in milítiam, quia terréni tribunátus, quo fungebátur, offícium, christiánæ milítiæ professióne mutávit, et, ut revéra strénuus miles, prius ómnia sua paupéribus tríbuens, sárcinam terrénæ facultátis abiécit, sicque liber et expedítus, ac fídei loríca præcínctus, in ipsam densi certáminis áciem férvidus se Christi bellátor immérsit.
  Quibus nimírum verbis líquido perdocémur quia pro defensióne fídei, dimicáre fórtiter et idónee néqueunt, qui adhuc nudári terrénis ópibus pertiméscunt.
  Beátus vero Geórgius, Sancti Spíritus igne succénsus et vexíllo crucis inexpugnabíliter præmunítus, sic cum iníquo rege congréssus est, ut et iniquórum ómnium príncipem in satéllite vínceret, et ad agéndum fórtiter Christi mílitum ánimos incitáret.
  Aderat plane suprémus et invisíbilis árbiter, qui, ad suæ dispensatiónis arbítrium, et hinc manus impiórum sævíre permítteret. Qui, et si mártyris sui membra carníficum mánibus trádidit, ánimam tamen, inexpugnábili fídei arce subníxam, indefésso protectiónis suæ munímine custodívit.
  Hunc cæléstis milítiæ bellatórem, fratres caríssimi, non tantum admirémur, sed étiam imitémur; in illud cæléstis glóriæ prǽmium iam spíritus erigátur, ut, dum in eius contemplatióne cor fígimus, non moveámur, utrum mundus lenocinátor arrídeat, an certe minax adversitátibus fremat.
  Mundémus ítaque nos, iuxta Pauli præcéptum, ab omni inquinaménto carnis et spíritus, ut in illud beatitúdinis templum, cui nunc áciem mentis inténdimus, quandóque étiam íngredi mereámur.
  Quisquis enim in tabernáculo Christi, quod est Ecclésia, semetípsum Deo sacrificáre conténdit, necésse est, ut, postquam lavácro sacri fontis ablúitur, divérsis étiam virtútum véstibus induátur, sicut scriptum est: Sacerdótes tui induántur iustítiam; quátenus, qui in Christo per baptísmum novus homo renáscitur, non iam mortalitátis índices véstiat, sed, depósito vétere hómine, novum índuat, et in eo, per mundæ conversatiónis stúdium innovátus, vivat.
  Sic nimírum, et véteris peccáti squalóre purgáti et novæ conversatiónis nitóre perspícui, digne celebrámus paschále mystérium, et beatórum mártyrum veráciter imitámur exémplum.
Second Reading
From a sermon by Saint Peter Damian, bishop

Invincibly defended by the banner of the Cross

Dear brothers, our joy in today’s feast is heightened by our joy in the glory of Easter, just as the splendour of a precious jewel enhances the beauty of its gold setting.
  Saint George was a man who abandoned one army for another: he gave up the rank of tribune to enlist as a soldier for Christ. Eager to encounter the enemy, he first stripped away his worldly wealth by giving all he had to the poor. Then, free and unencumbered, bearing the shield of faith, he plunged into the thick of the battle, an ardent soldier for Christ.
  Clearly what he did serves to teach us a valuable lesson: if we are afraid to strip ourselves of our worldly possessions, then we are unfit to make a strong defence of the faith.
  As for Saint George, he was consumed with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Armed with the invincible standard of the cross, he did battle with an evil king and acquitted himself so well that, in vanquishing the king, he overcame the prince of all wicked spirits, and encouraged other soldiers of Christ to perform brave deeds in his cause.
  Of course, the supreme invisible arbiter was there, who sometimes permits evil men to prevail so that his will may be accomplished. And although he surrendered the body of his martyr into the hands of murderers, yet he continued to take care of his soul, which was supported by the unshakeable defence of its faith.
  Dear brothers, let us not only admire the courage of this fighter in heaven’s army but follow his example. Let us be inspired to strive for the reward of heavenly glory, keeping in mind his example, so that we will not be swayed from our path, though the world seduce us with its smiles or try to terrify us with naked threats of its trials and tribulations.
  We must now cleanse ourselves, as Saint Paul tells us, from all defilement of body and spirit, so that one day we too may deserve to enter that temple of blessedness to which we now aspire.
  Anyone who wishes to offer himself to God in the tent of Christ, which is the Church, must first bathe in the spring of holy baptism; then he must put on the various garments of the virtues. As it says in the Scriptures: Let your priests be clothed in justice. He who is reborn in baptism is a new man. He may no longer wear the things that signify mortality. He has discarded the old self and must put on the new. He must live continually renewed in his commitment to a holy sojourn in this world.
  Truly we must be cleansed of the stains of our past sins and be resplendent in the virtue of our new way of life. Then we can be confident of celebrating Easter worthily and of truly following the example of the blessed martyrs.
Responsorium
℟. Iste sanctus pro lege Dei sui certávit usque ad mortem, et a verbis impiórum non tímuit; * Fundátus enim erat supra firmam petram, allelúia.
℣. Iste est qui contémpsit vitam mundi, et pervénit ad cæléstia regna. * Fundátus.
Responsory
℟. Fearless in the sight of wicked men, this saint died in defence of the law of God,* for he was built on rock, alleluia.
℣. This is he who rejected the life of this world and gained the kingdom of heaven,* for he was built on rock, alleluia.
Oremus.
  Magnificántes, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, súpplices exorámus, ut, sicut sanctus Geórgius domínicæ fuit passiónis imitátor, ita sit fragilitátis nostræ promptus adiútor.
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.
Proclaiming your glory, Lord,
  we humbly ask that as Saint George imitated Christ in his passion,
  so he may be a ready helper in our weakness.
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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