Universalis
Tuesday 26 September 2023    (other days)
Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs 
 or Tuesday of week 25 in Ordinary Time 

Using calendar: United States - Boston. 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
Rex glorióse mártyrum,
coróna confiténtium,
qui respuéntes térrea
perdúcis ad cæléstia,
Aurem benígnam prótinus
appóne nostris vócibus;
tropǽa sacra pángimus,
ignósce quod delíquimus.
Tu vincis in martýribus
parcéndo confessóribus;
tu vince nostra crímina
donándo indulgéntiam.
Præsta, Pater piíssime,
Patríque compar Unice,
cum Spíritu Paráclito
regnans per omne sǽculum. 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 9B:1-11
Gratiarum actio

“Beati pauperes, quia vestrum est regnum Dei” (Lc 6, 20).

Iudicábit Dóminus in iustítia páuperes.
1Ut quid, Dómine, stas a longe,*
  abscóndis te in opportunitátibus, in tribulatióne?
2Dum supérbit, ímpius inséquitur páuperem;*
  comprehendántur in consíliis, quæ cógitant.
3Quóniam gloriátur peccátor in desidériis ánimæ suæ,*
  et avárus sibi benedícit.
4Spernit Dóminum peccátor in arrogántia sua:*
  «Non requíret, non est Deus».
5Hæ sunt omnes cogitatiónes eius;*
  prosperántur viæ illíus in omni témpore.
Excélsa nimis iudícia tua a fácie eius;*
  omnes inimícos suos aspernátur.
6Dixit enim in corde suo: «Non movébor,*
  in generatiónem et generatiónem ero sine malo».
7Cuius maledictióne os plenum est et frauduléntia et dolo,*
  sub lingua eius labor et nequítia.
8Sedet in insídiis ad vicos,*
  in occúltis intérficit innocéntem.
9Oculi eius in páuperem respíciunt;*
  insidiátur in abscóndito quasi leo in spelúnca sua.
Insidiátur, ut rápiat páuperem;*
  rapit páuperem, dum áttrahit in láqueum suum.
10Irruit et inclínat se, et míseri cadunt*
  in fortitúdine brachiórum eius.
11Dixit enim in corde suo: «Oblítus est Deus,*
  avértit fáciem suam, non vidébit in finem».
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Iudicábit Dóminus in iustítia páuperes.

Psalm 9B (10)
Thanksgiving

The Lord will protect the rights of the oppressed.
With what purpose, Lord, do you stay away,
  hide yourself in time of need and trouble?
The wicked in their pride persecute the weak,
  trap them in the plots they have devised.
The sinner glories in his desires,
  the miser congratulates himself.
The sinner in his arrogance rejects the Lord:
  “there is no God, no retribution.”
This is what he thinks
 – and all goes well for him.
Your judgements are far beyond his comprehension:
  he despises all who stand against him.
The sinner says to himself: “I will stand firm;
  nothing can touch me, from generation to generation.”
His mouth is full of malice and deceit,
  under his tongue hide trouble and distress.
He lies in ambush by the villages,
  he kills the innocent in some secret place.
He watches the weak,
  he hides like a lion in its lair, and makes plans.
He plans to rob the weak,
  lure him to his trap and rob him.
He rushes in, makes a dive,
  and the poor victim is caught.
For he has said to himself, “God has forgotten.
  He is not watching, he will never see.”
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.
The Lord will protect the rights of the oppressed.

Ps 9B:12-18

Tu, Dómine, labórem et dolórem consíderas.
12Exsúrge, Dómine Deus; exálta manum tuam,*
  ne obliviscáris páuperum.
13Propter quid spernit ímpius Deum?*
  Dixit enim in corde suo: «Non requíres».
14Vidísti:†
  tu labórem et dolórem consíderas,*
  ut tradas eos in manus tuas.
Tibi derelíctus est pauper,*
  órphano tu factus es adiútor.
15Cóntere bráchium peccatóris et malígni;*
  quæres peccátum illíus et non invénies.
16Dóminus rex in ætérnum et in sǽculum sǽculi:*
  periérunt gentes de terra illíus.
17Desidérium páuperum exaudísti, Dómine;*
  confirmábis cor eórum, inténdes aurem tuam
18iudicáre pupíllo et húmili,*
  ut non appónat ultra indúcere timórem homo de terra.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Tu, Dómine, labórem et dolórem consíderas.

Psalm 9B (10)

Lord, you have seen our trouble and our sorrow.
Rise up, Lord, raise your hand!
  Do not forget the weak.
Why does the wicked man spurn God?
  Because he says to himself, “you will not take revenge.”
But you do see: you see the trouble and the pain,
  and then you take things into your own hands.
The weak fall to your care,
  and you are the help of the orphan.
Break the arms of the sinner and evil-doer:
  seek out wickedness until there is no more to be found.
The Lord is King for ever and for ever.
  The Gentiles have perished from his land.
You have heard the prayer of the weak, Lord,
  and you will strengthen their hearts.
You will lend your ear to the pleas of the orphans and the helpless,
  so mere mortals can frighten them no longer.
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.
Lord, you have seen our trouble and our sorrow.

Ps 11:2-8
Invocatio contra superbos

“Propter nos pauperes Pater Filium dignatus est mittere” (S. Augustinus).

Elóquia Dómini elóquia casta; argéntum igne examinátum.
2Salvum me fac, Dómine, quóniam defécit sanctus,*
  quóniam deminúti sunt fidéles a fíliis hóminum.
3Vana locúti sunt unusquísque ad próximum suum;*
  in lábiis dolósis, in dúplici corde locúti sunt.
4Dispérdat Dóminus univérsa lábia dolósa*
  et linguam magníloquam.
5Qui dixérunt: «Lingua nostra magnificábimur,†
  lábia nostra a nobis sunt;*
  quis noster dóminus est?».
«6Propter misériam ínopum et gémitum páuperum,†
  nunc exsúrgam, dicit Dóminus;*
  ponam in salutári illum, quem despíciunt».
7Elóquia Dómini elóquia casta,*
  argéntum igne examinátum, separátum a terra, purgátum séptuplum.
8Tu, Dómine, servábis nos et custódies nos*
  a generatióne hac in ætérnum.
In circúitu ímpii ámbulant,*
  cum exaltántur sordes inter fílios hóminum.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Elóquia Dómini elóquia casta; argéntum igne examinátum.

Psalm 11 (12)
A prayer against the proud

The words of the Lord are words without alloy, silver from the furnace, seven times refined.
Save me, Lord, for the good men are all gone:
  there is no-one to be trusted among the sons of men.
Neighbour speaks falsehood to neighbour:
  with lying lips and crooked hearts they speak.
Let the Lord condemn all lying lips,
  all boastful tongues.
They say “Our tongues will make us great,
  our lips are ours, we have no master.”
“On account of the sufferings of the poor,
  the groans of the weak, I will rise up,” says the Lord.
  “I will bring to safety the one whom men despise.”
The words of the Lord are pure words,
  silver tried by fire, freed from dross,
  silver seven times refined.
You, Lord, will help us
  and guard us from now to all eternity –
while the wicked walk round outside,
  where the vilest are most honoured of the children of men.
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.
The words of the Lord are words without alloy, silver from the furnace, seven times refined.
℣. Anima nostra sústinet Dóminum.
℟. Quóniam adiútor et protéctor noster est.
℣. Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
℟. The Lord is our help and our shield.
Lectio prior
De libro Ezechiélis prophétæ 36, 16-36

Futura restitutio populi Dei in corpore, corde, spiritu

16Factum est verbum Dómini ad me dicens: 17«Fili hóminis, domus Israel habitavérunt in humo sua et polluérunt eam in viis suis et in opéribus suis; iuxta immundítiam menstruátæ facta est via eórum coram me. 18Et effúdi indignatiónem meam super eos pro sánguine, quem fudérunt super terram, et in idólis suis polluérunt eam. 19Et dispérsi eos in gentes, et ventiláti sunt in terras; iuxta vias eórum et iuxta ópera eórum iudicávi eos. 20Et ingréssi sunt ad gentes, ad quas introiérunt, et polluérunt nomen sanctum meum, cum dicerétur de eis: “Pópulus Dómini iste est, et de terra eius egréssi sunt”. 21Et pepérci nómini meo sancto, quod pollúerat domus Israel in géntibus, ad quas ingréssi sunt.
  22Idcírco dices dómui Israel: Hæc dicit Dóminus Deus: Non propter vos ego fáciam, domus Israel, sed propter nomen sanctum meum, quod polluístis in géntibus, ad quas intrástis; 23et sanctificábo nomen meum magnum, quod pollútum est inter gentes, quod polluístis in médio eárum, ut sciant gentes quia ego Dóminus, ait Dóminus Deus, cum sanctificátus fúero in vobis coram eis. 24Tollam quippe vos de géntibus et congregábo vos de univérsis terris et addúcam vos in terram vestram; 25et effúndam super vos aquam mundam, et mundabímini ab ómnibus inquinaméntis vestris, et ab univérsis idólis vestris mundábo vos. 26Et dabo vobis cor novum et spíritum novum ponam in médio vestri et áuferam cor lapídeum de carne vestra et dabo vobis cor cárneum; 27et spíritum meum ponam in médio vestri et fáciam, ut in præcéptis meis ambulétis et iudícia mea custodiátis et operémini. 28Et habitábitis in terra, quam dedi pátribus vestris, et éritis mihi in pópulum, et ego ero vobis in Deum. 29Et salvábo vos ex univérsis inquinaméntis vestris et vocábo fruméntum et multiplicábo illud et non impónam vobis famem. 30Et multiplicábo fructum ligni et genímina agri, ut non portétis ultra oppróbrium famis in géntibus. 31Et recordabímini viárum vestrárum pessimárum operúmque non bonórum, et displicébunt vobis iniquitátes vestræ et scélera vestra. 32Non propter vos ego fáciam, ait Dóminus Deus, notum sit vobis; confundímini et erubéscite super viis vestris, domus Israel.
  33Hæc dicit Dóminus Deus: In die, qua mundávero vos ex ómnibus iniquitátibus vestris et inhabitári fécero urbes et instaurávero ruinósa, 34et terra desérta fúerit excúlta, quæ quondam erat desoláta in óculis omnis viatóris, 35dicent: “Terra illa incúlta facta est ut hortus Eden, et civitátes desértæ et destitútæ atque destrúctæ munítæ inhabitántur”. 36Et scient gentes, quæcúmque derelíctæ fúerint in circúitu vestro, quia ego Dóminus ædificávi dissipáta plantavíque incúlta; ego Dóminus locútus sum et fácio».
First Reading
Ezekiel 36:16-36 ©

The future restoration of People of God

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: ‘Son of man, the members of the House of Israel used to live in their own land, but they defiled it by their conduct and actions; to me their conduct was as unclean as a woman’s menstruation. I then discharged my fury at them because of the blood they shed in their land and the idols with which they defiled it. I scattered them among the nations and dispersed them in foreign countries. I sentenced them as their conduct and actions deserved. And now they have profaned my holy name among the nations where they have gone, so that people say of them, “These are the people of the Lord; they have been exiled from his land.” But I have been concerned about my holy name, which the House of Israel has profaned among the nations where they have gone. And so, say to the House of Israel, “The Lord says this: I am not doing this for your sake, House of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. I mean to display the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. And the nations will learn that I am the Lord – it is the Lord who speaks – when I display my holiness for your sake before their eyes. Then I am going to take you from among the nations and gather you together from all the foreign countries, and bring you home to your own land. I shall pour clean water over you and you will be cleansed; I shall cleanse you of all your defilement and all your idols. I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; I shall remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh instead. I shall put my spirit in you, and make you keep my laws and sincerely respect my observances. You will live in the land which I gave your ancestors. You shall be my people and I will be your God. I shall rescue you from all your defilement. I shall summon the corn and make it plentiful, and no more bring famines on you. I shall increase the yield of fruit trees and fields so that you will no longer have the ignominy of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil conduct and actions. You will loathe yourselves for your sins and your filthy practices. I assure you that I am not doing this for your sake – it is the Lord who speaks. Be ashamed and blush for your conduct, House of Israel.
  The Lord says this: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will repopulate the cities and cause the ruins to be rebuilt. Waste land, once desolate for every passer-by to see, will now be farmed again. Everyone will say: This land, so recently a waste, is now like a garden of Eden, and the ruined cities once abandoned and levelled to the ground are now strongholds with people living in them. And the nations left round you will know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt what was destroyed and replanted what was ruined. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.
Responsorium
Ez 11, 19 b-20. 19 a
℟. Auferam cor lapídeum de carne eórum et dabo eis cor cárneum:* Ut in præcéptis meis ámbulent et sint mihi in pópulum et ego sim eis in Deum.
℣. Dabo eis cor áliud et spíritum novum tríbuam in viscéribus eórum.* Ut in.
ResponsoryEzk 11:19-20
℟. I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh instead, so that they may keep my laws.* Then they shall be my people and I shall be their God.
℣. I will give them a single heart and I will put a new spirit in them.* Then they shall be my people and I shall be their God.
Lectio altera
Ex Sermónibus sancti Augustíni epíscopi (Sermo 329, 1-2: PL 38, 1454-1455)

Pretiosa mors martyrum empta pretio mortis Christi

Per tam gloriósa sanctórum mártyrum gesta, quibus ubíque floret Ecclésia, ipsis óculis nostris probámus quam verum sit quod cantávimus, quia pretiósa in conspéctu Dómini mors sanctórum eius: quando et in conspéctu nostro pretiósa est, et in conspéctu eius, pro cuius nómine facta est. Sed prétium mórtium istárum mors est uníus. Quantas mortes emit unus móriens, qui si non morerétur, granum fruménti non multiplicarétur? Audístis verba eius cum appropinquáret passióni, id est, cum nostræ appropinquáret redemptióni: Nisi granum trítici cadens in terram mórtuum fúerit, ipsum solum manet; si autem mórtuum fúerit, multum fructum affert.
  Egit enim in cruce grande commércium: ibi solútus est sácculus prétii nostri: quando latus eius apértum est láncea percussóris, emanávit inde prétium totíus orbis. Empti sunt fidéles et mártyres; sed mártyrum fides probáta est: testis est sanguis. Quod illis impénsum est, reddidérunt et implevérunt, quod ait sanctus Ioánnes: Sicut Christus pro nobis ánimam suam pósuit, sic et nos debémus pro frátribus ánimas pónere. Et álibi dícitur: Ad mensam magnam sedísti, diligénter consídera quæ apponúntur tibi, quóniam tália te opórtet præparáre. Mensa magna est, ubi épulæ sunt ipse Dóminus mensæ. Nemo pascit convívas de se ipso: hoc facit Dóminus Christus; ipse invitátor, ipse cibus et potus. Agnovérunt ergo mártyres quid comedérunt et bibérunt, ut tália rédderent.
  Sed unde tália rédderent, nisi ille daret unde rédderent, qui prior impéndit? Quid retríbuam Dómino pro ómnibus quæ retríbuit mihi? Cálicem salutáris accípiam. Quis est calix iste? Calix passiónis amárus et salúbris; calix quem nisi prius bíberet médicus, tángere timéret ægrótus. Ipse est calix iste: agnóscimus in ore Christi cálicem istum dicéntis: Pater, si fíeri potest, tránseat a me calix iste. De ipso cálice dixérunt mártyres: Cálicem salutáris accípiam et nomen Dómini invocábo.
  Non ergo times ne ibi defícias? Quare? Quia nomen Dómini invocábo. Quómodo víncerent mártyres, nisi ille in martýribus vínceret, qui dixit: Gaudéte, quóniam ego vici sǽculum? Imperátor cælórum regébat mentem et linguam eórum et per eos diábolum in terra superábat et in cælo mártyres coronábat. O beáti qui sic bibérunt cálicem istum: finiérunt dolóres et accepérunt honóres.
Second Reading
From a sermon by Saint Augustine

The martyrs' deaths are made precious by the death of Christ

Through such glorious deeds of the holy martyrs, with which the Church blossoms everywhere, we prove with our own eyes how true it is, as we have just been singing, that precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints; seeing that it is precious both in our sight and in the sight of him for the sake of whose name it was undertaken. But the price of these deaths is the death of one man. How many deaths were bought with one dying man, who was the grain of wheat that would not have been multiplied if he had not died! You have heard his words when he was drawing near to his passion, that is, when he was drawing near to our redemption: Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
  On the cross, you see, Christ transacted a grand exchange; it was there that the purse containing our price was untied; when his side was laid open by the lance of the executioner, there poured out from it the price of the whole wide world. The faithful were bought, and the martyrs; but the faith of the martyrs has been proved, and their blood is the witness to it. The martyrs have paid back what was spent for them, and they have fulfilled what Saint John says: Just as Christ laid down his life for us, so we too should lay down our lives for the brethren. And in another place it says, You have sat down at a great table; consider carefully what is set before you, since you ought to prepare the same kind of thing yourself. It is certainly a great table, where the Lord of the table is himself the banquet. No-one feeds his guests on himself; that is what the Lord Christ did, being himself the host, himself the food and drink. Therefore the martyrs recognised what they ate and drank, so that they could give back the same kind of thing.
  But from where could they give back the same kind of thing, if the one who made the first payment had not given them the means of giving something back? What shall I pay back to the Lord for all the things he has paid back to me? I will receive the cup of salvation. What is this cup? The bitter but salutary cup of suffering, the cup which the invalid would fear to touch if the doctor did not drink it first. That is what this cup is; we can recognise this cup on the lips of Christ, when he says, Father, if it can be so, let this cup pass from me. It is about this cup that the martyrs said, I will receive the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.
  So are you not afraid of failing at this point? No? Why not? Because I will call upon the name of the Lord. How could the martyrs ever conquer, unless that one conquered in them who said Rejoice, since I have conquered the world? The emperor of the heavens was governing their minds and tongues, and through them overcoming the devil on earth and crowning the martyrs in heaven. O, how blessed are those who drank this cup thus! They have finished with suffering and have received honour instead.
ResponsoriumCf. Eph 4, 4. 5
℟. Viri sancti gloriósum sánguinem fudérunt pro Dómino, amavérunt Christum in vita sua, imitáti sunt eum in morte sua:* Et ídeo corónas triumpháles meruérunt.
℣. Unus spíritus et una fides erat in eis.* Et ídeo.
Responsory
℟. The saints shed their blood in glorious combat for the Lord; they loved Christ in their life and imitated him in their death;* and so they won the crown of victory.
℣. One Spirit and one faith united them,* and so they won the crown of victory.
Oremus.
  Magníficet te, Dómine, sanctórum tuórum Cosmæ et Damiáni veneránda memória, quia et illis glóriam sempitérnam et opem nobis ineffábili providéntia contulísti.
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, we proclaim your great power
  as we keep the memory of Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian.
In your providence
  you have exalted them to glory,
  and you have given us the patronage of their prayers.
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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