Universalis
Saturday 8 November 2025    (other days)
Saturday of week 31 in Ordinary Time 
 or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

Using calendar: Latin America - Brazil. 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
Summæ Deus cleméntiæ
mundíque factor máchinæ,
qui trinus almo númine
unúsque firmas ómnia,
Nostros piis cum cánticis
fletus benígne súscipe,
quo corde puro sórdibus
te perfruámur lárgius.
Lumbos adúre cóngruis
tu caritátis ígnibus,
accíncti ut adsint pérpetim
tuísque prompti advéntibus,
Ut, quique horas nóctium
nunc concinéndo rúmpimus,
donis beátæ pátriæ
ditémur omnes áffatim.
Præsta, Pater piíssime,
Patríque compar Unice,
cum Spíritu Paráclito
regnans per omne sǽculum. Amen.
Hymn
How great the tale, that there should be,
In God’s Son’s heart, a place for me!
That on a sinner’s lips like mine
The cross of Jesus Christ should shine!
Christ Jesus, bend me to thy will,
My feet to urge, my griefs to still;
That e’en my flesh and blood may be
A temple sanctified to Thee.
No rest, no calm my soul may win,
Because my body craves to sin;
Till thou, dear Lord, thyself impart
Peace on my head, light in my heart.
May consecration come from far,
Soft shining like the evening star.
My toilsome path make plain to me,
Until I come to rest in thee.

Ps 106:1-16
Pro liberatione gratiarum actio

“Verbum misit Deus filiis Israel evangelizans pacem per Iesum Christum” (Act 10, 36).

Confiteántur Dómino misericórdiæ eius et mirabília eius fíliis hóminum.
1Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus,*
  quóniam in sǽculum misericórdia eius.
2Dicant, qui redémpti sunt a Dómino,*
  quos redémit de manu adversárii,
3et de regiónibus congregávit eos,†
  a solis ortu et occásu,*
  ab aquilóne et mari.
4Erravérunt in solitúdine, in inaquóso,*
  viam civitátis habitatiónis non invenérunt.
5Esuriéntes et sitiéntes,*
  ánima eórum in ipsis defécit.
6Et clamavérunt ad Dóminum, cum tribularéntur,*
  et de necessitátibus eórum erípuit eos.
7Et dedúxit eos in viam rectam,*
  ut irent in civitátem habitatiónis.
8Confiteántur Dómino propter misericórdiam eius*
  et mirabília eius in fílios hóminum,
9quia satiávit ánimam sitiéntem*
  et ánimam esuriéntem replévit bonis.
10Sedéntes in ténebris et umbra mortis,*
  vincti in mendicitáte et ferro,
11quia exacerbavérunt elóquia Dei*
  et consílium Altíssimi sprevérunt.
12Et humiliávit in labóribus cor eórum,*
  infirmáti sunt, nec fuit qui adiuváret.
13Et clamavérunt ad Dóminum, cum tribularéntur,*
  et de necessitátibus eórum liberávit eos.
14Et edúxit eos de ténebris et umbra mortis*
  et víncula eórum dirúpit.
15Confiteántur Dómino propter misericórdiam eius*
  et mirabília eius in fílios hóminum,
16quia contrívit portas ǽreas*
  et vectes férreos confrégit.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Confiteántur Dómino misericórdiæ eius et mirabília eius fíliis hóminum.

Psalm 106 (107)
Thanksgiving after rescue

Let them thank the Lord for his love, for the wonders he does for men.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
  for his kindness is for ever.
Let them say this, the people the Lord has redeemed,
  those whom he rescued from their enemies
  whom he gathered together from all lands,
  from east and west, from the north and the south.
They wandered through desert and wilderness,
  they could find no way to a city they could dwell in.
Their souls were weary within them,
  weary from hunger and thirst.
They cried to the Lord in their trouble
  and he rescued them from their distress.
He set them on the right path
  towards a city they could dwell in.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness,
  for the wonders he works for men:
the Lord, who feeds hungry creatures
  and gives water to the thirsty to drink.
They sat in the darkness and shadow of death,
  imprisoned in chains and in misery,
because they had rebelled against the words of God
  and spurned the counsels of the Most High.
He wore out their hearts with labour:
  they were weak, there was no-one to help.
They cried to the Lord in their trouble
  and he rescued them from their distress.
He led them out of the darkness and shadow of death,
  he shattered their chains.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness,
  for the wonders he works for men:
the Lord, who shatters doors of bronze,
  who breaks bars of iron.
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 them thank the Lord for his love, for the wonders he does for men.

How to listen

Ps 106:17-32

Ipsi vidérunt ópera Dei et mirabília eius.
17Stulti facti sunt in via iniquitátis suæ*
  et propter iniustítias suas afflícti sunt;
18omnem escam abomináta est ánima eórum,*
  et appropinquavérunt usque ad portas mortis.
19Et clamavérunt ad Dóminum, cum tribularéntur,*
  et de necessitátibus eórum liberávit eos.
20Misit verbum suum et sanávit eos*
  et erípuit eos de interitiónibus eórum.
21Confiteántur Dómino propter misericórdiam eius*
  et mirabília eius in fílios hóminum,
22et sacríficent sacrifícium laudis*
  et annúntient ópera eius in exsultatióne.
23Qui descéndunt mare in návibus,*
  faciéntes operatiónem in aquis multis,
24ipsi vidérunt ópera Dómini*
  et mirabília eius in profúndo.
25Dixit et excitávit spíritum procéllæ,*
  et exaltáti sunt fluctus eius.
26Ascéndunt usque ad cælos†
  et descéndunt usque ad abýssos;*
  ánima eórum in malis tabescébat.
27Turbáti sunt et moti sunt sicut ébrius,*
  et omnis sapiéntia eórum devoráta est.
28Et clamavérunt ad Dóminum, cum tribularéntur,*
  et de necessitátibus eórum edúxit eos.
29Et státuit procéllam eius in auram,*
  et tacuérunt fluctus eius.
30Et lætáti sunt quia siluérunt,*
  et dedúxit eos in portum voluntátis eórum.
31Confiteántur Dómino propter misericórdiam eius*
  et mirabília eius in fílios hóminum,
32et exáltent eum in ecclésia plebis*
  et in convéntu seniórum laudent eum.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Ipsi vidérunt ópera Dei et mirabília eius.

Psalm 106 (107)

They have seen the Lord’s deeds and the wonders he does.
The people were sick because they transgressed,
  afflicted because of their sins.
All food was distasteful to them,
  they were on the verge of death.
They cried to the Lord in their trouble
  and he rescued them from their distress.
He sent forth his word and healed them,
  delivered them from their ruin.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness,
  for the wonders he works for men:
Let them offer a sacrifice of praise
  and proclaim his works with rejoicing.
Those who go down to the sea in ships,
  those who trade across the great waters –
they have seen the works of the Lord,
  the wonders he performs in the deep.
He spoke, and a storm arose,
  and the waves of the sea rose up.
They rose up as far as the heavens
  and descended down to the depths:
the sailors’ hearts melted from fear,
  they staggered and reeled like drunkards,
  terror drove them out of their minds.
But they cried to the Lord in their trouble
  and he rescued them from their distress.
He turned the storm into a breeze
  and silenced the waves.
They rejoiced at the ending of the storm
  and he led them to the port that they wanted.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness,
  for the wonders he works for men:
let them exalt him in the assembly of the people,
  give him praise in the council of the elders.
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.
They have seen the Lord’s deeds and the wonders he does.

Ps 106:33-43

Vidébunt recti et lætabúntur et intéllegent misericórdias Dómini.
33Pósuit flúmina in desértum*
  et éxitus aquárum in sitim,
34terram fructíferam in salsúginem*
  a malítia inhabitántium in ea.
35Pósuit desértum in stagna aquárum*
  et terram sine aqua in éxitus aquárum.
36Et collocávit illic esuriéntes,*
  et constituérunt civitátem habitatiónis.
37Et seminavérunt agros et plantavérunt víneas*
  et fecérunt fructum in provéntum suum.
38Et benedíxit eis, et multiplicáti sunt nimis,*
  et iuménta eórum non minorávit.
39Et pauci facti sunt et vexáti sunt*
  a tribulatióne malórum et dolóre.
40Effúdit contemptiónem super príncipes*
  et erráre fecit eos in desérto ínvio.
41Et suscépit páuperem de inópia*
  et pósuit sicut oves famílias.
42Vidébunt recti et lætabúntur,*
  et omnis iníquitas oppilábit os suum.
43Quis sápiens, et custódiet hæc*
  et intélleget misericórdias Dómini?
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Vidébunt recti et lætabúntur et intéllegent misericórdias Dómini.

Psalm 106 (107)

The upright see and rejoice; they consider the love of the Lord.
The Lord has turned rivers into wilderness,
  he has made well-watered lands into desert,
  fruitful ground into salty waste
  because of the evil of those who dwelt there.
But he has made wilderness into ponds,
  deserts into the sources of rivers,
he has called together the hungry
  and they have founded a city to dwell in.
They have sowed the fields, planted the vines;
  they grow and harvest their produce.
He has blessed them and they have multiplied;
  he does not let their cattle decrease.
But those others became few and oppressed
  through trouble, evil, and sorrow.
He poured his contempt on their princes
  and set them to wander the trackless waste.
But the poor he has saved from their poverty
  and their families grow numerous as sheep.
The upright shall see, and be glad,
  and all wickedness shall block up its mouth.
Whoever is wise will remember these things
  and understand the mercies of 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.
The upright see and rejoice; they consider the love of the Lord.
℣. Dómine, véritas tua usque ad nubes.
℟. Iudícia tua abýssus multa.
℣. Lord, your truth reaches to the skies.
℟. How wonderful are your designs.
Lectio prior
De libro primo Maccabæórum 9, 1-22

Mors Iudæ in bello

1Audívit Demétrius quia cécidit Nicánor et exércitus eius in prœ́lio et appósuit Bácchidem et Alcimum rursum míttere in terram Iudǽæ et dextrum cornu cum illis. 2Et abiérunt viam, quæ ducit in Gálgala, et castra posuérunt in Másaloth, quæ est in Arbélis, et occupavérunt eam et peremérunt ánimas hóminum multas. 3Et mense primo anni centésimi et quinquagésimi secúndi applicuérunt ad Ierúsalem; 4et surrexérunt et abiérunt in Bereth in vigínti mílibus virórum et duóbus mílibus équitum. 5Et Iudas posúerat castra in Elasa, et tria mília viri elécti cum eo; 6et vidérunt multitúdinem exércitus quia multi sunt, et timuérunt valde; et multi subtraxérunt se de castris, et non remansérunt ex eis nisi octingénti viri. 7Et vidit Iudas quod deflúxit exércitus suus, et bellum perurgébat eum; et confráctus est corde, quia non habébat tempus congregándi eos, 8et dissolútus est. Et dixit his, qui resídui erant: «Surgámus et ascendámus ad adversários nostros, si potérimus pugnáre advérsus eos». 9Et avertébant eum dicéntes: «Non potérimus, sed liberémus ánimas nostras modo et revertámur nos et fratres nostri et pugnábimus advérsus eos; nos autem pauci sumus». 10Et ait Iudas: «Absit istam rem fácere, ut fugiámus ab eis; et si appropiávit tempus nostrum, et moriámur in virtúte propter fratres nostros et non inferámus crimen glóriæ nostræ». 11Et movit exércitus de castris, et stetérunt illis óbviam; et divísi sunt équites in duas partes, et fundibulárii et sagittárii præíbant exércitum, et primi certáminis omnes poténtes. 12Bácchides autem erat in dextro cornu; et proximávit légio ex duábus pártibus, et clamábant tubis; et clamavérunt hi, qui erant ex parte Iudæ, étiam ipsi in tubis; 13et commóta est terra a voce exercítuum; et commíssum est prœ́lium a mane usque ad vésperam.
  14Et vidit Iudas quod Bácchides et fírmior pars exércitus erat in dextris, et convenérunt cum ipso omnes constántes corde; 15et contríta est déxtera pars ab eis, et persecútus est eos usque ad montem Azóti. 16Et qui in sinístro cornu erant, vidérunt quod contrítum est dextrum cornu, et secúti sunt post Iudam et eos, qui cum ipso erant, a tergo. 17Et ingravátum est prœ́lium, et cecidérunt vulneráti multi ex his et ex illis; 18et Iudas cécidit, et céteri fugérunt. 19Et Iónathas et Simon tulérunt Iudam fratrem suum et sepeliérunt eum in sepúlcro patrum suórum in Modin. 20Et flevérunt eum et planxérunt omnis pópulus Israel planctu magno et lugébant dies multos 21et dixérunt: «Quómodo cécidit potens, qui salvum faciébat pópulum Israel!».
  22Et cétera verbórum Iudæ et bellórum et virtútum, quas fecit, et magnitúdinis eius non sunt descrípta; multa enim erant valde.
First Reading
1 Maccabees 9:1-22

Judas’ death in battle

Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus a second time into the land of Judah, and with them the right wing of his army. They took the road to Galilee and besieged Mesaloth in Arbela, and captured it, putting many people to death. In the first month of the year one hundred and fifty-two they set up camp before Jerusalem; they then moved on, making their way to Beerzeth with twenty thousand foot and two thousand horse. Judas lay in camp at Elasa, with three thousand picked men. When they saw the huge size of the enemy forces they were terrified, and many slipped out of the camp, until no more than eight hundred of the force were left. When Judas saw that his army had melted away and that attack was imminent, he was aghast, for he had no time to rally them. Yet, dismayed as he was, he said to those who were left, ‘Up! Let us face the enemy; we may yet have the strength to fight them.’ His men tried to dissuade him, declaring, ‘We have no strength for anything but to escape with our lives this time; then we can come back with our brothers to fight them; by ourselves we are too few.’ ‘God forbid’ Judas retorted ‘that I should do such a thing as run away from them! If our time has come, at least let us die like men for our countrymen, and leave nothing to tarnish our reputation.’
  The enemy forces then marched out of the camp, and the Jews took up their position in readiness to engage them. The cavalry was ordered into two squadrons; the slingers and archers marched in the van of the army with the shock-troops, all stout fighters; Bacchides was on the right wing. The phalanx advanced from between the two squadrons, sounding the trumpets; the men on Judas’ side blew their trumpets also, and the earth shook with the noise of the armies. The engagement lasted from morning until evening.
  Judas saw that Bacchides and the main strength of his army lay on the right; all the stout-hearted rallied to him, and they broke the right wing and pursued them to the furthest foothills of the range. But when the Syrians on the left wing saw that the right had been broken, they turned and followed hot on the heels of Judas and his men to take them in the rear. The fight became desperate, and there were many casualties on both sides. Judas himself fell, and the remnant fled.
  Jonathan and Simon took up their brother Judas and buried him in his ancestral tomb at Modein. All Israel wept and mourned him deeply and for many days they repeated this dirge, ‘What a downfall for the strong man, the man who saved Israel single-handed!’ The other deeds of Judas, the battles he fought, the exploits he performed, and all his titles to greatness have not been recorded; but they were very many.
Responsorium
Cf. 1 Mac 4, 8 b. 9 a. 10 a. 9
℟. Impetum inimicórum ne timuéritis; mémores estóte quómodo salvi facti sunt patres nostri.* Et nunc clamémus in cælum et miserébitur nostri Deus noster.
℣. Mementóte mirabílium eius, quæ fecit Pharaóni et exercítui eius in mari Rubro.* Et nunc.
Responsory1 M 4:8-10
℟. Do not be daunted by an enemy attack: remember how our fathers were saved.* Let us besiege heaven with our prayers and our God will have mercy on us.
℣. Remember the wonders he worked against Pharaoh and his army at the Red Sea.* Let us besiege heaven with our prayers and our God will have mercy on us.
Lectio altera
Ex Tractátu sancti Ambrósii epíscopi De bono mortis (Cap. 3, 9; 4, 15: CSEL 32, 710. 716-717)

Mortificationem Christi circumferamus

Ait Apóstolus: Mihi mundus crucifíxus est, et ego mundo. Dénique ut sciámus quia est mors in hac vita et bona mors, hortátur nos ut mortem Iesu in córpore nostro circumferámus; qui enim habúerit in se mortem Iesu, is et vitam Dómini Iesu in córpore suo habébit.
  Operétur ígitur mors in nobis, ut operétur et vita; bona vita post mortem, hoc est bona vita post victóriam, bona vita absolúto certámine, ut iam lex carnis legi mentis repugnáre non nóverit, ut iam nobis nulla sit cum córpore mortis conténtio, sed sit in córpore mortis victória. Atque haud scio ipse an maióris virtútis mors ista quam vita sit. Certe Apóstoli móveor auctoritáte dicéntis: Ergo mors in nobis operátur, vita autem in vobis. Uníus mors quantórum populórum vitam ædificábat! Itaque docet et istam mortem in hac vita pósitis expeténdam, ut mors Christi in córpore nostro elúceat, et illam beátam, qua corrúmpitur extérior ut renovétur intérior homo noster, et terréstris domus nostra dissolvátur ut habitáculum nobis cæléste reserétur.
  Imitátur ígitur mortem qui se a communióne carnis huius abdúcit atque illis vínculis solvit, de quibus dicit tibi Dóminus per Isaíam: Sed solve omnem colligatiónem iniustítiæ, dissólve obligatiónes violentárum commutatiónum, dimítte confráctos in remissiónem et omnem circumscriptiónem iníquam disrúmpe.
  Passus est ígitur Dóminus subintráre mortem, ut culpa cessáret; sed ne íterum natúræ finis esset in morte, data est resurréctio mortuórum, ut per mortem culpa defíceret, per resurrectiónem autem perpetuarétur natúra.
  Ideóque mors hæc tránsitus universórum est. Opus est ut constánter tránseas: tránsitus autem a corruptióne ad incorruptiónem, a mortalitáte ad immortalitátem, a perturbatiónibus ad tranquillitátem. Non ígitur te nomen mortis offéndat, sed boni tránsitus benefícia deléctent. Quid est enim mors nisi sepultúra vitiórum, virtútum suscitátio? Unde et ille ait: Moriátur ánima mea in ánimis iustórum, id est consepeliátur, ut sua vítia depónat, iustórum assúmat grátiam, qui mortificatiónem Christi in córpore suo atque ánima circúmferunt.
Second Reading
St Ambrose, On The Blessing of Death

On the blessing of death

St Paul says, The world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Then he tells us that he means death in this life, and a good death: We carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of our Lord Jesus, too, may always be seen in our body.
  Let death do its work in us, therefore, so that life may do its work also: a good life after death, that is, a good life after victory, after the battle is over, when the law of the flesh is no longer in conflict with the law of the mind, when we have no more battles with mortal flesh but in mortal flesh we have victory. I wonder if this death might not have more power in it than life. St Paul’s authority certainly suggests it when he says Death works in us but life in you.
  One man’s death has laid the foundations of life for so many people! And so St Paul teaches that we should seek that death in this life, so that Christ’s death should shine out in our bodies. That blessed death, in which our outer nature falls away and our inner nature is renewed, and our earthly dwelling is dissolved so that our heavenly home is laid open to us.
  A man imitates this death when he drags himself away from being part of this flesh and breaks those chains that the Lord had spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: Break unjust fetters, undo the thongs of the yoke, let the oppressed go free, and break every unjust constraint.
  It was to put an end to guilt that the Lord permitted death to come into the world; but so that human nature should not end up perishing by death instead of guilt, the resurrection of the dead was given us. By death, guilt would be ended, and by resurrection, human nature would be eternal.
  And thus this death is a journey for everyone. You must always be journeying: from decay to incorruptibility, from mortality to immortality, from turbulence to peace. Do not be alarmed by the word ‘death’ but rejoice at the good that the journey will bring. For what is death except the burial of vice and the raising up of virtue? Hence Scripture says, May I die the death of the just – that is, may I be buried with them, put down my vices, and put on the grace of the just, who carry the mortification of Christ around in their bodies and their souls.
Responsorium
2 Tim 2, 11-12 a; Eccli 1, 29
℟. Fidélis sermo: si commórtui sumus et convivémus:* Si sustinémus et conregnábimus.
℣. Usque in tempus sustinébit pátiens et póstea erit reddítio iucunditátis.* Si sustinémus.
Responsory
℟. Here are words you may trust: If we died with him, we shall live with him;* if we endure, we shall reign with him.
℣. The patient man will hold out until the end, but then his joy will break out;* if we endure, we shall reign with him.
Oremus.
  Omnípotens et miséricors Deus, de cuius múnere venit, ut tibi a fidélibus tuis digne et laudabíliter serviátur, tríbue, quǽsumus, nobis, ut ad promissiónes tuas sine offensióne currámus.
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.
God of power and mercy,
  by whose grace your people give you praise and worthy service,
save us from faltering
  on our way to the joys you have promised.
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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