Universalis
Saturday 24 January 2026    (other days)
Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor 
 on Saturday of week 2 in Ordinary Time

Using calendar: Sweden. 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.
Based on the liturgy for the Common of Bishops.
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
Christe, pastórum caput atque princeps,
géstiens huius celebráre festum,
débitas sacro pia turba psallit
cármine laudes,
Strénuum bello púgilem supérni
chrísmatis pleno tuus unxit intus
Spíritus dono, posuítque sanctam
páscere gentem.
Hic gregis ductor fuit atque forma,
lux erat cæco, mísero levámen,
próvidus cunctis pater omnibúsque
ómnia factus.
Christe, qui sanctis méritam corónam
reddis in cælis, dócili magístrum
fac sequi vita, similíque tandem
fine potíri.
Æqua laus summum célebret Paréntem
teque, Salvátor, pie rex, per ævum;
Spíritus Sancti résonet per omnem
glória mundum. Amen.
Hymn
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
In all life thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish, like leaves on the tree,
Then wither and perish; but naught changeth thee.
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render: O help us to see
’Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

Ps 135:1-9
Hymnus paschalis

“Domini res gestas narrare, laudare est” (Cassiodorus).

Dóminus facit mirabília magna solus, in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
1Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
2Confitémini Deo deórum,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
3Confitémini Dómino dominórum,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
4Qui facit mirabília magna solus,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
5Qui fecit cælos in intelléctu,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
6Qui expándit terram super aquas,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
7Qui fecit luminária magna,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius;
8solem, ut præésset diéi,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius;
9lunam et stellas, ut præéssent nocti,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Dóminus facit mirabília magna solus, in ætérnum misericórdia eius.

Psalm 135 (136)
A paschal hymn

The Lord alone has wrought marvellous works, for his love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
  for his love is for ever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
  for his love is for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
  for his love is for ever.
He alone works wonders,
  for his love is for ever.
In his wisdom he made the heavens,
  for his love is for ever.
He set the Earth upon the waters,
  for his love is for ever.
He created the great lights,
  for his love is for ever.
The sun, to rule over the day,
  for his love is for ever.
The moon and stars, to rule over the night,
  for his love is for ever.
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 alone has wrought marvellous works, for his love endures for ever.

How to listen

Ps 135:10-15

Edúxit Israel de médio Ægýpti, in manu poténti et bráchio exténto.
10Qui percússit Ægýptum in primogénitis eórum,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
11Qui edúxit Israel de médio eórum,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius;
12in manu poténti et bráchio exténto,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
13Qui divísit mare Rubrum in divisiónes,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
14Et tradúxit Israel per médium eius,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
15Et excússit pharaónem et virtútem eius in mari Rubro,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Edúxit Israel de médio Ægýpti, in manu poténti et bráchio exténto.

Psalm 135 (136)

He brought Israel out from Egypt, with arm outstretched, with power in his hand.
He struck down the first-born of Egypt,
  for his love is for ever.
He led Israel out from their midst,
  for his love is for ever.
With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
  for his love is for ever.
He divided the Red Sea in two,
  for his love is for ever.
He led Israel out through the sea,
  for his love is for ever.
He overthrew Pharaoh and his army,
  for his love is for ever.
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.
He brought Israel out from Egypt, with arm outstretched, with power in his hand.

Ps 135:16-26

Confitémini Deo cæli; ipse redémit nos ab inimícis nostris.
16Qui tradúxit pópulum suum per desértum,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
17Qui percússit reges magnos,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius;
18et occídit reges poténtes,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
19Sehon regem Amorræórum,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius;
20et Og regem Basan,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
21Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius;
22hereditátem Israel servo suo,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
23Qui in humilitáte nostra memor fuit nostri,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius;
24et redémit nos ab inimícis nostris,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
25Qui dat escam omni carni,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
26Confitémini Deo cæli,*
  quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia eius.
Glória Patri et Fílio*
  et Spirítui Sancto.
Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*
  et in sǽcula sæculórum.
Amen.
Confitémini Deo cæli; ipse redémit nos ab inimícis nostris.

Psalm 135 (136)

To the Lord of heaven give thanks: he set us free from our foes.
He led his people through the wilderness,
  for his love is for ever.
He struck down great kings,
  for his love is for ever.
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
  for his love is for ever.
And Og, the king of Bashan,
  for his love is for ever.
He gave their land to his people,
  for his love is for ever.
A heritage for Israel his servant,
  for his love is for ever.
He remembered us in our affliction,
  for his love is for ever.
He rescued us from our enemies,
  for his love is for ever.
He gives food to all creatures that live,
  for his love is for ever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven,
  for his love is for ever.
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.
To the Lord of heaven give thanks: he set us free from our foes.
℣. Audies de ore meo verbum.
℟. Et annuntiábis eis ex me.
℣. You will hear the word from my mouth.
℟. You will speak to them in my name.
Lectio prior
De libro Deuteronómii 16, 1-17

Festa celebranda

In diébus illis: Locútus est Móyses pópulo dicens:
  1«Obsérva mensem Abib, ut fácies Pascha Dómino Deo tuo; quóniam in isto mense Abib edúxit te Dóminus Deus tuus de Ægýpto nocte. 2Immolabísque Pascha Dómino Deo tuo de óvibus et de bobus in loco, quem elégerit Dóminus Deus tuus, ut hábitet nomen eius ibi. 3Non cómedes cum eo panem fermentátum; septem diébus cómedes absque ferménto afflictiónis panem, quóniam festinánter egréssus es de Ægýpto, ut memíneris diéi egressiónis tuæ de Ægýpto ómnibus diébus vitæ tuæ. 4Non apparébit ferméntum in ómnibus términis tuis septem diébus; et non manébit de cárnibus eius, quod immolátum est véspere in die primo, usque mane. 5Non póteris immoláre Pascha in quálibet úrbium tuárum, quas Dóminus Deus tuus datúrus est tibi, 6sed in loco, quem elégerit Dóminus Deus tuus, ut hábitet nomen eius ibi, immolábis Pascha véspere ad solis occásum, quando egréssus es de Ægýpto. 7Et coques et cómedes in loco, quem elégerit Dóminus Deus tuus, manéque consúrgens vades in tabernácula tua. 8Sex diébus cómedes ázyma et in die séptimo, quia collécta est Dómino Deo tuo; non fácies opus.
  9Septem hebdómadas numerábis tibi ab ea die, qua falcem in ségetem míseris, 10et celebrábis diem festum Hebdomadárum Dómino Deo tuo, oblatiónem spontáneam manus tuæ, quam ófferes iuxta benedictiónem Dómini Dei tui. 11Et epuláberis coram Dómino Deo tuo tu, fílius tuus et fília tua, servus tuus et ancílla tua et Levítes, qui est intra portas tuas, ádvena ac pupíllus et vídua, qui morántur tecum in loco, quem elégerit Dóminus Deus tuus, ut hábitet nomen eius ibi; 12et recordáberis quóniam servus fúeris in Ægýpto custodiésque ac fácies, quæ præcépta sunt.
  13Sollemnitátem quoque Tabernaculórum celebrábis per septem dies, quando collégeris de área et torculári fruges tuas; 14et epuláberis in festivitáte tua tu, fílius tuus et fília, servus tuus et ancílla, Levítes quoque et ádvena, pupíllus ac vídua, qui intra portas tuas sunt. 15Septem diébus Dómino Deo tuo festa celebrábis in loco, quem elégerit Dóminus, quia benedícet tibi Dóminus Deus tuus in cunctis frúgibus tuis et in omni ópere mánuum tuárum, erísque totus in lætítia.
  16Tribus vícibus per annum apparébit omne masculínum tuum in conspéctu Dómini Dei tui in loco, quem elégerit: in sollemnitáte Azymórum et in sollemnitáte Hebdomadárum et in sollemnitáte Tabernaculórum. Non apparébit ante Dóminum vácuus, 17sed ófferet unusquísque secúndum quod habúerit, iuxta benedictiónem Dómini Dei tui, quam déderit tibi».
First Reading
Deuteronomy 16:1-17

The feasts of Israel

Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover for the Lord your God, because it was in the month of Abib that the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night. You must sacrifice a passover from your flock or herd for the Lord your God in the place where the Lord chooses to give his name a home. You must not eat leavened bread with this; for seven days you must eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of emergency, for it was in great haste that you came out of the land of Egypt; so you will remember, all the days of your life, the day you came out of the land of Egypt. For seven days no leaven must be found in any house throughout your territory, nor must any of the meat that you sacrifice in the evening of the first day be kept overnight until morning. You may not sacrifice the passover in any of the towns that the Lord your God gives you; but only in the place where the Lord your God chooses to give his name a home, there you must sacrifice the passover, in the evening at sunset, at the hour at which you came out of Egypt. You must cook it and eat it in the place the Lord your God chooses, and in the morning you are to return and go to your tents. For six days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the seventh day there shall be an assembly for the Lord your God; and you must do no work.
  You are to count seven weeks, counting these seven weeks from the time you begin to put your sickle into the standing corn. You must then celebrate the feast of weeks for the Lord your God with the gift of a voluntary offering from your hand in proportion to the way that the Lord your God has blessed you. You must rejoice in the presence of the Lord your God in the place where the Lord your God chooses to give his name a home, you and your son and daughter, your serving men and women, the Levite who lives in your towns, the stranger, the orphan and the widow who live among you. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and carefully observe these laws.
  You must celebrate the feast of Tabernacles for seven days, at the time when you gather in the produce of your threshing-floor and winepress. You must rejoice at your feast, you and your son and daughter, your serving men and women, the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow who live in your towns. For seven days you are to celebrate the feast for the Lord your God in the place the Lord chooses, for the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and all your handiwork, and you will be filled with joy.
  Three times a year all your menfolk are to appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses: at the feast of Unleavened Bread, at the feast of Weeks, at the feast of Tabernacles. No one must appear before the Lord empty-handed, but every man must give what he can, in proportion to the blessing that the Lord your God gives you.
Responsorium
Cf. Deut 16, 14. 15; Nah 2, 1
℟. Epuláberis in festivitáte tua tu, fílius tuus et fília, levítes quoque et ádvena, pupíllus ac vídua;* Benedicétque tibi Dóminus erísque in lætítia.
℣. Ecce super montes pedes evangelizántis et annuntiántis pacem: célebra, Iuda, festivitátes tuas.* Benedicétque.
Responsory
Dt 16:14-15; Na 1:15
℟. You must rejoice at your feast, you and your son and daughter, the Levite, the stranger, the orphan and the widow,* and the Lord will bless you, and you will be filled with joy.
℣. See on the mountains the feet of the herald who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah,* and the Lord will bless you, and you will be filled with joy.
Lectio altera
Ex Introductióne ad vitam devótam sancti Francísci de Sales epíscopi (Pars 1, cap. 3)

Diversimode devotio est exercenda

In ipsa rerum creatióne plantis mandávit Creátor Deus, ut unaquǽque fructum ferret secúndum genus suum: ita christiánis, qui vivæ Ecclésiæ suæ plantæ sunt, imperávit ut quisque devotiónis fructum pro qualitáte, statu et vocatióne sua proférret.
  Diversímode, inquam, devótio est exercénda a nóbili vidélicet et ab opífice, a fámulo et a príncipe, a vídua et a puélla innúpta, ac coniugáta. Immo ne hoc quidem satis est; sed et ipsa devotiónis praxis, víribus, negótiis et offíciis cuiúsque particulátim est accommodánda.
  Dic mihi, óbsecro, Philóthea mea, num consentáneum sit, ut epíscopi, Carthusianórum instar, solitúdinem consectári velint; coniugáti non magis de pecúlio suo adaugéndo sollíciti sint quam Capuccíni; religiósi in morem, ópifex totos dies in templo agat; et religiósus, ex contrário, ad omnes casus et evéntus, qui próximi necessitátem consequúntur, epíscopi exémplo, semper sit expósitus; an non devótio hæc ridícula, inordináta et intolerábilis esset?
  Hic tamen error et absúrditas sæpíssime occúrrit. Nequáquam, Philóthea mea: étenim devótio, dúmmodo ea vera et sincéra sit, nihil omníno déstruit, sed cuncta pérficit et consúmmat, et si quando legítime alicúius vocatióni ac státui repúgnat et adversátur, haud dúbie falsa est.
  Apis ita suum ex flóribus mel cólligit, ut eos mínime lædat aut déstruat, tam eos íntegros, intaminátos et recéntes relínquens atque eos répperit. Mélius vero id præstat vera devótio: nam ádeo nullum vocatiónis aut negotiórum genus déstruit, ut ea étiam exórnet ac condécoret.
  Nam ut quǽlibet gemmæ, melli impósitæ, pro suo quæque colóre fulgentióres et rutilantióres sunt, sic in sua quisque vocatióne accéptior fit et perféctior, si devotióni illam coniúngat. Per hanc tibi enim et famíliæ cura longe rédditur quiétior, mútuus inter marítum et uxórem amor sincérior, obséquium príncipi débitum fidélius, et omnes quotquot sunt, occupatiónes suavióres et melióres.
  Error proínde est, quin et hǽresis, devotiónis exercítium a cohórtibus militáribus, ab officína opíficum, ab aulis príncipum, a família coniugatórum velle exclúdere; fáteor quidem, caríssima Philóthea, devotiónem, quæ pure contemplatíva, monástica et religiósa est, hisce in offíciis et státibus mínime exercéri posse; at præter triplex hoc devotiónis genus, sunt et ália multa ad eos qui in státibus sæculáribus vivunt perficiéndos peraccommodáta.
  Ubicúmque locórum ergo sumus, ad vitam perféctam aspiráre et debémus et póssumus.
Second Reading
From The Introduction to the Devout Life by Saint Francis de Sales, bishop

Devotion must be practised in different ways

When God the Creator made all things, he commanded the plants to bring forth fruit each according to its own kind; he has likewise commanded Christians, who are the living plants of his Church, to bring forth the fruits of devotion, each one in accord with his character, his station and his calling.
  I say that devotion must be practised in different ways by the nobleman and by the working man, by the servant and by the prince, by the widow, by the unmarried girl and by the married woman. But even this distinction is not sufficient; for the practice of devotion must be adapted to the strength, to the occupation and to the duties of each one in particular.
  Tell me, please, my Philothea, whether it is proper for a bishop to want to lead a solitary life like a Carthusian; or for married people to be no more concerned than a Capuchin about increasing their income; or for a working man to spend his whole day in church like a religious; or on the other hand for a religious to be constantly exposed like a bishop to all the events and circumstances that bear on the needs of our neighbour. Is not this sort of devotion ridiculous, unorganised and intolerable? Yet this absurd error occurs very frequently; but in no way does true devotion, my Philothea, destroy anything at all. On the contrary, it perfects and fulfils all things. In fact if it ever works against, or is inimical to, anyone’s legitimate station and calling, then it is very definitely false devotion.
  The bee collects honey from flowers in such a way as to do the least damage or destruction to them, and he leaves them whole, undamaged and fresh, just as he found them. True devotion does still better. Not only does it not injure any sort of calling or occupation, it even embellishes and enhances it.
  Moreover, just as every sort of gem, cast in honey, becomes brighter and more sparkling, each according to its colour, so each person becomes more acceptable and fitting in his own vocation when he sets his vocation in the context of devotion. Through devotion your family cares become more peaceful, mutual love between husband and wife becomes more sincere, the service we owe to the prince becomes more faithful, and our work, no matter what it is, becomes more pleasant and agreeable.
  It is therefore an error and even a heresy to wish to exclude the exercise of devotion from military divisions, from the artisans’ shops, from the courts of princes, from family households. I acknowledge, my dear Philothea, that the type of devotion which is purely contemplative, monastic and religious can certainly not be exercised in these sorts of stations and occupations, but besides this threefold type of devotion, there are many others fit for perfecting those who live in a secular state.
  Therefore, in whatever situations we happen to be, we can and we must aspire to the life of perfection.
Responsorium
Eph 4, 32 — 5, 1; Mt 11, 29 ab
℟. Estóte ínvicem benígni, misericórdes, donántes ínvicem, sicut et Deus in Christo donávit vobis.* Estóte ergo imitatóres Dei, sicut fílii caríssimi.
℣. Tóllite iugum meum super vos et díscite a me, quia mitis sum et húmilis corde.* Estóte.
Responsory
℟. Be friends with one another, and kind, forgiving each other as readily as God forgave you in Christ.* Try, then, to imitate God, as children of his that he loves.
℣. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart.* Try, then, to imitate God, as children of his that he loves.
Oremus.
  Deus, qui ad animárum salútem beátum Francíscum, epíscopum, ómnibus ómnia factum esse voluísti, concéde propítius, ut, eius exémplo, tuæ mansuetúdinem caritátis in fratrum servítio semper ostendámus.
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.
Grant, Lord, that in the service of our fellow-men
we may always reflect your own gentleness and love,
  and so imitate Saint Francis de Sales,
  whom you made all things to all men for the saving of souls.
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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