Carissimi; Today’s Mass: St Egbert, Confessor

ionaSt Egbert, Confessor: Missa “Os justi”

Saint Ecgberht (or Egbert) (died 729) was an Anglo-Saxon monk of Northumbria and Bishop of Lindisfarne. As a youth he went on a peregrinatio, or pilgrimage far from home, traveling to Ireland. One of his acquaintances at this time was Chad. He settled at the monastery of Rathelmigisi (Rathmelsigi), identified with Mellifont in County Louth or else in Connaught. His Northumbrian travelling companions, including Æthelhun, died of the plague, and he contracted it as well. Thinking he would die, Ecgberht wept in repentance as he recalled his past sins, and he prayed that God spare him long enough to allow him to atone for the ill deeds of his youth, and he also vowed to remain on perpetual pilgrimage from his homeland of Britain, reciting the Psalter daily and fasting frequently. He miraculously recovered, and kept his vow until his death at age 90. While in Ireland, Ecgberht was one of those present at the Synod of Birr in 697, when the Cáin Adomnáin was guaranteed.

After his ordination as a priest, Egbert was filled with zeal for the conversion of the pagan Germanic tribes in Friesland. He began to organize monks in Ireland to proselytize in Frisia; many other high-born notables were associated with his work: Saint Adalbert, Saint Swithbert, and Saint Chad. Ecgberht arranged the mission of Saint Willibrord, Saint Wigbert and others to the pagans. He, however, was dissuaded from this by a vision related to him by a monk who had been a disciple of Saint Boisil (the Prior of Melrose under Abbot Eata). In 684, he tried to dissuade King Ecgfrith of Northumbria from sending an expedition to Ireland under his general Berht, but he was unsuccessful. Ecgberht eventually become a monk on the island of Iona, in the distant Inner Hebrides, where he resided from 716 and gently persuaded the monks there to adhere to the Roman form of computing Easter, which had been adopted at the Synod of Whitby (664). He died on the first day that the Easter feast was observed by this manner in the monastery, on 24 April 729.

INTROIT Psalm 36: 30, 31

The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment: the law of his God is in his heart. Alleluia, alleluia. (Ps. 36: 30-31) Be not emulous of evildoers: nor envy them that work iniquity. v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Repeat The mouth of the just…

COLLECT

O God, in whose Spirit blessed Egbert, thirsting for salvation, appointed sundry hearts of the faith and sent them forth to preach the gospel; with his merits pleading for us we pray thee guide the hearts of thy servants to thyself, so that being kindled with the fire of they Spirit they may be found steadfast in faith and effectual in deed: Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen.

For the Octave of St George
O God, Who dost gladden us by the merits and inter-cession of blessed George, Thy Martyr, mercifully grant that we, who ask Thy favors through him, may obtain them by the gift of Thy grace.

Prayer in honor of our Blessed Lady
Grant us, Thy servants, O Lord God, we beseech Thee, to enjoy continual health of mind and body, and, by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, to be delivered from present sorrow and partake of the fullness of eternal joy. Through 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.

EPISTLE Ecclus. 31: 8-11

Lesson from the Book of Wisdom. Blessed is the man that is found without blemish, and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures. Who is he, and we will praise him? For he hath done wonderful things in his life. Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting: he that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed, and could do evil things, and hath not done them: therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the church of the saints shall declare his alms.

ALLELUIA

Alleluia, alleluia. V. James 1:12 Blessed is he who endures under trials: when he has proved his worth he will win the crown of life. Alleluia. V. Eccl. 45:9 The Lord loved him well and ennobled him: he clothed him about with a robe of honour. Alleluia.

GOSPEL Luke 12: 35-40

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: ” Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands, and you yourselves like to men, who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh, shall find watching. Amen, I say to you, that He will gird Himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them. And if He shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be ye then also ready; for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come.”

OFFERTORY Psalm 88: 25

My truth and My mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. Alleluia.

SECRET

We offer sacrificial gifts in praise of thee, Lord, and in memory of thy saints; trusting that by them we may be delivered from ills both present and to come: Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R. Amen.

For the Octave of St George
Sanctify the gifts we offer Thee, O Lord, and through the intercession of blessed George, Thy martyr, cleanse us by them from the stains of our sins.

Prayer in honor of our Blessed Lady
By Thy clemency, O Lord, and the intercession of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, may this oblation profit us unto eternal and also present well being and peace. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R.Amen.

PREFACE of the Common

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: through Christ our Lord. Through Whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted, while we say in lowly praise: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY…

COMMUNION Matthew 24: 46-47

Blessed is the servant who is found on the watch when his Lord comes: I promise you, he will give him charge of all his goods. Alleluia.

POSTCOMMUNION

Refreshed with food and drink from on high, we humbly beg thee, our God, that we may be guarded by the prayers of him in memory of whom, we have received this sacrament; Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.

For the Octave of St George
We beseech Thee, O almighty God, that those whom Thou dost refresh with Thy sacrament, Thou also grant them, by the intercession of blessed George, Thy martyr, to serve Thee, as befits them, with behavior pleasing unto Thee.

Prayer in honor of our Blessed Lady
Let us pray. Having received the aids of our everlasting salvation, O Lord, we beseech Thee, grant us to be everywhere protected by the patronage of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, in veneration of whom we have made these offerings to Thy majesty. Through 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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