Tuesday Lent I; Commemoration of St Gregory Dialogus “The Great”: Missa “Dómine, refúgium”
Collecta at St. Nicholas in Carcere. Station at St. Anastasia. In the Middle Ages the church of St. Nicholas was one of the most central and important of the Roman churches. The funeral ceremony of Urban II was held here; the name in carcere (in prison) also goes back to the Middle Ages.
St. Anastasia is commemorated in the second Mass of Christmas; her feast at Rome is perhaps older than the feast of Christmas itself. The church is said to mark the spot of the martyr’s dwelling; she was a holy widow martyred under Diocletian.
The Lucernare (Psalm 140) of the Gradual is noteworthy. In oriental liturgies it belongs to the Night Office. We must bear in mind that for many centuries Rome did not use the canonical Office of Vespers, its place being taken by the stational Mass celebrated either during Lent or on the eve of some solemn feast, at the very hour of sunset, when the Eastern Church was reciting the Office of the Lucernare. We learn from the Mass the importance of prayer and meditation, and how careful should be our preparation to approach the sacraments.
The Epistle: Lent is a time of fast and prayer and good works; Lent is the time when God is near to us and eager to forgive us, if we put aside our evil thoughts and forsake the way of sin. The Gospel: We must cast sin out from our minds and hearts, as Jesus cast out the sellers from the Temple, and receive the teaching of Christ with the simplicity of children of God.
INTROIT Psalm 89: 1-2
Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation: from eternity and to eternity Thou art. (Ps. 89: 2) Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world was formed: from eternity and to eternity Thou art God. 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 Lord, Thou hast been our refuge…
COLLECT
Look down upon Thy household, O Lord, and grant that our minds may be made glow by the desire of Thee, which have been chastened by the tormenting of their bodies. 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.
Commemoration of St. Gregory the Great, Pope & Doctor of the Church
God, who hast bestowed on the soul of thy servant Gregory the rewards of eternal bliss, grant, that in thy mercy, we who are borne down by the weight of our sins may be raised up through his intercession before thee.
Second Collect for the Intercession of Thy Saints
Defend us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, from all dangers of mind and body; that through the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, together with blessed Joseph, Thy blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and blessed N. (Here mention the titular saint of the church), and all the saints, mercifully grant us safety and peace; that all adversities and errors being overcome, Thy Church may serve Thee in security and freedom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
EPISTLE Isaias 55: 6-11
Lesson from Isaias the Prophet. In those days the prophet Isaias spoke, saying, Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He is bountiful to forgive. For My thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are My ways exalted above your ways, and My thoughts above your thoughts. And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth and water it, and make it to spring, arid give seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall My word be which shall go forth from My mouth: it shall not return to Me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it; saith the Lord almighty.
GRADUAL Psalm 140: 2
Let my prayer be directed as incense in Thy sight, O Lord. V. The lifting up of my hands as evening sacrifice.
GOSPEL Matthew 21: 10,17
At that time, when Jesus was come into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the people said, This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the chairs of them that sold doves, and He saith to them, ” It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” And there came to Him the blind and the lame, in the temple; and He healed them. And the chief priests and scribes seeing the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David, were moved with indignation, and said to Him, Hearest Thou what these say? And Jesus said to them, Yea, have you never read, Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?” And leaving them, He went out of the city in Bethania and remained there.
OFFERTORY Psalm 30: 15-16
In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped: I said: Thou art my God, my times are in Thy hands.
SECRET
Be appeased, we beseech Thee, O Lord, with the gifts we offer, and defend us from all dangers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever. R.Amen.
Commemoration of St. Gregory the Great, Pope & Doctor of the Church
Grant, we entreat thee, Lord, that through the intercession of blessed Gregory we may offer profit by this sacrifice, the offering of which, under thy ordinances, earns pardon for the sins of all mankind.
Second Secret to implore the Intercession of the Saints
Graciously hear us, O God our Savior, and by the virtue of this sacrament protect us from all enemies of soul and body, bestowing on us both grace in this life and glory hereafter. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
PREFACE of Lent
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: Who by this bodily fast, dost curb our vices, dost lift up our minds and bestow on us strength and rewards; 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 these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY…
COMMUNION Psalm 4: 2
When I called upon Thee, Thou didst hear me, O God of my justice: when I was in distress, Thou hast enlarged me: have mercy on me, O Lord, and hear my prayer.
POSTCOMMUNION
We beg, O almighty God, that we may lay hold upon the effect of that salvation whose pledge we have received through these mysteries. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
Commemoration of St. Gregory the Great, Pope & Doctor of the Church
O God, who for his merits didst make the blessed pontiff Gregory the equal of thy saints; grant us this boon, that we who keep high festival in memory of him may also reproduce the pattern of his life.
Intercession of the Saints
May the oblation of this divine sacrament cleanse and defend us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and, through the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with blessed Joseph, Thy blessed apostles Peter and Paul, blessed N. (here mention the titular saint of the church), and all the saints, purify us from all our sins and deliver us from all adversity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE
Let us pray. Bow down your heads before God.
May our prayers ascend unto You, O Lord, and banish all wickedness from Your Church. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever. R. Amen.
PROPER LAST GOSPEL Matthew 5: 13-19
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples,”You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt lose its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden by men. You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain can not be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house; so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven. Do not think that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For, amen I say unto you, till Heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass of the law till all be fulfilled. He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven: but he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.”
Saint Gregory Dialogus, Pope of Rome, was born in Rome around the year 540. His grandfather was Pope Felix, and his mother Sylvia (November 4) and aunts Tarsilla and Emiliana were also numbered among the saints by the Roman Church. Having received a most excellent secular education, he attained high government positions.
Leading a God-pleasing life, he yearned for monasticism with all his soul. After the death of his father, Saint Gregory used his inheritance to establish six monasteries. At Rome he founded a monastery dedicated to the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, where he received monastic tonsure. Later, on a commission of Pope Pelagius II, Saint Gregory lived for a while in Constantinople. There he wrote his Commentary on the Book of Job.
After the death of Pope Pelagius, Saint Gregory was chosen to the Roman See. For seven months he would not consent to accept this service, considering himself unworthy. He finally accepted consecration only after the persistent entreaties of the clergy and flock.
Wisely leading the Church, Saint Gregory worked tirelessly in propagating the Word of God. Saint Gregory compiled the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts in the Latin language, which before him was known only in the verbal tradition. Affirmed by the Sixth Ecumenical Council, this liturgical service was accepted by all the Orthodox Church.
He zealously struggled against the Donatist heresy; he also converted the inhabitants of Brittany, pagans and Goths, who had been adhering to the Arian heresy, to the True Faith.
Saint Gregory has left behind numerous written works. After the appearance of his book, DIALOGUES CONCERNING THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF THE ITALIAN FATHERS (DIALOGI DE VITA ET MIRACULIS PATRUM ITALIORUM), the saint was called “Dialogus.” His PASTORAL RULE (or LIBER REGULAE PASTORALIS) was well-known. In this work, Saint Gregory describes the model of the true pastor. His letters (848), dealing with moral guidance, have also survived.
Saint Gregory headed the Church for thirteen years, ministering to all the needs of his flock. He was characterized by an extraordinary love of poverty, for which he was granted a vision of the Lord Himself.
Pope Saint Gregory the Great, as he is known, died in the year 604, and his relics rest in the cathedral of the holy Apostle Peter in the Vatican.
The Brighton Oratory 
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