Monday Lent II: Missa “Rédime me”
Collecta at Sts. Cosmas and Damian. The basilica of the two holy physicians stands in the Forum, having been adapted from the ancient templum Romuli and the templum sacrae urbis.
The Station is at St. Clement. The Basilica of St. Clement (whose name is mentioned in the Canon of the Mass) rises on the site of an ancient Roman dornus, which tradition connects with his name. During the final persecution, there was a deliberate attempt to profane that sanctified spot, by erecting here an altar to Mithras, which, however, under Constantine, gave place once more to the cross of Christ. In the Introit (Ps. 25) the martyr himself speaks in the person of the Psalmist: “In the churches will I bless the Lord” that is, in those assemblies which were brought together by Clement in his own house, and which were the forerunners of the stational gatherings.
The epistle speaks to the wrath of God, the almighty Lord of Heaven and earth, which fell the first time on Jerusalem at the time of the captivity into Babylon, was renewed against Israel at the burning of the Temple. Like guilty Christians, they would only be able to return to the Lord by penance, while the heathen are called instead to believe in Jesus, to become part of His people by baptism. In the gospel Our Lord Jesus Christ foretells that the Jews will lift Him up on the cross, and thrice He says that they will die in their sin.
INTROIT Psalm 25: 11-12
Redeem me, O Lord, and have mercy on me; for my foot hath stood in the direct way: in the churches I will bless the Lord. (Ps. 25: 1) Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence; and hoping in the Lord, I shall not be weakened 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 Redeem me…
COLLECT
Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that Thy household, which, to afflict the flesh, abstains from food, may, by following justice, fast from sin. 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.
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.
Third Collect for the Living and the Dead
O almighty and eternal God, who hast dominion over both the living and the dead, and hast mercy on all whom Thou forekowest shall be Thine by faith and good works : we humbly beseech Thee that all for whom we have resolved to make supplication whether the present world still holds them in the flesh or the world to come has already received them out of the body, may, through the intercession of all Thy saints, obtain of Thy goodness and clemency pardon for all their sins. 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 Daniel 9: 15-19
Lesson from Daniel the Prophet. In those days, Daniel prayed to the Lord, saying, O Lord, our God, Who hast brought forth Thy people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and hast made Thee a name as at this day; we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, O Lord, against all Thy justice: let Thy wrath and Thy indignation be turned away, I beseech Thee, from Thy city Jerusalem, and from Thy holy mountain. For by reason of our sins, and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Thy people are a reproach to all that are round about us. Now, therefore, O our God, hear the supplication of Thy servant, and his prayers; and show Thy face upon Thy sanctuary which is desolate, for Thy own sake. Incline, O my God, Thy ear, and hear; open Thine eyes, and see our desolation, and the city upon which Thy name is called: for it is not for our justifications that we present our prayers before Thy face, but for the multitude of Thy tender mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, be appeased; harken and do; delay not for Thy own sake, O my God: because Thy name is invocated upon Thy city and upon Thy people, O Lord our God.
GRADUAL Psalm 69: 6, 3
Be Thou my helper and my deliverer; O Lord, make no delay. V. Let my enemies be confounded and ashamed, that seek my soul.
TRACT Psalm 102: 10
O Lord, repay us not according to the sins we have committed, nor according to our iniquities. V. (Ps. 78: 8-9) O Lord, remember not our former iniquities: let Thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor.
(Here all kneel down)
Help Us, O Lord our Saviour: and for the glory of Thy name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for Thy name’s sake.
GOSPEL John 8: 21-28
At that time, Jesus said to the multitudes of the Jews, “I go and you shall seek Me, and you shall die in your sin. Whither I go, you cannot come.” The Jews therefore said, Will He kill Himself? because He said, Whither I go, you can not come. And He said to them, “You are from beneath, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I say to you, that you shall die in your sins; for if you believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sin.” They said therefore to Him, Who art thou? Jesus said to them, “The beginning, Who also speak to you. Many things I have to speak and judge of you; but He that sent Me is true, and the things I have heard of Him, these same I speak in the world.” And they understood not that He called God His Father. Jesus therefore said to them, “When you shall have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as the Father hath taught Me, these things I speak: and He that sent Me is with Me, and He hath not left Me alone:for I do always the things that please Him.”
OFFERTORY Psalm 15: 7, 8
I will bless the Lord Who hath given me understanding: I set the Lord always in nay sight; for He is at my right hand, that I be not moved.
SECRET
May this sacrifice of reconciliation and praise, O Lord, render us worthy of Thy protection. 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.
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.
Third Secret for the Living and the Dead
O God, Who alone knowest the number of the elect to be admitted to the happiness of Heaven, grant, we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of all Thy saints, the names of all who have been recommended to our prayers and of all the faithful, may be inscribed in the book of blessed predestination. Protect us, O Lord, who assist at Thy mysteries; that, fixed upon things divine we may serve Thee in both body and mind. 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 8: 2
O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy name in all the earth!
POSTCOMMUNION
May this communion, O Lord, purge us of guilt and make us to be partakers of Him Who is our heavenly healing. 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.
Second Postcommunion to implore the 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.
Third Postcommunion for the Living and the Dead
Let us pray. May the sacraments which we have received purify us, we beseech Thee, O almighty and merciful Lord; and through the intercession of all Thy saints, grant that this Thy sacrament may not be unto us a condemnation, but a salutary intercession for pardon; may it be the washing away of sin, the strength of the weak, a protection against all dangers of the world, and a remission of all the sins of the faithful, whether living or dead. 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 your heads to God.
Give heed to our humble prayers, almighty God, and kindly grant Your oft-given mercy to those upon whom You bestow great hope in Your goodness. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. R. Amen.
The Brighton Oratory 