St Gall, Confessor; Commemoration of the Octave of St Wilfrid & of St Edward, King & Confessor: Missa “Os justi”
Saint Gall was born in Ireland soon after the middle of the sixth century, of pious, noble, and rich parents. He was raised in a monastery during his youth, under Saint Colomban and Saint Comgall, his Abbot. When Saint Columban left Ireland, Saint Gall accompanied him into England and afterward into France, where they arrived in 585. In a wild forest of the diocese of Besançon, Saint Columban founded the monastery of Annegray, and two years afterward another in Luxeuil. Driven away by a hostile king, the two Saints withdrew into more propitious regions, eventually going into Switzerland, near Bregentz, a village on Lake Constance. The idolaters of the region were greatly irritated when Saint Gall preached to them and broke three statues, throwing the pieces into the lake. Many, however, were converted, and Saint Columban was able to purify and dedicate a formerly idolatrous chapel, which had once been a small sanctuary honoring a Roman martyr named Saint Aurelia, and consecrate an altar for it, where Mass was then offered. The disciples who had remained behind the two Saints, rejoined them at this place and built cells around the chapel. When the Saints learned that the hostile king who had driven them out of France now had conquered this Swiss territory also, Saint Columban went into Italy; Saint Gall was prevented by a grievous illness from accompanying him.
Saint Gall had been ordained a priest by the command of Saint Columban, and now, having learned the language of the region where he settled near Lake Constance, he cast out demons, lived in peace with the wild animals, drove serpents from the valley, and converted to the faith a great number of idolaters. The cells which the Saint built there for those who desired to serve God with him, were attached to the monastery which bears his name. A synod of bishops, with the clergy and people, earnestly desired to place the Saint in charge of the episcopal see of Constance; but his modesty refused the dignity, and one of his disciples was chosen instead. He died in the year 646.
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. (Ps. 36: 1) Be not emulous of evil-doers; 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.
COLLECT
O God, Who dost gladden us by the annual solemnity of blessed Gall, Thy confessor, mercifully grant that we who celebrate his heavenly birthday, may also imitate his example. 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.
Commemoration of the Octave of St Wilfrid
O God, who by reason of the singular merits of thy blessed Bishop Saint Wilfrid, didst cause to shine forth in him many wondrous works, we beseech thee, mercifully to grant, that like as we have learnt from his teaching to seek earnestly after all things heavenly, so we may at all times be defended by his intercession.
Commemoration of the Octave of St Edward
O God, Who hast crowned the blessed King Edward, Thy confessor, with the glory of eternity, make us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate him on earth that we may be able to reign with him in Heaven. 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.
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.
GRADUAL/ALLELUIA Psalm 91: 13, 14
The just man shall flourish like the palm-tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus in the house of the Lord. V. (Ps. 91: 3) To show forth Thy mercy in the morning, and Thy truth in the night. Alleluia, alleluia. V. (Osee 14: 6) The just shall spring as the lily: and flourish forever before the Lord. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 12: 35-40
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: “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 ANTIPHON Psalm 88: 25
My truth and My mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
SECRET
We offer unto Thee, O Lord, the sacrifice of praise, in remembrance of Thy saints, through whose intercession we trust to be delivered both from present and from future ills. 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.
Commemoration of the Octave of St Wilfrid
We offer sacrifice unto Thee, O Lord, on the solemnity of blessed Wilfrid, Thy bishop and confessor, humbly beseeching that the sheep which have gone astray may return to the one fold and be nourished with this food of salvation.
Commemoration of the Octave of St Edward
We offer Thee, O Lord, sacrifices of praise in commemoration of Thy saints, by whom we trust to be delivered from evils both present and future. 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.
PREFACE of the Holy Trinity
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, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, art one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For what we believe by Thy revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty may be adored. Which the Angels and Archangels, the Cherubim also and Seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out, with one voice saying:
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Matthew 24: 46-47
Blessed is the servant, whom when the Lord shall come, He shall find watching: Amen I say to you, He shall set him over all his goods.
POSTCOMMUNION
Refreshed with this heavenly food and drink, we humbly beseech Thee, our God, that we may be protected by his prayers in whose remembrance we have received them. 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.
Commemoration of the Octave of St Wilfrid
Refreshed with the victim of salvation, we supplicate Thee, O Lord, that, through the intercessory patronage of blessed Wilfrid, it may always and everywhere be offered to Thy name.
Commemoration of the Octave of St Edward
We, Thy suppliants, who are refreshed with Heavenly food and drink, beseech Thee, O our God, that we may be fortified by the prayers of him in whose commemoration we have par-taken of these gifts. 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 