St. Raymond Nonnatus, Confessor, Priest; Commemoration of Sunday 12 Post Pentecost: Missa “Os justi“
St Raymund Nonnatus was born in 1204 at Portell in Catalonia. His surname Nonnatus (“not born”) comes from his extraordinary birth: his mother died in labour, and he was delivered by Caesarean section. From childhood, Raymund showed remarkable piety and a contemplative spirit, preferring prayer and study to worldly pursuits. His father intended him for secular life, but divine providence directed him to the newly founded Order of Mercy for the Redemption of Captives, established by St Peter Nolasco in 1218 to ransom Christians enslaved by Muslims.
Raymund entered the Mercedarian Order and was ordained priest. He soon distinguished himself for his zeal in rescuing captives, not only by negotiating and collecting alms but also by offering himself as a hostage when ransom money failed. In 1226, at Algiers, he was imprisoned after redeeming many Christians. There, he preached Christ with such fervour that his captors bored holes through his lips and fastened them with a padlock to silence him. He endured this cruelty for eight months until his ransom was paid.
Pope Gregory IX, recognising his holiness, created him cardinal in 1239. But Raymund never reached Rome. On his journey he fell ill at Cardona near Barcelona and died in 1240, aged only 36. His body was buried in the chapel of St Nicholas at Cardona, where miracles followed. Pope Alexander VII canonised him in 1657. He is invoked especially as patron of expectant mothers, the falsely accused, and for purity of speech.
INTROIT Psalm 36: 30, 31
The mouth of the just man tells of wisdom, and his tongue utters what is right. The law of his God is in his heart. Ps 36:1 Be not vexed over evildoers, nor jealous of those who do wrong. V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. The mouth of the just man tells of wisdom, and his tongue utters what is right. The law of his God is in his heart.
COLLECT
O God, Who made blessed Raymund, Your Confessor, famous for delivering Your faithful from the captivity of the infidels, grant us by his intercession that, having been released from the bonds of our sins, we may with free minds do what is pleasing to You. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
Commemoration Dominica XII Post Pentecosten
Almighty and merciful God, by Whose grace Your faithful people serve You worthily and righteously, grant, we beseech You, that we may hasten without stumbling to those things You have promised us. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
EPISTLE Sir 31:8-11
Lesson from the book of Ecclesiasticus: Happy the man found without fault, who turns not aside after gain, nor puts his trust in money nor in treasures! Who is he, that we may praise him? For he has done wonders in his life. He has been tested by gold and come off safe, and this remains his glory forever; he could have sinned but did not, could have done evil but would not, so that his possessions are secure in the Lord, and the assembly of the Saints shall recount his alms.
GRADUAL/ALLELUIA Psalm 91:13-14
The just man shall flourish like the palm tree, like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow in the house of the Lord. Ps 91:3 V. To proclaim Your kindness at dawn and Your faithfulness throughout the night.
Alleluia, alleluia. Jas 1:12 V. Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life. Alleluia.
GOSPEL Luke 12:35-40
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, Let your loins be girt about and your lamps burning, and you yourselves like men waiting for their master’s return from the wedding; so that when he comes and knocks, they may straight-way open to him. Blessed are those servants whom the master, on his return, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, he will gird himself, and will make them recline at table, and will come and serve them. And if he comes in the second watch, and if in the third, and finds them so, blessed are those servants! But of this be assured, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would certainly have watched, and not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because at an hour that you do not expect, the Son of Man is coming.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON Psalm 88:25
My faithfulness and My kindness shall be with him, and through My name shall his horn be exalted.
SECRET
Refreshed with heavenly food and drink, we humbly pray You, our God, that we also may be helped by his prayers in memory of whom we have partaken of these gifts. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
Commemoration Dominica XII Post Pentecosten
O Lord, we beseech You, graciously look upon the offerings which we lay upon Your sacred altar; so that they may bring us plentiful forgiveness while they give honor to Your name. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, 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: HOLY, HOLY, HOLY…
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
O God, Who made Your blessed Confessor, Louis, wonderful on earth and glorious in heaven, make him, we beseech You, the defender of Your Church. 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 Dominica XII Post Pentecosten
May the holy reception of this sacrament, we beseech You, O Lord, restore us to life, and bestow upon us forgiveness and protection. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
PROPER LAST GOSPEL Commemoration Dominica XII Post Pentecosten
Luke 10:23-37
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I say to you, many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and they have not seen it; and to hear what you hear, and they have not heard it. And behold, a certain lawyer got up to test Him, saying, Master, what must I do to gain eternal life? But He said to him, What is written in the Law? How do you read? He answered and said, You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole strength, and with your whole mind; and your neighbor as yourself. And He said to him, You have answered rightly; do this and you shall live. But he, wishing to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor? Jesus answered and said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell in with robbers, who after both stripping him and beating him went their way, leaving him half-dead. But, as it happened, a certain priest was going down the same way; and when he saw him, he passed by. And likewise a Levite also, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came upon him, and seeing him, was moved with compassion. And he went up to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. And setting him on his own beast, he brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I, on my way back, will repay you.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, proved himself neighbor to him who fell among the robbers? And he said, He who took pity on him. And Jesus said to him, Go and do also in like manner.