Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 1 Thes 2:9-13

You recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery.
Working night and day in order not to burden any of you,
we proclaimed to you the Gospel of God.
You are witnesses, and so is God,
how devoutly and justly and blamelessly
we behaved toward you believers.
As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his children,
exhorting and encouraging you and insisting
that you walk in a manner worthy of the God
who calls you into his Kingdom and glory.

And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly,
that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us,
you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God,
which is now at work in you who believe.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab

R.(1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
If I say, "Surely the darkness shall hide me,
and night shall be my light"–
For you darkness itself is not dark,
and night shines as the day.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.

Alleluia 1 Jn 2:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 23:27-32

Jesus said,
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside,
but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth.
Even so, on the outside you appear righteous,
but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the memorials of the righteous,
and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors,
we would not have joined them in shedding the prophets' blood.'
Thus you bear witness against yourselves
that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets;
now fill up what your ancestors measured out!"

From: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13

First Gospel Preaching in Thessalonica (Continuation)

[9] For you remember our labor and toil, brethren; we worked night and days
that we might not burden any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of
God. [10] You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blame-
less was our behavior to you believer; [11] for you know how, like a father with
his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged
you [12] to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and
glory.

Their Patience

[13] And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word
of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as
what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

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Commentary:

7-9. St Paul could have “made demands” in a double sense—by using the full
force of his apostolic authority, and by exercising his right to financial support
from the community (cf. 1 Cor 9:14); but he did neither one thing (vv. 7-8) nor
the other (v. 9).

On the contrary, he passed on the Gospel message and worked with the disin-
terested love and dedication of a nursing mother. St John Chrysostom, putting
himself in St Paul’s place, comments as follows: “It is true that I preached the
Gospel to you in obedience to a commandment from God; but I love you with so
great a love that I would have been ready to die for you. That is the perfect model
of sincere, genuine love. A Christian who loves his neighbor should be inspired
by these sentiments. He should not wait to be asked to give up his life for his
brother; rather, he should offer it himself” (”Hom. on 1 Thess, ad loc.”).

“The work of evangelization presupposes in the evangelizer an ever increasing
love for those whom he is evangelizing [...]. What is this love? It is much more
than that of a teacher; it is the love of a father; and again, it is the love of a mo-
ther. It is this love that the Lord expects from every preacher of the Gospel, from
every builder of the Church. A sign of love will be the concern to give the truth
and to bring people into unity [...]. Yet another sign of love will be the effort to
transmit to Christians not doubts and uncertainties born of an erudition poorly
assimilated but certainties that are solid because they are anchored in the
Word of God. The faithful need these certainties for their Christian life; they
have a right to them, as children of God” (Paul VI, “Evangelii Nuntiandi”, 79).

The Apostle’s hardworking life strengthened his moral authority when he had to
warn people against the temptation of idleness (cf. 1 Thess 4: 11) ; it also was
a very good example for the early generations of Christians.

10-12. “Each one of you”: St Paul did not confine his preaching to the syna-
gogue or other public places, or to liturgical assemblies of Christians. He took
an interest in people as individuals, giving advice and consolation in a friendly,
confidential way and telling them how they should conduct themselves in the
presence of God. Christians should copy him in their own apostolate: “Those
well-timed words, whispered in the ear of your wavering friend; the helpful con-
versation you managed to start at the right moment; the ready professional ad-
vice that improves his university work; the discreet indiscretion by which you
open up unexpected horizons for his zeal. This all forms part of the ‘apostolate
of friendship’” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 973).

Those who have received the gift of faith naturally try to tell others about their dis-
covery. “When you come across something useful, you try to bring other people,”
St Gregory comments. “So, you should want other people to join you on the way
of the Lord. If you are going to the forum or the baths and you meet someone who
has nothing to do, you invite him to go along with you. Apply this earthly custom
to the spiritual sphere and as you make you way to God do not go alone” (”In
Evangelia Homilae”, 6, 6). As can be seen clearly from the lives of the first Chris-
tians, apostolate was not the preserve of pastors; all believers had an apostolic
role. And so the Second Vatican Council pointed out that one kind of personal
apostolate very suited to our times is “the witness of a whole lay life issuing from
faith, hope and charity [...]. Then, by the apostolate of the word, which in certain
circumstances is absolutely necessary, the laity proclaim Christ, explain and
spread his teachings, each one according to his conditions and competence,
and profess those teachings with fidelity” (”Apostolicam Actuositatem”, 16).

“Into his own kingdom and glory”: “glory” is a divine attribute which becomes
manifest in the “Kingdom” of God; the Church is the as-yet-incomplete form on
earth of that Kingdom, which will not become visible in its final form until the Pa-
rousia at the end of time. God calls everyone to join the Church so as to be able
to enjoy the glory of the Kingdom of God in due course.

13. Initially divine Revelation was passed on to others orally. “It [Gospel prea-
ching] was done by the Apostles, who handed on (by the spoken word of their
preaching, by the example they gave, by the institutions they established) what
they themselves received—whether from the lips of Christ, from his way of life
and his works, or whether as something learned from the Holy Spirit” (Vatican II,
“Dei Verbum”, 7). Thus, “the apostles, in handing on what they themselves had
received warn the faithful to maintain the traditions which they had learned either
by word of mouth or by letter (cf. 2 Thess 2:15); and they warn them to fight hard
for the faith that had been handed on to them once and for all (cf. Jude 3). What
was handed on by the apostles comprises everything that serves to make the
people of God live their lives in holiness and increase their faith. In this way the
Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every ge-
neration all that she herself is, all that she believes” (”Dei Verbum”, 8).

Preaching is truly the “word of God” not only because it faithfully passes Revela-
tion on but also because God himself speaks through those who proclaim the
Gospel (cf. 2 Cor 5:20). This explains why “the word of God is living and active”
(Heb 4:12), and “such is the force and power of the Word of God that it can serve
the Church as her support and vigor, and the children of the Church as strength
for their faith, food for the soul, and a pure and lasting fount of spiritual life” (”Dei
Verbum”, 21).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Matthew 23:27-32

Jesus Indicts the Scribes and Pharisees (Continuation)

(Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees,) [27] “Woe to you, scribes and Phari-
sees, hypocrites! for you are like white-washed tombs, which outwardly appear
beautiful, but within they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. [28]
So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypo-
crisy and iniquity.

[29] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of
the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, [30] saying, ‘If we had
lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shed-
ding the blood of the prophets.’ [31] Thus you witness against yourselves, that
you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. [32] Fill up, then, the mea-
sure of your fathers.”

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Commentary:

27-28. The Jews used to whitewash tombs annually, shortly before the feast of
the Passover. The whitewash made the tombs more visible and helped to avoid
people brushing against them, which would have meant incurring legal unclean-
ness for seven days (Numbers 19:16; Luke 11:44).

In the sunlight, these tombs sparkled radiantly white, but inside they held cor-
ruption.

29-32. Our Lord shows them that they are cut off from the same cloth as their
ancestors—not because they erect mausoleums in honor of prophets and just
men but because they are guilty of the same sin as those who killed the pro-
phets. Hence their hypocrisy, which makes them even worse than their fathers.
With pained irony Jesus tells them that they are compounding the sins of their
ancestors.

Clearly this is referring to His passion and death: if the ancients killed the pro-
phets, by causing Him to suffer and die our Lord’s contemporaries will still be
more cruel.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

These are the readings for the feria

First reading
1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 ©

We slaved night and day so as not to be a burden on any one of you

Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to work, slaving night and day so as not to be a burden on any one of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, that our treatment of you, since you became believers, has been impeccably right and fair. You can remember how we treated every one of you as a father treats his children, teaching you what was right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling you to share the glory of his kingdom. Another reason why we constantly thank God for you is that as soon as you heard the message that we brought you as God’s message, you accepted it for what it really is, God’s message and not some human thinking; and it is still a living power among you who believe it.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 138(139):7-12 ©

O Lord, you search me and you know me.

O where can I go from your spirit,

or where can I flee from your face?

If I climb the heavens, you are there.

If I lie in the grave, you are there.

O Lord, you search me and you know me.

If I take the wings of the dawn

and dwell at the sea’s furthest end,

even there your hand would lead me,

your right hand would hold me fast.

O Lord, you search me and you know me.

If I say: ‘Let the darkness hide me

and the light around me be night,’

even darkness is not dark for you

and the night is as clear as the day.

O Lord, you search me and you know me.

Gospel Acclamation	Mt4:4

Alleluia, alleluia!

Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Alleluia!

Or:	1Jn2:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said,

God’s love comes to perfection in him.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 23:27-32 ©

You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets

Jesus said: ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of corruption. In the same way you appear to people from the outside like good honest men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who build the sepulchres of the prophets and decorate the tombs of holy men, saying, “We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in our fathers’ day.” So! Your own evidence tells against you! You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets! Very well then, finish off the work that your fathers began.’

These are the readings for the memorial

First reading	1 John 4:7-16 ©

Let us love one another, since love comes from God

My dear people,

let us love one another

since love comes from God

and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,

because God is love.

God’s love for us was revealed

when God sent into the world his only Son

so that we could have life through him;

this is the love I mean:

not our love for God,

but God’s love for us when he sent his Son

to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

My dear people,

since God has loved us so much,

we too should love one another.

No one has ever seen God;

but as long as we love one another

God will live in us

and his love will be complete in us.

We can know that we are living in him

and he is living in us

because he lets us share his Spirit.

We ourselves saw and we testify

that the Father sent his Son

as saviour of the world.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,

God lives in him, and he in God.

We ourselves have known and put our faith in

God’s love towards ourselves.

God is love

and anyone who lives in love lives in God,

and God lives in him.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118(119):9-14 ©

Lord, teach me your statutes.

How shall the young remain sinless?

By obeying your word.

I have sought you with all my heart;

let me not stray from your commands.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

I treasure your promise in my heart

lest I sin against you.

Blessed are you, O Lord;

teach me your statutes.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

With my tongue I have recounted

the decrees of your lips.

I rejoiced to do your will

as though all riches were mine.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

Gospel Acclamation	Mt23:9,10

Alleluia, alleluia!

You have only one Father,

and he is in heaven;

you have only one Teacher,

the Christ.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Matthew 23:8-12 ©

The greatest among you must be your servant

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will exalted.’

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 23
27.	Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness.	Væ vobis scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, quia similes estis sepulchris dealbatis, quæ a foris parent hominibus speciosa, intus vero pleni sunt ossibus mortuorum, et omni spurcitia !	ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι παρομοιαζετε ταφοις κεκονιαμενοις οιτινες εξωθεν μεν φαινονται ωραιοι εσωθεν δε γεμουσιν οστεων νεκρων και πασης ακαθαρσιας
28.	So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just; but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.	Sic et vos a foris quidem paretis hominibus justi : intus autem pleni estis hypocrisi et iniquitate.	ουτως και υμεις εξωθεν μεν φαινεσθε τοις ανθρωποις δικαιοι εσωθεν δε μεστοι εστε υποκρισεως και ανομιας
29.	Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; that build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just,	Væ vobis scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, qui ædificatis sepulchra prophetarum, et ornatis monumenta justorum,	ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι οικοδομειτε τους ταφους των προφητων και κοσμειτε τα μνημεια των δικαιων
30.	And say: If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.	et dicitis : Si fuissemus in diebus patrum nostrorum, non essemus socii eorum in sanguine prophetarum !	και λεγετε ει ημεν εν ταις ημεραις των πατερων ημων ουκ αν ημεν κοινωνοι αυτων εν τω αιματι των προφητων
31.	Wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of them that killed the prophets.	itaque testimonio estis vobismetipsis, quia filii estis eorum, qui prophetas occiderunt.	ωστε μαρτυρειτε εαυτοις οτι υιοι εστε των φονευσαντων τους προφητας
32.	Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.	Et vos implete mensuram patrum vestrorum.	και υμεις πληρωσατε το μετρον των πατερων υμων

27. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

ORIGEN; As above they are said to be full of extortion and excess, so here they are full of hypocrisy and iniquity, and are likened to dead men's bones, and all uncleanness.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Justly are the bodies of the righteous said to be temples, because in the body of the righteous the soul has dominion, as God in His temple; or because God Him self dwells in righteous bodies. But the bodies of sinners are called sepulchers of the dead, because the sinner's soul is dead in his body; for that cannot be deemed to be alive, which does no spiritual or living act.

JEROME; Sepulchers are whitened with lime without, and decorated with marble painted in gold and various colors, but within are full of dead men's bones. Thus crooked teachers who teach one thing and do another, affect purity in their dress, and humility in their speech, but within are full of all uncleanness, covetousness, and lust.

ORIGEN; For all feigned righteousness is dead, forasmuch as it is not done for God's sake; yes, rather it is no righteousness at all, any more than a dead man is a man, or an actor who represents any character is the man whom he represents. There is therefore within them so much of bones and uncleanness as are the good things that they wickedly pretend to. And they seem righteous outwardly, not in the eyes of such as the Scripture calls Gods, but of such only as die like men.

GREG. But before their strict Judge they cannot have the plea of ignorance, for by assuming in the eyes of men every form of sanctity, they witness against themselves that they are not ignorant how to live well.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. But say, hypocrite, if it be good to be wicked, why do you not desire to seem that which you desire to be? For what it is shameful to seem, that it is more shameful to be; and what to seem is fair, that it is fairer to be. Either therefore be what you seem, or seem what you are.

29. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous,
30. And say, If we had been in the days of Our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31. Wherefore you be witnesses to yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets.

JEROME; By a most subtle syllogism He proves them to be the sons of murderers, while to gain good character and reputation with the people, they build the sepulchers of the Prophets whom their fathers put to death.

ORIGEN; Without just cause He seems to utter denunciations against those who build the sepulchers of the Prophets; for so far what they did was praiseworthy; how then do they deserve this woe?

CHRYS. He does not blame them for building the sepulchers, but discovers the design with which they built them; which was not to honor the slain, but to erect to themselves a triumphal monument of the murder, as fearing that in process of time the memory of this their audacious wickedness should perish.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Or, they said within themselves, If we do good to the poor not many see it, and then but for a moment; were it not better to raise buildings which all may see, not only now, but in all time to come? O foolish man, what boots this posthumous memory, if, where you are, you are tortured, and where you are not there you are praised? While He corrects the Jews, He instructs the Christians; for had these things been spoken to the former only, they would have been spoken, but not written; but now they were spoken on their account, and written on ours. When one, besides other good deeds, raises sacred buildings, it is an addition to his good works; but if without any other good works, it is a passion for worldly renown.

The martyrs joy not to be honored with money which has caused the poor to weep. The Jews, moreover, have ever been adorers of saints of former times, and condemners, yes persecutors, of the living. Because they could not endure the reproaches of their own Prophets, they Persecuted and killed them; but afterwards the succeeding generation perceived the error of their fathers, and thus in grief at the death of innocent Prophets, they built up monuments of them. But they themselves in like manner persecuted and put to death the Prophets of their own time, when they rebuked them for their sins. This is what is meant, And you say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets.

JEROME; Though they speak not this in words, they proclaim it by their actions, in ambitious and magnificent structures to their memory.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. What they thought in their hearts, that they spoke by their deeds. Christ lays bare here the natural habit of all wicked men; each readily apprehends the other's fault, but none his own; for in another's case each man has an unprejudiced heart, but in his own case it is distorted. Therefore in the cause of others we can all easily be righteous judges. He only is the truly righteous and wise who is able to judge himself. It follows, Wherefore you be witnesses to yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the Prophets.

CHRYS. What kind of accusation is this, to call one the son of a murderer, who ho partakes not in his father's disposition? Clearly there is no guilt in being so; wherefore this must be said in proof of their resemblance in wickedness.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The character of the parents is a witness to the sons; if the father be good and the mother bad, or the reverse, the children may follow sometimes one, sometimes the other. But when both are the same, it very rarely happens that bad sons spring of good parents, or the reverse, though it be so sometimes. This is as a man is sometimes born out of the rule of nature, having six fingers or no eyes.

ORIGEN; And in the prophetic writings, the historical sense is the body, the spiritual meaning is the soul; the sepulchers are the letter and books themselves of Scripture. They then who attend only to the historical meaning, honor the bodies of the Prophets, and set in the letter as in a sepulcher; and are called Pharisees, i.e. 'cut off,' as it were cutting off the soul of the Prophets from their body.

32. Fill you up then the treasure of your fathers.

CHRYS. He had said against the Scribes and Pharisees, that they were the children of those who killed the Prophets; now therefore He shows that they were like them in wickedness, and that that was false that they said, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not hare been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets. Wherefore He now says, Fill you up the measure of your fathers. This is not a command, but a prophecy of what is to be.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He foretell, that as their fathers killed the Prophets, so they also should kill Christ, and the Apostles, and other holy men. As suppose you had a quarrel with some one, you might say to your adversary, Do to me what you are about to do; but you do not therein bid him do it, but show him that you are aware of his maneuvers. And in fact they went beyond the measure of their fathers; for they put to death only men, these crucified God. But because He stooped to death of His own free choice, He does not lay on them the sin of His death, but only the death of the Apostles and other holy men. Whence also He said, Fill up, and not Fill over; for a just and merciful Judge overlooks his own wrongs, and only punishes those done to others.

ORIGEN; They fill up the measure of their fathers' sins by their not believing in Christ. And the cause of their unbelief was, that they looked only to the letter and the body, and would understand nothing spiritual in them.

HILARY; Because then they will fill up the measure of their fathers' purposes, therefore are they serpents, and offspring of vipers.

Catena Aurea Matthew 23

Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

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August 28 2019

Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 1 Thes 2:9-13

Responsorial Psalm Ps 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab

Alleluia 1 Jn 2:5

Gospel Mt 23:27-32

Readings at Mass