Entrance SongGalatians 6:14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world.
Opening Prayer
Father, you endowed John of the Cross with a spirit of self-denial and a love of the cross. By following his example, may we come to the eternal vision of your glory. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son, who live and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Psalm Response37:30a The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom.
Communion SongMatthew 16:24 Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers,
let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
____________________________
Readings for the Memorial
First Reading 1 Corinthians 2:1-10a When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come
proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For
I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him
crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much
trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible
words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of
power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the
power of God.
Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom
of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish.
But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed
before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age
understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor
ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for
those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through
the Spirit.
Gospel
Luke 14:25-33 Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to
them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself,
cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow
me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a
tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see
whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a
foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to
ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able
to finish.’ Or what king, going out to wage war against another
king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with
ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty
thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he
sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore,
none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your
possessions.
From the Office of Readings (Matins)
A Spiritual Canticle of St John of the Cross
Recognising the mystery hidden within Christ Jesus
Though holy doctors have uncovered many mysteries and wonders, and devout souls have understood them in this earthly condition of ours, yet the greater part still remains to be unfolded by them, and even to be understood by them.
We must then dig deeply in Christ. He is like a rich mine with many pockets containing treasures: however deep we dig we will never find their end or their limit. Indeed, in every pocket new seams of fresh riches are discovered on all sides.
For this reason the apostle Paul said of Christ: In him are hidden all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God. The soul cannot enter into these treasures, nor attain them, unless it first crosses into and enters the thicket of suffering, enduring interior and exterior labours, and unless it first receives from God very many blessings in the intellect and in the senses, and has undergone long spiritual training.
All these are lesser things, disposing the soul for the lofty sanctuary of the knowledge of the mysteries of Christ: this is the highest wisdom attainable in this life.
Would that men might come at last to see that it is quite impossible to reach the thicket of the riches and wisdom of God except by first entering the thicket of much suffering, in such a way that the soul finds there its consolation and desire. The soul that longs for divine wisdom chooses first, and in truth, to enter the thicket of the cross.
Saint Paul therefore urges the Ephesians not to grow weary in the midst of tribulations, but to be steadfast and rooted and grounded in love, so that they may know with all the saints the breadth, the length, the height and the depth – to know what is beyond knowledge, the love of Christ, so as to be filled with all the fullness of God.
The gate that gives entry into these riches of his wisdom is the cross; because it is a narrow gate, while many seek the joys that can be gained through it, it is given to few to desire to pass through it.
Responsory
No eye can see, no ear can hear, no heart can imagine
- the marvels that God has prepared for those who love him.
Yet God has revealed them to us through his Spirit.
- The marvels that God has prepared for those who love him.