Readings
for the Feast of
Saint Albert the Great
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
November 15
MASS
From the Common of Pastors: For a Bishop, or from the Common of Doctors of the Church.
COLLECT
O God, who made the Bishop Saint Albert great
by his joining of human wisdom to divine faith,
grant, we pray, that we may so adhere to the truths he taught,
that through progress in learning
we may come to a deeper knowledge and love of you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
FIRST READING Sirach 15:1-6
The man who fears the Lord will do this, and he who holds to the law will obtain wisdom.
She will come to meet him like a mother, and like the wife of his youth she will welcome him.
She will feed him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
He will lean on her and will not fall, and he will rely on her and will not be put to shame.
She will exalt him above his neighbors, and will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly.
He will find gladness and a crown of rejoicing, and will acquire an everlasting name.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
R. Lord, teach me your statues.
How can the young walk without fault?
Only by keeping your words.
R. Lord, teach me your statues.
With all my heart I seek you;
do not let me stray from your commands.
R. Lord, teach me your statues.
In my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
R. Lord, teach me your statues.
Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your laws.
R. Lord, teach me your statues.
With my lips I recite
all the edicts you have spoken.
R. Lord, teach me your statues.
I find joy in the way of your decrees
more than in all riches.
R. Lord, teach me your statues.
ALLELUIA John 8:31b-32
If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, says the Lord.
GOSPEL Matthew 13:47-52
Jesus said,
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. "Have you understood all this?" They said to Him, "Yes." And He said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old."
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Lord,
accept our sacrifice on this feast of St. Albert,
and following his example
may we give you our praise
and offer you all we have.
Grant this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
From the Common of Pastors or of Doctors of the Church, except for the following:
The Office of Readings
From a commentary of the gospel of Luke by Saint Albert the Great, bishop
(22,19; Opera omnia, Parisiis 1890-1899,23,672-674)
He was a shepherd and doctor who built up the body of Christ
Do this in remembrance of me. Two things should be noted here. The first is the command that we should use this sacrament, which is indicated when he says: Do this. The second is that this sacrament commemorates the Lord's going to death for our sake.
Do this. Certainly he would demand nothing more profitable, nothing more pleasant, nothing more beneficial, nothing more desirable, nothing more similar to eternal life. We will look at each of these qualities separately.
This sacrament is profitable because it grants remission of sins; it is most useful because it bestows the fullness of grace on us in this life. The Father of spirits instructs us in what is useful for our sanctification. And his sanctification is in Christ's sacrifice, that is, when he offers himself in this sacrament to the Father for our redemption, to us for our use. I consecrate myself for their sakes. Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered himself up without blemish to God, will cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.
Nor can we do anything more pleasant. For what is better than God manifesting his whole sweetness to us. You gave them bread from heaven, not the fruit of human labor, but a bread endowed with all delight and pleasant to every sense of taste. For this substance of yours revealed your kindness toward your children, and serving the desire of each recipient, it changed to suit each one's taste.
He could not have commanded anything more beneficial, for this sacrament is the fruit of the tree of life. Anyone who receives this sacrament with the devotion of sincere faith will never taste death. It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and blessed is he who holds it fast. The man who feeds on me shall live on account of me.
Nor could he have commanded anything more lovable, for this sacrament produces love and union. It is characteristic of the greatest love to give itself as food. Had not the men of my tent exclaimed: Who will feed us with his flesh to satisfy our hunger? as if to say: I have loved them and they have loved me so much that I desire to be within them, and they wish to receive me so that they may become my members. There is no more intimate or more natural means for them to be united to me, and I to them.
Nor could he have commanded anything which is more like eternal life. Eternal life flows from this sacrament because God with all sweetness pours himself out upon the blessed.
RESPONSORY Luke 22:29; John 15:16
Just as the Father handed a kingdom over to me,
I now hand on over to you.
- In my kingdom you will eat and drink at my table.
I chose you and appointed you to go forth and bear fruit.
- In my kingdom you will eat and drink at my table.
COLLECT
O God, who made the Bishop Saint Albert great
by his joining of human wisdom to divine faith,
grant, we pray, that we may so adhere to the truths he taught,
that through progress in learning
we may come to a deeper knowledge and love of you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.