St. Benedict Eucharist

The Feast of St. Benedict
Readings for the Eucharist

First Reading: Proverbs 2:1-9
Responsorial Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11
Gospel: Mt 19:27-29

___________________

Opening Prayer: God our Father, you made St. Benedict an outstanding guide to teach us how to live in your service. Grant that by preferring your love to everything else, we may walk in the way of your comandments. We ask this through Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reign with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

MASS
(For the Liturgy of the Hours, see below.)

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. They shall not fear in the time of drought. - Jer. 17:7-8

OPENING PRAYER
God our Father,
you made St. Benedict an outstanding guide
to teach us how to live in your service.
Grant that by preferring your love to everything else,
we may walk in the way of your comandments.
We ask this through Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives and reign with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

FIRST READING          Proverbs 2:1-9
My child, if you accept my words
    and treasure up my commandments within you,
making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
if you indeed cry out for insight,
    and raise your voice for understanding;
if you seek it like silver,
    and search for it as for hidden treasures--
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
    and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,
guarding the paths of justice
    and preserving the way of his faithful ones.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;

RESPONSORIAL PSALM          34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11

R. (2) I will bless the Lord at all times.
R. Or: (9) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord

I will bless the LORD at all times;
praise shall be always in my mouth.
My soul will glory in the LORD
that the poor may hear and be glad.R./

Magnify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
I sought the LORD, who answered me,
delivered me from all my fears.R./

Look to God that you may be radiant with joy
and your faces may not blush for shame.
In my misfortune I called,
the LORD heard and saved me from all distress. R./

The angel of the LORD, who encamps with them,
delivers all who fear God.
Learn to savor how good the LORD is;
happy are those who take refuge in him. R./

Fear the LORD, you holy ones;
nothing is lacking to those who fear him.
The powerful grow poor and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. R./

ALLELUIA          Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs in the kingdom of heaven.

GOSPEL          Matt 19:27-29
Then Peter said in reply, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Lord,
look kindly on these gifts we present
on the feast of St. Benedict.
By following his example in seeking you,
may we know unity and peace in your service.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.

COMMUNION SONG          John 15:9
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; remain in my love.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord,
hear the prayers of all
who have received this pledge of eternal life.
By following the teaching of St. Benedict,
may we be faithful in doing your work
and in loving our brothers and sisters in true charity.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

The Liturgy of the Hours
St. Benedict of Nursia

From the Common of Holy Men: religious, except the following

Morning Prayer

BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: He lived a holy life, Benedict, blessed in name and in grace.

Evening Prayer

MAGNIFICAT (Song of Mary)
Antiphon: He received the Lord's blessing and the merciful saving power of God; such is the fortune of those who seek the Lord.

Office of Readings

SECOND READING

From the Rule of Benedict, abbot
(Prologus 4-22; cap. 72, 1-12: CSEL 75, 2-5, 162-163)

Put Christ before everything

Whenever you begin any good work you should first of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord to bring it to perfection; that he, who has honored us by counting us among his children, may never be grieved by our evil deeds. For we must always serve him with the good things he has given us in such a way that he may never – as an angry father disinherits his sons or even like a master who inspires fear – grow impatient with our sins and consign us to everlasting punishment, like wicked servants who would not follow him to glory.

So we should at long last rouse ourselves, prompted by the words of Scripture: Now is the time for us to rise from sleep. Our eyes should be open to the God-given light, and we should listen in wonderment to the message of the divine voice as it daily cries out: Today, if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts; and again: If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. And what does the Spirit say? Come my sons, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Hurry, while you have the light of life, so that death’s darkness may not overtake you.

And the Lord as he seeks the one who will do his work among the throng of people to whom he makes that appeal, says again: Which of you wants to live to the full; who loves long life and the enjoyment of prosperity? And, if when you hear this you say, I do, God says to you: If you desire true and everlasting life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceit; turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. And when you have done these things my eyes will be upon you and my ears will be attentive to your prayers; and before you call upon my name I shall say to you: Behold, I am here. What could be more delightful, dearest brothers, than the voice of our Lord’s invitation to us? In his loving kindness he reveals to us the way of life.

And so, girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in his paths by the guidance of the Gospel; then we shall deserve to see him who has called us into his kingdom. If we wish to attain a dwelling-place in his kingdom we shall not reach it unless we hasten there by our good deeds.

Just as there exists an evil fervor, a bitter spirit, which divides us from God and leads us to hell, so there is a good fervor which sets us apart from evil inclinations and leads us toward God and eternal life. Monks should put this fervor into practice with an overflowing love: that is, they should surpass each other in mutual esteem, accept their weaknesses, either of body or of behavior, with the utmost patience; and vie with each other in acceding to requests. No one should follow what he considers to be good for himself, but rather what seems good for another. They should display brotherly love in a chaste manner; fear God in a spirit of love; revere their abbot with a genuine and submissive affection. Let them put Christ before all else; and may he lead us all to everlasting life.

RESPONSORY
Wishing to please God alone,
Benedict left his home and patrimony
to enter the religious life.
- He lived as a hermit in the presence of the all-seeing God.

He withdrew from the world of men,
knowingly unacquainted with its ways
and wisely unlearned in its wisdom.
- He lived as a hermit in the presence of the all-seeing God.

PRAYER
God our Father,
you made St. Benedict an outstanding guide
to teach us how to live in your service.
Grant that by preferring your love to everything else,
we may walk in the way of your comandments.
We ask this through Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives and reign with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Home

Prayers

The
Saints