Readings for the Feast of Saint Clement I

Readings for the Feast of Saint Clement I
Pope and Martyr
November 23

Entrance Song
The Lord chose him to be his high priest; he opened his treasures and made him rich in all goodness.

Opening Prayer:
All-powerful and ever-living God,
we praise your power and glory
revealed to us in the lives of your saints.
Give us joy on this feast of St. Clement,
the priest and martyr who bore witness with his blood
to the love he proclaimed
and the gospel he preached. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

First Reading
1 Peter 5:1-4

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as a partaker in the glory that is to be revealed. Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not as domineering over those in your charge but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory.

Gospel Reading
Matthew 16:13-19

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS

Lord,
we offer you this sacrifice of praise
in memory of your saints.
May their prayers keep us from evil
now and in the future.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon:

The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep.- See John 10:11

Prayer after Communion
Lord God,
Saint Clement loved you
and gave himself completely in the service of your Church.
May the Eucharist awaken in us that same love.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

The Liturgy of the Hours
St. Clement I

From the Common of One Martyr or of Pastors; except the following

Office of Readings

SECOND READING

From a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement I, Pope
(Ps. 32, sermo 1, 7-8: CCL 38, 253-254)

Wonderful are God’s gifts

Beloved, how blessed and wonderful are God’s gifts! There is life everlasting, joy in righteousness, truth in freedom, faith, confidence, and self-control in holiness. And these are the gifts that we can comprehend; what of all the others that are being prepared for those who look to him. Only the Creator, the Father of the ages, the All-Holy, knows their grandeur and their loveliness. And so we should strive to be found among those who wait for him so that we may share in these promised gifts. And so we should strive to be found among those who wait for him so that we may share in these promised gifts. And how is this to be, beloved brothers? It will come about if by our faith our minds remain fixed on God; if we aim at what is pleasing and acceptable to him, if we accomplish what is in harmony with his faultless will and follow the path of truth, rejecting all injustice, viciousness, covetousness, quarrels, malice and deceit.

This is the path, beloved, by which we find our salvation, Jesus Christ, the high priest of our sacrifices, the defender and ally in our helplessness. It is through him that we gaze on the highest heaven, through him we can see the reflection of God’s pure and sublime countenance, through him the eyes of our hearts have been opened, through him our foolish and darkened understanding opens toward the light, and through him the Lord has willed that we should taste everlasting knowledge. He reflects God’s majesty and is as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained is more excellent than theirs.

Let us then serve in his army, brothers, following his blameless commands with all our might. The great cannot exist without the small nor the small without the great; they blend together to their mutual advantage. Take the body, for example. The head is nothing without the feet, just as the feet are nothing without the head. The smallest parts of our body are necessary and valuable to the whole. All work together and are mutually subject for the preservation of the whole body.

Our entire body, then will be preserved in Christ Jesus, and each of us should be subject to his neighbor in accordance with the grace given to each. The stronger should care for the weak, and the weak should respect the stronger. The wealthy should give to the poor, and the poor man should thank God that he has sent him someone to supply his needs. The wise should manifest their wisdom not in words but in good deeds, and the humble should not talk about their own humility, but allow others to bear witness to it. Since, therefore, we have all this from him, we ought to thank him for it all. Glory to him for ever. Amen

RESPONSORY See Mt 7:24; 1 Pt 2:22; 1 Sm 2:28
This wise man built his house upon rock.
No deceit was found in his mouth.
- God chose him as his priest.

Behold a great priest, who in his days pleased God
and was found just. - God chose him as his priest.

PRAYER
Lord of mercy,
be close to those who call upon you.
With St. Cecilia to help us
hear and answer our prayers.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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