Readings for the Feast of
Saint Scholastica
Virgin
February 10
+547
MASS
COLLECT
As we celebrate anew the Memorial of the Virgin Saint Scholastica,
we pray, O Lord,
that, following her example,
we may serve you with pure love
and happily receive what comes from loving 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 Song of Solomon 8:6-7
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13-14, 14
R./ Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
give praise in the heights.
Praise him, all you angels;
give praise, all you hosts.
R./ Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
You kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all who govern on earth;
Young men and women too,
old and young alike.
R./ Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
Let them all praise the LORD'S name,
for his name alone is exalted,
majestic above earth and heaven.
R./ Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
The LORD has lifted high the horn of his people;
to the glory of all the faithful, of Israel,
the people near to their God.
R./ Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
ALLELUIA Jn 14:23
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him, and we will come to him.
GOSPEL Luke 10:38-42
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village; and a woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to Him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her."
Liturgy of the Hours
St. Scholastica
From the Common of Virgins, except the following:
Morning Prayer
BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: Now this wise virgin has gone to Christ. Among the choirs of virgins, she is radiant as the sun in the heavens.
COLLECT
As we celebrate anew the Memorial of the Virgin Saint Scholastica,
we pray, O Lord,
that, following her example,
we may serve you with pure love
and happily receive what comes from loving 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.
Evening Prayer
MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: Come, spouse of Christ, receive the crown the Lord has prepared for you from all eternity.
COLLECT
As we celebrate anew the Memorial of the Virgin Saint Scholastica,
we pray, O Lord,
that, following her example,
we may serve you with pure love
and happily receive what comes from loving 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.
Office of Readings
From the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great
(Lib. 2, 33; PL 66, 194-196)
She who loved more could do more
Scholastica, the sister of Saint Benedict, had been consecrated to God from her earliest years. She was accustomed to visiting her brother once a year. He would come down to meet her at a place on the monastery property, not far outside the gate.
One day she came as usual and her saintly brother went with some of his disciples; they spent the whole day praising God and talking of sacred things. As night fell they had supper together.
Their spiritual conversation went on and the hour grew late. The holy nun said to her brother: “Please do not leave me tonight; let us go on until morning talking about the delights of the spiritual life”. “Sister”, he replied, “what are you saying? I simply cannot stay outside my cell”.
When she heard her brother refuse her request, the holy woman joined her hands on the table, laid her head on them and began to pray. As she raised her head from the table, there were such brilliant flashes of lightning, such great peals of thunder and such a heavy downpour of rain that neither Benedict nor his brethren could stir across the threshold of the place where they had been seated. Sadly he began to complain: “May God forgive you, sister. What have you done?” “Well”, she answered, “I asked you and you would not listen; so I asked my God and he did listen. So now go off, if you can, leave me and return to your monastery”.
Reluctant as he was to stay of his own will, he remained against his will. So it came about that they stayed awake the whole night, engrossed in their conversation about the spiritual life.
It is not surprising that she was more effective than he, since as John says, God is love, it was absolutely right that she could do more, as she loved more.
Three days later, Benedict was in his cell. Looking up to the sky, he saw his sister’s soul leave her body in the form of a dove, and fly up to the secret places of heaven. Rejoicing in her great glory, he thanked almighty God with hymns and words of praise. He then sent his brethren to bring her body to the monastery and lay it in the tomb he had prepared for himself.
Their minds had always been united in God; their bodies were to share a common grave.
RESPONSORY
When the saintly nun begged the Lord that her brother might not
leave her,
- she received more than her brother did from the Lord of her heart
because she loved him so much.
How good, how delightful it is for brothers and sisters to live in unity.
-,she received more than her brother did from the Lord of her heart
because she loved him so much.
COLLECT
As we celebrate anew the Memorial of the Virgin Saint Scholastica,
we pray, O Lord,
that, following her example,
we may serve you with pure love
and happily receive what comes from loving 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.