Readings for the Memorial of Saint Adalbert

Readings for the Memorial of

St Adalbert
Bishop and Martyr
April 23
+997

MASS

From the Common of Martyrs: For One Martyr during Easter Time or from the Common of Pastors: For a Bishop

COLLECT
O God, who bestowed the crown of martyrdom
on the Bishop Saint Adalbert,
as he burned with zeal for souls,
grant, we pray, by his prayers,
that the obedience of the flock may never fail the shepherds,
nor the care of the shepherds be ever lacking to the flock.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

FIRST READING          2 Corinthians 6:4-10
Brothers and sisters:
In everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts;
by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness,
in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech,
in the power of God;
with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left;
through glory and dishonor, insult and praise.
We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful;
as unrecognized and yet acknowledged;
as dying and behold we live;
as chastised and yet not put to death;
as sorrowful yet always rejoicing;
as poor yet enriching many;
as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM           31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17
In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum.

R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name's sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors,
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

ALLELUIA          Jn 17:19
I consecrate myself for them,
so that they may also be consecrated in truth.

GOSPEL          John 10:11-16
Jesus said:
"I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
The hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd."

The Liturgy of the Hours
Adalbert

From the Common of Pastors: For A Bishop or the Common of Martyrs, except the following:

Office of Readings

From the Life of Saint Adalbert by John Canaparius

Nothing more beautiful than to sacrifice your life to Christ

As a new day was born with the pink light of dawn, they walked on, singing psalms to shorten the way, and praising Christ, the sweet joy of their lives. Passing by forests and backwoods occupied by wild animals, at noon they reached a glade. During the Holy Mass celebrated there by Gaudentius, the holy monk received the Holy Communion, after which, in order to relieve the fatigue caused by the journey, he ate a little. Having recited a verse and the next psalm, he stood up from the lawn, only to sit down on the ground after moving a stone’s or arrow’s throw away. There he felt drowsy, and, being weary of the long journey, he was overcome with sleep.

Eventually, when all were sleeping, ferocious pagans ran over and slashed at them with rage, binding them all. Saint Adalbert, though, standing in front of Gaudentius and another bound brother, said, “Brethren, do not despair! You know that we suffer in the name of the Lord whose perfection is above all virtues, his power ineffable, and goodness unusual. Is there anything more valiant, more beautiful than to sacrifice a dear life to the dearest Jesus?” Out of the enraged group jumped the impetuous Sicco, brandishing a huge javelin, and pierced across his heart. Being the sacrificer of gods and the leader of the pack, out of duty he inflicted the first wound. Subsequently, everyone hurt him many a time, feeding on their fury.

Red blood flows from wounds on the both sides and he stands praying, with eyes and hands raised heavenward. A scarlet stream gushes and the spears reveal seven immense wounds. Adalbert stretches his released hands forming a cross and sends prayers to the Lord to save him and his oppressors. In this way this holy soul flies from his prison; thus this noble body, stretched like a cross, takes possession of the earth and due to the loss of blood he gives up the ghost and finally rejoices his dearest Christ in the land of happiness! O how holy and blessed is the man from whose countenance an angelic light always shone, in whose heart Christ always dwelt. How pious and venerable: then with his hands and whole body he embraced the cross that he had always desired and borne in his soul.

Thus suffered Adalbert, saint and glorious martyr of Christ, on 23 April, on Friday; on the same day our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for man, this man also suffered for his God. His is mercy forevermore, honour, glory and power for ever. Amen.

RESPONSORY
With seven gifts Christ enriched you.
– With great power the grace of the Holy Spirit overflowed for you, alleluia.

Now embraced your desired Christ, pierced with seven spearheads for his glory.
– With great power the grace of the Holy Spirit overflowed for you, alleluia.

COLLECT
O God, who bestowed the crown of martyrdom
on the Bishop Saint Adalbert,
as he burned with zeal for souls,
grant, we pray, by his prayers,
that the obedience of the flock may never fail the shepherds,
nor the care of the shepherds be ever lacking to the flock.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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