Saturday, 19 January, 2008
OUR LADY ON SATURDAYS (IV)

Collect: O God, who wast pleased that, at the message of an Angel, Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, grant to us Thy suppliants, that we, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. Through same Jesus Christ, Thy Son Our Lord, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Lesson: From the Prophet Isaias, 7:10-15.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 1:26-38.

SS. MARIUS, MARTHA, AUDIFAX and ABACHUM, Martyrs (Comm.)
“The Persian nobles Marius and Martha came with their sons Audifax and Abachum to Rome, to visit the tombs of the Apostles SS. Peter and Paul. They were cast into prison, tortured and martyred A.D. 270.”

Collect: Give ear, O Lord, to Thy people when with Thy Saints as advocates we humbly pray: that Thou wouldst grant us in our present life joy and peace and growth of life eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.

ST. CANUTE, Martyr (Comm.)
"This King of Denmark sought to spread the faith in his kingdom and therefore his enemies put him to death, while praying at the foot of the altar, A.D. 1086."

Second Collect of St. Canute: O God, who, for the greater glory of Thy Church, wast pleased to adorn blessed Canute the king with the palm of martyrdom and with glorious miracles: mercifully grant that walking in the footsteps of him who followed our Lord in His sufferings, we may deserve to attain eternal joys. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Epistle: From Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, 10:32-38.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 24:3-13.

[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)