In those places where this Memorial is observed as a Solemnity or Feast, please use the texts found in the Common of Pastors: For a Bishop with the proper texts below.
INVITATORY
The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.
Lord, + open my lips.
— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
The antiphon is repeated. In individual recitation, the antiphon may be said only at the beginning of the psalm; it need not be repeated after each strophe.
Psalm 95
A call to praise God
Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).
Come, let us sing to the Lord*
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
the flock he shepherds.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.”
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:
God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
High Priest and Shepherd, honored by the faithful
keeping this feast day of your holy Pastors,
this celebration echoes with your praises
in solemn worship.
Your gift and blessing made these fathers able
to teach your people paths of light and virtue:
wisdom to live by, words of life to feed them,
just deeds to guide them.
With the firm anchor of your faith and promise,
no foe or hardship could dismay or shake them,
since they found courage in sure hope of heaven,
crowns of high glory.
Thus, when the labors of this life of frailty
were duly ended, they came home to heaven,
blest and enjoying peace beyond all measure,
dwelling in splendor.
Glory to you, Lord, praise and highest honor,
Godhead eternal, King of kings and Ruler;
let all creation celebrate your goodness,
through all the ages. Amen.
Tune: ISTE CONFESSOR, 11 11 11 5
Music: from the Poitiers Antiphoner, 1746
or Mode III, melody 58; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Dum sacerdotum celebrant fideles, attributed to Marbodus, ca. 1035-1123, © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Our God will be made manifest; he will not come in silence.
Psalm 50
Genuine love of God
I have come not to abolish the law but to bring it to perfection (see Matthew 5:17).
I
The God of gods, the Lord, *
has spoken and summoned the earth,
from the rising of the sun to its setting. *
Out of Zion’s perfect beauty he shines.
Our God comes, he keeps silence no longer. †
Before him fire devours, *
around him tempest rages.
He calls on the heavens and the earth *
to witness his judgment of his people.
“Summon before me my people *
who made covenant with me by sacrifice.”
The heavens proclaim his justice, *
for God himself is the judge.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Our God will be made manifest; he will not come in silence.
Ant. 2 Offer to God the sacrifice of praise.
II
“Listen, my people, I will speak; *
Israel, I will testify against you,
for I am God your God. *
I accuse you, lay the charge before you.
I find no fault with your sacrifices, *
your offerings are always before me.
I do not ask more bullocks from your farms, *
nor goats from among your herds.
For I own all the beasts of the forest, *
beasts in their thousands on my hills.
I know all the birds in the sky, *
all that moves in the field belongs to me.
Were I hungry, I would not tell you, *
for I own the world and all it holds.
Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, *
or drink the blood of goats?
Pay your sacrifice of thanksgiving to God *
and render him your votive offerings.
Call on me in the day of distress. *
I will free you and you shall honor me.”
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Offer to God the sacrifice of praise.
Ant. 3 I want a loving heart more than sacrifice, knowledge of my ways more than holocausts.
III
But God says to the wicked:
“But how can you recite my commandments *
and take my covenant on your lips,
you who despise my law *
and throw my words to the winds,
you who see a thief and go with him; *
who throw in your lot with adulterers,
who unbridle your mouth for evil *
and whose tongue is plotting crime,
you who sit and malign your brother *
and slander your own mother’s son.
You do this, and should I keep silence? *
Do you think that I am like you?
Mark this, you who never think of God, *
lest I seize you and you cannot escape;
a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me *
and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.”
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
Father, accept us as a sacrifice of praise, so that we may go through life unburdened by sin, walking in the way of salvation, and always giving thanks to you.
Ant. I want a loving heart more than sacrifice, knowledge of my ways more than holocausts.
Listen, my people, and I will speak.
— I am the Lord, your God.
READINGS
FIRST READING
From the book of Deuteronomy
24:1—25:4
Commandments regarding one’s neighbors
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“When a man, after marrying a woman and having relations with her, is later displeased with her because he finds in her something indecent, and therefore he writes out a bill of divorce and hands it to her, thus dismissing her from his house: if on leaving his house she goes and becomes the wife of another man, and the second husband, too, comes to dislike her and dismisses her from his house by handing her a written bill of divorce; or if this second man who has married her, dies; then her former husband, who dismissed her, may not again take her as his wife after she has become defiled. That would be an abomination before the Lord, and you shall not bring such guilt upon the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you as a heritage.
“When a man is newly wed, he need not go out on a military expedition, nor shall any public duty be imposed on him. He shall be exempt for one year for the sake of his family, to bring joy to the wife he has married.
“No one shall take a hand mill or even its upper stone as a pledge for debt, for he would be taking the debtor’s sustenance as a pledge.
“If any man is caught kidnaping a fellow Israelite in order to enslave him and sell him, the kidnaper shall be put to death. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst.
“In an attack of leprosy you shall be careful to observe exactly and to carry out all the directions of the levitical priests. Take care to act in accordance with the instructions I have given them. Remember what the Lord, your God, did to Miriam on the journey after you left Egypt.
“When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, you shall not enter his house to receive a pledge from him, but shall wait outside until the man to whom you are making the loan brings his pledge outside to you. If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in the mantle he gives as a pledge, but shall return it to him at sunset that he himself may sleep in it. Then he will bless you, and it will be a good deed of yours before the Lord, your God.
“You shall not defraud a poor and needy hired servant, whether he be one of your own countrymen or one of the aliens who live in your communities. You shall pay him each day’s wages before sundown on the day itself, since he is poor and looks forward to them. Otherwise he will cry to the Lord against you, and you will be held guilty.
“Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; only for his own guilt shall a man be put to death.
“You shall not violate the rights of the alien or of the orphan, nor take the clothing of a widow as a pledge. For, remember, you were once slaves in Egypt, and the Lord, your God, ransomed you from there; that is why I command you to observe this rule.
“When you reap the harvest in your field and overlook a sheaf there, you shall not go back to get it; let it be for the alien, the orphan or the widow, that the Lord, your God, may bless you in all your undertakings. When you knock down the fruit of your olive trees, you shall not go over the branches a second time; let what remains be for the alien, the orphan and the widow. When you pick your grapes, you shall not go over the vineyard a second time; let what remains be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. For remember that you were once slaves in Egypt; that is why I command you to observe this rule.
“When men have a dispute and bring it to court, and a decision is handed down to them acquitting the innocent party and condemning the guilty party, if the latter deserves stripes, the judge shall have him lie down and in his presence receive the number of stripes his guilt deserves. Forty stripes may be given him, but no more; lest, if he were beaten with more stripes than these, your kinsman should be looked upon as disgraced because of the severity of the beating.
“You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out grain.”
RESPONSORY
See Mark 12:32-33; Sirach 35:4-5
Master, you have told us the truth:
there is one God, and we must love him with all our heart;
— to love our neighbor as ourselves is more than any holocaust or sacrifice.
To return a kindness is like an offering of fine flour.
The Lord God delights to see us turn away from evil.
— To love our neighbor as ourselves is more than any holocaust or sacrifice.
SECOND READING
From a homily by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop
(Hom. 2 de laudibus sancti Pauli: PG 50, 480-484)
I have fought the good fight
Though housed in a narrow prison, Paul dwelt in heaven. He accepted beatings and wounds more readily than others reach out for rewards. Sufferings he loved as much as prizes; indeed he regarded them as his prizes, and therefore called them a grace or gift. Reflect on what this means. To depart and be with Christ was certainly a reward, while remaining in the flesh meant struggle. Yet such was his longing for Christ that he wanted to defer his reward and remain amid the fight; those were his priorities.
Now, to be separated from the company of Christ meant struggle and pain for Paul; in fact, it was a greater affliction than any struggle or pain would be. On the other hand, to be with Christ was a matchless reward. Yet, for the sake of Christ, Paul chose the separation.
But, you may say: “Because of Christ, Paul found all this pleasant.” I cannot deny that, for he derived intense pleasure from what saddens us. I need not think only of perils and hardships. It was true even of the intense sorrow that made him cry out: Who is weak that I do not share the weakness? Who is scandalized that I am not consumed with indignation?
I urge you not simply to admire but also to imitate this splendid example of virtue, for, if we do, we can share his crown as well.
Are you surprised at my saying that if you have Paul’s merits, you will share that same reward? Then listen to Paul himself: I have fought the good fight, I have run the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth a crown of justice awaits me, and the Lord, who is a just judge, will give it to me on that day—and not to me alone, but to those who desire his coming. You see how he calls all to share the same glory?
Now, since the same crown of glory is offered to all, let us eagerly strive to become worthy of these promised blessings.
In thinking of Paul we should not consider only his noble and lofty virtues or the strong and ready will that disposed him for such great graces. We should also realize that he shares our nature in every respect. If we do, then even what is very difficult will seem to us easy and light; we shall work hard during the short time we have on earth and someday we shall wear the incorruptible, immortal crown. This we shall do by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all glory and power belongs now and always through endless ages. Amen.
RESPONSORY
1 Timothy 6:11-12; Titus 2:1
Man of God, you must strive for holiness, goodness, fidelity,
love, patience and gentleness.
— Fight the good fight of faith,
and win the prize of eternal life.
Preach nothing but sound doctrine.
— Fight the good fight of faith,
and win the prize of eternal life.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
God our Father,
you gave your saints Timothy and Titus
the courage and wisdom of the apostles:
may their prayers help us to live holy lives
and lead us to heaven, our true home.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
O God, who adorned Saints Timothy and Titus
with apostolic virtues,
grant, through the intercession of them both,
that, living justly and devoutly in this present age,
we may merit to reach our heavenly homeland.
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.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks
******
Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, †
who desires not worthless things, *
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord *
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord
You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).
O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Let the nations be glad and exult *
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples, *
you guide the nations on earth.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
The earth has yielded its fruit *
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing *
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Psalm 100
The joyful song of those entering God’s temple
The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. †
Serve the Lord with gladness. *
Come before him, singing for joy.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. †
He made us, we belong to him, *
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. †
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, †
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock.