Universalis: Office of Readings (2024)

Deus, in adiutórium meum inténde.

Dómine, ad adiuvándum me festína.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen. Allelúia.

O God, come to our aid.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. Alleluia.

Beáte (Beáta) martyr, próspera

diem triumphálem tuum,

quo sánguinis merces tibi

coróna vincénti datur.

Hic te ex ténebris sǽculi,

tortóre victo et iúdice,

evéxit ad cælum dies

Christóque ovántem réddidit.

Nunc angelórum párticeps

collúces insígni stola,

quam testis indomábilis

rivis cruóris láveras.

Adésto nunc et óbsecra,

placátus ut Christus suis

inclínet aurem prósperam,

noxas nec omnes ímputet.

Paulísper huc illábere

Christi favórem déferens,

sensus graváti ut séntiant

levámen indulgéntiæ.

Honor Patri cum Fílio

et Spíritu Parácl*to,

qui te coróna pérpeti

cingunt in aula glóriæ. Amen.

The martyrs living now with Christ

In suffering were tried,

Their anguish overcome by love

When on his cross they died.

Across the centuries they come,

In constancy unmoved,

Their loving hearts make no complaint,

In silence they are proved.

No man has ever measured love,

Or weighed it in his hand,

But God who knows the inmost heart

Gives them the promised land.

Praise Father, Son and Spirit blest,

Who guides us through the night

In ways that reach beyond the stars

To everlasting light.

Francis E. Mostyn (1860-1939)

Ps 17:2-7
Gratiarum actio pro salute et victoria

Díligam te, Dómine, virtus mea.

2Díligam te, Dómine, fortitúdo mea.*

3Dómine, firmaméntum meum et refúgium meum et liberátor meus;

Deus meus, adiútor meus, et sperábo in eum;*

protéctor meus et cornu salútis meæ et suscéptor meus.

4Laudábilem invocábo Dóminum,*

et ab inimícis meis salvus ero.

5Circumdedérunt me fluctus mortis,*

et torréntes Bélial conturbavérunt me;

6funes inférni circumdedérunt me,*

præoccupavérunt me láquei mortis.

7In tribulatióne mea invocávi Dóminum,*

et ad Deum meum clamávi;

exaudívit de templo suo vocem meam,*

et clamor meus in conspéctu eius introívit in aures eius.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Díligam te, Dómine, virtus mea.

Psalm 17 (18)
Thanksgiving for salvation and victory

I love you, Lord, my strength.

I will love you, Lord, my strength:

Lord, you are my foundation and my refuge,

you set me free.

My God is my help: I will put my hope in him,

my protector, my sign of salvation,

the one who raises me up.

I will call on the Lord– praise be to his name–

and I will be saved from my enemies.

The waves of death flooded round me,

the torrents of Belial tossed me about,

the cords of the underworld wound round me,

death’s traps opened before me.

In my distress I called on the Lord,

I cried out to my God:

from his temple he heard my voice,

my cry to him came to his ears.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

I love you, Lord, my strength.

Ps 17:8-20

Salvum me fecit Dóminus, quóniam vóluit me.

8Commóta est et contrémuit terra;†

fundaménta móntium concússa sunt et commóta sunt,*

quóniam irátus est.

9Ascéndit fumus de náribus eius,†

et ignis de ore eius dévorans;*

carbónes succénsi processérunt ab eo.

10Inclinávit cælos et descéndit,*

et calígo sub pédibus eius.

11Et ascéndit super cherub et volávit,*

ferebátur super pennas ventórum.

12Et pósuit ténebras latíbulum suum,†

in circúitu eius tabernáculum eius,*

tenebrósa aqua, nubes áeris.

13Præ fulgóre in conspéctu eius nubes transiérunt,*

grando et carbónes ignis.

14Et intónuit de cælo Dóminus,†

et Altíssimus dedit vocem suam:*

grando et carbónes ignis.

15Et misit sagíttas suas et dissipávit eos,*

fúlgura iecit et conturbávit eos.

16Et apparuérunt fontes aquárum,*

et reveláta sunt fundaménta orbis terrárum

ab increpatióne tua, Dómine,*

ab inspiratióne spíritus iræ tuæ.

17Misit de summo et accépit me*

et assúmpsit me de aquis multis;

18erípuit me de inimícis meis fortíssimis†

et ab his, qui odérunt me,*

quóniam confortáti sunt super me.

19Oppugnavérunt me in die afflictiónis meæ,*

et factus est Dóminus fulciméntum meum;

20et edúxit me in latitúdinem,*

salvum me fecit, quóniam vóluit me.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Salvum me fecit Dóminus, quóniam vóluit me.

Psalm 17 (18)

The Lord saved me because he loved me.

The earth moved and shook,

at the coming of his anger the roots of the mountains rocked

and were shaken.

Smoke rose from his nostrils,

consuming fire came from his mouth,

from it came forth flaming coals.

He bowed down the heavens and descended,

storm clouds were at his feet.

He rode on the cherubim and flew,

he travelled on the wings of the wind.

He made dark clouds his covering;

his dwelling-place, dark waters and clouds of the air.

The cloud-masses were split by his lightnings,

hail fell, hail and coals of fire.

The Lord thundered from the heavens,

the Most High let his voice be heard,

with hail and coals of fire.

He shot his arrows and scattered them,

hurled thunderbolts and threw them into confusion.

The depths of the oceans were laid bare,

the foundations of the globe were revealed,

at the sound of your anger, O Lord,

at the onset of the gale of your wrath.

He reached from on high and took me up,

he lifted me from the many waters.

He snatched me from my powerful enemies,

from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me.

They attacked me in my time of trouble,

but the Lord was my support.

He led me to the open spaces,

he was my deliverance, for he held me in favour.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

The Lord saved me because he loved me.

Ps 17:21-30

Tu, Dómine, accénde lucérnam meam; illuminábis ténebras meas.

21Et retríbuet mihi Dóminus secúndum iustítiam meam*

et secúndum puritátem mánuum meárum reddet mihi,

22quia custodívi vias Dómini,*

nec ímpie recéssi a Deo meo.

23Quóniam ómnia iudícia eius in conspéctu meo,*

et iustítias eius non réppuli a me;

24et fui immaculátus cum eo*

et observávi me ab iniquitáte.

25Et retríbuit mihi Dóminus secúndum iustítiam meam*

et secúndum puritátem mánuum meárum in conspéctu oculórum eius.

26Cum sancto sanctus eris*

et cum viro innocénte ínnocens eris

27et cum elécto eléctus eris*

et cum pervérso cállidus eris.

28Quóniam tu pópulum húmilem salvum fácies*

et óculos superbórum humiliábis.

29Quóniam tu accéndis lucérnam meam, Dómine;*

Deus meus illúminat ténebras meas.

30Quóniam in te aggrédiar hóstium turmas*

et in Deo meo transíliam murum.

Glória Patri et Fílio*

et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio et nunc et semper*

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Tu, Dómine, accénde lucérnam meam; illuminábis ténebras meas.

Psalm 17 (18)

You, O Lord, are my lamp, my God who lightens my darkness.

The Lord rewards me according to my uprightness,

he repays me according to the purity of my hands,

for I have kept to the paths of the Lord

and have not departed wickedly from my God.

For I keep all his decrees in my sight,

and I will not reject his judgements;

I am stainless before him,

I have kept myself away from evil.

And so the Lord has rewarded me according to my uprightness,

according to the purity of my hands in his sight.

You will be holy with the holy,

kind with the kind,

with the chosen you will be chosen,

but with the crooked you will show your cunning.

For you will bring salvation to a lowly people

but make the proud ashamed.

For you light my lamp, O Lord;

my God brings light to my darkness.

For with you I will attack the enemy’s squadrons;

with my God I will leap over their wall.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

You, O Lord, are my lamp, my God who lightens my darkness.

℣. Tribulátio et angústia invenérunt me.

℟. Mandáta tua meditátio mea est.

℣. Anguish and distress have taken hold of me.

℟. Yet will I delight in your commands.

Eliu loquitur de mysterio Dei

32,1Omisérunt tres viri isti respondére Iob, eo quod iustus sibi viderétur. 2Et irátus indignatúsque est Eliu fílius Bárachel Buzítes de cognatióne Ram; irátus est autem advérsum Iob, eo quod iustum se esse díceret coram Deo. 3Porro advérsum amícos eius indignátus est, eo quod non inveníssent responsiónem, sed tantúmmodo condemnássent Iob. 4Igitur Eliu exspectávit Iob loquéntem, eo quod senióres essent, qui loquebántur; 5cum autem vidísset Eliu quod tres respondére non potuíssent, irátus est veheménter. 6Respondénsque Eliu fílius Bárachel Buzítes dixit:

«Iúnior sum témpore,

vos autem antiquióres;

idcírco véritus sum et tímui

vobis indicáre meam senténtiam.

33,1Audi ígitur, Iob, elóquia mea

et omnes sermónes meos auscúlta.

2Ecce apérui os meum,

loquátur lingua mea in fáucibus meis.

3Ex recto corde sermónes mei sunt,

et senténtiam puram lábia mea loquéntur.

4Spíritus Dei fecit me

et spiráculum Omnipoténtis vivificávit me.

5Si potes, respónde mihi,

prǽpara te coram me et consíste.

6Ecce ego sicut tu coram Deo sum

et de eódem luto abscíssus sum et ego.

7Verúmtamen terror meus non te térreat,

et onus meum non sit tibi grave.

8Dixísti ergo in áuribus meis,

et vocem verbórum tuórum audívi:

9“Mundus sum ego et absque delícto;

immaculátus, et non est iníquitas in me.

10Quia querélas in me répperit,

ídeo arbitrátus est me inimícum sibi;

11pósuit in nervo pedes meos,

custodívit omnes sémitas meas”.

12Hoc est ergo, in quo non es iustificátus,

respondébo tibi, quia maior est Deus hómine.

13Quare advérsus eum conténdis,

quod non ad ómnia verba respónderit tibi?

14Semel lóquitur Deus,

et secúndo idípsum non répetit.

15Per sómnium in visióne noctúrna,

quando írruit sopor super hómines,

et dórmiunt in léctulo;

16tunc áperit aures virórum

et in visiónibus terret eos,

17ut avértat hóminem ab his, quæ facit,

et líberet eum de supérbia,

18éruens ánimam eius a fóvea

et vitam illíus, ut non tránseat canálem mortis.

19Increpat quoque per dolórem in léctulo,

et trémitus óssium eius contínuus.

20Abominábilis ei fit in vita sua panis,

et ánimæ illíus cibus ante desiderábilis.

21Tabéscet caro eius in conspéctu,

et ossa, quæ non videbántur, nudabúntur.

22Appropinquávit corruptióni fóveæ

et vita illíus mortíferis sédibus».

Elihu speaks on the mystery of God

Job’s three friends said no more to him, because he was convinced of his innocence. But another man was infuriated– Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the clan of Ram. He fumed with rage against Job for thinking that he was right and God was wrong; and he was equally angry with the three friends for giving up the argument and thus admitting that God could be unjust. While they were speaking, Elihu had held himself back, because they were older than he was; but when he saw that the three men had not another word to say in answer, his anger burst out. Thus Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite spoke next. He said:

I am still young,

and you are old,

so I was shy, afraid,

to tell you what I know.

Now, Job, be kind enough to listen to my words,

and attend to all I have to say.

Now as I open my mouth,

and my tongue shapes words against my palate,

my heart shall utter sayings full of wisdom,

and my lips speak the honest truth.

Refute me, if you can.

Prepare your ground to oppose me.

See, I am your fellow man, not a god;

like you, I was fashioned out of clay.

God’s breath it was that made me,

the breathing of Shaddai that gave me life.

Thus, no fear of me need disturb you,

my hand will not lie heavy over you.

How could you say in my hearing–

for the sound of your words did not escape me–

‘I am clean, and sinless,

I am pure, free of all fault.

Yet he is inventing grievances against me,

and imagining me his enemy.

He puts me in the stocks,

he watches my every step’?

In saying so, I tell you, you are wrong:

God does not fit man’s measure.

Why do you rail at him

for not replying to you, word for word?

God speaks first in one way,

and then in another, but no one notices.

He speaks by dreams, and visions that come in the night,

when slumber comes on mankind,

and men are all asleep in bed.

Then it is he whispers in the ear of man,

or may frighten him with fearful sights,

to turn him away from evil-doing,

and make an end of his pride;

to save his soul from the pit

and his life from the pathway to Sheol.

With suffering, too, he corrects man on his sick-bed,

when his bones keep trembling with palsy;

when his whole self is revolted by food,

and his appetite spurns dainties;

when his flesh rots as you watch it,

and his bare bones begin to show;

when his soul is drawing near to the pit,

and his life to the dwelling of the dead.

℟. O altitúdo divitiárum et sapiéntiæ et sciéntiæ Dei!* Quam incomprehensibília sunt iudícia eius et investigábiles viæ eius!

℣. Quis enim cognóvit sensum Dómini? aut quis consiliárius eius fuit?* Quam.

℟. How rich are the depths of God, how deep his wisdom and knowledge,* how inscrutable are his judgements!

℣. Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?* How inscrutable are his judgements!

Pastor sollicitus, vigilans super gregem Christi

Ecclésia, quæ velut navis magna per mare mundi huius enávigat, quæ divérsis tentatiónum flúctibus in hac vita túnditur, non est relinquénda, sed regénda.

Cuius rei in exémplo prióres patres habémus Cleméntem et Cornélium et céteros complúres in urbe Roma, Cypriánum in Carthágine, Athanásium in Alexandría, qui sub pagánis imperatóribus navem Christi, immo caríssimam sponsam eius, Ecclésiam scílicet, docéndo, defendéndo, laborándo et patiéndo usque ad sánguinis effusiónem, gubernábant.

Horum et his simílium consideratióne pertérritus sum, et timor et tremor venérunt super me, et pœne contexérunt me peccatórum meórum ténebræ, et semel suscéptum gubernáculum Ecclésiæ libuísset et placuísset mihi omníno dimíttere, si valérem vel exémpla Patrum vel Scriptúras sacras consentáneas inveníre.

Idcírco, quia hæc ómnia ita se habent et véritas fatigári potest, vinci autem et falli non potest, fatigáta mens nostra confúgiat ad illum qui per Salomónem dicit: Habe fidúciam in Dómino ex toto corde tuo et ne innitáris prudéntiæ tuæ. In ómnibus viis tuis cógita illum, et ipse díriget gressus tuos. Et álibi: Turris fortíssima nomen Dómini. Ad ipsam cónfugit iustus et salvábitur.

Stemus in iustítia et præparémus ánimas nostras ad tentatiónem, ut sustineámus sustentatiónem Dei et dicámus ei: Dómine, refúgium factus es nobis a generatióne et progénie.

Confidámus in eum, qui nobis onus impósuit. Quod per nos portáre non póssumus, portémus per illum qui est omnípotens, qui dicit: Iugum enim meum suáve est, et onus meum leve.

Stémus in prœ́lio in die Dómini, quia dies angústiæ et tribulatiónis venérunt super nos. Moriámur, si Deus volúerit, pro sanctis légibus patrum nostrórum, ut hereditátem cum illis ætérnam cónsequi mereámur.

Non simus canes muti, non simus táciti speculatóres, non simus mercenárii lupum fugiéntes, sed pastóres sollíciti, vigilántes super gregem Christi, prædicántes maióri et minóri, díviti et páuperi, omne consílium Dei, ómnibus grádibus vel ætátibus, in quantum Deus donáverit posse, opportúne, importúne, eo modo quo sanctus Gregórius in libro Pastoráli conscrípsit.

The careful shepherd watches over Christ's flock

In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course.

The ancient fathers showed us how we should carry out this duty: Clement, Cornelius and many others in the city of Rome, Cyprian at Carthage, Athanasius at Alexandria. They all lived under emperors who were pagans; they all steered Christ’s ship– or rather his most dear spouse, the Church. This they did by teaching and defending her, by their labours and sufferings, even to the shedding of blood.

I am terrified when I think of all this. Fear and trembling came upon me and the darkness of my sins almost covered me. I would gladly give up the task of guiding the Church which I have accepted if I could find such an action warranted by the example of the fathers or by holy Scripture.

Since this is the case, and since the truth can be assaulted but never defeated or falsified, with our tired mind let us turn to the words of Solomon: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own prudence. Think on him in all your ways, and he will guide your steps. In another place he says: The name of the Lord is an impregnable tower. The just man seeks refuge in it and he will be saved.

Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon God’s strengthening aid and say to him: O Lord, you have been our refuge in all generations.

Let us trust in him who has placed this burden upon us. What we ourselves cannot bear let us bear with the help of Christ. For he is all-powerful and he tells us: My yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Let us continue the fight on the day of the Lord. The days of anguish and of tribulation have overtaken us; if God so wills, let us die for the holy laws of our fathers, so that we may deserve to obtain an eternal inheritance with them.

Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead let us be careful shepherds watching over Christ’s flock. Let us preach the whole of God’s plan to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season, as Saint Gregory writes in his book of Pastoral Instruction.

℟. Cúpide volebámus trádere vobis non solum evangélium Dei, sed étiam ánimas nostras,* Quóniam caríssimi nobis facti estis.

℣. Filíoli mei, quos íterum partúrio, donec formétur Christus in vobis.* Quóniam.

℟. In our great longing for you, we desired nothing better than to offer you our own lives, as well as God’s gospel,* so greatly had we learned to love you.

℣. My little children, I am in travail over you afresh, until I can see Christ’s image formed in you,* so greatly had we learned to love you.

Oremus.

Sanctus martyr, Dómine, Bonifátius pro nobis intervéntor exsístat, ut fidem, quam ore dócuit et sánguine consignávit, fírmiter teneámus, et opéribus profiteámur confidénter.

Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum,

qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus,

per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, the martyr Saint Boniface

sealed with his blood the faith he preached.

Let him pray

that we may hold fast to the faith

and profess it courageously in our lives.

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.

Benedicámus Dómino.

– Deo grátias.

Let us praise the Lord.

– Thanks be to God.