Office: St. Francis of Assisi October 4th

 

 Evening Prayer I and II

Ant. 1 Francis a thoroughly Catholic and apostolic man was sent to prepare the way for the Gospel of Peace.

Ant. 2  During his life time he supported the house of God and in his days he strengthened the temple.

Ant. 3 Lead forth my soul from prison; the just wait for me until you reward me.

Hymn from Common

Collect

O GOD, who by the merits of blessed Francis dost increase thy Church with a new offspring: grant, we beseech thee; that after his pattern we may learn to despise all things earthly, and ever to rejoice in the partaking of thy heavenly bounty. Through.

Mag 1:  By his complete submission to his Creator Francis gained command over creatures and made them to praise the Creator.

Mag 2: God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Our Jesus Christ: for I bear in my body the marks of his passion.

Matins
 

Invitatory

Christ the King who exalts the humble * O come let us adore him.

Ant. 1 God led me to forget my father's house, and made me flourish in the land of my poverty.

Ant. 2 He considered the reproach of the cross of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world.

Ant. 3 I have died to the world and my life is hidden with Christ.

Hymn from Common

Ben: Francis poor and lowly enters heaven rich and honored with celestial hymns.

Readings

Sirach 50: 1, 3 - 4, 6 - 7

The leader of his brethren and the pride of his people was Simon the high priest, son of Onias, who in his life repaired the house, and in his time fortified the temple. In his days a cistern for water was quarried out, a reservoir like the sea in circumference. He considered how to save his people from ruin,and fortified the city to withstand a seige. Like the morning star among the clouds, like the moon when it is full;like the sun shining upon the temple of the Most High and like the rainbow gleaming in glorious clouds.

1 Corinthians 1:18-29

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing thing that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

Luke 9:23-26

Jesus said to all, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.