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Martyrology -20th February
Upon the 20th day of February are commemorated
The blessed martyrs of Tyre, in Phoenicia, whose number is known only to God. They were slain by Veturius, military instructor under the Emperor Diocletian, with a great number and variety of torments. They were first lacerated with stripes, then given to diverse kinds of beasts but as these, through the power of God, would not hurt them, they were savagely tortured anew with fire and iron and put to death. This glorious multitude were cheered on to victory by the Bishops Tyrannio, Silvan, Peleus, and Nilus, and the Priest Zenobius, who by a happy contention, along with them, gained the same palm of martyrdom together with them.
On the same 20th day of February, were also born into the better life: In the island of Cyprus, the holy martyrs Pothamius and Nemesius.
At Constantinople, [in the year 490,] the holy martyr Eleutherius, [eighth] Patriarch of that city. [He had replaced Acacius, who favoured the Eutychians.]
In Persia, [in the year 342,] holy Sadoth, [Arch]bishop [of Seleucia and Ctesephon, in Persia, successor to St. Simeon,] and an hundred and twentyeight others who refused to worship the sun, under Sapor, King of the Persians, and by cruel deaths gained glorious crowns.
At Catania, in Sicily, [in the eighth century,] holy Leo, Bishop of that see, who shone with graces and miracles.
On the same day, [in the year 738,] holy Eucherius, Bishop of Orleans, who shone with more miracles the more he was belied by his enemies.
At Tournai, in Hainaut, [in the year 531,] the holy Confessor Eleutherius, Bishop of that see.
And elsewhere many other Holy Martyrs, Confessors and Holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God
Morning Prayer
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Place Yourself in the Presence of God, and adore His holy Name.
Most holy and adorable Trinity, one God in three Persons, I believe that Thou art here present: I adore Thee with the deepest humility, and render to Thee, with my whole heart, the homage which is due to Thy sovereign majesty.
An Act of Faith
O my God, I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
An Act of Hope
O my God, relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
An Act of Love
O my God, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbour as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
Thank God for All Favours and Offer Yourself to Him.
O my God, I most humbly thank Thee for all the favours Thou hast bestowed upon me up to the present moment. I give Thee thanks from the bottom of my heart that Thou hast created me after Thine own image and likeness, that Thou hast redeemed me by the precious blood of Thy dear Son, and that Thou hast preserved me and brought me safe to the beginning of another day. I offer to Thee, O Lord, my whole being, and in particular all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings of this day. I consecrate them all to the glory of Thy name, beseeching Thee that through the infinite merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour they may all find acceptance in Thy sight. May Thy divine love animate them, and may they all tend to Thy greater glory.
Resolve to Avoid Sin and to Practice Virtue.
Adorable Jesus, my Saviour and Master, model of all perfection, I resolve and will endeavour this day to imitate Thy example, to be, like Thee, mild, humble, chaste, zealous, charitable, and resigned. I will redouble my efforts that I may not fall this day into any of those sins which I have heretofore committed (here name any besetting sin), and which I sincerely desire to forsake.
Ask God for the Necessary Graces.
O my God, Thou knowest my poverty and weakness, and that I am unable to do anything good without Thee; deny me not, O God, the help of Thy grace; proportion it to my necessities; give me strength to avoid anything evil which Thou forbiddest, and to practise the good which Thou hast commanded; and enable me to bear patiently all the trials which it may please Thee to send me.
The Lord’s Prayer...
The Hail Mary...
The Apostles’ Creed...
At this point, please go to the relevant text of Fr Hamon’s Meditation. Once I have read and meditated on the text, and its various points.
Ask the Prayers of the Blessed Virgin, your Guardian Angel, and your Patron Saint.
I complete my meditation by saying:
Holy Virgin, Mother of God, my Mother and Patroness, I place myself under thy protection, I throw myself with confidence into the arms of thy compassion. Be to me, O Mother of mercy, my refuge in distress, my consolation under suffering, my advocate with thy adorable Son, now and at the hour of my death.
Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom His love commits me here, Ever this day be at my side, To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
O great Saint whose name I bear, protect me, pray for me, that like thee I may serve God faithfully on earth, and glorify Him eternally with thee in heaven. Amen.
Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, ... Jesus, Son of the living God, ... Jesus, splendour of the Father, ... Jesus, brightness of eternal light, ... Jesus, king of glory, ... Jesus, sun of justice, ... Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary, ... Jesus, most amiable, ... Jesus, most admirable, ... Jesus, mighty God, ... Jesus, father of the world to come, ... Jesus, angel of great council, ... Jesus, most powerful, ... Jesus, most patient, ... Jesus, most obedient, ... Jesus, meek and humble of heart, ... Jesus, lover of chastity ... Jesus, lover of us, ... Jesus, God of peace, ... Jesus, author of life, ... Jesus, model of virtues, ... Jesus, zealous for souls, ... Jesus, our God, ... Jesus, our refuge, ... Jesus, father of the poor, ... Jesus, treasure of the faithful, ... Jesus, good shepherd, ... Jesus, true light, ... Jesus, eternal wisdom, ... Jesus, infinite goodness, ... Jesus, our way and our life, ... Jesus, joy of angels, ... Jesus, king of patriarchs, ... Jesus, master of apostles, ... Jesus, teacher of evangelists, ... Jesus, strength of martyrs, ... Jesus, light of confessors, ... Jesus, purity of virgins, ... Jesus, crown of all saints, ...
Be merciful, Spare us, O Jesus. Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
From all evil, Jesus, deliver us. From all sin, Jesus, deliver us. From Thy wrath, ... From the snares of the devil, ... From the spirit of fornication, ... From everlasting death, ... From the neglect of Thy inspirations, ... Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, ... Through Thy nativity, ... Through Thine infancy, ... Through Thy most divine life, ... Through Thy labours, ... Through Thine agony and passion, ... Through Thy cross and dereliction, ...Through Thy faintness and weariness, ... Through Thy death and burial, ... Through Thy resurrection, ... Through Thine ascension, ... Through Thy joys, ... Through Thy glory, ...
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Jesus.
Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.
Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast said: Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; grant, we beseech Thee, unto us who ask, the gift of Thy most divine love, that we may ever love Thee with all our hearts, and in all our words and actions, and never cease from showing forth Thy praise. Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy Name; for Thou never failest to govern those whom Thou dost solidly establish in Thy love. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
The Angelus
℣ The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
℟ And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Hail, Mary...
℣ Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
℟ Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail, Mary...
℣ And the Word was made flesh.
℟ And dwelt among us.
Hail, Mary...
℣ Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
℟ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord! Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may, by His passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Evening Prayer
Monday after Quinquagesima: The Ingratitude of Men to Our Lord
Summary of the Morrow’s Meditation
In order to enter into the spirit of the Church during this season of adoration and expiation, we will meditate tomorrow: first, how the ingratitude of men makes the love of Our Lord show itself all the more in the Eucharist; second, what are the duties incumbent on us from so much love that is disowned. We will then make the resolution: first, every day to make a visit of honourable reparation to the Blessed Sacrament for all the licentiousness of the world during these days of licence; second, to live in a more holy manner today, in a spirit of reparation for this licentiousness. Out spiritual nosegay shall be the words of David: “I beheld the transgressors and I pined away” (Ps. cxviii:158).
Meditation for the Morning
Let us transport ourselves in spirit before the altar where Jesus is exposed during these three days. Let us unite ourselves to the angels of the sanctuary who endeavour by their homage to make reparation for the transgressions of the earth; let us prostrate ourselves and be filled with sentiments of adoration, of love, of honourable reparation and of expiation.
How greatly the ingratitude of men makes the love of our lord shine forth all the more in the eucharist
When we are in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament we do not take sufficient account of what it cost Our Lord to descend so low. He was obliged to leave the bosom of His Father, where He was in God, where He was God, to come down to earth, and not to be received here, to take refuge in a stable and to escape death only by flight; He was obliged after thirty years of a laborious and hidden life, after three years employed in evangelising the people and doing them good, and receiving in return calumnies, outrages, ignominy, and death, to survive by the institution of the Eucharist, in order to remain in the midst of the men who had treated Him so unworthily; and from that time, O miracle of love, what horrors has He not been obliged to submit to!
The very first time that He celebrated the Eucharist He was buried alive, in company of the devil, in a stained conscience, in the soul of Judas. Since then, to what profanations, to what indignities has He not been subjected! The heretic denies Him, the bad Christian is wanting in respect, the impious man blasphemes Him; cupidity, for the sake of taking possession of the vessel wherein He reposes, casts Him on the ground and treads Him under foot. O Lord, how dearly Thy love costs Thee! Take Thy flight once more to heaven and free Thyself from so many outrages. “No, I will not, I love mankind too much to separate Myself from them. Rather than deprive one single soul of the happiness of receiving and possessing Me, I will submit to all kinds of ingratitude and all kinds of profanations.” And so He traverses the ages, always and everywhere disowned, except by a small number of souls who know how to appreciate His love. All along the road He is unworthily treated, sometimes left desolate in the solitude of the tabernacles, sometimes despised and insulted; finally He reaches our heart in Holy Communion, laden with eighteen centuries of profanations; it was the object to which all His desires tended, He has attained it; He is in us; He is ours; He is content. The more He has suffered on the road, the more love He shows us; it is all that He desired. O love, how incomprehensible thou art! O love! O love! can we ever appreciate thee as thou deservest? Can we ever thank thee, ever love thee enough?
Duties incumbent on us in consequence of so much love that is disowned
First, we ought to be profoundly touched by the outrages committed against so loving a God, above all by those which He receives during these very days of reparation and expiation. David and Jeremiah are melted to tears, fall down fainting, and are parched with grief at the sight of the prevarications of the ancient people; how would they feel if they could but witness the far more guilty prevarications of the new people? St Teresa could not think of them without giving vent to cries of sorrow and of desolation. Independently of irreverences and profanations, the simple fact of the manner in which the tabernacles were forsaken seemed to distract her. She gathered her nuns together and exclaimed to them: “My sisters, love is not loved, let us love the love which is not loved”. All the saints have felt the same grief at seeing the love of Jesus in the Eucharist scorned by the ingratitude of men, and each time they had tidings of a profanation it was as though a sword had pierced their soul. Second, we must make reparation for all these evils by fervent honourable amends to the Blessed Sacrament, offer it in expiation all our reverence, all the homage of the angels and the saints, all our actions and our life itself, protest that it would be a happiness to us to shed our blood to spare it the least offence or to repair it, and finally live today in a more holy manner than usual, visit the Blessed Sacrament with more love, communicate henceforth with more fervour, assist at the Holy Sacrifice more piously and more frequently.
Resolutions and spiritual nosegay as above.
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