Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Hebrews 5.7-9

Christ Jesus, in the days of his flesh,
having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears
to him who was able to save him from death,
and having been heard for his godly fear,
Son though he was, still he learned obedience by what he suffered.
Having been made perfect,
he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation.

Responsorial – Psalm 31.2+3b, 3cd-4, 5-6, 15-16, 20 Resp. 17

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be disappointed.
Deliver me in your righteousness.
Rescue me speedily!

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

Be to me a strong rock,
a house of defense to save me.
For you are my rock and my fortress,
for your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me,
for you are my stronghold.
Into your hand I commend my spirit.
You redeem me, O Lord, God of truth.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

But I trust in you, O Lord.
I said, “You are my God.”
My fate is in your hand: deliver me
from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

How great is your goodness,
which you have laid up for those who fear you,
which you have, for those who take refuge in you,
worked before the sons of men!

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

Sequence – Stabat Mater Dolorosa

At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had pass'd.

Oh, how sad and sore distress'd
Was that Mother highly blest
Of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs;
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,
Whelm'd in miseries so deep
Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother's pain untold?

Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd,
She beheld her tender child
All with bloody scourges rent.

For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above;
Make my heart with thine accord.

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ our Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

Let me share with thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him who mourn'd for me,
All the days that I may live.

By the cross with thee to stay,
There with thee to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins best,
Listen to my fond request
Let me share thy grief divine.

Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,
Steep my soul till it hath swoon'd
In His very blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In His awful Judgment day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defence,
Be Thy cross my victory.

While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in Paradise with Thee.
Amen. Alleluia.

Gospel – John 19:25-27

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother,
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there,
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!”
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”
From that hour, the disciple took her into his own home.

Or Luke 2.33-35

Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things
which were spoken concerning him,
and Simeon blessed them,
and said to Mary, his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the falling and the rising of many in Israel,
and for a sign which will be contradicted.
(Indeed, a sword will pierce through your own soul)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9

Thus says the LORD:
“When Israel was a child, I loved him;
out of Egypt I called my son.
Yet I taught Ephraim to walk.
I took them in my arms;
but they did not know that I healed them.
I drew them with human cords,
with ties of love;
and I was to them
like those who lift up the yoke on their necks;
and I bent down to them and I fed them.

My heart is turned within me,
my compassion is aroused.
I will not execute the fierceness of my anger.
I will not return to destroy Ephraim:
for I am God, and not man;
the Holy One among you;
and I will not come in wrath.

Responsorial – Isaiah 12.2-3, 4, 5-6 Resp. 3

R. With joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Behold, God is my salvation.
I will trust and will not be afraid;
for the Lord, the Lord, is my strength and song;
and he has become my salvation.
Therefore with joy you will draw water
out of the wells of salvation.

R. With joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Give thanks to the Lord! Call on his name.
Declare his deeds among the nations.
Proclaim that his name is exalted!

R. With joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Sing to the Lord, for he has done excellent things!
Let this be known in all the earth!
Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion;
For great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel.

R. With joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Reading 2 – Ephesians 3.8-12, 14-19

Brothers and sisters:
To me, the very least of all saints,
was this grace given:
to preach to the Gentiles
the unsearchable riches of Christ,
and to bring to light for everyone
the economy of the mystery
which for ages has been hidden in God,
who created all things;
so that now through the Church
the manifold wisdom of God
might be made known to
the principalities and the powers
in the heavenly places,
according to the eternal purpose
which he accomplished
in Christ Jesus our Lord;
in whom we have boldness
and confident access
through our faith in him.

For this reason,
I bow my knees to
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named,
that he would grant you,
according to the riches of his glory,
to be strengthened with power
through his Spirit in the inward human;
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
to the end that you,
being rooted and grounded in love,
may be strengthened to comprehend
with all the saints what is
the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know Christ’s love
which surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Gospel – John 19.31-37

So the Jews, because it was the Preparation Day,
so that the bodies would not remain on the crosses
on the Sabbath for that Sabbath was a special one,
asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken,
and that they might be taken away.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first,
and of the other who was crucified with him;
but when they came to Jesus,
and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
However one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear,
and immediately blood and water came out.
He who has seen has testified and his testimony is true.
He knows that he tells the truth that you may believe.
For these things happened, that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
“A bone of him will not be broken.”
Again another Scripture says,
“They will look on him whom they pierced.”