Divine Office

October 17

Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

Memorial

“Yes, one and all, you should form yourselves into a choir, so that, in perfect harmony and taking your pitch from God, you may sing in unison and with one voice to the Father through Jesus Christ.”[1]

St. Ignatius of Antioch was born in Syria around the year 50 A.D. According to tradition, he was the second bishop of Antioch, after St. Evodius. During a persecution, St. Ignatius held to the faith and was sent to Rome to be executed. En route, representatives of many churches welcomed him. On this grueling journey, he wrote seven surviving letters to various churches in modern-day Turkey, to Christians in Rome, and to his fellow bishop Polycarp. His letters are important witnesses to the life and thought of early Christians. In them, he emphasized Christian unity- centered on the bishop and the Eucharist, and stressed the reality of Christ’s humanity and divinity. [2][3]

Written by Sarah Ciotti
Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD
[1] St. Ignatius of Antioch, “To the Ephesians,” in Early Christian Fathers, ed. Cyril C. Richardson, (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1953), 89, www.ccel.org.
[2] Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, The Martyrology of the Monastery of the Ascension, 2008.
[3] Catholicpedia: The Original Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. s.v. “St. Ignatius of Antioch.”

Lord, open my lips.
— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the King of martyrs.

Psalm 95

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, the King of martyrs.

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, the King of martyrs.

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, the King of martyrs.

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, the King of martyrs.

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, the King of martyrs.

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, the King of martyrs.

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 615
Psalter: Friday, Week IV, 11944
Common of One Martyr: 1721 (verse before first reading)
Proper of Seasons: 394 (first reading)
Proper of Saints: 1490 (second reading, concluding prayer)

Christian Prayer:
Does not contain Office of Readings.

Office of Readings for Friday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 My God, do not reject my cry for help, assailed as I am by the wicked.

Psalm 55
Against a friend proved traitor
Jesus was seized with fear and distress (Mark 14:33).

I

O God, listen to my prayer,
do not hide from my pleading,
attend to me and reply;
with my cares, I cannot rest.

I tremble at the shouts of the foe,
at the cries of the wicked;
for they bring down evil upon me.
They assail me with fury.

My heart is stricken within me,
death’s terror is on me,
trembling and fear fall upon me
and horror overwhelms me.

O that I had wings like a dove
to fly away and be at rest.
So I would escape far away
and take refuge in the desert.

I would hasten to find a shelter
from the raging wind,
from the destructive storm, O Lord,
and from their plotting tongues.

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. My God, do not reject my cry for help, assailed as I am by the wicked.

Ant. 2 The Lord himself will free us from hostile and treacherous hands.

II

For I can see nothing but violence
and strife in the city.
Night and day they patrol
high on the city walls.

It is full of wickedness and evil;
it is full of sin.
Its streets are never free
from tyranny and deceit.

If this had been done by an enemy
I could bear his taunts.
If a rival had risen against me,
I could hide from him.

But it is you, my own companion,
my intimate friend!
How close was the friendship between us.
We walked together in harmony
in the house of God.

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. The Lord himself will free us from hostile and treacherous hands.

Ant. 3 Entrust your cares to the Lord; he will sustain you.

III

As for me, I will cry to God
and the Lord will save me.
Evening, morning and at noon
I will cry and lament.

He will deliver my soul in peace
in the attack against me:
for those who fight me are many,
but he hears my voice.

God will hear and will humble them,
the eternal judge:
for they will not amend their ways.
They have no fear of God.

The traitor has turned against his friends;
he has broken his word.
His speech is softer than butter,
but war is in his heart.
His words are smoother than oil,
but they are naked swords.

Entrust your cares to the Lord
and he will support you.
He will never allow
the just man to stumble.

But you, O God, will bring them down
to the pit of death.
Deceitful and bloodthirsty men
shall not live half their days.
O Lord, I will trust in you.

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

Lord Jesus, you were rejected by your people, betrayed by the kiss of a friend, and deserted by your disciples. Give us the confidence that you had in the Father, and our salvation will be assured.

Ant. Entrust your cares to the Lord; he will sustain you.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

I have known tribulation and distress.
— But in your commands I have found consolation.

READINGS

First reading
From the beginning of the book of the prophet Malachi
1:1-14; 2:13-16
A prophecy concerning negligent priests and concerning repudiation

An oracle. The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.

I have loved you, says the Lord;
but you say, “How have you loved us?”
Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the Lord:
yet I loved Jacob, but hated Esau;
I made his mountains a waste,
his heritage a desert for jackals.
If Edom says, “We have been crushed
but we will rebuild the ruins,”
Thus says the Lord of hosts:
They indeed may build, but I will tear down,
And they shall be called the land of guilt,
the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.
Your own eyes shall see it, and you will say,
“Great is the Lord, even beyond the land of Israel.”

A son honors his father,
and a servant fears his master;
If then I am a father,
where is the honor due to me?
And if I am a master,
where is the reverence due to me?–
So says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests,
who despise his name.

But you ask, “How have we despised your name?”
By offering polluted food on my altar!
Then you ask, “How have we polluted it?”
By saying the table of the Lord may be slighted!
When you offer a blind animal for sacrifice,
is this not evil?
When you offer the lame or the sick,
is it not evil?
Present it to your governor; see if he will accept it,
or welcome you, says the Lord of hosts.

So now if you implore God for mercy on us,
when you have done the like
Will he welcome any of you?
says the Lord of hosts.
Oh, that one among you would shut the temple gates
to keep you from kindling fire on my altar in vain!
I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts;
neither will I accept any sacrifice from your hands,
For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting,
my name is great among the nations;
And everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name,
and a pure offering;
For great is my name among the nations,
says the Lord of hosts.

But you behave profanely toward me by thinking
the Lord’s table and its offering may be polluted,
and its food slighted.
You also say, “What a burden!”
and you scorn it, says the Lord of hosts;
You bring in what you seize, or the lame, or the sick;
yes, you bring it as a sacrifice.
Shall I accept it from your hands?
says the Lord.

Cursed is the deceiver, who has in his flock a male,
but under his vow sacrifices to the Lord a gelding;
For a great King am I, says the Lord of hosts,
and my name will be feared among the nations.

This also you do: the altar of the Lord you cover
with tears, weeping and groaning,
Because he no longer regards your sacrifice
nor accepts it favorably from your hand;
And you say, “Why is it?”–
Because the Lord is witness
between you and the wife of your youth,
With whom you have broken faith
though she is your companion, your betrothed wife.

Did he not make one being, with flesh and spirit:
and what does that one require but godly offspring?
You must then safeguard life that is your own,
and not break faith with the wife of your youth.
For I hate divorce,
says the Lord, the God of Israel,
And covering one’s garment with injustice,
says the Lord of hosts;
You must then safeguard life that is your own,
and not break faith.

RESPONSORY Malachi 2:5, 6; Psalm 110:4

I made a covenant with Levi, the priest.
In it I promised him life and peace.
I filled him with fear,
and he revered me.
— His teaching was true,
and no dishonesty fell from his lips.

The Lord has sworn an oath
which he will not regret:
You are a priest for ever in the line of Melchizedek.
— His teaching was true,
and no dishonesty fell from his lips.

Second reading
From a letter to the Romans by Saint Ignatius, bishop and martyr
I am God’s wheat and shall be ground by the teeth of wild animals

I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not stand in my way. I plead with you: show me no untimely kindness. Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God. I am God’s wheat and shall be ground by their teeth so that I may become Christ’s pure bread. Pray to Christ for me that the animals will be the means of making me a sacrificial victim for God.

No earthly pleasures, no kingdoms of this world can benefit me in any way. I prefer death in Christ Jesus to power over the farthest limits of the earth. He who died in place of us is the one object of my quest. He who rose for our sakes is my one desire. The time for my birth is close at hand. Forgive me, my brothers. Do not stand in the way of my birth to real life; do not wish me stillborn. My desire is to belong to God. Do not, then, hand me back to the world. Do not try to tempt me with material things. Let me attain pure light. Only on my arrival there can I be fully a human being. Give me the privilege of imitating the passion of my God. If you have him in your heart, you will understand what I wish. You will sympathize with me because you will know what urges me on.

The prince of this world is determined to lay hold of me and to undermine my will which is intent on God. Let none of you here help him; instead show yourselves on my side, which is also God’s side. Do not talk about Jesus Christ as long as you love this world. Do not harbor envious thoughts. And supposing I should see you, if then I should beg you to intervene on my behalf, do not believe what I say. Believe instead what I am now writing to you. For though I am alive as I write to you, still my real desire is to die. My love of this life has been crucified, and there is no yearning in me for any earthly thing. Rather within me is the living water which says deep inside me: “Come to the Father.” I no longer take pleasure in perishable food or in the delights of this world. I want only God’s bread, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, formed of the seed of David, and for drink I crave his blood, which is love that cannot perish.

I am no longer willing to live a merely human life, and you can bring about my wish if you will. Please, then, do me this favor, so that you in turn may meet with equal kindness. Put briefly, this is my request: believe what I am saying to you. Jesus Christ himself will make it clear to you that I am saying the truth. Only truth can come from that mouth by which the Father has truly spoken. Pray for me that I may obtain my desire. I have not written to you as a mere man would, but as one who knows the mind of God. If I am condemned to suffer, I will take it that you wish me well. If my case is postponed, I can only think that you wish me harm.

RESPONSORY

Nothing will be hidden from you if you have perfect faith and love for Jesus Christ, since these are the beginning and end of life.
— Faith, indeed, is the beginning and love is the end.

Clothe yourself with gentleness, and be renewed in faith, which is the flesh of the Lord, and in love, which is the blood of Jesus Christ.
— Faith, indeed, is the beginning and love is the end.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God,
who adorn the sacred body of your Church
with the confessions of holy Martyrs,
grant, we pray, that,
just as the glorious passion of Saint Ignatius of Antioch,
which we celebrate today,
brought him eternal splendor,
so it may be for us unending protection.
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 (at least in the communal celebration)

Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
Psalter: Friday, Week IV, 1198
Common of One Martyr: 1731 (reading)
Proper of Saints: 1492 (concluding prayer)

Christian Prayer (single volume):
Ordinary: 689
Psalter: Friday, Week IV, 978
Common of One Martyr: 1414 (reading)
Proper of Saints: 1291 (concluding prayer)

Morning Prayer for Friday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Create a clean heart in me, O God; renew in me a steadfast spirit.

Psalm 51
O God, have mercy on me
Your inmost being must be renewed, and you must put on the new man (Ephesians 4:23-24).

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offense.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.

My offenses truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.

That you may be justified when you give sentence
and be without reproach when you judge,
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.

Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt.

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.

Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervor sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.

O rescue me, God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.

For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse,
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit,
A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.

In your goodness, show favor to Zion:
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
holocausts offered on your altar.

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, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, to save us and restore us to your friendship. Look upon our contrite heart and afflicted spirit and heal our troubled conscience, so that in the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit we may proclaim your praise and glory before all the nations.

Ant. Create a clean heart in me, O God; renew in me a steadfast spirit.

Ant. 2 Rejoice, Jerusalem, for through you all men will be gathered to the Lord.

Canticle – Tobit 13:8-11, 13-15
Thanksgiving for the people’s deliverance
He showed me the holy city Jerusalem which shone with the glory of God (Revelation 21:10-11).

Let all men speak of the Lord’s majesty,
and sing his praises in Jerusalem.

O Jerusalem, holy city,
he scourged you for the works of your hands,
but will again pity the children of the righteous.

Praise the Lord for his goodness,
and bless the King of the ages,
so that his tent may be rebuilt in you with joy.

May he gladden within you all who were captives;
all who were ravaged may he cherish within you
for all generations to come.

A bright light will shine to all parts of the earth;
many nations shall come to you from afar,
And the inhabitants of all the limits of the earth,
drawn to you by the name of the Lord God,
Bearing in their hands their gifts for the King of heaven.

Every generation shall give joyful praise in you,
and shall call you the chosen one,
through all ages forever.

Go, then, rejoice over the children of the righteous,
who shall all be gathered together
and shall bless the Lord of the ages.

Happy are those who love you,
and happy those who rejoice in your prosperity.

Happy are all the men who shall grieve over you,
over all your chastisements,
for they shall rejoice in you
as they behold all your joy forever.

My spirit blesses the Lord, the great King.

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. Rejoice, Jerusalem, for through you all men will be gathered to the Lord.

Ant. 3 Zion, praise your God, who sent his word to renew the earth.

Psalm 147
The restoration of Jerusalem
Come, I will show you the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9)

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!

He has strengthened the bars of your gates,
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.

He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.

He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch;
he sends forth his word and it melts them:
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.

He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees.

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

All powerful God, it is through your Church, generously endowed with gifts of grace and fortified by the Holy Spirit, that you send out your word to all nations. Strengthen your Church with the best of all food and make it dauntless in faith. Multiply its children to celebrate with one accord the mysteries of your love at the altar on high.

Ant. Zion, praise your God, who sent his word to renew the earth.

READING 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Praised be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation! He comforts us in all our afflictions and thus enables us to comfort those who are in trouble, with the same consolation we have received from him. As we have shared much in the sufferings of Christ, so through Christ do we share abundantly in his consolation.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

The Lord is my strength, and I shall sing his praise.
— The Lord is my strength, and I shall sing his praise.

The Lord is my savior,
— and I shall sing his praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— The Lord is my strength, and I shall sing his praise.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. I seek him who died for us; I long for him who rose for our sake.

Luke 1:68 – 79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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. I seek him who died for us; I long for him who rose for our sake.

INTERCESSIONS

Our Savior’s faithfulness is mirrored in the fidelity of his witnesses who shed their blood for the word of God. Let us praise him in remembrance of them:
You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs freely embraced death in bearing witness to the faith,
— give us the true freedom of the Spirit, O Lord.
You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs professed their faith by shedding their blood,
— give us a faith, O Lord, that is constant and pure.
You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs followed in your footsteps by carrying the cross,
— help us to endure courageously the misfortunes of life.
You redeemed us by your blood.

Your martyrs washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb,
— help us to avoid the weaknesses of the flesh and worldly allurements.
You redeemed us by your blood.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,
who adorn the sacred body of your Church
with the confessions of holy Martyrs,
grant, we pray, that,
just as the glorious passion of Saint Ignatius of Antioch,
which we celebrate today,
brought him eternal splendor,
so it may be for us unending protection.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 632
Psalter: Friday, Week IV, 1209
Common of One Martyr: 1735 (reading)
Proper of Saints: 1493 (concluding prayer)

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 694
Psalter: Friday, Week IV, 984
Common of One Martyr: 1420 (reading)
Proper of Saints: 1292 (concluding prayer)

Evening Prayer for Friday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

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.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Day after day I will bless you, Lord; I will tell of your marvelous deeds.

Psalm 145
Praise of God’s majesty
Lord, you are the Just One, who was and who is (Revelation 16:5).

I

I will give you glory, O God my king,
I will bless your name for ever.

I will bless you day after day
and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,
his greatness cannot be measured.

Age to age shall proclaim your works,
shall declare your mighty deeds,
shall speak of your splendor and glory,
tell the tale of your wonderful works.

They will speak of your terrible deeds,
recount your greatness and might.
They will recall your abundant goodness;
age to age shall ring out your justice.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God,

to make known to all your mighty deeds
and the glorious splendor of your reign.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule lasts from age to age.

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. Day after day I will bless you, Lord; I will tell of your marvelous deeds.

Ant. 2 To you alone, Lord, we look with confidence; you are ever close to those who call upon you.

II

The Lord is faithful in all his words
and loving in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall
and raises up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all creatures look to you
and you give them their food in due time.
You open wide your hand,
grant the desires of all who live.

The Lord is just in all his ways
and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him,
who call on him from their hearts.

He grants the desires of those who fear him,
he hears their cry and he saves them.
The Lord protects all who love him;
but the wicked he will utterly destroy.

Let me speak the praise of the Lord,
let all peoples bless his holy name
for ever, for ages unending.

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

Lord, be near to all who call upon you in truth and increase the dedication of those who revere you. Hear their prayers and save them that they may always love you and praise your holy name.

Ant. To you alone, Lord, we look with confidence; you are ever close to those who call upon you.

Ant. 3 King of all the ages, your ways are perfect and true.

Canticle – Revelation 15:3-4
Hymn of adoration

Mighty and wonderful are your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Righteous and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!

Who would dare refuse you honor,
or the glory due your name, O Lord?

Since you alone are holy,
all nations shall come
and worship in your presence.
Your mighty deeds are clearly seen.

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. King of all the ages, your ways are perfect and true.

READING 1 Peter 4:13-14

Dearly beloved, rejoice in the measure that you share Christ’s sufferings. When his glory is revealed, you will rejoice exultantly. Happy are you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ, for then God’s Spirit in its glory has come to rest on you.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

You have tried us by fire, O God, then led us to a place of refreshment.
— You have tried us by fire, O God, then led us to a place of refreshment.

You refined us as silver in the furnace,
— then led us to a place of refreshment.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— You have tried us by fire, O God, then led us to a place of refreshment.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. I hunger for the bread of God, the flesh of Jesus Christ, born of David’s seed; I long to drink of his blood, the gift of his unending love.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

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. I hunger for the bread of God, the flesh of Jesus Christ, born of David’s seed; I long to drink of his blood, the gift of his unending love.

INTERCESSIONS

This is the hour when the King of martyrs offered his life in the upper room and laid it down on the cross. Let us thank him and say:
We praise you, O Lord.

We praise you, O Lord, our Savior, inspiration and example for every martyr, for loving us to the end:
We praise you, O Lord.

For calling all repentant sinners to the rewards of life:
We praise you, O Lord.

For entrusting to your Church the blood of the new and everlasting covenant poured out for the remission of sin:
We praise you, O Lord.

For our perseverance in your grace today:
We praise you, O Lord.

For incorporating our dead brothers and sisters into your own death today:
We praise you, O Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,
who adorn the sacred body of your Church
with the confessions of holy Martyrs,
grant, we pray, that,
just as the glorious passion of Saint Ignatius of Antioch,
which we celebrate today,
brought him eternal splendor,
so it may be for us unending protection.
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.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.