June 3
Wednesday
Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions
Martyrs
Memorial
Today is the Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, the martyrs of Uganda. Charles Lwanga was a page in the royal court of Mwanga, the king of the Baganda in the south of what is now Uganda. Mwanga was young and his country was under many outside pressures. He became mentally unstable and increasingly hostile to Christians. When Joseph Mkasa, the master of the pages and a Catholic catechist, tried to protect the younger pages from the rages and sexual advances of the king, Joseph was beheaded. Charles Lwanga, also a Catholic, was appointed to succeed him. One morning the king assembled the pages and told those who were Christians to stand apart. When they said they intended to remain Christians, they were burned to death. One of their executioners reported that the young men prayed softly as they died. Those martyred by Mwanga included both Catholics and other Christians. Charles and his companions were beatified in 1920 and canonized in 1964. St. Charles Lwanga is the patron saint of African youth.
Audio for Morning Prayer not available
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.
HYMN
With souls alert for happiness
We sing the praises which are due
To honor every martyr’s crown
Eternal gift from Christ our Lord.
As shining lights before the world,
And leaders of the Church of God,
They head the ranks of those who fight
As soldiers in the cause of truth.
They conquered fear of every kind
Despising anguish and all pain,
That through their constancy in death
They would obtain eternal light.
Their dedicated blood was shed
By torture’s cruel, craven hand,
Their dauntless courage was upheld
By grace of life that never ends.
Devoted faith of all the saints
Believer’s hope that never wanes,
The perfect charity of Christ
The prince of darkness soon defeat.
In them the Father’s glory shines,
In them the Holy Spirit’s will
Exults with all the joy of Christ
That fills the courts of bliss above.
Redeemer of all men, we pray
Permit your lowly servants here
To share the martyrs’ fellowship
For ever in your realm of light. Amen.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 O Lord, in your light we see light itself.
Psalm 36
The malice of sinners and God’s goodness
No follower of mine wanders in the dark; he shall have the light of life (John 8:12).
Sin speaks to the sinner
in the depths of his heart.
There is no fear of God
before his eyes.
He so flatters himself in his mind
that he knows not his guilt.
In his mouth are mischief and deceit.
All wisdom is gone.
He plots the defeat of goodness
as he lies on his bed.
He has set his foot on evil ways,
he clings to what is evil.
Your love, Lord, reaches to heaven;
your truth to the skies.
Your justice is like God’s mountain,
your judgments like the deep.
To both man and beast you give protection.
O Lord, how precious is your love.
My God, the sons of men
find refuge in the shelter of your wings.
They feast on the riches of your house;
they drink from the stream of your delight.
In you is the source of life
and in your light we see light.
Keep on loving those who know you,
doing justice for upright hearts.
Let the foot of the proud not crush me
nor the hand of the wicked cast me out.
See how the evil-doers fall!
Flung down, they shall never rise.
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, you are the source of unfailing light. Give us true knowledge of your mercy so that we may renounce our pride and be filled with the riches of your house.
Ant. O Lord, in your light we see light itself.
Ant. 2 O God, you are great and glorious; we marvel at your power.
Canticle — Judith 16:2-3a, 13-15
God who created the world takes care of his people
They were singing a new song (Revelation 5:9).
Strike up the instruments,
a song to my God with timbrels,
chant to the Lord with cymbals.
Sing to him a new song,
exalt and acclaim his name.
A new hymn I will sing to my God.
O Lord, great are you and glorious,
wonderful in power and unsurpassable.
Let your every creature serve you;
for you spoke, and they were made,
you sent forth your spirit, and they were created;
no one can resist your word.
The mountains to their bases, and the seas are shaken;
the rocks, like wax, melt before your glance.
But to those who fear you,
you are very merciful.
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. O God, you are great and glorious; we marvel at your power.
Ant. 3 Exult in God’s presence with hymns of praise.
Psalm 47
The Lord Jesus is King of all
He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and his kingdom will have no end.
All peoples, clap your hands,
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,
great king over all the earth.
He subdues peoples under us
and nations under our feet.
Our inheritance, our glory, is from him,
given to Jacob out of love.
God goes up with shouts of joy;
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise,
sing praise to our king, sing praise.
God is king of all the earth.
Sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations;
God reigns on his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples are assembled
with the people of Abraham’s God.
The rulers of the earth belong to God,
to God who reigns over all.
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
God, King of all peoples and all ages, it is your victory we celebrate as we sing with all the skill at our command. Help us always to overcome evil by good, that we may rejoice in your triumph for ever.
Ant. Exult in God’s presence with hymns of praise.
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.
RESPONSORY
The just are the friends of God. They live with him for ever.
— The just are the friends of God. They live with him for ever.
God himself is their reward.
— They live with him for ever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— The just are the friends of God. They live with him for ever.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice; the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
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. Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice; the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
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 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
O God,
who have made the blood of Martyrs
the seed of Christians,
mercifully grant that the field which is your Church,
watered by the blood shed by Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions,
may be fertile and always yield you an abundant harvest.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. — Amen.
Blessing
May the Lord bless and keep us
May His face shine upon us and be gracious to us
May the Lord look upon us with kindness and give us his peace
May the Lord bless us, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit – Amen
Audio Evening Prayer not available
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.
HYMN
Come, let us celebrate ever more joyfully
How through the centuries martyrs so glorious
Laid down their lives for you, Jesus, our King and Lord,
Enduring all courageously.
The world enticing them to its apostasy,
They braved its mockery, setting its threats at nought;
Their love upholding them, nothing could hinder them
From imitating their Leader.
Brave men and women too, suffered for love of you;
No sound or murmuring broke from their tortured lips,
Their souls’ tranquility, gay in its fortitude
Could bear such anguish patiently.
What voice or tongue e’er can tell of the happiness
You have in readiness for those who die for you;
Their robes are beautiful, dyed in their sacrifice,
Their crowns are rich beyond measure.
Most holy Trinity, humbly we beg of you,
Forgive our sinfulness, danger avert from us,
Grant all serenity till in the world to come
We may delight in your glory. Amen.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
Psalm 27
God stands by us in dangers
God now truly dwells with men (Revelation 21:3).
I
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
When evil-doers draw near
to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes,
who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me
even then would I trust.
There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savor the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.
For there he keeps me safe in his tent
in the day of evil.
He hides me in the shelter of his tent,
on a rock he sets me safe.
And now my head shall be raised
above my foes who surround me
and I shall offer within his tent
a sacrifice of joy.
I will sing and make music for the Lord.
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 is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
Ant. 2 I long to look on you, O Lord; do not turn your face from me.
II
Some rose to present lies and false evidence against Jesus (Mark 14:57).
O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
“Seek his face.”
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger;
you have been my help.
Do not abandon or forsake me,
O God my help!
Though father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
on an even path lead me.
When they lie in ambush protect me
from my enemy’s greed.
False witnesses rise against me,
breathing out fury.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
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, you protect and strengthen those who hope in you; you heard the cry of your Son and kept him safe in your tent in the day of evil. Grant that your servants who seek your face in times of trouble may see your goodness in the land of the living.
Ant. I long to look on you, O Lord; do not turn your face from me.
Ant. 3 He is the first-born of all creation; in every way the primacy is his.
Canticle — Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead
Let us give thanks to the Father
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints
in light.
He rescued us
from the power of darkness
and brought us
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption,
the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created,
things visible and invisible.
All were created through him;
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is.
In him everything continues in being.
It is he who is head of the body, the church!
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead,
so that primacy may be his in everything.
It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens,
making peace through the blood of his cross.
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. He is the first-born of all creation; in every way the primacy is his.
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.
RESPONSORY
Let the just rejoice and sing for joy in the Lord.
— Let the just rejoice and sing for joy in the Lord.
Delight in his love, you pure of heart,
— and sing for joy in the Lord.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Let the just rejoice and sing for joy in the Lord.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. The holy friends of Christ rejoice in heaven; they followed in his footsteps to the end. They have shed their blood for love of him and will reign with him for ever.
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. The holy friends of Christ rejoice in heaven; they followed in his footsteps to the end. They have shed their blood for love of him and will reign with him for ever.
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
O God,
who have made the blood of Martyrs
the seed of Christians,
mercifully grant that the field which is your Church,
watered by the blood shed by Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions,
may be fertile and always yield you an abundant harvest.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. — Amen.
Blessing
May the Lord bless and keep us
May His face shine upon us and be gracious to us
May the Lord look upon us with kindness and give us his peace
May the Lord bless us, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit – Amen
