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Wednesday of the 12th week of Ordinary Time
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St. Joseph Cafasso, OFS
Priest and Secular Franciscan
Memorial
Saint Joseph Cafasso was born at Castelnuovo d’Asti in Italy. He studied at the seminary at Turin and was ordained in 1833. He continued his theological studies at the seminary and university at Turin and then at the Institute of St. Francis, and despite a deformed spine, became a brilliant lecturer in moral theology there. He was a popular teacher, actively opposed Jansenism, and fought state intrusion into Church affairs. He succeeded Luigi Guala as rector of the Institute in 1848 and made a deep impression on his young priest students with his holiness and insistence on discipline and high standards. He was a sought-after confessor and spiritual adviser, and ministered to prisoners, working to improve their terrible conditions. He met Don Bosco in 1827 and the two became close friends. It was through Joseph’s encouragement that Bosco decided his vocation was working with boys. Joseph was his adviser, worked closely with him in his foundations, and convinced others to fund and found religious institutes and charitable organizations. He became a Secular Franciscan and recommended Diocesan priests to join the Third Order of St. Francis. Joseph died on June 23 at Turin and was canonized in 1947. His feast day is June 23rd. (from several sources)
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Evening Prayer
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
I am the Lord bringing light through the cloud
Let the Heavens rain down righteousness
Let earth open up, and salvation bear fruit;
Let the Heavens rain down righteousness
I am the Lord your God, beside me there is no other god
I call you by your name let the Heavens rain down righteousness
I the Lord have created it.
I am the Lord bringing light through the cloud
Let the Heavens rain down righteousness
Let earth open up, and salvation bear fruit;
Let the Heavens rain down righteousness
I am the Lord your God, beside me there is no other god
I call you by your name let the Heavens rain down righteousness
I the Lord have created it.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Elizabeth, the wife of Zechariah, gave birth to a great man, John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord.
Psalm 113
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and for evermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the name of the Lord!
High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?
From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from his misery he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people.
To the childless wife he gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children.
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. Elizabeth, the wife of Zechariah, gave birth to a great man, John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord.
Ant. 2 John, the forerunner of the Lord, was born of an old and childless couple.
Psalm 146
My soul, give praise to the Lord;
I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live.
Put no trust in princes,
in mortal men in whom there is no help.
Take their breath, they return to clay
and their plans that day come to nothing.
He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who alone made heaven and earth,
the seas and all they contain.
It is he who keeps faith for ever,
who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets prisoners free,
the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
and upholds the widow and orphan.
It is the Lord who loves the just
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Zion’s God, 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. John, the forerunner of the Lord, was born of an old and childless couple.
Ant. 3 There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.
Canticle – Ephesians 1:3-10
Praised be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in his sight.
He predestined us
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood, we have been redeemed,
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased
to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out
in Christ, in the fulness of time,
to bring all things into one in him,
in the heavens and on earth.
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. There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.
READING Acts 13:23-25
According to his promise, God has brought forth from David’s descendants Jesus, a savior for Israel. John heralded the coming of Jesus by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. As John’s career was coming to an end, he would say, “What you suppose me to be I am not. Rather, look for the one who comes after me. I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals on his feet.”
RESPONSORY
Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
— Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
He who is to come after me existed before me.
— Make straight his paths.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. Zechariah entered the temple of the Lord, and the angel Gabriel appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
Luke 1:46-55
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. Zechariah entered the temple of the Lord, and the angel Gabriel appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray joyfully to God our Father who called John the Baptist to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of Christ:
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
You called John the Baptist from his mother’s womb to prepare the way of your Son,
— help us to follow in that path which the Baptist opened before the Lord Jesus.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
May your Church, in imitation of the Baptist, fearlessly point out the Lamb of God,
— so that people in every age may acknowledge that the Lord comes to them.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
John the Baptist did not exalt himself but acknowledged his role as forerunner of the Christ,
— teach us to acknowledge that you are the giver of all our good gifts and that we must use them in your service.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
You called John the Baptist to give testimony to you by his life and even by his death,
— help us to imitate his unceasing witness to your truth.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
Remember those who have died,
— give them a place of light, happiness and peace.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
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
Grant,
we pray, almighty God,
that your family may walk in the way of salvation and,
attentive to what Saint John the Precursor urged,
may come safely to the One he foretold, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
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
June 24
The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Solemnity
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light but came to bear witness to the light” (Jn 1:6-9).
Today the Church celebrates the birth of St. John the Baptist, the last of the line of prophets sent to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. As the Catechism teaches us, “The coming of God’s son to earth is an event of such immensity that God willed to prepare for it over centuries. He makes everything converge on Christ; all the rituals and sacrifices, figures and symbols of the ‘First Covenant.’ He announces him through the mouths of the prophets who succeeded one another in Israel.”
We recognize St. John the Baptist as surpassing all the other prophets. For through St. John, the Holy Spirit completed his work of making a people ready for God’s Son. Also, St. John abundantly welcomed Christ into the world; he leaped for joy in his mother’s womb, foreshadowed Christ’s coming in his preaching, baptized and bore witness to Jesus in the Jordan, and gave his life in holy martyrdom. We celebrate St. John the Baptist’s birth as the threshold opening to the hope and joy present in Christ’s coming.
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Morning Prayer
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
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity.
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 You shall name the child John, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Psalm 63:2-9
O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.
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. You shall name the child John, and many will rejoice at his birth.
Ant. 2 In the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before the Lord to prepare a people worthy of him.
Canticle – Daniel 3:57-88, 56
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord,
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.
Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.
O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all for ever.
Ant. In the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before the Lord to prepare a people worthy of him.
Ant. 3 You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.
Psalm 149
Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,
to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful.
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. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.
READING Malachi 3:23-24
Lo, I will send you
Elijah, the prophet,
Before the day of the Lord comes,
the great and terrible day,
To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike
the land with doom.
RESPONSORY
He will be great in the eyes of the Lord and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
— He will be great in the eyes of the Lord and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
He will go before the Lord to prepare a people worthy of him.
— And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— He will be great in the eyes of the Lord and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
Ant. The mouth of Zechariah was opened, and he spoke this prophecy: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.
Luke 1:68-79
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. The mouth of Zechariah was opened, and he spoke this prophecy: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.
INTERCESSIONS
In faith let us call upon Christ who sent John to prepare for his coming:
Dawn from on high, break upon us.
Your coming caused John the Baptist to leap for joy in his mother’s womb,
— help us to rejoice at your coming among us.
Dawn from on high, break upon us.
Through the life and preaching of the Baptist, you showed us the way to repentance,
— turn our hearts to follow the commandments of your kingdom.
Dawn from on high, break upon us.
You willed that your coming among men should be announced by John the Baptist,
— send new heralds to proclaim you throughout the world.
Dawn from on high, break upon us.
You wished to be baptized by John in the Jordan to fulfill all that the Father required,
— help us to do the Father’s will.
Dawn from on high, break upon us.
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
Grant,
we pray, almighty God,
that your family may walk in the way of salvation and,
attentive to what Saint John the Precursor urged,
may come safely to the One he foretold, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
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
Evening Prayer
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
Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
and with fear and trembling stand;
ponder nothing earthly minded,
for with blessing in his hand
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.
King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood,
Lord of lords in human vesture,
in the Body and the Blood
he will give to all the faithful
his own self for heavenly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven
spreads its vanguard on the way,
as the Light of Light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
At his feet the six-winged seraph;
cherubim with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the Presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry,
“Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia, Lord Most High!”
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 There was a man sent by God whose name was John.
Psalm 15
Lord, who shall be admitted to your tent
and dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tongue;
he who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbor,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honors those who fear the Lord;
he who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm 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. There was a man sent by God whose name was John.
Ant. 2 He came to bear witness to the truth.
Psalm 112
Happy the man who fears the Lord,
who takes delight in his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth;
the children of the upright are blessed.
Riches and wealth are in his house;
his justice stands firm for ever
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just.
The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honor.
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever.
He has no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
he will see the downfall of his foes.
Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head will be raised in glory.
The wicked man sees and is angry,
grinds his teeth and fades away;
the desire of the wicked leads to doom.
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 came to bear witness to the truth.
Ant. 3 John was like a brilliantly shining light.
Canticle – Revelation 15:3-4
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. John was like a brilliantly shining light.
READING Acts 13:23-25
According to his promise, God has brought forth from David’s descendants Jesus, a savior for Israel. John heralded the coming of Jesus by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. As John’s career was coming to an end, he would say, “What you suppose me to be I am not. Rather, look for the one who comes after me. I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals on his feet.”
RESPONSORY
Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
— Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
He who is to come after me existed before me.
— Make straight his paths.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. This child, born to us, is greater than any prophet; the Savior said of him: There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.
Luke 1:46-55
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. This child, born to us, is greater than any prophet; the Savior said of him: There is no man born of women greater than John the Baptist.
INTERCESSIONS
Let us pray joyfully to God our Father who called John the Baptist to proclaim the coming of the kingdom of Christ:
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
You called John the Baptist from his mother’s womb to prepare the way of your Son,
— help us to follow in that path which the Baptist opened before the Lord Jesus.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
May your Church, in imitation of the Baptist, fearlessly point out the Lamb of God,
— so that people in every age may acknowledge that the Lord comes to them.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
John the Baptist did not exalt himself but acknowledged his role as forerunner of the Christ,
— teach us to acknowledge that you are the giver of all our good gifts and that we must use them in your service.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
You called John the Baptist to give testimony to you by his life and even by his death,
— help us to imitate his unceasing witness to your truth.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
Remember those who have died,
— give them a place of light, happiness and peace.
O Lord, guide our feet into the way of peace.
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
Grant,
we pray, almighty God,
that your family may walk in the way of salvation and,
attentive to what Saint John the Precursor urged,
may come safely to the One he foretold, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
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
