Franciscan Tradition, the Extraction of the Patron Saints
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The Drawing of Patron Saints at Epiphany
This is one of the older traditions of the Franciscan community. We believe that God speaks to us in many ways, not the least of which is through the example of His saints, and through the inspired words of Scripture and other pious writings.
Your patron for the year – as well as the maxim –might be a special source of inspiration in the challenges which might be facing you during the year. Read the life of the saint; what does the message of his/her life have to say to you? Reflect on the maxim.
Several members of the fraternity are appointed to choose the patrons and maxims for the Community. On or near the Feast of Epiphany, the Holy Spirit is invoked and a saint and a maxim are randomly selected for each member of the fraternity.
The Rite
Opening Hymn
“Come, Holy Ghost”
(or similar song to the Holy Spirit)
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And in our hearts take up thy rest;
Come with your grace and heavenly aid
To fill the hearts which thou has made. (Repeat)
O Comfort blest, to thee we cry,
Thou heavenly gift of God Most High,
Thou Fount of life and fire of love,
And sweet anointing from above. (Repeat)
Praise be to thee, Father and Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One;
And may the Son on us bestow
The Gifts that from the Spirit flow. (Repeat)
Leader: Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
All: And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, we celebrate that day when your word became flesh for all the world to see. In becoming one with our human family He sanctified human activity and made us holy through His life-giving word. Through the ages, His message has continued to touch the hearts of men and women of every place, taking flesh in their lives through Christian service. May these holy men and women stand as shining examples of Christian virtue and the Gospel life, for each one of them, reflects a unique aspect of Your divine love. Be with us today, Lord our God, as we choose one of these saints as our patron for this new year. With the help of your spirit may the saint give us today serve as a special reminder of our call to holiness. May his or her teaching and example serve to inspire us to exercise Christian virtue and to follow your Son more closely in our Franciscan Family. We ask this through our Christ your Son. Amen
After the invocation, the appointed persons draw the cards containing the name of a member of the Fraternity, the name of a saint, the name of a prayer partner and a Scripture passage. As each slip is drawn it is read aloud to the fraternity and then presented to the person whose name was called.
After the Drawing:
All pray:
Psalm 150
Praise God in his holy place,
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his powerful deeds,
praise his surpassing greatness.
O praise him with sound of trumpet,
praise him with lute and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipes.
O praise him with resounding cymbals,
praise him with clashing of cymbals.
Let everything that lives and that breathes
give praise to the Lord.
Leader: The Lord is the Honor of His saints.
All: He has heard those who cry to Him.
Leader: Let us pray. O God you have raised up men and women outstanding in holiness as examples to your people in following in your footsteps. Grant that we may ever look to the example and teaching of your saints, imitating their virtue, and thus merit to arrive at your heavenly banquet. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Concluding Hymn:
Joy to the World
Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love
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