Feast of St. Martin I, Pope and Martyr – Mass Propers

SAINT MARTIN I – POPE AND MARTYR

Saint Martin, who occupied the Roman See from 649 to 655, was a native of Tuscany, and became celebrated amid the clergy of Rome for his learning and his sanctity. When he was elected Pope, Rome echoed with cries of joy; the clergy, the Senate and the people gave witness to their great satisfaction, and the emperor approved this happy choice. He did not disappoint the hopes of the Church; piety towards God and charity to the poor were his two rules of life. He repaired churches falling into ruin and restored peace between divergent factions, but his greatest concern was to maintain in the Church the precious heritage of the true faith.

Martin I lay too sick to fight on a couch in front of the altar when the soldiers burst into the Lateran basilica. He had come to the church when he heard the soldiers had landed. But the thought of kidnapping a sick pope from the house of God didn’t stop the soldiers from grabbing him and hustling him down to their ship.

Elected pope in 649, Martin I had gotten in trouble for refusing to condone silence in the face of wrong. At that time there existed a popular heresy that held that Christ didn’t have a human will, only a divine will. The emperor had issued an edict that didn’t support Monothelism (as it was known) directly, but simply commanded that no one could discuss Jesus’ will at all.

Monothelism was condemned at a council convened by Martin I. The council affirmed, once again, that since Jesus had two natures, human and divine, he had two wills, human and divine. The council then went further and condemned Constans edict to avoid discussion stating, “The Lord commanded us to shun evil and do good, but not to reject the good with the evil.”

In his anger at this slap in the face, the emperor sent his soldiers to Rome to bring the pope to him. When Martin I arrived in Constantinople after a long voyage he was immediately put into prison. There he spent three months in a filthy, freezing cell while he suffered from dysentery. He was not allowed to wash and given the most disgusting food. After he was condemned for treason without being allowed to speak in his defense he was imprisoned for another three months.

From there he was exiled to the Crimea where he suffered from the famine of the land as well as the roughness of the land and its people. But hardest to take was the fact that the pope found himself friendless. His letters tell how his own church had deserted him and his friends had forgotten him. They wouldn’t even send him oil or corn to live off of.

He died two years later in exile in the year 656, a martyr who stood up for the right of the Church to establish doctrine even in the face of imperial power.

Feast of St. Martin I, Pope and Martyr – Wednesday of the twenty second week after Pentecost

Missa – Si diligis me

Semi-double/Red Vestments

INTROIT John 21: 15-17

Si diligis me, Simon Petre, pasce agnos meos, pasce oves meas.

Ps.  Exaltábo te, Dómine, quóniam sus- cepísti me, nec delectásti inimícos meos super me.

Gloria Patri.

If thou lovest Me, Simon Peter, feed My lambs; feed My sheep.

Ps. I will extol Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast upheld me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me.

Glory be to the Father.

COLLECT

Eternal Shepherd, do Thou look favorably upon Thy flock, which we beseech Thee to guard and keep for evermore through the blessed Martin, Thy Martyr and Supreme Pontiff, whom Thou didst choose to be the chief shepherd of the whole Church. Through Jesus Christ…

Second Collect for Petitioning the Assistance of All Saints

Defend us, O Lord, we beseech thee, from all dangers both of body and soul: and at the intercession of the blessed and glorious Ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of thy holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all thy Saints, grant us thy saving health and peace; that being defended from all adversities and all false doctrines, thy Church may serve thee in freedom and quietness.  Through the same Jesus Christ…

EPISTLE: I Peter 5: 1-4, 10-11

Dearly beloved: the ancients therefore that are among you, I beseech, who am myself also an ancient, and a witness of the suffer- ings of Christ: as also a partaker of that glory which is to be revealed in time to come: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking care of it, not by con- straint, but willingly, according to God: not for filthy lucre’s sake, but voluntarily: nei- ther as lording it over the clergy, but being made a pattern of the flock from the heart. And when the prince of pastors shall ap- pear, you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory. But the God of all grace, Who hath called us unto His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will himself perfect you, and confirm you, and establish you. To Him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.

GRADUAL: Psalm 106: 30-31

Let them exalt him in the church of the people: and praise him in the chair of the ancients. Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him: and his wonderful works to the children of men.

ALLELUIA: Matthew 16: 18

Alleluia, alleluia. Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.  Alleluia.

GOSPEL Matthew 16: 13-19

In illo témpore: Venit Jesus in partes Cæsaréæ Philíppi, et interrogábat discípulos suos, dicens: Quem dicunt hómines esse Fílium hóminis? At illi dixérunt: Álii Joánnem Baptístam, álii autem Elíam, álii vero Jeremíam, aut unum ex prophétis. Dicit illis Jesus: Vos autem quem me esse dícitis? Respóndens Simon Petrus, dixit: Tu es Christus, Fílius Dei vivi. Respóndens autem Jesus, dìxit ei: Beátus es, Simon Bar Jona:quia caro et sanguis non revelávit tibi, sed Pater meus, qui in Cœlis est. Et ego dico tibí, quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram ædificábo Ecclésiam meam, et portæ ínferi non prævalébunt advérsus eam. Et tibi dabo claves regni cælórum. Et quodcúmque ligáveris super terram, erit ligátum et in cœlis: et quodcúmque sólveris super terram, erit solútum et in Cœlis. 

At that time, Jesus came into the quarters of Cæsarea Philippi, and He asked His disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some, John the Baptist, and other some, Elias, and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon BarJona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father Who is in Heaven: and I say to thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and to thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shall loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in Heaven.

OFFERTORY Jeremiah 1: 9-10

Behold I have given My words in thy mouth: lo, I have set thee this day over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to waste and to destroy, and to build and to plant.

SECRET

In Thy loving kindness, we beseech Thee, O Lord, be moved by the offering of our gifts and enlighten Thy Church: that Thy flock may prosper everywhere and the shepherds, under Thy guidance, may be rendered acceptable to Thee. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God.

Second Secret Prayer for Petitioning the Assistance of All Saints

Graciously hear us, O God of our salvation, and by the power of the Sacrament defend us from all dangers both of body and soul:  granting us in this world the succour of thy grace, and in the world to come life everlasting. Through Jesus Christ…

PREFACE OF THE APOSTLES

It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, to entreat Thee humbly, O Lord, that Thou wouldst not desert Thy flock, O everlasting Shepherd; but through Thy blessed Apostles, wouldst keep it under Thy constant protection; that it may be governed by those same rulers, whom as vicars of Thy work, Thou didst set over it to be its pastors. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying:

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dóminus Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt cæli et terra glória tua. Hosánna in excélsis. Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini. Hosánna in excélsis.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory! Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!

COMMUNION: Matthew 16: 18 

Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church.

POSTCOMMUNION 

Since Thy Church has been nourished by the sacred repast, govern her in Thy clemency, we beseech Thee, O Lord, so that under the guidance of Thy mighty rule she may enjoy greater freedom and abiding integrity of religion. Through Jesus Christ, thy son our Lord who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Second Postcommunion for Petitioning the Assistance of All Saints

Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the gifts now offered by us in these holy mysteries may evermore cleanse and defend us:  that, at the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all thy Saints; we may be absolved from all our offences and defended against all adversities. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Through the same Jesus Christ, thy son our Lord…