OCD: Optional Memorial

 

 

Mercedes Prat was born on March 6, 1880, in Barcelona, baptized on the

following day, and made her First Holy Communion on June 30, 1890.  From her

childhood she gave herself completely to God, whom she received every day in

Communion.  She displayed a great love for her neighbor and tried to foster

this kind of love in others.  During her years in school, she was known for

her goodness and her dedication to school work, excelling especially in

painting and needlework, which were areas in which she had a natural talent.

Entering the novitiate of the Society of St. Teresa of Jesus in 1904, in

Tortosa, she made her temporary profession in 1907.  She was a religious

'according to the heart of God:" prudent and truthful, calm and gentle in

her reactions, having a natural goodness in all her dealing with others, but

firm in character.  God was her one love, and her love for God kept growing

to the point where she would give her life for Him.  In 1920 she was

assigned to the motherhouse in Barcelona.  From there the path to martyrdom

began on July 19. 1936, when the community was forced to give up the school

and flee.  On July 23, because she was a religious, Sr. Mercedes was

arrested and shot; she died in the early morning of July 24.

 

Common of One Martyr or Common of Virgins

 

(The celebration of Bl. Maria Pilar and companions and Bl. Maria Mercedes

may be united in the one celebration.)

 

Office of Readings

 

Second Reading

>From the writings of St. Henry de Osso, priest

 

If we are looking for an essential occupation, a consuming interest, that

can be called Christian before all else, then it is to clothe oneself in

Christ:  to think as Christ did; to feel as He did; to love as Jesus did; to

work as He did; to deal with others as Christ did; to speak as He did; --in

one word, to make the whole of our life resemble that of Christ Jesus.

The word Christian means alter Christus--another Christ-- therefore nobody

can save us if we have not first of all been conformed to the likeness of

Christ.  But in order to conform ourselves to the life of Jesus, it is above

all necessary to study Him, to know Him, to meditate upon Him.  If we are to

be totally in perfect union with Him, this must not be done superficially.

We must enter into the feelings of Jesus, His longings, His desires, His

intentions.

 

We ought to recollect that, to enter into the Holy of Holies of His heart,

is a foolhardiness on our part, but the same Lord Jesus in His goodness, and

with His own words, has called us to Himself.  If He didn't, how are we to

learn His meekness and humility?  If we do not know the senti- ments of His

heart in order to practice them, how are we to place our every action before

Him, in imitation of Him?  For Christ lived, ate, slept, spoke, kept quiet,

got about, got tired, rested, was hungry and thirsty, worked.  To be brief:

He suffered and died for our sake.

 

When I say "Jesus Christ" I imagine a lovely baby, a fine youth, or a mature

man, with all the grace and charm that the divinity was able to shower upon

a human soul and body.  But I also think of Him, subject to all of our

miseries, except sin, out of love for me.  He is our brother, flesh of our

flesh, blood of our blood, and bone of our bones.  He is my Jesus, truly God

and man alive, personal, who appeared on this earth, and lived and talked

with us for thirty-three years.  For our sake, being the Eternal Word of the

Father, He descended from heaven, was born, suffered, died, rose, ascended

into heaven.  He remains amongst us until the end of time, to be our

companion, our consolation and nourishment in the most blessed Sacrament of

the Altar.

 

I shall live, eat, sleep, talk, keep silent, work, suffer:  I shall do

everything, suffer everything in union with Jesus.

All that Jesus desires that I suffer or do, this shall I do in union with

that divine intention and those sentiments that Jesus had in all that He did

or suffered.  Whoever does this, will live here on earth a life of heaven,

will be transformed into Jesus, and will be able to say with the Apostle:

"I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me."

 

Responsory

R/.  Because of the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I

count everything else as loss.  * For Him I have accepted the loss of all

other things, and look on them all as filth if only I can gain Christ.

V/.  I am alive, yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me.  * For Him

I have accepted the loss of all other things, and look on them all as filth

if only I can gain.

Christ.

 

Prayer

God of infinite goodness,

You gave Blessed Maria Mercedes, virgin, the courage to bring to fullness in

martyrdom her offering to You and to the Church.

Grant us, through her intercession,

the grace to be so firmly rooted in the love of Christ that nothing can ever

separate us from this love.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns

with You and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

 

***************

for Mass

 

 

Entrance Antiphon

The Lord will hear the just when they cry out; from all their afflictions He

will deliver them.

 

Prayer

(see above)

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord,

You gave Bl. Maria Mercedes

the fulfilment of her faith

in the vision of Your glory.

May the gifts we bring to honor her memory gain Your pardon and peace.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon

We are given over to death for Jesus, that the life of Jesus may be revealed

in our living flesh.

 

Prayer after Communion

Lord,

may this food of heaven

bring us a share in the grace You gave

the martyr, Maria Mercedes.

>From her bitter sufferings may we learn to become strong

and by patient endurance earn the victory of rejoicing in Your holiness.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

 

(the remaining parts of the Mass are the same as for Bl. Maria Pilar and

companions.)

 

First Reading

1 Peter 3: 14-17

But even if you do suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed.

Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts reverence Christ

as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to

account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and

reverence; and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused,

those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's will,

than for doing wrong.

 

Responsorial Psalm

R/. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

 

If the Lord had not been on my side

when men rose against us,

then would they have swallowed us alive

when their anger was kindled.  R/.

 

Then would the waters have engulfed us,

the torrent gone over us;

over our head would have swept

the raging waters.  R/.

 

Indeed the snare has been broken

and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.  R/.

 

Gospel

John 12: 24-26

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and

dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will

keep it for eternal life.  If any one serves me, he must follow me; and

where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father

will honor him.