OC: Memorial

OCD: Optional Memorial

 

Common of One Martyr

 

Born in Bolsward (The Netherlands) in 1881, Bl. Titus Brandsma joined the

Carmelite Order as a young man.  Ordained a priest in 1905, he earned a

doctorate in philosophy in Rome.  He then taught in various schools in

Holland and was named professor of philosophy as Rector Magnificus.  He was

noted for his constant availability to everyone.  He was a professional

journalist, and in 1935 he was appointed ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic

journalists.  Both before and during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands

he fought, faithful to the Gospel, against the spread of Nazi ideology and

for the freedom of Catholic education and of the Catholic press.  For this

he was arrested and sent to a succession of prisons and concentration camps

where he brought comfort and peace to his fellow prisoners and did good even

to his tormentors.  In 1942, after much suffering and humiliation, he was

killed at Dachau.  He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on Nov. 3, 1985.

 

Office of Readings

 

Second Reading

>From the writings of Bl. Titus Brandsma

 

Jesus called Himself the head of the Mystical Body, of which we are the

members.  He is the vine, we are the branches. He laid Himself in the

winepress and Himself trod it.  He handed us the wine so that, drinking it,

we might lead His life, might share His suffering.  Whoever wishes to do My

Will, let him daily take up his cross.  Whoever follows me has the light of

life.  I am the way, He said.  I have given you an example, so that as I

have done so you may do also.  And when His disciples did not understand

that His way would be a way of suffering, He explained this to them and

said, "Should not the Christ so suffer, in order to enter into His glory?"

 

Then the hearts of the disciples burned within them.

God's word had set them on fire.  And when the Holy Spirit had descended on

them to fan that divine fire into flame, then they were glad to suffer scorn

and persecution, whereby they resembled Him Who had preceded them on the way

of suffering.

 

The prophets had already marked His way of suffering; the disciples now

understood that He had not avoided that way.  From the crib to the cross,

suffering, poverty and lack of appreciation were His lot.  He had directed

His whole life to teaching people how different is God's view of suffering,

poverty and lack of human appreciation from the foolish wisdom of the world.

After sin, suffering had to follow so that, through the cross, man's lost

glory and life with God might be regained.  Suffering is the way to heaven.

In the cross is salvation, in the cross is victory.

God willed it so.  He Himself assumed the obligation of suffering in view of

the glory of redemption.  St. Paul makes it clear to us how all the

disasters of this earthly life are insignificant, how they must be

considered as nothing and passing, in comparison with the glory that will be

revealed to us when the time of suffering is past and we come to share in

God's glory.

 

Mary, who kept all God's words in her heart, in the fullness of grace

granted her, understood the great value of suffering.  While the apostles

fled, she went out to meet the Savior on the way to Calvary and stood

beneath the cross, in order to share His grief and shame to the end.  And

she carried Him to the grave, firmly trusting that He would rise.

 

We object when He hands us the chalice of His suffering.

It is so difficult for us to resign ourselves to suffering.  To rejoice in

it strikes us as heroic.  What is the value of our offering of self if we

unite ourselves each morning only in word and gesture, rather than in

thought and will, to that offering which we, together with the Church, make

of Him with whom we are in the one body?

 

Jesus once wept over Jerusalem.

 

Oh, that this day you had known the gift of God!

 

Oh, that this day we might realize the value God has placed on the suffering

He sends:  He, the All-Good.

 

 

Responsory

R/.  God forbid that I glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, *

by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

V/.  We preach Christ crucified, to others a stumbling block and a folly,

but to us the power and the wisdom of God, *  by which the world has been

crucified to me, and I to the world.

 

 

Canticle of Zechariah

He was light to those who sat in the shadow of death, a model for those who

sought freedom and justice, doing good even to those who hated him.

 

 

Prayer

Lord our God, source and giver of life,

You gave to Bl. Titus the Spirit of courage to proclaim human dignity and

the freedom of the Church even in the throes of degrading persecution and

death.

Grant us that same Spirit

so that in the coming of Your kingdom of justice and peace we might never be

ashamed of the Gospel but be enabled to recognise Your loving-kindness in

all the events of our lives.

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

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

 

 

Canticle of Mary

He glorified the Lord even in the sufferings of prison; he found traces of

God's goodness even in the dregs of inhumanity.  Glory to You Who did great

things in Your servant!

 

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

for Mass

 

 

Entrance Antiphon

The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.  He is their strength in time

of need.

 

Prayer

(see above)

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord,

accept these gifts we present

in memory of Bl. Titus,

for no temptation could turn him away from You.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

 

 

Communion Antiphon

I am the vine and you are the branches, says the Lord; he who lives in me,

and I in him will bear much fruit.

 

 

Prayer after Communion

Lord,

we are renewed by the mystery of the Eucharist.

By imitating the fidelity of Bl. Titus

and by our patience may we come

to share the eternal life You have promised.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

 

 

First Reading

2Timothy 2: 3-13

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service

gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to satisfy the one who

enlisted him.  An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the

rules.  It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of

the crops.  Think over what I say, for the Lord will grant you understanding

in everything.  Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from

David, as preached in my gospel,  the gospel for which I am suffering and

wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered.

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may

obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory.  The saying is

sure: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him; if we endure,

we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we

are faithless, he remains faithful -- for he cannot deny himself.

 

Responsorial Psalm

R/.  Blessed in all things be our God.

 

I love you, Lord, my strength,

my rock, my fortress, my Saviour.

My God is the rock where I take refuge;

my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.  R/.

 

The Lord is worthy of all praise:

when I call I am saved from my foes.  R/.

 

The waves of death rose about me;

the torrents of destruction assailed me; the snares of the grave entangled

me; the traps of death confronted me.  R/.

 

In my anguish I called to the Lord;

I cried to my God for help.

>From His temple He heard my voice;

my cry came to His ears.  R/.

 

 

Gospel

Luke 6: 27-36

"But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate

you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who

takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to every one who

begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again.

And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even

sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good

to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that

to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love

your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your

reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind

to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is

merciful.