OCD: Memorial

In Europe: Feast

 

Common of One Martyr

 

St. Edith Stein was born into a Jewish family at Breslau on 12th October

1891.  Through her passionate study of philosophy she searched after truth

and found it in reading the autobiography of St. Teresa of Jesus.

In 1922 she was baptized a Catholic and in 1933 she entered the Carmel of

Cologne where she took the name of Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.  She was

gassed and cremated at Auschwitz on August 9, 1942, during the Nazi

persecution and died a martyr for the Christian faith

after having offered her holocaust for the people of Israel.   A woman

of singular intelligence and learning, she left behind a body of writing

notable for its doctrinal richness and profound spirituality.  She was

canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 11th, 1998.

 

Office of Readings

 

Second Reading

>From the spiritual writings of St. Teresa Benedicta of

the Cross

 

"We greet you, Holy Cross, our only hope!"  The church puts these words on

our lips during the time of the passion which is dedicated to the

contemplation of the bitter sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The world is in flames.  The struggle between Christ and antichrist rages

openly, and so if you decide for Christ you can even be asked to sacrifice

your life.

 

Contemplate the Lord Who hangs before you on the wood, because He was

obedient even to the death of the cross.  He came into the world not to do

His own will but that of the Father.  And if you wish to be the spouse of

the Crucified, you must renounce completely your own will and have no other

aspiration than to do the will of God.

 

Before your the Redeemer hangs on the cross stripped and naked, because He

chose poverty.  Those who would follow Him must renounce every earthly

possession.

 

Stand before the Lord Who hangs from the cross with His heart torn open.  He

poured out the blood of His heart in order to win your heart.  In order to

follow Him in holy chastity, your heart must be free from every earthly

aspiration.  Jesus Crucified must be the object of your every longing, of

your every desire, of your every thought.

 

The world is in flames:  the fire can spread even to our house, but above

all the flames the cross stands on high, and it cannot be burnt.  The cross

is the way which leads from earth to heaven.  Those who embrace it with

faith, love, and hope are taken up, right into the heart of the Trinity.

 

The world is in flames:  do you wish to put them out?

Contemplate the cross:  from His open heart the blood of the Redeemer pours,

blood which can put out even the flames of hell.  Through the faithful

observance of the vows you make your heart free and open; and then the

floods of that divine love will be able to flow into it, making it overflow

and bear fruit to the furthest reaches of the earth.

 

Through the power of the cross you can be present wherever there is pain,

carried there by your compassionate charity, by that very charity, which you

draw from the divine heart.  That charity enables you to spread every- where

the most precious blood in order to ease pain, save and redeem.

 

The eyes of the Crucified gaze upon you.  They question you and appeal to

you.  Do you wish seriously to renew your alliance with Him  What will your

response be?

"Lord, where shall I go?  You alone have the words of life."

Ave Crux, spes unica!

 

Responsory

R/.  We preach Christ Crucified, a scandal to the Jews and foolishness to

the pagans, * but for those who are called, whether they be Jews or Greeks,

we preach Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

V/.  The desire of my heart and my prayer rises to God for their salvation;

* for those who are called, whether they be Jews or Greeks, we preach Christ

the power of God and the wisdom of God.

 

Canticle of Zechariah

Whoever hates his life in this world keeps it safe for life everlasting.

 

Prayer

Lord, God of our fathers,

You brought St. Teresa Benedicta

to the fullness of the science of the cross at the hour of her martyrdom.

Fill us with that same knowledge;

and, through her intercession,

allow us always to seek after You, the supreme truth, and to remain faithful

until death to the covenant of love ratified in the blood of Your Son for

the salvation of all men and women.

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.

 

 

Canticle of Mary

The saints find their home in the kingdom of heaven; their life is eternal

peace.

 

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

for Mass

 

Entrance Antiphon

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

will deliver them.

 

Prayer

(same as above)

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord,

receive our gifts

as You accepted the suffering and death

of St. Teresa Benedicta

in whose honor we celebrate the Eucharist.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

 

Communion Antiphon

If anyone wishes to come after me, He must renounce himself, take up his

cross, and follow me, says the Lord.

 

Prayer after Communion

Lord,

may the mysteries we receive

give us the spiritual courage which made Your martyr Teresa Benedicta

faithful in Your service and victorious in her suffering.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

 

First Reading

Book of Esther 4 (varies with version of Scripture)

 

Queen Esther took refuge with the Lord in the mortal peril which had

overtaken her.  She besought the Lord God of Israel in these words:  'My

Lord, our King, the only One, come to my help, for I am alone and have no

helper but you and am about to take my life in my hands.  I have been taught

from my earliest years, in the bosom of my family, that You, Lord, chose

Israel out of all the nations and our ancestors out of all the people of old

times to be your heritage for ever; and that You have treated them as You

promised.  Remember, Lord; reveal Yourself in the time of our distress.  As

for me, give me courage, King of gods and Master of all power.  Put

persuasive words into my mouth when I face the lion; change his feeling into

hatred for our enemy, that the latter and all like him may be brought to

their end.  As for ourselves, save us by Your hand, and come to my help, for

I am alone and have no one but You, Lord'.

 

Responsorial Psalm

R/.  Taste and see that the Lord is good.

 

I will bless the Lord at all times,

His praise always on my lips;

in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.

The humble shall hear and be glad.  R/.

 

Glorify the Lord with me.

Together let us praise His name.

I sought the Lord and He answered me;

from all my terror He set me free.  R/.

 

Look towards Him and be radiant;

let your faces not be abashed.

This poor man called; the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his

distress.  R/.

 

The angel of the Lord is encamped

around those who revere Him, to rescue them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

He is happy who seeks refuge in Him.  R/.

 

Revere the Lord, you His saints.

They lack nothing, those who revere Him.

Strong lions suffer want and go hungry

but those who fear the Lord lack no blessing. R/.

 

 

Gospel

John 4: 19-24

The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.  Our fathers

worshiped on this mountain; and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where

men ought to worship."  Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is

coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the

Father.  You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for

salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the

true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the

Father seeks to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must

worship in spirit and truth."