October 25th - XXIV Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. The liturgical colour is green. This year it is also the fourth Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the parable of the enemy sowing cockle in a planted field. The Missal provides complete texts for twenty-four Sundays after Pentecost. Where there are more Sundays after Pentecost, depending of course on the date Holy Pascha falls, then after the twenty-third Sunday has been celebrated the Epistles and Gospels that had not be read on Sundays after the Epiphany are transferred to this time. These pericopes are combined with fixed texts for the introit, gradual etc. Today the pericopes from the third Sunday after the Epiphany are sung with the corresponding homily in the third nocturn at Mattins.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Exaudiat Dominus for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration was sung of SS Chrysanthus and Daria followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine . At Compline the Dominical preces were sung.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn Primo dierum omnium. In the first nocturn (Pss. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14) the lessons are the Incipit of the Second book of Machabees. The first lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions of the Breviary. After ... sumus orantes pro vobis the lesson continues Regnante Demetrio anno ... until ... mensis Casleu (vv. 7 - 9). The second lesson is absent from the modern editions. It begins Anno centesimo octogesimo ... and continues until Per omnia benedictus Deus, qui tradidit impios (vv. 10 - 17). The third lesson contains the text of both the modern second and third lessons. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writing of St. Chrysostom on the Psalms. These are longer than those found in the modern Breviaries. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. These lessons are the same as in the modern books. The eighth and ninth lessons are read as one and the ninth lesson is comprised of the three lessons, read as one, for the feast of SS Chrysanthus and Daria. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of SS Chrysanthus and Daria is sung followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) Quicumque is sung as are the Dominical preces.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Chrysanthus and Daria, the third collect is A cunctis. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration is sung of the following feast of St. Evaristus followed by the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Petrus Apostolus etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine . At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal