November 17th - XXV Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of November and some texts are taken from the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday (143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Qui caelorum for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday a commemoration of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus 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 were sung. 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 book of Osee. The first lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions of the Breviary and continues Et dixit Dominus... until ...conteram arcum Israel in valle Jezrahel. The second lesson begins Et concepit adhuc..., approximately a third through the modern second lesson, and continues until ... et non numerabitur (the last third of the modern third lesson). The third lesson begins Et erit, in loco ubi dicetur eis... and continues past the end of the modern third lesson Dicite fratribus vestris... until ... interficiam eam siti, i.e. Cap. 2, vv. 1 -3. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the writing of St. Augustine on the City of God. These are longer than those found in the modern Breviaries: the fourth lesson includes half the text of the modern fifth lesson, the fifth lesson includes the remaining text of the modern fifth lesson and all of the modern sixth. The sixth lesson is not found in the modern editions. 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 together as the eighth lesson of the day and the ninth lesson is formed of the two lessons given for St. Gregory Thaumaturgus. 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 is sung of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus 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 are sung.

At Prime (Pss. 53, 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 St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, the third collect is A cunctisr. The Credo and the common preface are sung.

At Vespers there is a colour change to white and first Vespers of the feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul are sung. The antiphons Domum tuam etc are sung, doubled, with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 & 147. The Office hymn is Urbs beata Jerusalem. After the collect of the feast a commemoration of the Sunday is sung. The Suffrages are omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

Art: Jerome Nadal