October 31st - XXI Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the first Sunday of November. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the parable of the unjust and ungrateful servant who, forgiven his debts by the King, demands what is owed to him from others and shews complete ingratitude. The Vigil of All Saints was anticipated yesterday.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Vidi, Dominum for the Saturday before the first Sunday of November. After the collect of the Sunday 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) are sung. The lessons are the Incipit of the book of the Prophet Ezechiel. These are longer than those found in the modern editions. The first lesson continues with half of the text of the modern second lesson Et in medio ejus... until ..quasi aspectus aeris candentis. The second lesson begins Et manus hominis.. and continues until ..nec revertebantur cum ambularent - the end of the modern third lesson. The third lesson begins Et similitudo animalium... until ..spiritus enim vitae erat in rotis, vv. 13-19. In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from the Exposition of St. Gregory on Ezechiel the Prophet. These are the same as those found in the modern editions except the sixth lesson is a sentence longer. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Jerome on St. Matthew's Gospel. The seventh lesson is longer than that found in the modern editions and contains the text Quod ut manifestius...to si et ipsi dimittant minora peccantibus, about half of the modern eighth lesson. The eighth lesson begins Si autem ob factam and continues with all the remaining text of the modern eighth lesson but then continues Oblatus est ei unus... to ...et peccatoris appellari stultitiam, text not found in the modern books. The ninth lesson begins Sed quo modos.. and continues to..nec a prudentibus viris recipiendae text which, again, is absent from the modern books and then continues with Sic et Pater meus and the rest of the text of the modern ninth lesson. The Te Deum is sung.

At Lauds the Sunday psalms (Pss. 92, 99, 62-66, Benedicite 148-49-150) are sung. The Office hymn is Aeterne. After the collect of the Sunday 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 and the Dominical preces are sung.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is A cunctis, the third collect chosen by the Dean or Rector. The Credo is sung and the Common Preface is sung.

At Vespers there is a colour change to festive white for first Vespers of the feast of All Saints. The antiphons Vidi turbam magnam etc are sung with psalms 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Christe Redemptor omnium. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted and are omitted throughout the Octave.

Art: Jerome Nadal