September 18th - XVII Sunday after Pentecost

The seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the third Sunday of September. The Gospel pericopes at Mattins and Mass come from the twenty-second chapter of St. Matthew and have the Pharisees asking the LORD what is the greatest commandment. The week ahead will be of the September Ember Days.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Vespers for Saturday (Pss. 143, 144, 145, 146 & 147) were sung. The chapter was O Altitudo and the Office hymn was O lux beata Trinitas. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Ne reminiscaris for the Saturday before the third Sunday of September. 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 Nocte surgentes. 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 Tobias. The first lesson continues with what is now the beginning of the second lesson Deinique, cum irent... to ...ministraret omnem decimationem. The second lesson begins Haec et his similia.. to ... salutis dabat eis, what is the end of the third lesson in the modern editions. The third lesson, absent from modern editions, begins Cum autem venisset... and continues until ...solicitus exhibebat. (vv. 16 - 20). In the second nocturn (Pss. 15, 16 & 17) the lessons are from a sermon of St. Leo. The sixth lesson is slightly longer than that found in the modern editions, the seventh and eighth lessons are the same. In the third nocturn (Pss. 18, 19 & 20) the homily is from St. Chrysostom on St. Matthews's Gospel. The eighth and ninth lessons are are longer than those found in modern editions. 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 the Suffrages of the BVM Sancta Maria succurre etc, the Apostles Gloriosi principes etc, of the Patron and lastly for peace Da pacem Domine etc are sung.

At Prime (Pss. 53, 117, 118i & 118ii) both 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 is chosen by the Dean or Rector of the place. The Creed and common preface are sung.

Vespers are of the Sunday (Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 & 113). The Office hymn is Lucis creator. 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 are sung. At Compline the Dominical preces are sung.

Art: Jerome Nadal