Office of Readings
In those places where this Memorial is observed as a Solemnity or Feast, please use the texts found in the Common of Holy Men: For Religious with the proper texts below.
INVITATORY
The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.
Go to the Hymn
Go to the Psalmody
Lord, + open my lips.
— And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
The antiphon is repeated. In individual recitation, the antiphon may be said only at the beginning of the psalm; it need not be repeated after each strophe.
Psalm 24
Psalm 67
Psalm 100
Psalm 95
A call to praise God
Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).
Come, let us sing to the Lord *
and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
and sing joyful songs to the Lord.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
the flock he shepherds.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Today, listen to the voice of the Lord: †
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
and they do not know my ways.
So I swore in my anger, *
“They shall not enter into my rest.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:
God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
HYMN
Alternate Hymn
Jesus, Redeemer of us all,
eternal crown of saints above,
with loving mercy heed our prayer,
who raise our voice to you this day.
Your faithful people celebrate
with yearly feast and solemn praise
this Saint revered for holiness,
who once confessed your sacred name.
He passed with calm and peaceful step
beyond the cares this world can hold;
with constant faith and hope in you
he trod salvation’s path to life.
And rightly he held back his heart
from fleeting joys that fade and fail;
rejoicing now with angel choirs,
he finds reward in heav’n above.
O gracious Lord, grant us, we pray,
that we may follow in his steps;
then by his prayer, forgive our sin,
and free your servants from their guilt.
To you, O Christ, most loving King,
and to the Father, glory be,
one with the Spirit Paraclete
from age to age for evermore. Amen.
Tune: WAREHAM, 8 8 8 8
Music: William Knapp, 1698-1768
or Mode VIII, melody 104; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Iesu, redemptor omnium, 8th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Rise up, Lord, and come to my aid.
Psalm 35:1-2, 3c, 9-19, 22-23, 27-28
The Lord as Savior in time of persecution
They came together . . . and laid their plans to capture Jesus by treachery and put him to death (Matthew 26:3-4).
I
O Lord, plead my cause against my foes; *
fight those who fight me.
Take up your buckler and shield; *
arise to help me.
O Lord, say to my soul: *
“I am your salvation.”
But my soul shall be joyful in the Lord *
and rejoice in his salvation.
My whole being will say: *
“Lord, who is like you
who rescue the weak from the strong *
and the poor from the oppressor?”
Lying witnesses arise *
and accuse me unjustly.
They repay me evil for good: *
my soul is forlorn.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Rise up, Lord, and come to my aid.
Ant. 2 All-powerful Lord, stand by me and defend me.
II
When they were sick I went into mourning, *
afflicted with fasting.
My prayer was ever on my lips, *
as for a brother, a friend.
I went as though mourning a mother, *
bowed down with grief.
Now that I am in trouble they gather, *
they gather and mock me.
They take me by surprise and strike me *
and tear me to pieces.
They provoke me with mockery on mockery *
and gnash their teeth.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. All-powerful Lord, stand by me and defend me.
Ant. 3 My tongue will speak of your goodness all the day long.
III
O Lord, how long will you look on? *
Come to my rescue!
Save my life from these raging beasts, *
my soul from these lions.
I will thank you in the great assembly, *
amid the throng I will praise you.
Do not let my lying foes *
rejoice over me.
Do not let those who hate me unjustly *
wink eyes at each other.
O Lord, you have seen, do not be silent, *
do not stand afar off!
Awake, stir to my defense, *
to my cause, O God!
Let there be joy for those who love my cause. *
Let them say without end:
“Great is the Lord who delights *
in the peace of his servant.”
Then my tongue shall speak of your justice, *
all day long of your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm Prayer
Lord, you rescue the poor from their oppressors, and you rose to the aid of your beloved Son against those who unjustly sought his life. Look on your Church as we journey to you, that the poor and weak may recognize the help you provide and proclaim your saving acts.
Ant. My tongue will speak of your goodness all the day long.
My son, take my words to heart.
— Do as I say, and you will live.
READINGS
FIRST READING
From the book of Sirach
43:13-35
All creation gives praise to God
His rebuke marks out the path for the lightning,
and speeds the arrows of his judgment to their goal.
At it the storehouse is opened,
and like vultures the clouds hurry forth.
In his majesty he gives the storm its power
and breaks off the hailstones.
The thunder of his voice makes the earth writhe;
before his might the mountains quake.
A word from him drives on the south wind,
the angry north wind, the hurricane and the storm.
He sprinkles the snow like fluttering birds;
it comes to settle like swarms of locusts.
Its shining whiteness blinds the eyes,
the mind is baffled by its steady fall.
He scatters frost like so much salt;
it shines like blossoms on the thornbush.
Cold northern blasts he sends
that turn the ponds to lumps of ice.
He freezes over every body of water,
and clothes each pool with a coat of mail.
When the mountain growth is scorched with heat,
and the flowering plains as though by flames,
The dripping clouds restore them all,
and the scattered dew enriches the parched land.
His is the plan that calms the deep,
and plants the islands in the sea.
Those who go down to the sea tell part of its story,
and when we hear them we are thunderstruck;
In it are his creatures, stupendous, amazing,
all kinds of life, and the monsters of the deep.
For him each messenger succeeds,
and at his bidding accomplishes his will.
More than this we need not add;
let the last word be, he is all in all!
Let us praise him the more, since we cannot fathom him,
for greater is he than all his works;
Awful indeed is the Lord’s majesty,
and wonderful is his power.
Lift up your voices to glorify the Lord,
though he is still beyond your power to praise;
Extol him with renewed strength,
and weary not, though you cannot reach the end:
For who can see him and describe him?
or who can praise him as he is?
Beyond these, many things lie hid;
only a few of his works have we seen.
It is the Lord who has made all things,
and to those who fear him he gives wisdom.
RESPONSORY
See Sirach 43:27, 28
Glorify God with all your skill, and still all you say will fall short.
— The sum of all our words is: he is all.
How shall we be able to give him fitting praise? For he is so much greater than all his works.
— The sum of all our words is: he is all.
SECOND READING
From the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius, bishop
(Cap. 2-4: PG 26, 842-846)
Saint Anthony receives his vocation
When Anthony was about eighteen or twenty years old, his parents died, leaving him with an only sister. He cared for her as she was very young, and also looked after their home.
Not six months after his parents’ death, as he was on his way to church for his usual visit, he began to think of how the apostles had left everything and followed the Savior, and also of those mentioned in the book of Acts who had sold their possessions and brought the apostles the money for distribution to the needy. He reflected too on the great hope stored up in heaven for such as these. This was all in his mind when, entering the church just as the Gospel was being read, he heard the Lord’s words to the rich man: If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor–you will have riches in heaven. Then come and follow me.
It seemed to Anthony that it was God who had brought the saints to his mind and that the words of the Gospel had been spoken directly to him. Immediately he left the church and gave away to the villagers all the property he had inherited, about 200 acres of very beautiful and fertile land, so that it would cause no distraction to his sister and himself. He sold all his other possessions as well, giving to the poor the considerable sum of money he collected. However, to care for his sister he retained a few things.
The next time he went to church he heard the Lord say in the Gospel: Do not be anxious about tomorrow. Without a moment’s hesitation he went out and gave the poor all that he had left. He placed his sister in the care of some well-known and trustworthy virgins and arranged for her to be brought up in the convent. Then he gave himself up to the ascetic life, not far from his own home. He kept a careful watch over himself and practiced great austerity. He did manual work because he had heard the words: If anyone will not work, do not let him eat. He spent some of his earnings on bread and the rest he gave to the poor.
Having learned that we should always be praying, even when we are by ourselves, he prayed without ceasing. Indeed, he was so attentive when Scripture was read that nothing escaped him and because he retained all he heard, his memory served him in place of books.
Seeing the kind of life he lived, the villagers and all the good men he knew called him the friend of God, and they loved him as both son and brother.
RESPONSORY
Matthew 19:21; Luke 14:33
If you wish to be perfect,
go, sell what you have,
and give to the poor;
you will be rich in heaven.
— Then come, follow me.
No one who will not renounce all his possessions can be my disciple.
— Then come, follow me.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Let us pray.
Father,
you called Saint Anthony
to renounce the world
and serve you in the solitude of the desert.
By his prayers and example,
may we learn to deny ourselves
and to love you above all things.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
O God, who brought the Abbot Saint Anthony
to serve you by a wondrous way of life in the desert,
grant, through his intercession,
that, denying ourselves,
we may always love you above all things.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
ACCLAMATION
Let us praise the Lord.
— And give him thanks.
******
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Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, †
who desires not worthless things, *
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord *
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Who is the king of glory? †
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
O gates, lift high your heads; †
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Who is he, the king of glory? †
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Continue with the Hymn
Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord
You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).
O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Let the nations be glad and exult *
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples, *
you guide the nations on earth.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
The earth has yielded its fruit *
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing *
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Continue with the Hymn
Psalm 100
The joyful song of those entering God’s temple
The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. †
Serve the Lord with gladness. *
Come before him, singing for joy.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. †
He made us, we belong to him, *
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. †
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, †
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
Ant. Come, let us worship God, wonderful in his saints.
Or: Let us sing praise to God, as we acclaim Saint Anthony.
Continue with the Hymn
Blest are the pure in heart,
For they shall see our God:
The secret of the Lord is theirs,
Their soul is Christ’s abode.
The Lord, who left the heavens
Our life and peace to bring,
To dwell in lowliness with men,
Their pattern and their King:
Still to the lowly soul
He doth himself impart,
And for his dwelling and his throne
Chooseth the pure in heart.
Lord, we thy presence seek;
May ours this blessing be;
Give us a pure and lowly heart,
A temple fit for thee.
Tune: Franconia S.M.
Music: W. H. Havergal, 1793-1870
Text: J. Keble, 1792-1866
Continue with the Psalmody