God, come to my assistance.
- Lord, make haste to help me,
Glory be to the Father…


Hymn
Taken from the Common of Pastors.


Psalmody

Ant. 1 I will give you shepherds after my own heart; they will nourish you with knowledge and sound teaching (Alleluia).

Psalm 113
Praise the Name of the Lord

“God took men without virtue, without talent, and without any human aid; He formed this Congregation from nothingness so that the entire honor and glory might redound to Him.” (St. Marcellin, Life, 1989, Part II, Chapter 12, pages 398-99)


Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blessed
Both now and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting
Praised be the name of the Lord!

High above all nations is the Lord.
Above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
Who has risen on high to his throne
Yet stoops from the heights to look down,
To look down upon heaven and earth?

From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
From his misery he raises the poor
To set him in the company of princes,
Yes, with the princes of his people.
To the childless wife he gives a home
And gladdens her heart with children.


Ant. 2 I shall feed my flock; I shall search for the lost and lead back those who have strayed (Alleluia).

Psalm 146
Blessed are those who hope in the Lord

“It is quite impossible for God to abandon you…, if only you place your confidence in Him.”( St. Marcellin, Life, 1989, Part II, Chapter 3, page 293)


My soul, give praise to the Lord;
I will praise the Lord all my days,
Make music to my God while I live.


Put no trust in princes,
In mortal men in whom there is no help.
Take their breath, they return to clay
And their plans that day come to nothing.

He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
Who alone made heaven and earth,
The sea and all they contain.

It is he who keeps faith for ever,
Who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
The Lord, who sets prisoners free,

The Lord who gives sight to the blind,
Who raises up those who are bowed down,
The Lord, who protests the stranger
And upholds the widow and orphan.

It is the Lord who loves the just
But thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Zion’s God, from age to age.


Ant. 3 The Good Shepherd laid down his life for his sheep (alleluia).

Canticle Ephesians 1:3-10
God our Savior

“A brother is someone great: a soul for whom God’s mercy has special plans” (St. Marcellin, Avis, Leçons, Sentences, 1999 English Translation, Chapter 1, page 15).


Praised be the God and Father
Of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who bestowed on us in Christ
Every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in him
Before the world began,
To be holy
And blameless in his sight.

He predestined us
To be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
Such was his will and pleasure,
That all might praise the glorious favor
He has bestowed on us in his beloved.

In him and through his blood,
We have been redeemed,
And our sins forgiven,
So immeasurably generous
Is God’s favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom
To understand fully the mystery,
The plan he was pleased
To decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out
In Christ, in the fullness of time,
To bring all things into one in him,
In the heavens and on the earth.


Reading Philippians 3:7-8

Those things I used to consider gain I have now reappraised as loss in the light of Christ. I have come to rate all as loss in the light of the surpassing knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ.


Responsory

The Lord has loved him, and given him great honors (Alleluia, Alleluia).
- The Lord has loved him, and given him great honors (Alleluia, Alleluia).
He has decked him out in glory,
- and given him great honors.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Lord has loved him, and given him great honors (Alleluia, Alleluia).

Ant. Son, listen to your father’s words; remember the teachings of your mother.
Hold fast to them in your heart (Alleluia).

Canticle of Mary Luke 1:46-55
Our souls rejoice in the Lord

“It is through the grace of God and the protection of Mary, through piety and virtue, that you will succeed and do good; take care not to rely on yourself or on the favor and support of other people.” (St. Marcellin, Life, 1989, Part II, Chapter 2, page 283)

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit rejoices in God my Savior
For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
The almighty has done great things for me,
And holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
In every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
He has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
And has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
For he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
To Abraham and his children for ever.

Intercessions

Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and women and their representative before God. We honor him and in our frailty we pray:
Bring salvation to your people, Lord.
You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women,
- let Christians rejoice always in such splendor.
You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion,
- through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people.
In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit,
- fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit.
You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors,
- let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you.
The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life,
- save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life.

The Lord’s Prayer

Prayer

Holy Father, you have revealed the commandment of the new law through your Only Begotten Son, and shown us how to put it into practice by the inspiring example of Saint Marcellin; grant us the grace to persevere in loving all our brothers and sisters as he taught, and to lead our world to the knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Ant. On this feast of Saint Marcellin, come, let us worship Christ, chief shepherd of the flock (Alleluia).

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.

(Antiphon)

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.

(Antiphon)

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.

(Antiphon)

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.

(Antiphon)

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.”

(Antiphon)

Glory be 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.

Hymn
Taken from the Common of Pastors.

Psalmody

Ant. 1 Whoever would be first will be last and the servant of all (Alleluia).

Psalm 19: 2-7,15
Thanksgiving for the Victory of our King and Messiah

“Our Lord will help us according to our needs; the bigger the obstacles we face, the firmer should be our confidence in Him, for the more claim we have to his assistance.” (St. Marcellin, Life, 1989, Part II, Chapter 3, page 296)

The heavens proclaim the glory of God
And the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story
And night unto night makes known the message.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard
Yet their span extends through all the earth,
Their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

There he has placed a tent for the sun;
It comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent,
Rejoices like a champion to run its course.

At the end of the sky is the rising of the sun;
To the furthest end of the sky is its course.
There is nothing concealed from its burning heat.

Let the words of my mouth
And the thought of my heart
Find favor before you,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Ant. 2 When the chief shepherd will appear, you will receive a crown of everlasting glory. (Alleluia).

Psalm 92, (Verses 1-9)
Praise to the Lord, our Creator

“For me it is truly comforting to know that you are of one in heart and mind… and that you are seeking only the glory of God and the interests of your holy Religion.” (St. Marcellin, Letters, Document 132, page 267)

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
To make music to your name, O Most High,
To proclaim your love in the morning
And your truth in the watches of the night,
On the ten-stringed lyre and the lute,
With the murmuring sound of the harp.

Your deeds, O Lord, have made me glad;
For the work of your hands I shout with joy.
O Lord, how great are your works!
How deep are your designs!
The foolish man cannot know this
And the fool cannot understand.

Though the wicked spring up like grass
And all who do evil thrive:
They are doomed to be eternally destroyed.
But you, Lord, are eternally on high.

Ant. 3 Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.

Psalm 92 (Verses 10-16)

“God speaks to evildoers as to the waves of the sea: you will come this far and no further.” (St. Marcellin, Letters, Document 16, page 56)

See how your enemies perish, O Lord;
All doers of evil are scattered.

To me you give the wild ox’s strength;
You anoint me with the purest oil.
My eyes looked in triumph on my foes;
My ears heard gladly of their fall.
The just will flourish like the palm tree
And grow like a Lebanon cedar.

Planted in the house of the Lord,
They will flourish in the courts of our God,
Still bearing fruit when they are old,
Still full of sap, still green,
To proclaim that the Lord is just.
In him, my rock, there is no wrong.

V/ Listen to the Word I am speaking to you.
R/ And you will proclaim all that you have heard from me.

Reading 1 Colossians 3:1-17
Your life is hidden with Christ in God

Since you have been raised up in company with Christ, set your heart on what pertains to higher realms where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. Be intent on things above rather than on things of earth. After all, you have died! Your life is hidden now with Christ in God. When Christ our life appears, then you shall appear with Him in glory. Put to death whatever in your nature is rooted in earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, and that lust which is idolatry. These are the sins that provoke God’s wrath. Your own conduct was once of this sort, when these sins were your very life. You must put that aside now: all the anger and quick temper, the malice, the insults, the foul language. Stop lying to one another, What you have done is put aside your old self with its past deeds and put on a new man, one who grows in knowledge as he is formed anew in the image of his Creator. There is no Greek or Jew here, circumcised or uncircumcised, foreigner, Scythian, slave, or freeman. Rather, Christ is everything in all of you. Because you are God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy, with kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another; forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you. Over all these virtues put on love, which binds the rest together and makes them perfect. Christ’s peace must reign in your hearts, since as members of the one body you have been called to that peace. Dedicate yourselves to thankfulness. Let the word of Christ, rich as it is, dwell in you. In wisdom made perfect, instruct and admonish one another. Sing gratefully to God from your heart in psalms, hymns, and inspired songs. Whatever you do, whether in speech or in action, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through Him.

Responsory Galatians 3:27-28; Ephesians 4:24

R/ All of you who have been baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Him. There does not exist among you Jew or Greek, slave or freeman, male or female. All are one in Christ Jesus.
V/ You must put on that new man created in God’s image, whose justice and holiness are born of truth.
R/ All are one in Christ Jesus.

Reading 2

Taken from the Spiritual Testament of St. Marcellin. (Constitutions of the Marist Brothers of the Schools, pages 129-131)

I die full of respect for the Superior of the Society of Mary and in gratitude and submission to him. I remain fully united to all the members of the Society, especially to the brothers whom God confided to my care and who have always been so dear to my heart.

I desire that the Brothers of Mary will always fully respect the virtue of obedience. May they see in their superiors the person of Jesus Christ, and obey them in heart and mind, submitting, if necessary, their own will and judgment.

I beg you, my dear brothers, with all the affection of my soul, and by all the love you have for me, do all you can to ensure that holy charity is always maintained among you. Love one another as Jesus Christ has loved you. Be of one heart and one mind. May it be said of the Little Brothers of Mary as of the first Christians: “See how they love one another.” This is the most ardent desire of my heart at this, the last moment of my life. Yes, my very dear brothers, listen to the words of your Father; they are the words of our loving Savior: “Love one another.”

I should like the same charity that binds you together as members of a single body to extend as well to all other Institutes. By the boundless love of Jesus Christ, I call on you most solemnly to beware of ever envying anybody, especially those whom God has called to the religious life to labor, like you, for the education of youth. Be the first to rejoice at their success and to grieve at their misfortune. Recommend them often to God and to Mary. Yield to them without difficulty. Never give ear to any rumors that may discredit them. Let only the glory of God and the honor of Mary be your one aim and ambition.

Just as your wills are to be united with those of the Fathers of the Society of Mary in the will of one and the same superior, so I desire that you be always united with them in Jesus and Mary.

Alternative Reading from the Spiritual Testament.

“There are difficulties in leading the life of a good religious,
but the grace of God makes all things easy.”

I beg of God and desire with all my heart that you persevere faithfully in the holy exercise of the presence of God. It is the soul of prayer, of meditation, and of all the virtues. May humility and simplicity always be characteristic of the Little Brothers of Mary. May a tender and filial love of that good Mother animate you at all times and in every circumstance. Do all that you can to make her loved everywhere. She is the First Superior of the whole Society. To devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, join devotion to St. Joseph, her most worthy spouse; you know he is one of your leading patrons. You fulfill the function of guardian angels to the children confided to your care. Show to these pure spirits a special homage of love, respect and confidence.

My dear brothers, be faithful to your vocation, love it and persevere courageously. Maintain a great spirit of poverty and detachment from earthly things. May the daily living of your Rule preserve you from every failing in that vow which binds you to the fairest of virtues, and the frailest. There are difficulties in leading the life of a good religious, but the grace of God makes all things easy; Jesus and Mary will come to your aid. Besides, life is very short and eternity never ends. How consoling it is, when one has to appear before God, to know that one has lived under the protection of Mary and in her Society! May that good Mother keep you safe, give you increase and bring you to holiness. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be always with you. I leave you all with confidence in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary until we be all united again in a happy eternity. Such is my last and express wish for the glory of Jesus and Mary.

Responsory Philippians 3:17 and 4:9; I Corinthians 1:10

R/ Be imitators of me, my brothers. Take as your guide those who follow the example that we set. Live according to what you have learned and accepted, what you have heard me say and seen me do. Then will the God of peace be with you.
V/ I beg you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree in what you say.
R/ Live according to what you have learned.

Hymn:
Te Deum

Prayer

Holy Father, you have revealed the commandment of the new law through your Only Begotten Son, and shown us how to put it into practice by the inspiring example of Saint Marcellin; grant us the grace to persevere in loving all our brothers and sisters as he taught, and to lead our world to the knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

God, come to my assistance.
- Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father…

Hymn (From the Common of Pastors)
Or, another appropriate hymn approved by the National Bishops Conference.

.

Psalmody

Ant 1. You are the light of the world. Like a city built on a mountain, you cannot remain hidden from view (Alleluia).

Psalm 63: 2-9
The soul thirsts for God.

“Let us pray, let us pray, and in everything let us desire and search for the holy will of God.” (St. Marcellin, Letters, Document 182, page 370)

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
For you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
Like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
To see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,
My lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
In your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
My mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
For you have been my help;
In the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
Your right hand holds me fast.

Ant. 2 Let your light shine before all; let them see your good works and give glory to our Father (Alleluia).

Canticle Daniel 3:57-88,56
Let all creatures praise the Lord.
“Marcellin saw every occasion as an opportunity for lifting up his heart to the Lord. His soul broke out in acts of love, praise, and thanksgiving.” (St. Marcellin; cf. Life, 1989, Part II, Chapter 5, page 315)

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord,
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Ant. 3 The word of God is alive and full of power, more penetrating than a two-edged sword.

Psalm 149
The joy of God’s Friends

“The heart’s devotion reveals itself in thanking God for his grace and blessings, and in praising His perfection.” St. Marcellin, cf. Avis, Leçons, Sentences, Chapter 14, pages 116-117)

Sing a new song to the Lord,
His praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
Let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
And make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation. -
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
Shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
And a two-edged sword in their hand,

To deal out vengeance to the nations
And punishment on all the peoples;
To bind their kings in chains
And their nobles in fetters of iron;
To carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
This honor is for all his faithful.

Reading Hebrews 13:7-8

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you; consider how their lives ended, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Responsory

R/ You have positioned them as sentinels, keeping watch over your Church.
- You have positioned them as sentinels, keeping watch over your Church.
V/ Night and day they proclaim your name,
- keeping watch over your Church.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
You have positioned them as sentinels, keeping watch over your Church.

Antiphon 2 Corinthians 5:17
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old order has passed away; now all is new! All this has been done by God.
Canticle of Zechariah Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner
“A brother is God’s co-worker and Jesus Christ’s partner in the holy mission of saving souls.” (St. Marcellin, Avis, Leçons, Sentences, Chapter 1, page 16)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
Born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
That he would save us from our enemies,
From the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
And to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
To set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear,
Holy and righteous in his sight
All the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Intercessions

Christ is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. Let us praise and thank him as we pray:
Nourish your people, Lord.
Christ, you decided to show your merciful love through your holy shepherds,
- let your mercy always reach us through them.
Through your vicars you continue to perform the ministry of shepherd of souls,
- direct us always through our leaders.
Through your holy ones, the leaders of your people, you served as physician of our bodies and our spirits,
- continue to fulfill your ministry of life and holiness in us.
You taught your flock through the prudence and love of your saints,
- grant us continual growth in holiness under the direction of our pastors
Our Father…
Prayer

Holy Father, you have revealed the commandment of the new law through your Only Begotten Son, and shown us how to put it into practice by the inspiring example of Saint Marcellin; grant us the grace to persevere in loving all our brothers and sisters as he taught, and to lead our world to the knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen

Taken from NIGHT PRAYER for Sunday.