ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Psalm 42 (41):2-3
Quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus. Sitivit anima mea ad Deum fortem, vivum.
Like the deer that yearns for running streams,
so my soul is yearning for you, my God;
my soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
COLLECT
Deus, qui per Spiritum tuum beatam Teresiam suscitasti, ut requirendae perfectionis semitam Ecclesiae manifestaret, da nobis et caelestis eius doctrinae pabulo semper nutriri, et verae sanctitatis desiderio accendi.
O God, who through your Spirit
raised up Saint Teresa of Jesus
to show the Church the way to seek perfection,
grant that we may always be nourished
by the food of her heavenly teaching
and fired with longing for true holiness.
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.
FIRST READING Romans 8:22-27
Brothers and sisters:
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that sees is not hope.
For who hopes for what one sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Iudicia Domini vera, iusta omnia simul
R. (10) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. (John 6:63) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R./
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R./
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R./
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R./
ALLELUIA Jn 15: 9b; 5b
Remain in my love, says the Lord;
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.
GOSPEL John 15:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Munera nostra, Domine, tuae sint accepta maiestati, cui beatae Teresiae tantopere placuit devotionis obsequium.
May our offerings, O Lord, be acceptable to your majesty,
to whom the devoted service of Saint Teresa
was pleasing in such great measure.
Through Christ our Lord.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Ps. 89 (88):2
Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo in generationem et generationem annuntiabo veritatem tuam in ore meo.
I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Subdita tibi familia, Domine Deus noster, quam caelesti pane satiasti, fac ut, exemplo beatae Teresiae, misericordias tuas in aeternum cantare laetetur.
Grant, O Lord our God,
that your obedient family,
whom you have fed with the Bread of heaven,
may follow the example of Saint Teresa
and rejoice to sing of your mercies for all eternity.
Through Christ our Lord.
From the Common of Virgins or of Doctors, except for the following:
Office of Readings
SECOND READING
From a work by Saint Teresa of Avila, virgin
(Opusc. De libro vitae, cap 22,6-7.14)
Let us always be mindful of Christ's love
If Christ Jesus dwells in a man as his friend and noble leader, that man can endure all things, for Christ helps and strengthens us and never abandons us. He is a true friend. And I clearly see that if we expect to please him and receive an abundance of his graces, God desires that these graces must come to us from the hands of Christ, through his most sacred humanity, in which God takes delight.
Many, many times I have perceived this through experience. The Lord has told it to me. I have definitely seen that we must enter by this gate if we wish his Sovereign Majesty to reveal to us great and hidden mysteries. A person should desire no other path, even if he is at the summit of contemplation; on this road he walks safely. All blessings come to us through our Lord. He will teach us, for in beholding his life we find that he is the best example.
What more do we desire from such a good friend at our side? Unlike our friends in the world, he will never abandon us when we are troubled or distressed. Blessed is the one who truly loves him and always keeps him near. Let us consider the glorious Saint Paul: it seems that no other name fell from his lips than that of Jesus, because the name of Jesus was fixed and embedded in his heart. Once I had come to understand this truth, I carefully considered the lives of some of the saints, the great contemplatives, and found that they took no other path: Francis, Anthony of Padua, Bernard, Catherine of Siena. A person must walk along this path in freedom, placing himself in God’s hands. If God should desire to raise us to the position of one who is an intimate and shares his secrets, we ought to accept this gladly.
Whenever we think of Christ we should recall the love that led him to bestow on us so many graces and favours, and also the great love God showed in giving us in Christ a pledge of his love; for love calls for love in return. Let us strive to keep this always before our eyes and to rouse ourselves to love him. For if at some time the Lord should grant us the grace of impressing his love on our hearts, all will become easy for us and we shall accomplish great things quickly and without effort.
RESPONSORY Psalm 73:27, 28; 1 Corinthians 6:17
Those who turn their backs on you will perish.
- What joy to be near to my God,
to place all my trust in the Lord.
Whoever is united to the Lord
becomes one spirit with him.
- What joy to be near to my God,
to place all my trust in the Lord.
COLLECT
O God, who through your Spirit
raised up Saint Teresa of Jesus
to show the Church the way to seek perfection,
grant that we may always be nourished
by the food of her heavenly teaching
and fired with longing for true holiness.
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.
The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.