June 28, 2017: COMMEMORATION OF VIGIL OF SS. PETER & PAUL

June 28, 2017: COMMEMORATION OF VIGIL OF SS. PETER AND PAUL.

“Their sound hath gone forth all over the earth; and their words to the outmost bounds of the globe.”
(Ps, xviii. 5)

Prayer (Collect).
Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we, whom thou hast founded on the rock of the Apostolic faith, may be never shaken by any troubles. Thro’ thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

To-morrow all heaven will reecho with the solemn protestation first heard at Cesarea Philippi: Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God; and Simon Bar-Jona, because of this oracle uttered by him, will be the chosen Rock supporting the divine structure, the Church. To-morrow he will die, sealing this glorious declaration, with his very blood; but he will yet live on, in the person of each Roman Pontiff, that he may thus guard this precious testimony of his in all its integrity, even unto the day when Faith will give place to the Eternal Vision. Coupled with Peter in his labours, the “Doctor of the Gentiles” shares his triumph this day; and Rome more indebted to these her two Princes, than to all her stout warriors of old, who laid the world prostrate at her feet,—beholds their double victory fix for ever upon her noble brow the diadem of spiritual royalty.

The recital of the following beautiful formulae will help to inspire us with the spirit of the feast. The first is taken from the Gothic-Gallic Missal: it is the Benediction which, according to the ancient rite, used in France, was given to the people before the Communion, on the feast of the Apostles. The prayers which next follow, are from the Leonian Sacramentary.

THE BENEDICTION.

O God, who to keep the members of thy Church from darkness, hast made to shine forth, like twin fountains of light, the tears of Peter and the writings of Paul,—
R. Amen.

In thy clemency, look upon thy people, Thou who givest the heavens to be opened, by Peter with the key, and by Paul with the sword,—
R. Amen.

So that the Leaders going first, thither may the flock at length come, whither have already arrived by one same step, both the Pastor by the gibbet, and the Teacher by the sword. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

PRAYERS.

O Almighty and Eternal God, who by an ineffable mystery, hath fixed the right of Apostolic Princedom on the proud summit of the name of Rome, whence Evangelic Truth may diffuse itself through all the earth: grant that what by their preaching, hath perculated through the whole world, all may follow with Christian devotedness.

Grant to thy Church, we beseech thee, Lord, both worthily to rejoice at having such great Princes, and to follow with loving devotion that teaching of theirs, whereby thy cherished flocks have been initiated into the sacred Mysteries .Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Taken from: The Divine Office for the use of the Laity, Volume II, 1806; and
The Liturgical Year - Time after Pentecost, Vol. III, Dublin, Edition 1890.

Pray for us, Oh blessed Apostles Peter and Paul;
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.