January Collects

January Collects

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

O God, who were pleased to give light to your Church
By the example and teaching
Of the Bishops Saints Basil and Gregory,
Grant, we pray,
That in humility we may learn your truth
And practice it faithfully in charity.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

3, The Most Holy Name of Jesus

O God, who founded the salvation of the human race
On the Incarnation of your Word,
Give your peoples the mercy they implore,
So that all may know there is no other name to be invoked
But the Name of your Only Begotten Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

4, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

O God, who crowned with the gift of true faith
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton's burning zeal to find you,
Grant by her intercession and example
That we may always seek you with diligent love
And find you in daily service with sincere faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

5, Saint John Neumann, Bishop

O God, who called the Bishop Saint John Neumann,
Renowned for his charity and pastoral service,
To shepherd your people in America,
Grant by his intercession
That, as we foster the Christian education of the youth
And are strengthened by the witness of brotherly love,
We may constantly increase the family of your Church,
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

6, Saint Andre Bessette, Religious

Lord our God, friend of the lowly,
Who gave your servant, Saint Andre Bessette
A great devotion to Saint Joseph
And a special commitment to the poor and afflicted,
Help us through his intercession
To follow his example of prayer and love
And so come to share with him in your glory.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

7, Raymond Penyafort, Priest

O God, who adorned the Priest Saint Raymond
With the virtue of outstanding mercy and compassion
For sinners and for captives,
Grant us, through his intercession,
That, released from slavery to sin,
We may carry out in freedom of spirit,
What is pleasing to you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

13, Hilary, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Grant, we pray, almighty God,
That we may rightly understand and truthfully profess
The divinity of your Son,
Which the Bishop Saint Hilary taught with such constancy.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

17, Saint Anthony, abbot

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,
One God, for ever and ever.

20, Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr

O God, glory of your priests,
Grant we pray,,
That  helped by the intercession
Of your martyr Saint Fabian,
We may make progress by communion in the faithfully
And by worthy service.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

21, Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

Almighty, ever-living God,
Who choose what is weak in the world
To confound the strong,
Mercifully grant,
That we, who celebrate the heavenly birthday
Of your martyr Saint Agnes
May follow her constancy in the faith.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

23, Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr

Almighty, ever-living God,
Mercifully pour out your Spirit upon us,
So that our hearts may possess that strong love
By which the Martyr Saint Vincent
Triumphed over all bodily torments.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

24, Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

O God, who for the salvation of souls
Willed that the Bishop Saint Francis de Sales
Become all things to all,
Graciously grant that, following his example,
We may always display the gentleness of your charity
In the service of our neighbor.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

25, Conversion of Saint Paul

O God, who taught the whole world
Through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Paul
Draw us, we pray, nearer to you
Through the example of him whose conversion
We celebrate today,
And so make us witnesses to your truth in the world.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

26, Timothy and Titus, Bishops

O God, who adorned Saints Timothy and Titus,
With apostolic virtues,
Grant, through the intercession of them both,
That living justly and devoutly in this present age,
We may merit to reach our heavenly homeland.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

27, Angela Merici, Virgin

May the Virgin Saint Angela never fail to commend us
To your compassion, O Lord, we pray,
That following the lessons of her charity and prudence,
We may hold fast to your teaching
And express it in what we do.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

28, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

O God, who made Saint Thomas Aquinas
Outstanding in his zeal for holiness
And his study of sacred doctrine,
Grant us, we pray,
That we may understand what he taught
And imitate what he accomplished.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

31, Saint John Bosco, Priest

O God, who raised up the Priest Saint John Bosco
As a father and teacher of the young,
Grant we pray,
That aflame with the same fire of love,
We may seek out souls and serve you alone.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you
 in the Unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

No comments:

Post a Comment

I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.

Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.

I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.

You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.