Saint Scholastica

Virgin, Religious, Memorial

Other Celebrations for this Day:

Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II

Introduction

Not much is known about St Scholastica, the sister of the great St. Benedict, in whose shadow she lived. Dedicating her virginity to God, she first lived a life of prayer at home, then stayed near her brother at Subiaco, then at Monte Cassino, until Benedict put her in charge of a community of women.

We know from history that Benedictine monasteries of men and women not only radiated peace but were, in many regions, the civilisers and the main witnesses to Christ’s presence in the world.

Opening Prayer

God our Father,
We thank you for the saints
like St. Scholastica;
They remind us that a life
of prayer and community
bears witness to your presence in this world.
Make us too see clearly
that it is ultimately you who count
and you who are the meaning of our lives
and that the bond that unites us
with people anywhere
is Jesus Christ our Lord.

First Reading

Song of Songs 8:6-7

Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm;
For stern as death is love,
relentless as the nether world is devotion;
its flames are a blazing fire.
Deep waters cannot quench love,
nor floods sweep it away.
Were one to offer all he owns to purchase love,
he would be roundly mocked.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 148:1bc-2, 11-13a, 13c-14

R.    (see 12a and 13a) Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights;
Praise him, all you his angels,
praise him, all you his hosts.
R.    Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.
Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men, too, and maidens,
old men and boys.
Praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted.
R.    Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has lifted up the horn of his people.
Be this his praise from all his faithful ones;
from the children of Israel, the people close to him. Alleluia.
R.    Young men and women, praise the name of the Lord.
or:
R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia Verse

John 14:23

R.    Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R.    Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Luke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her."

Prayers of the Faithful

*Prayer over the Gifts

God our Father,
by the signs of food and drink
your Son Jesus gives himself to us
and gathers us together as a community
of love and service.
Make the communities
of religious men and women
a sign for all to see
that you want us to be one
as the people you have liberated
and bound to you in a covenant
through the death and risen life
of Jesus Christ our Lord.

*Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
we give you thanks for this eucharist
and for all the good done
in the Church and for the world
by religious men and women.
Let them be living witnesses
that the gospel is worth living for.
Through the body and blood of your Son
strengthen them to be to everyone
worshippers in spirit and in truth
who, on account of you,
are concerned about people
with Jesus Christ our Lord.

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