11 November, Martinmas

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
MR
I will raise up for myself a faithful priest,
who shall do according to my heart and my soul,
says the Lord (1 Sam 2:35).
GR 445
The Lord made to him a covenant of peace
to be the prince of his people
that the dignity of priesthood should be to him forever (Sir 45:30).
V. O Lord, remember David,
and all his meekness (Ps 131:1).
COLLECT
O God,
who were magnified in the life of Saint Martin as in his death,
renew the wonders of your grace in our hearts,
so that neither death nor life may separate us from your love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
For the Church in East and West;
that she may ever rejoice in the eagerness of catechumens,
the purity of the newly-baptized,
the witness of committed Christians,
the constant prayer of her monks,
and the holiness of her bishops,
to the Lord we pray: Christ, hear us. R. CHRIST, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.
For men and women in the service of our country;
that, through the intercession of Saint Martin
they may abide in the shelter of the Almighty
and take God as their buckler and shield,
to the Lord we pray: Christ, hear us. R. CHRIST, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.
For the hungry, the thirsty and for strangers;
for those without clothing and shelter;
for the sick, and for the imprisoned:
that the eyes of Christians may be opened
to recognize in them the face of the suffering Christ,
to the Lord we pray: Christ, hear us. R. CHRIST, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.
For ourselves;
that, like Saint Martin,
we may neither fear to die nor refuse to live,
holding ourselves, at every moment,
in ready submission to the Will of God,
to the Lord we pray: Christ, hear us. R. CHRIST, GRACIOUSLY HEAR US.
COLLECT AT THE GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
Lord God of Hosts,
who clothed Martin the soldier with the spirit of sacrifice,
graced him as a monk with the gift of ceaseless prayer,
as a priest with reverence in the celebration of your mysteries,
and as a bishop with courage for the defense of the catholic faith;
grant us, by your gift, so to walk in his footsteps,
that, at the last, we may be welcomed in paradise
there to sing your praises
in the company of the Angels and Saints.
Through Christ our Lord.
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON
GR
My truth and my mercy shall be with him;
and in my name shall his horn be exalted (Ps 88:25).
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Lord God, we beseech you
hallow these gifts we offer in honour of your holy bishop Martin,
and let our lives, through them,
be guided always in adversity and in prosperity.
Through Christ our Lord.
PREFACE
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always, here and everywhere, to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
as we praise you for the example of Saint Martin,
a glorious servant of Christ your Son.
He prepared eagerly to receive the grace of baptism
by showing an exemplary love for the poor.
He rejected the rewards of military service
in order to serve Christ, the only true Lord,
in the humble pursuit of monastic life.
Chosen by you as bishop of your flock,
zealous for the true faith and love of the Church,
Martin became a model of spiritual strength for all.
And so, with all the citizens of heaven
we join with him to acclaim your glory
in this, their ceaseless hymn of praise:
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
MR 867
Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it
to one of these my least brethren,
you did it to me, says the Lord (Mt 25:40).
Or:
GR 491
Blessed is that servant,
whom when his Lord shall come
he shall find keeping watch:
amen, I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods (Mt 24: 46-47).
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord, grant us
whom you have refreshed by the sacrament of unity,
perfect union with your will in all things,
so that just as Saint Martin submitted wholly to you,
we too may, in all truth, glory in being yours.
Through Christ our Lord.
SOLEMN BLESSING
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
grace you, on this feast of Saint Martin,
with an honest readiness to do his work
and a perfect submission to his will. R. Amen.
May Christ the King of Glory
who revealed himself to Saint Martin in the form of a poor beggar
open your eyes to his presence
in the least of his brethren. R. Amen.
May the Holy Spirit
sustain you amidst the changes and trials of life,
that, with eyes and hands lifted up to heaven,
your spirits may never slacken in prayer R. Amen.
And may the blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
descend upon you, and remain with you forever. R. Amen.