Votive Mass of the Prayer in the Garden
Among the beautiful Votive Masses of the Passion, found in some missals for certain weekdays after Septuagesima and through Lent, is that of The Prayer of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemani.
Introit
My heart is troubled within me;
the fear of death stands over me;
fear and trembling are come upon me (Ps 54:5-6).
V. O God, save me;
see how the waters close about me,
threatening my very life (Ps 68:2).
V. Glory.
Collect
Lord Jesus Christ,
whose word and example in the garden taught us to pray,
and thereby to overcome the perils of temptation,
grant us grace ever to be intent upon prayer,
and so to earn its abundant reward.
Thou who art God.
Epistle (Hebrews 5:5-10)
Brethren, Christ did not raise himself to the dignity of the high priesthood; it was God that raised him to it, when he said, you are my Son, I have begotten you this day, and so, elsewhere, You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchisedech. Christ, during his earthly life, offered prayer and entreaty to God who could save him from death, not without a piercing cry, not without tears; yet with such piety as won him a hearing. Son of God though he was, he learned obedience in the school of suffering, and now, his full achievement reached, he wins eternal salvation for all those who render obedience to him. A high priest in the line of Melchisedech, so God has called him.
Gradual
My heart is full of trouble, my life sinks ever closer to the grave.
V. I count as one of those who go down into the abyss,
a man past all help (Ps 87:4-5)
Tract
Listen to me, Lord, of thy gracious mercy,
look down upon me in the abundance of thy pity.
V. Do not turn thy face away from thy servant in this time of trouble,
give a speedy answer to my prayer (Ps 68:17-18).
V. Do not leave me now, when trouble is close at hand,
when I have none to help me (Ps 21:12).
Gospel (Luke 22:39-44)
At this time, Jesus went out, as his custom was, to mount Olivet, his disciples following him. When he reached the place, he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. Then he parted from them, going a stone’s throw off, and knelt down to pray; Father, he said, if it pleases you, take away this chalice from before me; only as your will is, not as mine is. And he had sight of an angel from heaven, encouraging him. And now he was in an agony, and prayed still more earnestly; his sweat fell to the ground like thick drops of blood.
Offertory
O God, save me;
see how the waters close about me,
threatening my very life (Ps 68:2).
Secret
Lord, by the merits of this holy sacrifice,
we beseech thee, cause us, who are schooled by thy divine instruction,
to spend ourselves so effectively in prayer,
that thy Son, Jesus Christ,
may find us at the hour of death,
watchful and free from sin.
Who with thee.
Communion (Matthew 26:41)
Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation:
the spirit is willing enough,
but the flesh is weak.
Postcommunion
Refreshed with heavenly food,
we humbly beseech thee, Almighty Father,
that by virtue of the prayer of thy only-begotten Son,
we who are set amidst such dangers to body and soul
may be held worthy to come safely to the kingdom of heaven
Through the same.
Add a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Is it possible for a comment on the Votive Mass for the Gift of Tears? I’ve only recently heard of it and would like to know more about it.
Dear Father,
What is a soul to do when it no longer remembers how to pray? By an excess of Providential bounty,members of the Mystical Body of Christ are somehow alerted, and the soul nevertheless receives the fruits of grace !!! Last Friday, one week ago today, a young lady attempted suicide in an act of total desperation. Her name is Johanna. She is German, and a university student at the same school as one of my sons. Within a few hours of learning about this, I had sent emails to several priests who generously proceeded to offer Mass and prayers of supplication for her intention…within hours, she had miraculously received the visit of the hospital chaplain (she is a long-lapsed Catholic), confession, the sacrament of the sick…and the incredible graces of healing. By Tuesday, she was out of hospital and back in the classroom. Everyone on campus is astounded at her sudden “rebound”…because they have no idea of what grace flowed in the angelic ministering she received, in the intercession of the Communion of Saints…in the awesome power of the Holy Sacrifice…the power of prayer in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Today, I hope to meet her in person. I have flown all the way to New Mexico from France in order to witness to her about the extraordinary Grace of God she has received..to put words on the mysterious events that have just unfolded. And this, is just one single example of the miracles of grace drawn down by intercessory prayer that I have been witnessing all around me, week after week. Incredible miracles of healing and transformation, reconciliation and conversion. Does anyone else feel that the Lord is currently “outdoing Himself” in generosity, above and beyond our hopes and dreams and understanding?
But we have to ASK. The greater the AGONY , the more heartfelt is the prayer. When the entire mind and body are seized in the moment of Truth, then the prayer becomes truly one of the heart, in the heart and by the heart…it likens the prayer of Jesus.
That word is indeed a mystery : agony. It can become a direct bridge to Heaven, and portal to extraordinary Grace in prayer.
Father, thank you for your prayers. May my presence somehow radiate Christ for Johanna today.