XXI Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite. This year it is the third Sunday of October. The Gospel pericopes from St. Matthew contain the parable of the unjust and ungrateful servant who, forgiven his debts by the King, demands what is owed to him from others and shews complete ingratitude.

At Vespers yesterday afternoon the psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Lugebat autem Judam for the Saturday before the Third Sunday in October. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Hedwig and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The Suffrages of the Saints was omitted because of the occurring double feasts and at Compline the Dominical preces were omitted for the same reason.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the First Book of the Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are from the Book of Offices of St. Ambrose. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on the eighteenth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of St. Margaret Mary. The Suffrage of the Saints is omitted.

At Prime (Pss. 117, 118i & 118ii) both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted because of the occurring double feast.

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of St. Margaret Mary. There is no third collect today. The Creed is sung as is the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are first Vespers of the following feast of St. Luke the Evangelist. The liturgical colour becomes red. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc are sung with the Psalms from the Common of Apostles (109, 110, 111, 112 & 116). After the collect of feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of St. Margaret Mary.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations or Suffrage at Vespers. Even though no feast is commemorated the Domincial preces are omitted at Prime and Compline. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there is neither a commemoration nor Suffrage. At Mass there is one collect. St. Margaret Mary is omitted completely this year (save a mention in the Martyrology yesterday). Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations.

Art: Jerome Nadal