XVII Sunday after Pentecost

The seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour, until None inclusive, is green. This year it is the fourth Sunday of September. The Gospel pericopes at Mattins and Mass come from the twenty-second chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel and have the Pharisees asking the LORD what is the greatest commandment. The Vigil of St. Matthew was anticipated, by commemoration, in the Office of SS Januarius & Companions and the September Ember Saturday.

As Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Adonai, Domine for the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of September. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of SS Januarius & Companions and of SS Eustace & Others. The Suffrage was omitted as were the Dominical preces at Compline due to the concurring and occurring double feasts.

At Mattins in the first nocturn the lessons are the Incipit of the Book of Judith. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from the book of St. Ambrose on Elias and fasting. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Chrysostom on St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds, after the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration of SS Eustace & Others is sung. The Suffrage is omitted.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Eustace and Others. Today there is no the third collect. The Creed is sung and the preface of the Blessed Trinity.

At Vespers there is a colour change to red and first Vespers of the feast of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist are sung. The antiphons Hoc est praeceptum meum etc., from the Common of Apostles, are sung with Pss. 109, 110, 111, 112 and 116. The Office hymn is Exsultet orbis gaudiis. After the collect of the feast commemorations are sung of the Sunday and of SS Eustace & Others. At Compline the Dominical preces are omitted.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at Vespers. Today is the third Sunday of September. The Vigil of St. Matthew has been abolished. Mattins is cut down to one nocturn. There are no commemorations at Lauds. At Mass there is but a single collect. Vespers are of the Sunday without any commemorations. The Ember Days are celebrated in the coming week.

Art: Jerome Nadal