XXI Sunday after Pentecost

The twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost is of semi-double rite and its liturgical colour is green. This year it is the second 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.

As Vespers yesterday afternoon the antiphons and psalms of Saturday were sung. The Office hymn was Jam sol recedit igneus. The antiphon on the Magnificat was Refulsit sol for the Saturday before the second Sunday of October. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations were sung of the preceding Office of St. Bridget of Sweden and of SS Dionysius, Rusticus & Eleutherius. The Suffrage was omitted due to the conccurring double feast as were the Dominical preces at Compline.

At Mattins the invitatory is Adoremus Dominum and the Office hymn is Primo die. In the first nocturn the lessons continue to be read from the First Book of the Machabees. In the second nocturn the lessons are taken from St. Augustine writings on the City of God. In the third nocturn the homily is from St. Jerome on the eighteenth chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel. The Te Deum is sung. At Lauds the Office hymn is Aeterne rerum Conditor. After the collect of the Sunday, a commemoration is sung of SS Dionysius, Rusticus & Eleutherius followed by the Suffrage of the Saints.

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

Mass is sung after Terce. The Gloria is sung, the second collect is of SS Dionysius, Rusticus & Eleutherius, the third collect is A cunctis. The Creed is sung and the preface is of the Blessed Trinity.

Vespers are of the Sunday. The Office hymn is Lucis creator. After the collect of the Sunday commemorations are sung of the following feast of St. Francis Borgia and of SS Dionysius, Rusticus & Eleutherius. The Suffrage is omitted as are the Dominical preces at Compline.

In the 'liturgical books of 1962' there are no commemorations at either Vespers. Mattins is cut down to a single nocturn of three lessons. At Lauds there are no commemorations nor Suffrage. At Prime both Quicumque and the Dominical preces are omitted. At Mass there is but a single collect.

Art: Jerome Nadal