INTROIT
Let us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating the feast in honor of blessed Agatha, Virgin and Martyr, for whose passion the angels rejoice and praise with one accord the Son of God.
Ps 44:2
My heart overflows with a goodly theme; as I sing my ode to the King.
Glory Be to the Father…
Let us all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating the feast in honor of blessed Agatha, Virgin and Martyr, for whose passion the angels rejoice and praise with one accord the Son of God.
COLLECT
O God, Who among other wonders of Your power have given the victory of martyrdom even to the gentler sex, graciously grant that we who commemorate the anniversary of the death of blessed Agatha, Your Virgin and Martyr, may come to You by following her example.
Through our Lord…
EPISTLE
Lesson from the first letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
1 Cor. 1:26-31
Brethren: Consider your own call, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But the foolish things of the world has God chosen to put to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world has God chosen to put to shame the strong, and the base things of the world and the despised has God chosen, and the things that are not, to bring to naught the things that are; lest any flesh should pride itself before Him. From Him you are in Christ Jesus, Who has become for us God-given wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption; so that, just as it is written, Let him who takes pride, take pride in the Lord.
GRADUAL
Ps 45:6, 5
God will help her with His countenance. God is in her midst; she shall not be disturbed.
℣. There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God; the Most High has sanctified His dwelling.
Ps 125:5-6
Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
℣. Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown.
℣. They shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves.
GOSPEL
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 19:3-12
At that time, there came to Jesus some Pharisees, testing Him, and saying, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for any cause? But He answered and said to them, Have you not read that the Creator, from the beginning, made them male and female, and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? Therefore now they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder. They said to Him, Why then did Moses command to give a written notice of dismissal, and to put her away? He said to them, Because Moses, by reason of the hardness of your heart, permitted you to put away your wives; but it was not so from the beginning. And I say to you, that whoever puts away his wife, except for immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries a woman who has been put away commits adultery. His disciples said to Him, If the case of a man with his wife is so, it is not expedient to marry. And He said, ‘Not all can accept this teaching; but those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born so from their mother’s womb; and there are eunuchs who were made so by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him accept it who can.
OFFERTORY
Ps 44:15
Behind her the virgins of her train are brought to the King. They are borne in to You.
SECRET
Accept, O Lord, the gifts we bring on the feast of blessed Agatha, Your Virgin and Martyr, under whose patronage we hope to find salvation.
Through our Lord…
PREFACE
Common
It is truly meet and just, and profitable unto salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to Thee, O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, eternal God, through Christ, our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominions adore it, the Powers are in awe. Which the heavens and the hosts of heaven together with the blessed Seraphim joyfully do magnify. And do Thou command that it be permitted us to join with them in confessing Thee, while we say with lowly praise:
COMMUNION
I invoke Him, the living God, Who deigned to cure me of every wound, and to restore my breast to my body.
POSTCOMMUNION
May the sacrament we have received help us, O Lord, and by the intercession of blessed Agatha, Your Virgin and Martyr, may it support us through Your everlasting protection.
Through our Lord…