Nov. 2: ALL SOULS’ DAY MASS PRAYERS AND READINGS.
The theological basis for the feast is the doctrine that the souls which, on departing from the body, are not perfectly cleansed from venial sins, or have not fully atoned for past transgressions, are debarred from the Beatific Vision, and that the faithful on earth can help them by prayers, almsgiving, and especially by the sacrifice of the Mass. In the early days of Christianity the names of the departed brethren were entered in the diptychs or registry of those ‘prayed for.’ St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) ordered the commemoration of all the faithful departed to be held annually in the monasteries of his congregation. Thence it spread among the other congregations and Christianity.
The Masses that follow may be used at the discretion of the celebrant. Even when 2 November falls on a Sunday, the Mass celebrated is that of the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.
On this day, any Priest may celebrate three Masses, observing, nevertheless, what was established by Benedict XV in the Apostolic Constitution, Incruentum Altaris Sacrificium, 10 August 1915: Acta Apostolicae Sedis 7 (1915), pp. 401-404.
[First Mass] [Second Mass] [Third Mass]
FIRST MASS
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Just as Jesus died and rose again, so through Jesus God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep; and as in Adam all die, so also in Christ will all be brought to life.
[–» Greeting]
COLLECT
Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord, and as our faith in your Son, raised from the dead, is deepened, so may our hope of resurrection for your departed servants also find new strength. Through our Lord.
[The readings are proper to this mass]
READING I
Is 25:6,7–9
On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces; the reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the Lord has spoken. On that day it will be said: “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the Lord for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R. The Lord is my light and salvation.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and salvation.
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and salvation.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
Thou hast said, “Seek ye my face.”
My heart says to thee, “Thy face, Lord, do I seek.”
Hide not thy face from me.
Turn not thy servant away in anger, thou who hast been my help.
Cast me not off, forsake me not, O God of my salvation!
R. The Lord is my light and salvation.
I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord!
R. The Lord is my light and salvation.
READING II
Rom 5:5–11
Brothers and sisters: Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath. Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
ALLELUIA
This is the will of my Father, says the Lord, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me, and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Gospel [Year A] [Year B] [Year C]
Year A – Mt 11:25–30
At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
[–» Creed, Universal Prayer]
[–» Offertory]
Year B – Mk 15:33–39, 16:1–6
At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “Look, he is calling Elijah.” One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.” Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back; it was very large. On entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were utterly amazed. He said to them, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him.
[–» Creed, Universal Prayer]
[–» Offertory]
Year C – Luke 7:11–17
Soon afterward he journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.” This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Look favorably on our offerings, O Lord, so that your departed servants may be taken up into glory with your Son, in whose great mystery of love we are all united. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
[–» Eucharistic Prayer]
Preface of the Dead
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, [through Jesus Christ our Lord].
In him the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned so that those saddened by the certainty of dying might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come. Since for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven. And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven, as we sing the hymn of your glory without end we acclaim:
[–» Holy, holy, holy…]
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Ego sum resurréctio et vita, dicit Dóminus. Qui credit in me, étiam si mórtuus fúerit, vivet; et omnis qui vivit et credit in me, non moriétur in æternum.
I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord. Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
[–» Communion]
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Grant we pray, O Lord, that your departed servants, for whom we have celebrated this paschal Sacrament, may pass over to a dwelling place of light and peace. Through Christ our Lord.
[–» Concluding Rite]
The Solemn Blessing formula may be used.
SECOND MASS
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine, et lux perpétua lúceat eis.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
[–» Greeting]
COLLECT
O God, glory of the faithful and life of the just, by the Death and Resurrection of whose Son we have been redeemed, look mercifully on your departed servants, that just as they professed the mystery of our resurrection, they may merit the joys of eternal happiness. Through our Lord.
[–» Recommended Readings]
[–» Readings Masses for the Dead]
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Almighty and merciful God, by means of these sacrificial gifts wash away, we pray, in the Blood of Christ, the sins of your departed servants, so that you may purify unceasingly by your merciful forgiveness those you once cleansed in the waters of Baptism. Through Christ our Lord.
[–» Eucharistic Prayer]
[–» Preface for the Dead]
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Lux ætérna lúceat eis, Dómine, cum Sanctis tuis in ætérnum, quia pius es.
May light eternal shine on them, O Lord, with your Saints for ever, for you are merciful.
[–» Communion]
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Having received the Sacrament of your Only Begotten Son, who was sacrificed for us and rose in glory, we humbly beseech you, O Lord, for your departed servants, that cleansed by the paschal mysteries, they may glory in the gift of the resurrection to come. Through Christ our Lord.
[–» Concluding Rite]
The Solemn Blessing formula may be used.
THIRD MASS
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Deus, qui suscitávit Iesum a mórtuis, vivificábit et mortália córpora nostra, propter inhabitántem Spíritum eius in nobis.
God, who raised Jesus from the dead, will give life also to your mortal bodies, through his Spirit that dwells in you.
[–» Greeting]
COLLECT
O God, who willed that your Only Begotten Son, having conquered death, should pass over into the realm of heaven, grant, we pray, to your departed servants that, with the mortality of this life overcome, they may gaze eternally’ on you, their Creator and Redeemer. Through our Lord.
[–» Recommended Readings]
[–» Readings Masses for the Dead]
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Receive, Lord, in your kindness, the sacrificial offering we make for all your servants who sleep in Christ, that, set free from the bonds of death by this singular sacrifice, they may merit eternal life. Through Christ our Lord.
[–» Eucharistic Prayer]
[–» Preface for the Dead]
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Salvatórem exspectámus Dóminum Iesum Christum, qui reformábit corpus humilitátis nostræ configurátum córpori claritátis suæ.
We await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our mortal bodies, to conform with his glorified body.
[–» Communion]
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Through these sacrificial gifts which we have received, O Lord, bestow on your departed servants your great mercy and to those you endowed with the grace of Baptism, grant also the fullness of eternal joy. Through Christ our Lord.
[–» Concluding Rite]
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