Introit: Ps. cxviii: 23, 86

Sedérunt príncipes et advérsum me loquebántur et iníqui persecúti sunt me: ádjuva me, Dómine Deus meus, quia servus tuus exercebátur in tuis justificatiónibus. [Ps.] Beáti inmaculáti in via qui ambulant in lege Dómini v. Gloria Patri. Sederunt principes...

For princes sat, and spoke against me: but thy servant was employed in thy justifications. All thy statutes are truth: they have persecuted me unjustly, do thou help me. [Ps.] Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Glory be. For princes sat.

Collect:

Da nobis, quǽsumus, Dómine, imitári quod cólimus: ut discámus et inimícos dilígere; qui ejus Inventiónem celebrámus, qui novit étiam pro persecutóribus exoráre Dóminum nostram Jesum Christum Fílium tuum: Qui tecum

Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee to imitate what we celebrate: that we may love even our enemies, as we celebrate the finding of him, who knew how to pray for his persecutors to our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord: Who lives and reigns

Epistle: Acts vi: 8-10; vi: 54-59

Léctio Actuum Apostolórum:
In diébus illis: Stéphanus autem plenus grátia et fortitúdine faciébat prodígia et signa magna in populo. Surrexérunt autem quidam de synagóga quæ appellátur Libertinórum et Cyrenénsium et Alexandrinórum et eorum qui erant a Cilícia et Asia disputántes cum Stéphano: et non póterant resístere sapiéntiæ et Spirítui, qui loquebátur. Audiéntes autem hæc dissecabántur córdibus suis et stridébant déntibus in eum. Cum autem esset Stéphanus plenus Spíritu Sancto, inténdens in cælum vidit glóriam Dei et Jesum stantem a dextris Dei. Et ait: «Ecce video cælos apértos, et Fílium hóminis stantem a dextris Dei.» Exclamántes autem voce magna continuérunt aures suas, et ímpetum fecérunt unanímiter in eum. Et ejiciéntes eum extra civitátem lapidábant: et testes deposuérunt vestiménta sua secus pedes adulescéntis qui vocabátur Saulus. Et lapidábant Stéphanum invocántem et dicéntem: «Dómine Iesu suscipe spiritum meum.» Pósitis autem génibus clamávit voce magna, dicens: «Dómine ne statuas illis hoc peccátum.» Et cum hoc dixísset obdormívit in Dómino.

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles:
In those days, Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and signs among the people. Now there arose some, of that which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and of the Cyrenians and of the Alexandrians and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke. Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart: and they gnashed with their teeth at him. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up steadfastly to heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said: «Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.» And they, crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears and with one accord ran violently upon him. And casting him forth without the city. they stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying: «Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.» And falling on his knees, he cried with a loud voice, saying: «Lord, lay not his sin to their charge.» And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord.

Gradual: Psalm 118: 23, 86, 117

Sedérunt príncipes et advérsum me loquebántur et iníqui persecúti sunt me. v. Adjuva me, Dómine Deus meus: salvum me fac propter misericórdiam tuam.

Princes sat, and spoke against me: and the wicked persecuted me. v. Help me, O Lord my God: save me for Thy mercy's sake.

Allelúja, allelúja. Video cælos apértos et Jesum stantem a dextris virtútis Dei. Allelúja.

Allelúja, allelúja. I see the Heavens opened, and Jesus standing on the right hand of the power of God. Allelúja.

Gospel: Matthew xxiii: 34-39

+ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secundum Matthǽum.

+ The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

In illo témpore: Dicébat Jesus scribis et pharisǽis: «Ecce ego mitto ad vos prophétas et sapiéntes et scribas ex illis occidétis et crucifigétis et ex eis flagellábitis in synagógis vestris et persequémini de civitáte in civitátem: ut véniat super vos omnis sanguis justus qui effúsus est super terram a sánguine Abel justi usque ad sánguinem Zaccharíæ filii Barachíæ quem occidístis inter templum et altáre. Amen dico vobis, vénient hæc ómnia super generatiónem istam. Jerúsalem, Jerúsalem, quæ occídis prophétas et lápidas eos qui ad te missi sunt, quóties vólui congregáre fílios tuos, quemádmodum gallína cóngregat pullos suos sub alas et noluísti? Ecce relinquétur vobis domus vestra desérta. Dico enim vobis non me vidébitis ámodo donec dicátis: Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini.»

At that time Jesus said to the Scribes and Pharisees: «Behold I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes, and some of them you will put to death and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city: that upon you may come all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the just even unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Baracharias, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Amen I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not? Behold your house shall be left to you desolate. For I say to you, you shall not see me henceforth, till you say: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.»

Offertory: Acts vi: 5; vii: 59

Elegérunt Apóstoli Stéphanum Levítam, plenum fide et Spíritu Sancto: quem lapidavérunt Judǽi orántem et discéntem: «Dómine Jesu accipe spiritum meum,» allelúja.

The Apostles chose Stephen to be a levite, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost: whom the Jews stoned, invoking and saying: «Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,» allelúja.

Secret:

Suscipe, Dómine, múnera pro tuórum commemoratióne Sanctórum: ut, sicut illos pássio gloriósos effécit; ita nos devótio reddat innócuos. Per Dóminum

Receive, O Lord, our gifts, in commemoration of Thy Saints: that as suffering made them glorious, so our devotion may render us innocent. Through our Lord

Praefatio Communis

The Common Preface

Communion: Psalms xcvii: 3

Vídeo cælos apértos, et Jesum stantem a dextris virtútis Dei: «Dómine Jesu, áccipe spíritum meum, et ne státuas illis hoc peccátum.»

I see the Heavens opened, and Jesus standing on the right hand of the power of God: «Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and lay not this sin to their charge»

Postcommunion:

Auxiliéntur nobis, Dómine, sumpta mystéria: et intercedénte beáto Stéphano Mártyre tuo, sempitérna protectióne confírment. Per Dóminum.

May the mysteries we have received, O Lord, help us, and through the intercession of blessed Stephen, Thy Martyr, establish us by Thine everlasting protection.