St. Peter in Chains

Acts 12:11

v. Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and rescued me from the power of Herod, and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.

Ps 138:1-2

O Lord, You have probed me and You know me; You know when I sit and when I stand. V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. v. Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and rescued me from the power of Herod, and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.

O God, who didst loose the blessed Apostle, Peter, from his chains and didst make him go forth unharmed, loose, we pray, the chains of our sins, and in thy mercy ward off from us every evil. r. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Commemoration of St. Paul

v. Let us pray. O God, Who, through the preaching of the Blessed Apostle Paul, hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world, grant, we beseech thee, that we, who do keep his memorial, may continually be helped by his intercession with thee. r. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Lesson from the Acts of Apostles

Acts 12:1-11

In those days, Herod the king set hands on certain members of the Church to persecute them. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also, during the days of the Unleavened Bread. After arresting him he cast him into prison, committing the custody of him to four guards of soldiers, four in each guard, intending to bring him forth to the people after the Passover. So Peter was being kept in the prison; but prayer was being made to God for him by the Church without ceasing. Now when Herod was about to bring him forth, that same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and outside the door sentries guarded the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood beside him, and a light shone in the room; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, Get up quickly. The chains dropped from his hands. And the angel said to him, Gird yourself and put on your sandals. And he did so; and he said to him, Wrap your cloak about you and follow me. And he followed him out, without knowing that what was being done by the angel was real, for he thought he was having a vision. They passed through the first and second guard and came to the iron gate that leads into the city; and this opened to them of its own accord. And they went out, and passed on through one street, and straightway the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself, and he said, Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from the power of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.

Ps 44:17-18

v. Thou shalt make them princes over all the earth. They shall remember thy name throughout all generations. Therefore shall people praise thee for ever; yea, for ever and ever. Allelúja, allelúja. V. Loose, O Peter, by God's command, all our earthly chains; thou who keepest open the kingdom of heaven to the blessed. Allelúja.

Continuation ++ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

Matt 16:13-19

v. In that time: Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

Ps 44:17-18

You shall make them princes through all the land; they shall remember Your name, O Lord, through all generations.

May the sacrifice offered to thee, O Lord, through the intercession of thy blessed Apostle, Peter, enliven us always. r. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Commemoration of St. Paul

v. Let us pray. Hallow, O Lord, the gifts of thy people through the prayers of Paul, thy apostle: that this sacrifice, which is pleasing to thee as thine own institution, may became yet more pleasing through his patronage and intercession. r. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Matt 16:18

v. Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Allelúja.)

Filled with the offering of Your sacred Body and Your precious Blood, we beseech You, O Lord, our God, that what we have done in holy devotion may become an assurance of our redemption. r. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Commemoration of St. Paul

v. Let us pray. Having received thy sacrament, O Lord, we ask that through the intercession of blessed Paul, thy Apostle, the mysteries we celebrate to his glory may be a healing remedy to us. r. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.