Latin
St. Birgitta, Widow
S. Birgittæ Viduæ
Collect
English
Dómine, Deus noster, qui beátæ Birgíttæ per Fílium tuum unigénitum secreta cœléstia revelásti: ipsíus pia intercessióne da nobis, fámulis tuis; in revelatióne sempitérna glóriæ tuæ gaudére lætántes. r. Per eúndem Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. R. Amen.
O Lord, our God, Who through your only-begotten Son revealed secrets to blessed Bridget, grant that through her kind intercession, we, Your servants, may rejoice and be glad in the revelation of Your eternal glory. 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.
Epistle
Latin
English
Léctio Epístolæ beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Timótheum
Lesson from the first letter of St Paul the Apostle to Timothy
1 Tim 5:3-10
1 Tim. 5:3-10.
Caríssime: Víduas honóra, quæ vere víduæ sunt. Si qua autem vídua fílios aut nepótes habet, discat primum domum suam régere, et mútuam vicem réddere paréntibus: hoc enim accéptum est coram Deo. Quæ autem vere vídua est et desoláta, speret in Deum, et instet obsecratiónibus et oratiónibus nocte ac die. Nam quæ in delíciis est, vivens mórtua est. Et hoc prǽcipe, ut irreprehensíbiles sint. Si quis autem suórum, et máxime domesticórum curam non habet, fidem negávit, et est infidéli detérior. Vídua eligátur non minus sexagínta annórum, quæ fúerit uníus viri uxor, in opéribus bonis testimónium habens, si fílios educávit, si hospítio recépit, si sanctórum pedes lavit, si tribulatiónem patiéntibus subministrávit, si omne opus bonum subsecúta est.
Dearly beloved: Honor widows, that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let her learn first to govern her own house, and to make a return of duty to her parents: for this is acceptable before God. But she that is a widow indeed and desolate, let her trust in God, and continue in prayers and supplications night and day. For she that liveth in pleasures, is dead while she is living. And this give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband, having testimony for her good words, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbor, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have diligently followed every good work.