First Friday Holy Hour - February 2024 - O Luminous Eucharist

 Forty days have passed since we celebrated the joyful Feast of the Nativity of the Lord. The Liturgy itself tells us that today, the Feast of the Presentation, we celebrate that blessed day when Jesus was presented in the Temple by Mary and Joseph. Outwardly he was fulfilling the law, but in reality he was coming to meet his believing people. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Simeon and Anna came to the temple. Enlightened by the same Spirit, they recognized the Lord and confessed him with exultation. 

Light. This feast has many references to light. The Gospel reading speaks of light. Jesus is the light of revelation—revealing to the nations of the world—that God has come to save all of us.

Candles are blessed and lit at the beginning of mass for the presentation, they are signal flares to the world, that all those who are looking for salvation can find it, in Christ. 

What a fitting day for us to kneel in the light of the Eucharist. Devotees of the rosary know that the institution of the Eucharist—the eucharist which we kneel before this evening—is the fifth and final mystery of light. When Pope St. John Paul II gave us the luminous mysteries of the rosary—he wrote how the Eucharist is a light—it reveals, it testifies, it sheds light that Christ is with us till the end. He is with his Church. And he loves his church. 

The Eucharist reveals the heart of Christ which is given in love to us, to save us, to separate us from sin and unite us to God. We kneel before the Eucharist to bask in the glow of the light of Christ’s love. And we do so, that when we present ourselves to receive the Eucharist, we may be filled with that same light, that his light may be detected in us, and radiate from us.

St. Peter Julian Eymard, that great saint of the Eucharist writes: “The Eucharist is the sacrament of love par excellence. Certainly the other sacraments are proofs of God’s love for us; they are gifts of God. But in the Eucharist, we receive the Author of every gift, God Himself. So it is in Communion especially that we learn to know the law of love that our Lord came to reveal. There we receive the special grace of love. There, finally, more than anywhere else, we acquire the practice, the virtue, of love.”

“O lumunious Euharist, may this time with you truly enlighten us, in the way of God’s love, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.”

February 2 2024 - Feast of the Presentation - Jesus Christ is the one whom you seek

Throughout the Advent season, the Church considered many of the prophecies found in the Old Testament concerning the birth and role of the Messiah.

Isaiah prophecied how “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Emmanuel” he is God with us. 

Isaiah also prophecied how the Messiah would be “called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This prophecy emphasizes how the Messiah would be a kind and wise ruler and bringer of peace. 

Micah prophecied about how Bethlehem would be the Messiah’s birthplace—Bethlehem, Hebrew for the house of bread, hinting at how the Christ would give himself in the Eucharist—the bread of life.

Through the prophet Haggai, God said, “I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory.” The Messiah would be acknowledged by all the nations of the earth and show that the power of God is greater than any nation or earthly government.

Now, forty days after the celebration of Christmas, the birth of the Messiah, Christ the Lord, the liturgy presents us with another prophecy from the prophet Malachi. 

Malachi prophecied, “And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek”. I like the word, “suddenly” there. For it speak of the humility in which Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple. The God of the universe born a humble babe in the poor Bethlehem stable is brought into the Jerusalem Temple without fanfare or royal procession. He is simply carried in love in the arms of his loving mother, next to her obedient heart. For it was out of obedience to the Mosaic Law that the Divine Savior was brought to the Temple. It would be in an atmosphere of obedience that he would be raised.

And Malachi also describes him as one “whom you seek”. Malachi prophecied during a time of moral and spiritual decline among the Jews. There were faithful Jews who awaited the coming of the Lord. But also, in a way, Malachi, writing in a time of idolatry and spiritual decline, is saying that deep down, all sinners seek God. They are seeking happiness in all the wrong places. They are seeking happiness in sin, and this is why they  always come up empty and dissatisfied. 

Today, as part of the liturgy, the Church blesses candles, candles which are a symbol of the light of Christ—they are signal flares to the world, that all those who are looking for happiness can find happiness here, in Christ. 

We bless candles, to remind us, that our vocation is to be like those candles, signals to the world, that salvation is found in Christ for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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On this special day of prayer for the consecrated religious, we pray that those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience may live their baptismal promises more intensely and have the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord and serve with open hearts and willing spirits. And in gratitude for the consecrated religious who have served this parish and our diocese, for an increase in vocations to the consecrated life. 

During this Catholic Schools week, for all young people, for their teachers and catechists and parents who are the first teachers of the faith, and that the truth of the faith may be learned, cherished, and practiced in every Catholic school and Christian home.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

Holy Family 2023 - Icon of the Domestic Church

 Of the four Evangelists, it is Matthew and Luke who provide the most details surrounding the family of our Blessed Lord.

Matthew’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ family tree going all the way back to Abraham, through King David, and the Kings of Israel, to Joseph, husband of Mary. Matthew, then narrates how the angel appeared to Joseph, and explains God’s plan to him regarding the mysterious pregnancy of his betrothed. Matthew then relates the good news of the Lord’s birth in Bethlehem and how the Holy Family was forced to flee to Egypt to escape the murderous design of King Herod.

St. Luke’s Gospel begins not with the Lord’s family tree, but God’s intervention in the life of Jesus’ extended family. Zechariah, of the priestly class, is visited by an angel who foretells the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth. 

Luke then transitions from the Lord’s extended family to the Lord’s conception in the womb of his virgin mother overshadowed by the Holy Spirit in the house Nazareth. Out of concern for her kinswoman Elizabeth, Mary goes in haste out to the hill country—the Lord’s cousin John the Baptist leaps for joy in his mother’s womb. Mary and Joseph then journey to Bethlehem—Joseph’s ancestral home, where the Christ was born. 

So in those first few chapters, Luke portrays Mary and Joseph as a couple steeped in the tradition and religiosity of their people—people of strong faith with strong ties to their extended family. 

Why do Matthew and Luke spend so much time describing Jesus’ family? Why did they consider Jesus’ family important? Why don’t these Gospels just begin with Jesus’ public ministry—with his miracles and teachings? Many non-Catholics, after all, think that we Catholics are strange, or even idolatrous, for focusing so much on the Holy Family. But they are right there in the Gospels for a reason. 

The evangelists devote precious ink to these people because God wants us to know about Jesus’ family. God wants us to consider their faith, their traditions, their virtues, their love for each other. We come to meet and know and understand Jesus by meeting, knowing, and understanding his family. 

Jesus was born to a family of real humans, with real struggles, who found strength and support in their family bonds, just like we do. 

They also grappled to understand the mysterious workings of God in their life. Both Mary and Joseph had to come to grips with God doing unprecedented things in their lives. When they began their betrothal, little did they know that life would not proceed as they had planned. But they trusted God’s plan. They were faithful. They obeyed God’s plan. They surrendered to God’s plan.

And just because they were chosen by God for this unique role in salvation history, they still had to deal with real problems. Mary had to give birth in a filthy stable. But Joseph and Mary did their best despite their circumstances. Scripture does not record them complaining, making excuses, cursing God, berating the poor innkeeper for not having a room for them. Their focus on God’s will, their trust in God providence pierces through the real mess they were in. 

Talk about unideal…next week, on the feast of the epiphany, we’ll hear how Mary and Joseph receive word from the magi that King Herod wants their newborn son dead. And would be going to great lengths to murder him. And what do Mary and Joseph do? They go to the temple and offer thanksgiving to God for the gift of Jesus’ life. They fulfill and major religious obligation before going off to Egypt to keep their son safe.

In the Gospel today we hear how in the temple Mary and Joseph receive a prophecy about even more mysterious happenings yet to come. Simeon foretells how Mary’s heart will be pierced with a sword of sorrow. This child is going to move the heavens and the earth, but there will be sorrow, tremendous sorrow. But they accept even sorrow from God, trusting God, hoping in God’s promises. 

These are people of such tremendous faith, and we really can’t reflect enough upon the example of the holy family. Listen again to the Collect prayer for this Christmas Octave Feast of the Holy Family which calls us to look to them and imitate them—we prayed : “O God, who were pleased to give us the shining example of the Holy Family, graciously grant that we may imitate them in practicing the virtues of family life and the bonds of charity, and so, in the joy of your house, delight one day in eternal rewards.”

What virtues—what virtues of the Holy Family—does your family need to practice this year. Spouses, you should discuss that. What virtue do we need to practice as a family this upcoming year? What behaviors do we need to keep an eye on? How are we being called to be more like Mary, more like Joseph. What do they teach us about growing closer in love towards one another? 

If that’s not the sort of conversation you are used to having as a family, start there. I can guarantee Mary and Joseph and Jesus discussed God’s will, and how God had worked in their family history. You can guarantee that they prayed with one another.

Dear departed Pope Benedict XVI wrote about the importance of Christians families looking to and modeling their family life after the Holy Family. He wrote, “the Holy Family is the icon of the domestic Church, called to pray together. The family is the domestic Church and must be the first school of prayer. It is in the family that children, from the tenderest age, can learn to perceive the meaning of God, also thanks to the teaching and example of their parents: to live in an atmosphere marked by God’s presence.”

What it means that every Christian family is the domestic church means that non-believers should be able to learn what it means to be Christian—what it means to be a member of the Church—by looking at your family life. Look at how they pray together, look at how they forgive one another, look at how they are patient with one another, look at how they pass on the faith to the younger generation and seek together to understand the faith. Oh, THAT’s what it means to be Christian. That’s your vocation, dear families: to be icons of the Church. 

May the Holy Family aid all of our Christian families to live up to their vocation and help us all to be faithful to God amidst all of our trials for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

February 2 2022 - Feast of the Presentation - Canticles of Light

There are three canticles from the infancy narratives of Luke that are prayed every single day by the Church as part of the liturgy of the hours. 

The first canticle in the infancy narratives was sung by Zechariah on the occasion of the birth of his son, John the Baptist. Every morning, in the liturgy of the hours, the Church prays this canticle of Zechariah: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and set them free.”  The language of the Canticle of Zechariah reads like an Old Testament prophecy, speaking of the salvation yet to come…

The second canticle in the infancy narratives was sung by Mary on the occasion of her visitation to Elizabeth.  The Church lovingly prays Mary’s Canticle--her Magnificat—every day during evening prayer.  Our Lady’s Canticle also borrows from the Old Testament canticle of Hannah, who also foreshadows our Lady, singing of being made the mother of a child who would become God’s instrument for salvation—Hannah being the mother of the prophet Samuel, and Our Lady being the Mother of Salvation Himself.

The third canticle in the infancy narratives, we heard at the conclusion of today’s Gospel—the Canticle of the temple priest Simeon, called often, the Nunc dimittis because it begins in the Latin: Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace. Now, Master, let your servant go in peace, according to your word.  Simeon’s Canticle is sung in the very last hour of the day in the Church’s Night prayer.  

A fourth canticle from the infancy narratives isn’t prayed every day, but only on feast days. The great song of joy—the gloria in excelsis Deo—the angelic canticle at the birth of the Son of God.

But again, the Canticle of Simeon, sung at the end of the day, every day, is found in the gospel for today’s feast, the Presentation which, in the old calendar concluded the Christmas Season. Simeon, having waited his whole life to glimpse the savior, now can die in peace. And Simeon acknowledges that the Christ child is a light, not just for the Jews for the Gentiles, for the whole world.

The light of Christ is to shine in the Church not just during the Christmas season, but always. His light is to be visible, manifest, and encountered in the choices, attitudes, and behaviors of the members of His Church.  

Today is a good day for reflecting on the many ways the light of Christ shines in your life, like Simeon thanking God for the Christ Child. Thank God today for the truth, the beauty, the goodness you’ve experienced. Thank God for the people, parents, grandparents, teachers, priests and religious, who shared the light of faith with you, and pray for them, especially those who’ve passed into eternity. 

Also, today ask God to help you see ways he might be calling you to share his light with others, with the next generation, with people in whose life the light of God has grown dim, with non-believers.

Zechariah, once blind, saw the light slowly beginning to rise, and sang a canticle of praise. Our Lady, also, witnessed the light break into her life, shared that light with her cousin, and sang. Angles sang of the light of Christ at his saving birth. And Simeon, as his life neared its end, sang of that light, which gave him so much hope for heaven and the salvation of the world.

May our life become a song of praise, a song of light, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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On this special day of prayer for the consecrated religious, we pray that those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience may live their baptismal promises more intensely and have the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord and serve with open hearts and willing spirits. And in gratitude for the consecrated religious who have served this parish and our diocese, for an increase in vocations to the consecrated life. 

During this Catholic Schools week, for all young people, for their teachers and catechists and parents who are the first teachers of the faith, and that the truth of the faith may be learned, cherished, and practiced in every Catholic school and Christian home.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

February 2 2021 - Feast of the Presentation - Light of Christ, Fill our Lives

 

Many of you know that I was able to live and complete my college studies in Rome. One of the first things I did when I got to Rome was to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. And if you’ve never been there, it is difficult to convey the grandeur and the beauty of that magnificent edifice. 

A few days after I arrived in Rome, it was on this day, the feast of the Presentation, that I was able to attend my first papal liturgy at St. Peter’s. And that too was quite the experience. For on the Feast of the Presentation, the consecrated religious of Rome go to St. Peter’s to renew their vows in front of the Pope. So as we made our way to the basilica the streets and buses were filled with nuns and monks and religious brothers and sisters in their habits.

And as we entered St. Peter’s I got to witness that “mostly controlled chaos” that the Italians are so well known for. But then, the music of the liturgy started and chaos was brought into order. And then to my great surprise, the lights of the basilica, that I didn’t even know existed, came on to full blast. And all the art, and ornamentation, and colors of the marble, were all illuminated, and it was quite breathtaking. 

And I remember thinking how not many years before that, the light of Christ was quite hard for me to see, in the angst of my teenage years. And now, there I was standing in St. Peter’s Basilica filled with light and truth and beauty, amidst all of these good religious men and women who were offering their lives to God, so grateful that the light of the Catholic faith was shining in my life.

I think today is a good day for reflecting on the many ways the light of Christ shines in your life, like Simeon thanking God for the Christ Child. Thank God today for the truth, the beauty, the goodness you’ve experienced. Thank God for the people, parents, grandparents, teachers, priests and religious, who shared the light of faith with you, and pray for them, especially those who’ve passed into eternity. Also, today ask God to help you see ways he might be calling you to share his light with others, with the next generation, with people in whose life the light of God has grown dim, with non-believers.

For the light that we are given, as Christ teaches in his sermon on the mount, is not meant to be hidden, but is to shine brightly before others, shared with others. 

In 1997, St. John Paul II designated the feast of the presentation as world day of prayer for those in consecrated religious life. So we will offer prayers for the consecrated religious who are such a great light in the Church. May we join them in responding more devoutly today to the Lord’s invitation to turn away from the darkness of error and sin toward the light of Christ, to bear that light courageously and generously for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience that they may seek to live their baptismal promises more intensely and have the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord and serve with open hearts and willing spirits. We pray to the Lord…

In gratitude for the consecrated religious who have served this parish and our diocese, for an increase in vocations to the consecrated life. We pray to the Lord…

During this Catholic Schools week, for all young people, for their teachers and catechists and parents who are the first teachers of the faith, and that the truth of the faith may be learned, cherished, and practiced in every Catholic school and Christian home.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

February 2 2020 - Feast of the Presentation - Light of Encounter

The Jerusalem Temple, as you know, had profound significance for the Jewish people. Of all the places in the world, in the cosmos, the one True God, Creator of the universe, chose to make his dwelling on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem on planet earth. A temple was built for Him to be a place of dwelling and encounter. A place where God’s glory would shine forth, signifying God’s presence with Israel and Israel’s mission to glorify God by their lives.

The Temple was the place where divinity and humanity could meet and encounter each other. In my bulletin column this week, I explain how this feast of the presentation, in the eastern churches, is called the Feast of the Encounter, for here in the Temple, Simeon encounters God—God made flesh—Jesus Christ true God and true man.

The temple was also the place where sacrifice was offered. Mary and Joseph go to the temple in the Gospel today to offer Sacrifice. Sacrifice was offered as a way of turning one’s life to God. Faith and love, entrusting ones life to God, were made concrete through Sacrifice.

In the case of sin, sacrifice was a plea for reconciliation. Sacrificed was offered as showing you were serious about turning away from sin and back to God, and recognizing that God and God alone has the power to forgive sins. Reconciliation is one of my favorite words in our faith dictionary. From the latin reconciliation, It contains  the word cilia—recon-CILIA-tion…cilia are eyelashes. Reconciliation means to turn back from sin eyelashes meet God again. Reconciliation makes encounter possible.

In the time of the prophets, the sins of the nation had compromised the religious life of Israel and the ability to encounter God in the Temple. Things got so bad in Israel, the people had fallen so out of right relationship with God due to sin, that the prophet Ezekiel had a vision of God’s glory departing from the temple. Sin was so great, faith and love were so lacking, the light of God was extinguished in the Temple.

This certainly makes us think of what happens to the human soul who falls into mortal sin. The act of sin creates a condition in which grace has no place to dwell. Light is extinguished. And the only way grace is restored, rekindled, and re-illumined in the soul is through the humble confession of sin in the sacrament of reconciliation.

The faithful remnant of Israel longed for God’s glory to return to the Temple. We hear this sentiment in the later prophets of the Old Testament. Our first reading this weekend, from the prophet Malachi, describes the promise of glory’s return: “Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; And suddenly there will come to the temple the LORD whom you seek” He will bring purification and refinement and right worship and perfect sacrifice to Israel.  Where Ezekiel described God’s departure from the Temple, Malachi foretells God’s return.

Malachi’s prophecy was fulfilled when Joseph and Mary, 40 days after the birth of Jesus, bring him to the temple to be presented to his heavenly Father.

We can then begin to appreciate the sentiment of Simeon who filled with the Holy Spirit recognizes His Lord. Master, he says, now your servant can go in peace, I can die peacefully, knowing you have returned as the prophets foretold.

Simeon goes on to echo another prophet, Isaiah, who foretold how the Savior the savior of Israel would also be a light for the whole world. Master, my own eyes have now seen your salvation, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. Simeon recognized that the promised era of light and glory has now begun, an era in which all the nations of the world, would turn to the God of Israel to be saved by Him. The light of God’s glory would never be extinguished again. His light would emanate from this child that he now held in his arms, and his light would enlighten the whole world.

Hence our blessing of candles today. Candles for Christians are symbolic of the light of Christ which now shines in the world through the Church to which all people and nations of the earth are now summoned. Candles are lit particularly during our liturgical rites, especially at Mass, because when we are gathered together, rich and poor, members of every nation, we shine most brightly with the light of God.

The sanctuary candle reminds us that Christ can truly be discovered and worshiped in this temple, he is truly present here, as he was in that Jerusalem temple so many centuries ago.

I think too how our parish, for so many years, nearly a 100 has been a beacon of the Christ light for our neighborhood. Our beautiful tower, here at St. Ignatius of Antioch, the tallest in the diocese, is like a giant candle, or lighthouse, guiding the wayward home, guiding pilgrims to this place of encounter. It’s a symbol that God can be found here. Sinners can be reconciled here. Souls can become enlightened here. The spiritually hungry can be fed here. The sorrowful can be consoled here. The lost and confused can be given direction here.

We do well to ask ourselves as individuals and as a parish, what can we do to better and more faithfully shine with the light of Christ. In our worship. In our service and charitable outreach, in our attitudes and actions. What can I do to better lead people to this place of encounter, what can I do to better lead people to Christ? For the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Feb 2 2018 - Feast of the Presentation - The Light of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

Many of you know that I was able to live and complete my college studies in Rome. One of the first things I did when I got to Rome was to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. And if you’ve never been there, it is difficult to convey the grandeur and the beauty of that magnificent edifice.

A few days after I arrived in Rome, it was on this day, the feast of the Presentation, that I was able to attend my first papal liturgy at St. Peter’s. And that too is quite the experience. For on the Feast of the Presentation, the consecrated religious of Rome go to St. Peter’s to renew their vows in front of the Pope. So as we made our way to the basilica the streets and buses were filled with nuns and monks and religious brothers and sisters in their habits.

And as we entered St. Peter’s I got to witness that “mostly controlled chaos” that the Italians are so well known for. But then, the music of the liturgy started and chaos was brought into order. And then to my great surprise, the lights of the basilica, that I didn’t even know existed, came on to full blast. And all the art, and ornamentation, and colors of the marble, were all illuminated, and it was quite breathtaking.

And I remember thinking how not many years before that, the light of Christ was quite hard for me to see, in the angst of my teenage years. And now, there I was standing in St. Peter’s Basilica filled with light and truth and beauty, amidst all of these good religious men and women who were offering their lives to God, so grateful that the light of the Catholic faith was shining in my life.

I think today is a good day for reflecting on the many ways the light of Christ shines in your life, like Simeon thanking God for the Christ Child. Thank God today for the truth, the beauty, the goodness you’ve experienced. Thank God for the people, parents, grandparents, teachers, priests and religious, who shared the light of faith with you, and pray for them, especially those who’ve passed into eternity. Also, today ask God to help you see ways he might be calling you to share his light with others, with the next generation, with people in whose life the light of God has grown dim, with non-believers.

For the light that we are given, as Christ teaches in his sermon on the mount, is not meant to be hidden, but is to shine brightly before others, shared with others.

In 1997, St. John Paul II designated the feast of the presentation as world day of prayer for those in consecrated religious life. So we will offer prayers for the consecrated religious who are such a great light in the Church. May we join them in responding more devoutly today to the Lord’s invitation to turn away from the darkness of error and sin toward the light of Christ, to bear that light courageously and generously for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience that they may seek to live their baptismal promises more intensely and have the grace to persevere in their commitment to the Lord and serve with open hearts and willing spirits. We pray to the Lord…

In gratitude for the consecrated religious who have served this parish and our diocese, for an increase in vocations to the consecrated life. We pray to the Lord…

During this Catholic Schools week, for all young people, for their teachers and catechists and parents who are the first teachers of the faith, and that the truth of the faith may be learned, cherished, and practiced in every Catholic school and Christian home.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord