Thursday in the Fourth Week of Lent Propers

The following are the English propers (“the readings”) for this Mass. The English of the fixed, ordinary parts of the Mass are available for a Low Mass, High Mass and Solemn Mass.

Introitus
Ps 104:3-4
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! Look to the Lord, and be strengthened; seek His face evermore.
Ps 104:1
Give thanks to the Lord, invoke His Name; make known among the nations His deeds.
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.
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! Look to the Lord, and be strengthened; seek His face evermore.

Collect
Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that we who are chastising the flesh by fasting, may rejoice in this holy practice and thus, with earthly passions subdued, we may the more readily direct our thoughts to heavenly things.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.

Lesson
Lesson from the book of Kings
4 Kings 4:25-38
In those days, a Sunamite woman came to Eliseus to Mount Carmel: and when the man of God saw her coming toward him, he said to Giezi his servant, Behold that Sunamitess. Go therefore to meet her, and say to her: Is it well with you, and with your husband, and with your son? And she answered, Well. And when she came to the man of God to the mount, she caught hold on his feet: and Giezi came to remove her. And the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord has hid it from me and has not told me. And she said to him, Did I ask a son of my lord? Did I not say to you: Do not deceive me? Then he said to Giezi, Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand and go. If any man meet you, salute him not: and if any man salute you, answer him not: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. But the mother of the child said, As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. He arose therefore, and followed her. But Giezi was gone before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child, and there was not voice nor sense: and he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not risen. Eliseus therefore went into the house, and behold, the child lay dead on his bed: and going in he shut the door upon him, and upon the child: and prayed to the Lord. And he went up and lay upon the child: and he put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and he bowed himself upon him: and the child’s flesh grew warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house, once to and fro: and he went up and lay upon him: and the child gaped seven times, and opened his eyes. And he called Giezi, and said to him, Call this Sunamitess. And she being called, went in to him. And he said, Take up your son. She came and fell at his feet, and worshipped upon the ground: and took up her son, and went out, and Eliseus returned to Galgal.
R. Thanks be to God.

Graduale & Tractus
Ps 73:20, 19, 22
Look, O Lord, to Your covenant; be not forever unmindful of the lives of Your afflicted ones.
V. Arise, O Lord; defend Your cause; remember the reproaches of Your servants.

Gospel
Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Luke 7:11-16
At that time, Jesus went into a city called Naim; and His disciples and a large crowd went with Him. And as He drew near the gate of the town, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large gathering from the town was with her. And the Lord, seeing her, had compassion on her, and said to her, Do not weep. And He went up and touched the stretcher; and the bearers stood still. And He said, Young man, I say to you, arise. And he who was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And He gave him to his mother. But fear seized upon all, and they began to glorify God, saying, A great prophet has risen among us, and God has visited His people.
R. Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
S. By the words of the Gospel may our sins be blotted out.

Offertorium
Ps 69:2-4
O Lord, make haste to help me. Let all those be put to shame who desire the ruin of Your servants.

Secreta
Cleanse us, O merciful God, so that the prayers of Your Church, which we bring You as a pleasing gift, may be even more pleasing to You, once our hearts are purified.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.

Prefatio
Lent
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God; Who by this bodily fast, dost curb our vices, dost lift up our minds and bestow on us strength and rewards; through Christ our Lord. Through whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty, the Dominations worship it, the Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly hosts together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it. Together with these we entreat Thee that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be admitted while we say with lowly praise:

Communio
Ps 70:16-18
O Lord, I will tell of Your singular justice. O God, You have taught me from my youth; and now that I am old and gray, O God, forsake me not.

Postcommunio
Let us pray.
O Lord, we beseech you, do not allow the heavenly gifts, which You have given for healing Your faithful people, to become a reason for condemning those who receive them.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.

Prayer over the people
Let us pray.
Bow your heads to God.
O God, teacher and ruler of Your people, drive out the sins that assail them, so that they may ever be pleasing to You and secure under Your protection.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.