Ordinary Time
Friday of the Eighth Week

“Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful.” (Psalm 149, 1.)

Saint Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse from the Responsorial Psalm proclaimed at Mass today:

“My brothers and sisters, my children, O seedlings of the catholic church, O holy and heavenly seed, O you that have been born again in Christ and been born from above, listen to me — or rather, listen to God through me: “Sing to the Lord a new song.” “Well, I am singing,” you say. Yes, you are singing, of course you are singing, I can hear you. But do not let your life give evidence against your tongue. Sing with your voices, sing also with your hearts; sing with your mouths, sing also with your conduct. “Sing to the Lord a new song.” You ask what you should sing about the one you love? For of course you do want to sing about the one you love. You are asking for praises of his to sing. You have been told, “Sing to the Lord a new song.” You are looking for songs of praise, are you? “His praise is in the church of the saints.” The praise of the one to be sung about is the singer himself. Do you want to sing God his praises? Be yourselves what you sing. You are his praise if you lead good lives. His praise, you see, is not to be found in the synagogues of the Jews, or in the madness of the pagans, or in the errors of the heretics or in the applause of the theaters. You ask, “Where it is to be found?” Look at yourselves: you are it. “His praise is in the church of the saints.” You ask what to rejoice about when you are singing? “Let Israel rejoice in the one who made him,” and all he can find to rejoice about is God.” (Sermon 34, 6.)



Collect
Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
that the course of our world
may be directed by your peaceful rule
and that your Church may rejoice,
untroubled in her devotion.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Glory to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen