by our communion with Christ
in his saving death and resurrection,
give us with all your saints the courage to conquer evil
and so to share the fruit of the tree of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
20 April
Beuno
Abbot
Wales: V
If celebrated otherwise, Common of Religious
Beuno was probably born at Llanymynech and educated at the monastic school at Caerwent. He returned home and established a monastery there, later moving to Berriew. When the English invaded Beuno left, calling with Tysilio at Meifod, and travelling on to Gwyddelwern near Corwen where he made another foundation. He then went to Holywell and finally to Gwynedd. There he settled at Clynnog in Arfon, which was to become the centre of his cult. He was the greatest of the missionary saints of North Wales and he and his followers built many churches. Beuno died on the Sunday after Easter in about the year 640 and it is said that on his deathbed he had a vision of heaven. He was buried at Clynnog.
Collect
Almighty God,
you have left so many traces of your goodness in this land
through the life and ministry of Beuno:
grant that we who share his homeland on earth
may dwell with him in that everlasting mansion
which you in your goodness
have prepared for those who love you;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord,
whom by the power of the Spirit
you raised to live with you,
his God and Father,
for ever and ever.
20 April
Maelrubha of Applecross
Abbot, Missionary
Scotland: Commemoration
If celebrated otherwise, Common of Religious
Born near Derry in the year 642, Maelrubha joined Congall’s community in Bangor. Around 671, he followed the Irish practice of ‘wandering for Christ’. After two years of missionary work in the north-west of Scotland, he settled in the remote peninsula of Applecross, from where he founded many churches. He died, aged 80, in the year 722.
21 April
Anselm
White
Abbot of Le Bec, Archbishop of Canterbury, Teacher of the Faith
England: Lesser Festival – Scotland: Commemoration – Wales: V
Anselm was born in Aosta, northern Italy, in 1033. As a young man, he left home and travelled north, visiting many monasteries and other centres of learning. One such visit was to the abbey of Le Bec, where he met Lanfranc, who advised him to embrace monastic life. Anselm had a powerful and original mind and, during his 34 years at Bec (as monk, prior and finally abbot), he taught many others and wrote theological, philosophical and devotional works. When Lanfranc died Anselm was made Archbishop of Canterbury and had to subordinate his scholarly work to the needs of the diocese and nation. Twice he endured exile for championing the rights of the Church against the authority of the king but, despite his stubbornness, intellectual rigour, and personal austerity, he was admired by the Norman nobility as well as much loved by his monks. He died in 1109.
Collect
Eternal God,
who gave great gifts to your servant Anselm
as a pastor and teacher:
grant that we, like him, may desire you with our whole heart
and, so desiring, may seek you
and, seeking, may find you;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
A reading from the Book of Wisdom.
Who can learn the counsel of God?
Or who can discern what the Lord wills?
For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,
and our designs are likely to fail;
for a perishable body weighs down the soul,
and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful mind.
We can hardly guess at what is on earth,
and what is at hand we find with labour;
but who has traced out what is in the heavens?
Who has learned your counsel,
unless you have given wisdom
and sent your holy spirit from on high?
And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,
and people were taught what pleases you,
and were saved by wisdom.
This is the word of the Lord.
Wisdom 9.13–end
Responsorial Psalm
R: Give us wisdom and understanding, O Lord,
[and send your Holy Spirit from on high].
In you, O Lord, do I seek refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free;
incline your ear to me and save me. R
For you are my hope, O Lord God,
my confidence, even from my youth.
Upon you have I leaned from my birth,
when you drew me from my mother’s womb;
my praise shall be always of you. R
I have become a portent to many,
but you are my refuge and my strength.
Let my mouth be full of your praise
and your glory all the day long. R
From Psalm 71
A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans.
God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
This is the word of the Lord.
Romans 5.8–11
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.