Mass of Saints Louis and Zélie Martin

Louis Martin was born in Bordeaux on August 22, 1823. A man of faith and prayer, he cultivated for a time the desire for the priesthood, but he was discouraged by the study of Latin. Later he established himself as a watchmaker in Alençon.
Zélie Guérin was born in Gandelain, near Saint-Denis-sur-Sarthon on December 23, 1831. She received training that made her a skilled maker of Point d'Alençon. She too had a desire for religious life, but her precarious health and the refusal of the Superior dissuaded her.

A providential meeting united Louis and Zélie who celebrated their marriage in the parish of Notre-Dame d'Alençon on July 13, 1858.
They had the joy of giving birth to nine children, including Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, the youngest. They lost four children, but neither bereavement nor trials weakened their deep faith sustained by the daily frequency of the Eucharist and filial devotion to the Virgin Mary.

Louis and Zélie Martin are a sublime example of conjugal love, of a Christian household, hardworking, attentive to others, generous towards the poor and animated by an exemplary missionary spirit.

After a long illness, Zélie died in Alençon on August 28, 1877. Louis then moved to Lisieux to provide his five daughters with a supportive family environment and a better future. The one who was called the patriarch, after having offered all his children to God, knew the humiliation of psychiatric illness. He died on July 29, 1894, near Evreux.

Opening antiphon Cf. Jr 17, 7-8

Blessed are those who put their trust in the Lord, those whose hope is the Lord; they will be like trees planted beside the waters, which bear fruit in abundance.

Pray

Lord our God, we give you thanks for the holy spouses and parents Louis and Zélie Martin, whom you sanctified in the way of marriage; allow, we beg you, that their example and their prayer come to help us to live faithfully, like them, the gospel on a daily basis. Through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord and our God who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit.

First reading: reading the book of Tobit (8, 4b-8)

On his wedding night, Tobie said to Sarra, “Get up, sister. Let us pray and ask our Lord to fill us with his mercy and salvation. She stood up and they began to pray and ask for salvation. Tobit began thus: “Blessed are you, God of our fathers; blessed be your name in all generations forever. May the heavens bless you and all your creation, in all ages. It was you who made Adam; you made him a helper and a support: Eve his wife. And from both was born the human race. It was you who said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper like him. » It is not for an illegitimate union that I take my sister here, but in the truth of the Law. Deign to have mercy on me and on her, and lead us together to old age. Then they said with one voice, “Amen! Amen! »

Psalm (36 (37), 3-4, 5-6, 30-31, 39-40)

R/ Blessed are those who have their hope in God alone.

Trust in the Lord, do well,
dwell in the earth and remain faithful;
rejoice in the Lord:
he will fulfill the desires of your heart.

Direct your way to the Lord,
trust him, and he will act.
He will make your righteousness rise like day,
and your right as high noon.

The lips of the righteous repeat wisdom
and his mouth speaks the right.
The law of his God is in his heart;
he goes, without fear of missteps.

The Lord is salvation for the righteous,
their shelter in time of trouble.
The Lord helps them and delivers them,
for they seek in him their refuge.

Second reading: reading of the letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Colossians (3,12-17)

Brethren, since you have been chosen by God, since you are sanctified, loved by him, put on your
tenderness and compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Support each other
others, and forgive each other if you have faults. The Lord has forgiven you: do the same. Above all, have love which is the most perfect bond. And may in your hearts reign the peace of Christ to which you have been called, you who are one body. Live in thanksgiving. May the word of Christ dwell in you in all its richness; instruct and reprove one another in all wisdom; by psalms, hymns and inspired songs, sing to God, in your hearts, your gratitude. And everything you say, everything you do, always be in the name of the Lord Jesus, offering through him your thanksgiving to God the Father.

Acclamation (Jn 7, 37-38)

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

If anyone thirsts, says the Lord, let him come to me and drink, whoever believes in me.

Alleluia

+ Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John (2, 1-11)

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there. Jesus too had been invited to the wedding feast with his disciples. Now, there was a lack of wine; the mother of Jesus said to him: “They have no wine. Jesus answers her: “Woman, what do you want from me? My time has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Now there were six stone basins there for the ritual washing of the Jews; each contained about one hundred liters. Jesus said to the servants: “Fill the vats with water. And they filled them to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw it out and take it to the master of the meal. They brought it to him. The master of the meal tasted the water turned into wine. He did not know where this wine came from, but the servants knew it, they who had drawn the water. Then the master of the meal calls out to the groom and says to him: “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk well, we bring the less good. But you, you kept the good wine until now. This was the beginning of the signs Jesus performed. It was at Cana in the Galilee. He manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

Prayer over the offerings

Look, Lord, at the sacrifice of your people: He offers it to you with fervor in honor of Saints Louis and
Zelie Martin; may he receive the graces of salvation. By Jesus.

Preface

The Lord be with you. R/ And with your mind.
Let's lift up our hearts. R/ We turn it to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. A/ This is fair and good.

Truly, it is right and good to give you glory, to offer you our thanksgiving, always and in every place, to you, most holy Father, eternal and almighty God.

For you are glorified in the assembly of the saints: when you crown their merits, you crown your
own donations. In their life, you provide us with a model, in communion with them, a family, and
in their intercession a support; so that, supported by this immense crowd of witnesses, we run to the end the test which is proposed to us and receive with them the imperishable crown of glory, by Christ, our Lord.

Through him, with the angels and all the saints, we sing the hymn of your glory and without end we proclaim: Saint… (preface of the saints n°1)

Communion antiphon (Mt 5, 48)

“Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect,” says the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

May this Eucharist, Almighty God, bring us light and fervor, so that, following the example of Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, our hearts will always burn with the desire for holiness, and that our lives may be spent doing good. By Jesus.