St. Gregory the Great, Pope, Doctor of the Church

St. Gregory the Great

Born: 540 in Rome

Died: 12 March, 604 (his body lies at St. Peter's Rome.)

Memorial : 3 September

Gregory abandoned his position in the Roman government to become a monk and used his wealth to form six monasteries while serving as a papal legate to Constantinople. He was elected pope 3 September, 590, the first Benedictine monk to hold this office where he instituted liturgical reforms and organized missions, and missionaries were first sent to England. He was known as Pope Gregory I as he first pope of the name "Gregory". He was given the moniker “Great” seven hundred years later by Pope Boniface VIII and was proclaim the last of the four doctors of the Latin Church after St. Ambrose, St. Augustine and St. Jerome. 

Gregory reformed the liturgy, and it still contains several of his most beautiful prayers. The name "Gregorian chant" recalls this great Pope's work in the development of the Church's music. His commentaries on Holy Scripture exercised a considerable influence on Christian thought in the Middle Ages. Gregory lived at a time of great political and social upheaval and unrest. He was always a practical Pope interested in the social and material needs of the People of God but also concerned self aware of his own weaknesses and shortcomings. He loved and respected the Benedictine monastic life and was a great promoter of the monastic lifestyle and virtues. 

He is the patron saint for choir boys, educators, music, musicians, choirs, singers, teachers, popes, student, scholars, against plague, against gout, against fever, England and West Indies.

Father, you guide your people with kindness and govern us with love. By the prayers of Saint Gregory give the spirit of wisdom to those you have called to lead your Church. May the growth of your people in holiness be the eternal joy of our shepherds. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Tuesday,  3 September, 2013
St. Gregory the Great, Pope, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

Reading

1 Thessalonians 5: 1 - 6, 9 - 11
1	But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you.
2	For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3	When people say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape.
4	But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
5	For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.
6	So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
9	For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10	who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep we might live with him.
11	Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Psalm

Psalms 27: 1, 4, 13 - 14
1	The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
4	One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
13	I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!
14	Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the LORD!

Gospel

Luke 4: 31 - 37
31	And he went down to Caper'na-um, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath;
32	and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.
33	And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,
34	"Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."
35	But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
36	And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."
37	And reports of him went out into every place in the surrounding region.