Pentecost Ember Days (June 11, 13, 14)
June 11, 2025
Fr. John Colacino C.PP.S.

Pentecost Ember Days

Introduction

Four times a year, the Church sets aside three days to focus on God's creation. These quarterly periods take place around the beginning of the four seasons of nature. Embertides were spent in fasting and abstinence for the purpose of thanking God for creation's gifts and asking for the self-discipline to use them in moderation. They were also the traditional times for ordinations to take place. The fasts, known as "the fast of the four seasons" were made optional following the liturgical reforms under Pope Paul VI which, in my opinion, was a tremendous loss. There is every reason to restore them in these days of materialist excess, ecological devastation and crises affecting the church's ministry. The third of these fasts occurs on the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday following Pentecost.  Given that this is the time of year when ordinations most often take place, a special focus for one's prayer and penance might be for those called to the ministerial priesthood as well as for all other vocations and forms of service in the Church on behalf of Christ's Body and the world at large.

Opening Hymn

Opening Collect

O God,  you have taught the ministers of your Church
to desire not to be served but to serve. Grant that they may labour resourcefully,
minister with gentleness, and pray to you without ceasing.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.  (ICEL; 1998)
 
Scripture (Ephesians 4:11-16)
 
11 Christ gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds[a] and teachers; 12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; 15 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, 16 from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.  
 
Responsorial Psalm 
 
 

Collect (for the ministry of all Christian people)

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.  Amen. (The Church in Wales)

Scripture (Hebrews 5:1-5)

Every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.”  As he says also in another place,  “You are a priest forever,  after the order of Melchizedek.”

Responsorial Psalm

Collect (for those to be ordained)

Lord, in your providence you give your people pastors to guide them.
Pour out in your Church the spirit of reverence and courage
that will make these, your servants, worthy ministers at your altar
and strong but gentle champions of your gospel.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.(ICEL;1998)
 
Scripture (Matthew 9: 35-38)
 
35 Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them because they were harassed[c] and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest.”
 

Responsorial Psalm

Collect (for vocations to Holy Orders)

O God, in your providence you give your people pastors to guide them.
Pour out in your Church the spirit of reverence and courage to raise up worthy ministers of your altar
and to make them strong but gentle champions of your gospel.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)
 
Litany (Church of England)
 
In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.  R/. Lord, have mercy.
 
For the peace of the whole world, for the welfare of the Holy Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.  R/. For all the members of the Church in their vocation and ministry, that they may serve him in truth and love, let us pray to
the Lord.  R/. 
 
For all bishops, presbyters and deacons, that they may hunger for truth and thirst after righteousness, let us pray to the Lord. R/. 
 

For the mission of the Church, that in faithful witness we may proclaim the gospel of reconciliation to the ends of the earth, let us pray to the Lord. R/. 

For the unity of the Church, that we may be one in Christ, according to his will, let us pray to the Lord. R/. 

For those who do not yet believe, that they may receive the light of the gospel, and for those whose faith has grown cold, let us pray to the Lord. R/. 

For the sick and suffering, for the aged and infirm, for the lonely and neglected, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.  R/. 

For the poor and the hungry, for the homeless and the oppressed, for all prisoners and captives, and for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for their faith, let us pray to the Lord. R/. 

For the leaders of the nations, and for all in authority, let us pray to the Lord. R/. 

For ourselves, for grace to repent and amend our lives, that we may be pardoned and absolved from all our sins, let us pray to the Lord. R/. 

Remembering all who have gone before us in faith, and in communion with all the saints, we commit ourselves, one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.  R/. To you, O Lord.

O God, it is your will that all should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
Look upon your abundant harvest and send workers to preach the gospel to every creature,
so that your people, gathered by the word of life and supported by the power of the sacraments,
may advance in the way of salvation and love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.  Amen. (ICEL; 1998) 

 

Concluding Hymn

 

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