[The observance of the Rogation of Greater and Lesser Litany Days (i.e., April 25th or St. Mark's Day and the other three Rogation Days) was of prime importance to the Church when all understood, as few do today, that human sustenance must be wrung  from the earth itself by the labour of man, and that it is accomplished only by God's  blessing on man's labours (which are thus recognized as ordained by God to be carried on according to his law of justice).  The Latin Rubrics reflect this concern that the "Rogation Liturgy" (which is an entity in itself, consisting of a processional Litany, with the blessings of the fields, followed by the penitential Mass of the Rogations, and of necessity celebrated  in addition to the Office and Mass of the day) should be maintained in its fullness or, if this be impossible, should be carried out as far as may be.]

The following Mass is intended to be sung on the Greater and Lesser Rogation Days in connection with the Procession, without Commemoration of an Occurrence and without the Creed, even on a Sunday, with this exception: such a Commemoration is not to be omitted of a Conventual Mass be said in Choir of a I or II Class Double or of the Easter Octave occurring on that day.

But if only one Mass be celebrated, and that Mass be of the Procession, it should be of the Rogation with a Commemoration of the Occurrence, when there is one, unless the Commemoration be of a I Class Double [or of a Prayer-Book Feast of Observance], in which case only a Commemoration is made of the Rogations.

On the other hand, the rogations are commemorated in all private Masses, except Requiems, and even in all sung Masses unless a sung or Conventual Mass of the Rogations be also celebrated.

The foregoing directions explain the general rules.  Where the liturgy can be maintained in its fulness, it is arranged as follows:

On Rogation Monday, if it be a Feria or a Day within a common Octave, even if there be no Procession, the Conventual Mass is of the Rogations; if it be a Double or Semidouble, two Conventual Masses are said; but private Masses may be said either of the Feast or Feria.

On Rogation Tuesday, if it be a Feria, the Mass of the Rogation is said (without the Gloria in excelsis even though the Te Deum have been said at Matins); if it be a Feast, even a Simple, Mass is of the Feast with a Commemoration of the Rogations, unless there be a Procession, in which case the general directions above are to be followed.

On Rogation Wednesday, Mass is of the Vigil with a Commemoration of the Rogations, unless there be a Procession, in which case the general directions above are to be followed.

INTROIT

Exaudivit (Psalm 18)

Priest:   He hath heard my voice out of his holy temple, alleluia:
People:   And my complaint hath come before him,
Priest:   It hath entered even into his ears,
People:   Alleluia, alleluia.  §

Priest: I will love thee, O Lord, my strength:
People: The Lord is my stony rock, and my defence, and my Saviour.
Priest: Glory be ...
People: As it was ...

(Repeat to §.)
 

THE COLLECT

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that we who in all our troubles and adversities do put our trust and confidence in thy mercy, may ever be defended by thy mighty power.  Through.

Seasonal Prayers as given after Low Sunday [copied to this page already].  [But note the Proper Prayers (number 26) in Various Prayers (in the Missal) provided by the Prayer-Book for this Sunday and the Rogation Days.]

COLLECT 2  Of St. Mary

O Lord God Almighty, we beseech thee to keep us thy servants both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls: that by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, we may be delivered from our present heaviness, and attain in the end to everlasting gladness.  Through.

COLLECT 3  For the Church

We beseech thee, O Lord, mercifully to hear the prayers of thy people: that, being delivered from all  adversities and all false doctrines, thy Church may serve thee in freedom and quietness.  Through.

THE EPISTLE

James 5.16 – 20

Dearly beloved: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.   Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.   And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.   Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;   Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
 

ALLELUIA

Priest: Alleluia:
People: Alleluia.
Priest:  (Psalm 118) O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious:
People  Because his mercy endureth for ever.
 
 

THE GOSPEL

St. Luke 11.5 – 13

At that time: Jesus said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;  For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?  And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.  I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.  And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

OFFERTORY  Psalm 109

I will give great thanks unto the Lord with my mouth: and praise him among the multitude, for he shall stand at the right hand of the poor: to save his soul from unrighteous judges, alleluia.

SECRET

Grant, O Lord, we pray thee, that these our oblations may deliver us from every bond of iniquity, and obtain for us the bounteous gifts of thy mercy.  Through.

SECRET 2  Of St.Mary

WE beseech thee, O Lord, that by the bountiful goodness of thy mercy, and by the intercession of blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, these our oblations may be acceptable in thy sight: that we being delivered in this present life from all adversities may obtain in that which is to come peace everlasting.  Through.

SECRET 3  For the Church

Defend, O Lord, we pray thee, us thy servants: that we, cleaving fast to things heavenly, may faithfully serve thee both in body and soul.  Through.
 

PREFACE of Easter

COMMUNION  St. Luke 11

Ask, and it shall be given you:seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh, receiveth:and he that seeketh, findeth:and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened, alleluia.

POSTCOMMUNION

Vouchsafe, O Lord, we pray thee, to further with thy gracious favour these our suppllications: that we receiving thy gifts in this time of our tribulation may increase in thy love by the consolation of the same.  Through.

POSTCOMMUNION 2  Of St. Mary

O Lord, who hast appointed this holy sacrament which we have here received to be the means of our salvation: mercifully grant, that we which have offered these our gifts unto thy divine majesty in honour of blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, may by her protection be preserved both in body and soul.  Through.

POSTCOMMUNION 3  For the Church

Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord our God: that we, whom thou hast made partakers of heavenly gladness, may by thee be defended from all earthly perils.  Through.
 

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