Oremus. Deus, Qui inter cetera potentiae Tuae miracula etiam in sexu fragili victoriam martyrii contulisti : concede propitious ; ut, qui beatae Agathae Virginis et Martyris Tuae natalitia colimus, per ejus ad Te exempla gradiamur. Per Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Tuum, Qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus,
Per omnia saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.

Let us pray. O God, who among other miracles of Thy power, hast granted even to the weaker sex the victory of martyrdom, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who celebrate the festival of blessed Agatha, Thy virgin and martyr, may walk to Thee by her example. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God
Forever and ever.
R.Amen.

In illo tempore : Accesserunt ad Jesus Pharisaei tentantes eum, et dicentes : 'Si licet homini dimittere uxorem suam quaecumque ex causa?' Qui respondens, ait eis : non legistis, quia, qui fecit hominum ab initio, masculum et feminan fecit eos? et dixit: Propter hoc dimittet homo patrem, et matrem, et adhaerebit uxori suae, et erunt duo in carne una. Itaquae jam non sunt duo, sed una caro. Quod ergo Deus conjunxit, homo non separet.' Dicunt illi : 'Quid ergo Moyses mandavit dare libellum repudii, et dimittere?' Ait illis : 'Quoniam Moyses ad duritiam cordis vestri permisit vobis dimittere uxores vestras : ab initio autem non fuit sic. Dico autem vobis, quia quicumque dimiserit uxorem suam, nisi ob fornicationem, et aliam duxerit, moechatur : et qui dimissam duxerit, moechatur.' Dicunt ei discipuli ejus : 'Si ita est causa hominis cum uxore, non expedit nubere.' Qui dixit illis : 'Non omnes capiunt verbum istud, sed quibus datum est. Sunt enim eunuchi qui de matris utero sic nati sunt : et sunt eunnuchi, qui facti cunt ab hominibus: et sunt eunnuchi, qui seipsos castraverunt propter regnum caelorum. Qui potest capere, capiat.'
Laus tibi Christe.

At that time, the Pharisees came to Jesus tempting Him, and saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? Who answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that He who made man from the beginning, made them male and female? And He said: 'For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.' They say to Him: 'Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away?' He saith to them: Because Moses, by reason of the hardness of your heart, permitted you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. His disciples say unto Him : 'If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry.' Who said to them : 'All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given ; for there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who were made so by man; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take it, let him take it.'
Praise be to Christ