device as they are not able to per-death, to rejoice in the gift of neverform. ending incorruption? : 12 Therefore shalt thou put them to flight and the strings of thy bow shalt thou make ready against the face of them. 13 Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength so will we sing, and praise thy power. Ant. Thou hast set, O LORD, a crown of pure gold upon his head. V. His honour is great in Thy sal vation. Ry. Glory and great worship shalt Thou lay upon him. Our FATHER. Abs. The Almighty and merciful GOD. y. Sir, pray. Ben. The Evangelical. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. Luke. Lesson VII. Chap. xiv. AT that time: JESUS said unto the multitude: If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be disciple. And that which follows. my A Homily of S. Gregory the Pope. For Homily 37. on the Gospels. If we consider, dearly beloved brethren, what and how great are the things promised unto us in heaven, all that we have upon earth be comes as nought to our soul. when earthly goods are compared with heavenly happiness, they become a burden, not an aid. Temporal life when compared with eternal life should rather be called death than life. For what is the daily weakness of corruption, but a sort of lengthening out of death? But what tongue can declare, what understanding can comprehend, how great are the joys of that Heavenly City: to be among the choirs of angels, to stand before the glory of the Creator with most blessed spirits, to behold the present countenance of GOD, to see the Light that knoweth no bound, to be smitten with no fear of Ry. There is a crown of gold upon his head, stamped with the sign of holiness, the mark of honour, the reward of strength. V. For Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodness, and hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head. The sign. Ben. The Martyr whose. Lesson VIII. BUT the soul kindles at the very hearing of these things: already it hath a longing to be where it hopeth to rejoice without end. But great rewards may not be won save by great toils. Whence also Paul, that great preacher, saith: No man is crowned unless he strive lawfully. Therefore let the greatness of the re Wherefore ward delight the mind, but let not the conflict of toils affright. the Truth saith unto them that come unto Him: If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, and wife, and children, and brethren, he cannot be my disciple. Ry. This is the true Martyr who poured forth his blood for the Name of CHRIST: * who feared not the threats of judges, nor sought the dignity of earthly glory, but attained to the kingdom of heaven. y. The LORD led the righteous man by right ways, and shewed him the kingdom of GOD. Who. Glory. Who. Ben. The King of Angels. [The following Ry. is said in the last place on the festivals of the six following Martyrs and Bishops, when kept with 9 Lessons: SS. Eusebius, Marcellus, John, Silverius, Martin, and Pontianus. Ry. Thou hast prevented him, O LORD, with the blessings of goodness: Thou hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head. V. He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him a long life, even for ever and ever. hast. Glory. Thou hast.] Thou Lesson IX. BUT it may well be asked: how is it that we are commanded to hate our parents and neighbours after the flesh, when we are ordered to love even our enemies? And verily the Truth saith concerning a wife: What God hath joined together let no man put asunder. And Paul saith: Husbands, love your wives, even as CHRIST the Church. Lo, the disciple preacheth that a wife is to be loved, when the Master saith: If any man hate not his wife, he cannot be My disciple. Doth the judge declare one thing and the crier proclaim another? Can we love and hate both at the same time? But if we ponder the force of the commandment, we can do both by right discernment: so that we can love wife, and those who are joined to us by fleshly kindred, and those whom we know, as neighbours, but those whom we suffer as adversaries in the way of GOD, we must hate, and flee from, and so know them not. Te Deum, p. 15. 2. OTHER LESSONS FOR ONE MARTYR. SECOND NOCTURN. From the Exposition by S. Ambrose the Bp. of the 119th Psalm. Lesson IV. Serm. xxi. PRINCES have persecuted me with accused as harmful, while in his con fession he is praiseworthy: accused as a sorcerer, when he glories in the name of the LORD, since loving kindness is the foundation of all virtues. Ry. The LORD made him. p. 82. Lesson V. TRULY in vain is he accused, who is charged before the impious and unbelieving with impiety while he is master of the faith. Verily he that is accused without a cause must be strong and stedfast. Wherefore then is it added: But my heart standeth in awe of Thy word? To be in awe belongeth unto weakness, dread, and fear. But there is a weakness unto salvation, and there is also a fear of the saints. Fear the LORD, all ye his saints: and, Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD. Wherefore blessed? For he hath great delight in his commandments. Ry. Thou gavest him. p. 82. LE Lesson VI. ET the martyr therefore be placed amid perils, while on one side the savage beasts strike terror by their roaring, on another the hissing of the red hot irons and the flames of the fiery furnace glow; here clank the heavy chains, there stands the bloodLet all things stained executioner. out a cause, but my heart standeth around, on which he looks, be full of in awe of Thy Word. Well does a torments, while he, thinking on the Martyr say this, because unjustly he divine commandments, on that persuffered the agony of persecution; he petual fire, that endless burning of the that committed no robbery, oppressed wicked, the bitterness of that ever-renone by violence, shed no blood, de-newed suffering, his heart standeth in filed the bed of none, who owed nothing to the laws, and yet was made to bear a punishment heavier than that of robbers who spake righteously, and was not hearkened to: who spake words full of salvation and was striven with so that he might say: When I spake unto them, they fought against me without a cause. Without a cause therefore he suffers persecution, who is accused without crime: he is awe; lest by yielding before present destruction he give himself to that which never endeth: he is troubled in spirit, whilst he beholdeth as in a figure that dreadful sword of judgment to come. In this fearful trustfulness of the stedfast man, does not the equal confidence of him who desires things eternal, and is in awe of things divine, combine for the one result? Ry. The LORD clothed. p. 82. THIRD NOCTURN. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. Matthew. Lesson VII. Chap. xvi. hath, but it is very much to deny that which he is. Ry. This is the true. p. 84. Lesson IX. AT that time: JESUS said unto His THE LORD commanded us when we disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. And that which follows. Homily of St. Gregory the Pope. Hom. 32 on the Gospels. Because our LORD and Redeemer came as the New Man into the world, He gave the world new commandments. For to our old life bred in sin He opposed the contrast of His new life. For what else knew the old and carnal man, save to keep his own, to steal the goods of others if he could, covet them if he could not? But the heavenly Physician applieth medicines suitable for each evil. For as in the science of medicine heat is cured by cold, and cold by heat: so our LORD opposeth remedies contrary to sins, so that to the loose He prescribeth continence, to the grasping liberality, to the wrathful meekness, to the proud humility. Ry. There is a crown. p. 84. Lesson VIII. VERILY He propounded new com mandments, when He said to His followers: Except a man leave all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. As if He would plainly say: Ye, who, according to your old life, desire the goods of others, now, according to your zeal in your new conversation, give away your own. Let us hear what He saith in that lesson: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself. There it is said that we must deny our possessions; here it is said that we must deny ourselves. And perchance it is not hard for a man to leave his goods, but very hard indeed is it for him to leave himself. For it is little to deny that which he come unto Him to leave our goods: because whosoever we be, when we come to the contest of faith, we undertake a struggle against the evil spirits. But the evil spirits possess nothing in this world of their own: naked therefore should we wrestle with the naked. For if one that is clothed wrestle with one naked, he is very quickly thrown to the ground, because he hath whereby he may be grasped. And what are all earthly things, save a sort of clothing for the body? He then that approaches to combat with the devil, let him cast aside his garments, lest he fall. Te Deum, p. 15. 3. OTHER HOMILIES FOR ONE MARTYR. THIRD NOCTURN. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. Matthew. Lesson VII. Chap. x. AT that time: JESUS said unto his disciples There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. And that which follows. Homily of S. Hilary the Bishop. Commentary on S. Matthew x. The LORD sets forth the Day of Judgment, which shall make manifest the hidden things of our hearts, and bring to light before all men those things which we now esteem to be hidden. Therefore He teacheth that the threats, the counsels, the might of our persecutors are not to be feared, for the Day of Judgment will shew that they were nothing but vanity. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in the light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. do not read that the LORD was wont We to preach by night, nor to deliver his doctrine in the dark; but every word of His is dark to the carnal mind, and His word is as night to unbelievers. Ry. There is a crown. p. 84. Lesson VIII. So then He desires that His own words should be declared with freedom of faith and confession. Therefore He commandeth that the things spoken in darkness should be preached in the light, and that secrets committed to the ear should be heard upon the housetops, that is, should be spoken with loud proclamation. Continually therefore is the knowledge of GOD to be brought forward, and the deep secret of gospel doctrine to be made known by the light of apostolic preaching, not fearing those who, though they may have power over the body, yet have no authority over the soul: but rather fearing GOD, Who hath power to cast both soul and body into hell. Ry. This is the true. p. 84. Lesson IX. COMMON OF MARTYRS IN Inv. Let the Saints be joyful in the LORD; * Alleluia. Ps. Venite, p. 3. Hymn. (For one Martyr,) Deus tuorum, as p. 78. (For many Martyrs,) Eterna Christi munera, THE eternal gifts of CHRIST the King, The Martyrs' glorious deeds, we sing: To flames the Martyr Saints are haled: Redeemer, hear us of Thy love, Thy servants also may have place. Amen. FEAR not them which kill the body. The above hymn always ends thus. No chance therefore which can happen to our bodies is to be feared, neither must we allow any grief for the destruction of the flesh for when it is dissolved by reason of its own nature and origin, its substance is spiritual restored to the soul. In order that they who are strengthened by such teaching should have bold confidence in confessing GOD, He addeth the conditions whereby we are to be bound: that He will deny before His Father in heaven that man who denied Him among men upon earth: but on the other hand, the man who confessed Him before men will be confessed by Him in heaven, for according as we have been witnesses to His Name among men, so will His testimony profit us with GOD the FATHER. Te Deum, p. 15. FIRST NOCTURN. Ant. Then shall the righteous men stand in great confidence against them that afflicted them. Alleluia. Pss. for one or many Martyrs : Ps. i., Beatus vir, p. 5; Ps. ii., Quare fremuerunt, p. 5; Ps. iii., Domine quid, p. 6. V. and Ry. and RyRy. to Lessons, as in the Common of Apostles in Eastertide. The Scripture Lessons in Easter-tide are from the office of the Season, or, when there are none such, from the Common of one or many Martyrs, not in Easter-tide. * SECOND NOCTURN. Ant. Behold how they are reckoned among the sons of GOD, and their lot is among the Saints. Alleluia. Pss. for one Martyr, as in Common | of life, which beforetime was of one Martyr, p. 80, 81. known to Him. Pss. for many Martyrs, p. 92. Ps. Xv., Domine, quis habitabit, p. 10; Ps. xvi., Conserva, p. 10; Ps. xxiv., Domini est terra, p. 92. y. R. and Ry. as in Common of Apostles in Easter-tidè, p. 77. A Sermon of S. Ambrose the Bishop. IT Lesson IV. Sermon 22. is meet and fitting, brethren, that after the Easter joy, which we have celebrated in the church, we should discourse of our gladness with the holy Martyrs and should declare the glory of the LORD'S Resurrection to those who were partakers of the LORD'S Passion. For those who are companions in contumely ought to be sharers in joy. Even as the blessed Apostle saith: As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the resurrection; if we suffer, saith He, we shall also reign with Him. They therefore who endured evils for CHRIST Ought also to be glorified with CHRIST. Ry. Light perpetual. p. 77. LE Lesson V. ET us declare, I say, to the holy Martyrs, the grace of the LORD's Passover while we proclaim the opened shrine of His sepulchre, their sepulchres also shall be opened: while we tell of the veins of His dead Body suddenly glowing with life, their limbs now cold shall be warmed with the heat of immortality. That will raise the Martyrs which raised the LORD. For since they learned the way of His Passion, they shall learn that of His life also. For it is written. in the Psalms: Thou shalt shew us the path of life. But this is said in the Resurrection, in the person of the Saviour: that He who after death returns above from below, begins to take knowledge of the path un Ry. In His servants, Al. * GOD shall be comforted. Al. y. The LORD shall judge His people, and His Saints. GoD shall. Lesson VI. FOR before the advent of CHRIST the way of life was unknown, on which the footstep of no risen being had ventured. But when the LORD rose it was made known, and trodden by the feet of many. Of whom the holy Evangelist saith: Many bodies of the Saints arose with Him and entered into the holy city. Whereas, as the LORD said in His Resurrection: Thou hast shewn Me the paths of life, we too may now say unto the LORD: Thou hast shewn us the paths of life. He shewed us the paths of life, Who made plain the way to life. For He shewed me the paths of life by teaching me faith, mercy, righteousness, chastity. By these roads salvation is attained. Ry. Come forth, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, and behold the Martyrs with the crowns, wherewith the LORD crowned them in the day of solemnity and of gladness. Al. y. For He hath made fast the bars of thy gates, and hath blessed thy children within thee. In. Glory. In. THIRD NOCTURN. Ant. Perpetual light shall shine upon Thy Saints, O LORD, * and an eternity of time. Al. Pss. for one Martyr, Ps. xl., In Domino confido, p. 9; Ps. xv., Domine, quis habitabit? p. 10; Ps. xxi., Domine, in virtute tua, p. 15. Pss. for many Martyrs, Ps. xxxiii., Exultate justi, p. 19; Ps. xxxiv., Benedicam, p. 20; Ps. xlvi., Deus noster refugium, p. 28. Y. and R. and RyRy. to Lessons as Common of Apostles in Easter-tide, p. 78. |