SECOND NOCTURN. Ant. I will give to My Saints an according to His purpose. For whom j robes in the blood of the Lamb. And. He did foreknow, He also did predes- Glory. And. tinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them he also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If GOD be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of GOD's elect? It is GOD that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is CHRIST that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of GoD, who also maketh intercession for us. Ry. These holy men poured forth their glorious blood for the LORD, they loved CHRIST in their life, they imitated Him in their death, * and therefore they merited triumphant crowns. . One spirit, and one faith was in them. And therefore. Ben. The grace. Lesson III. Ant. They that trust in the LORD * shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall fly, and not be weary. Ps. xxiv. Domini est terra. THE earth is the LORD'S, and all that therein is the compass of the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas and prepared it upon the floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD: or who shall rise up in his holy place? : 4 Even he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart and that hath not lift up his mind unto vanity, nor sworn to deceive his neighbour. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD and righteousness from WHO shall separate us from the love the GOD of his salvation. of CHRIST? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD. Ry. They gave their bodies for God's sake to be tormented, * and therefore they merited perpetual crowns. y. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and washed their 6 This is the generation of them that seek him even of them that seek thy face, O Jacob. 7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is the King of glory: it is the LORD strong and mighty, even the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors: and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is the King of glory: even the LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. y. Let the Saints be joyful with glory. Ry. Let them rejoice in their beds. Our FATHER. Abs. His piety. y. Sir, pray. Ben. GOD the FATHER. A Sermon of S. Augustine the Bishop. Sermon 47 on the Saints. blessed Martyrs ? To such I answer, That not only the Martyrs, but even the LORD Himself, by His own help, we can imitate if we will. Hear, not me, but the LORD Himself crying to mankind: Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. Hear also the admonition of Peter the Apostle : CHRIST also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps. As often, beloved brethren, as we keep the solemnities of the holy Martyrs, we look, by their intercession to obtain of the LORD temporal benefits, so that, by imitating the same Martyrs, we may merit to receive things eternal. For they verily celeRy. As gold in the furnace the LORD brate the joy of the holy Martyrs' proved His elect, and as a whole festivity, who follow their example. burnt-offering He received them; These solemnities are exhortations to for mercy and peace is to His chosen. martyrdom that it may not seem. They that trust in Him shall grievous to follow what is delightful understand truth, and they that are to celebrate. : Ry. Thy Saints, O LORD passed by a wonderful way, serving Thy commandments, and were found unhurt in the mighty waters. * The dry land appeared, and a way without hindrance in the Red Sea. V. Behold, He smote the rock that the water gushed out, and the streams flowed withal. The. Lesson V. BUT endure hatred with the Head. R. The Saints of GOD feared not the strokes of the tormentors, but died for the name of CHRIST * to the end they might become heirs in the House of GOD. . For GOD they gave their bodies to be tormented. To the end. Ben. GOD kindle. Lesson VI. BUT, saith one, And who is he that can follow the footsteps of the faithful in love shall dwell with Him. For. Glory. For. THIRD NOCTURN. Ant. But the righteous* live for evermore: their reward is with the LORD. Ps. xxxiii., Exultate, justi. p. 19. Ant. They gave *their bodies to death, that they might not serve idols, therefore, they are crowned and possess palms. Ps. xxxiv., Benedicam Dominum. p. 20. Ant. Behold, the reward* of the Saints is abundant with GOD: they died for CHRIST, and shall live for ever. Ps. xlvi., Deus noster refugium. p. 28. . But the righteous live for ever A Homily of S. Gregory the Pope. Homily 35 on the Gospels. Our LORD and Redeemer declareth the evils that shall come upon the last days of the world, that, being foreseen, their arrivals may cause the less fear. For darts foreseen wound less and we shall find the world's evils more bearable, if we are defended by the shield of foreknowledge. For lo, He saith: When ye shall hear of wars and tumults be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Much to be weighed are these words of our Redeemer, whereby He declareth that we shall suffer some things within and some without. Wars, indeed pertain to foes, seditions and commotions to citizens. To point out to us that we shall suffer both within and without, He saith that we shall suffer one thing from foes, the other from brethren. Ry. For the covenant of the LORD, the Saints abode firm in brotherly love, and the laws of their fathers, * for evermore was there one spirit in them and one faith. . Behold how good and joyful a thing it is, brethren to dwell together in unity. For everBen. They whose feast. more. Lesson VIII. BUT when these evils shall go before, because the end shall not immediately follow, He addeth: Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences, and fearful sights, and great signs shall there be from heaven. The final tribulation shall be preceded by many tribulations; and by the increasing evils which go before, are shown forth the everlasting evils which shall follow. And therefore after the wars and tumults, the end is not by and by: because many evils must precede, adequately to declare in the flesh contended valiantly, * I will give you the reward of your labours. . Come, ye blessed of My FATHER, inherit the kingdom. I will. Glory. I will. Ben. The King. 8th Lesson on the Feast of Many MarThe following Ry. is said after the tyrs, brethren. Ry. This is true brotherhood, which could not be broken by strife: these by the shedding of their blood foldespising a royal lowed the LORD: palace, they attained the heavenly kingdom. . Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, brethren to dwell together in unity. Despising. Glory. Despising. Lesson IX. BUT when so many signs of disturbance are spoken of, it is meet that we briefly run through the consideration of each: because we must needs endure some from heaven, some from earth, some from the elements, and some from men. For He saith: Nation shall rise against nation, here is disturbance from men; great earthquakes shall be in divers places, this is the falling of wrath from on high; then shall be pestilences, the disturbance of bodies; then shall be famine, the barrenness of earth; fearful sights in heaven, and storms, the disturbances of the air. Because all things are to be brought to an end, before the end all are troubled; and we who have sinned in all, are smitten by all: that the saying may be fulfilled: The world shall fight with Him against the unwise. Te Deum, p. 15. 2. OTHER LESSONS. For Many Martyrs. SECOND NOCTURN. A Sermon of S. John Chrysostom. Sermon 1 concerning the Martyrs. Vol. 3. THERE is no man that knoweth not that the glories of the Martyrs are celebrated by God's people for this Ry. My Saints, who, when ye were reason by Divine counsel, both that the evils without end. due honour may be given to them, THIRD NOCTURN. to S. Luke. and that unto us, by the grace of Lesson of the Holy Gospel according CHRIST, patterns of virtue may be showed that while we thus behold how these examples are celebrated, we may know what glory remaineth for them in heaven, whose birthdays are so kept upon earth: whereby we may be challenged by such examples to strive to equal them in virtue, to be like unto them in devotion and in faith so that by the gift of CHRIST we may be able to fight and to conquer the foe: that, the victory won, we may with these same Saints triumph in the kingdom of heaven. Ry. Thy Saints. p. 93. Lesson V. WHO indeed is he that would desire to be joined with them in their reward, except he first show their steadfastness, follow their faith, imitate their valour in suffering, seek or find in himself traits like unto the glory of their lives? But although he may not be their equal by martyrdom, yet nevertheless any one may render himself meet for the greatness of such a gift by good works. For GoD the most merciful is close at hand, and He either giveth martyrdom to such of His own as desire it, or without martyrdom, recompenseth them by rewards divine together with the Saints. Ry. The Saints. p. 93. Lesson VI. FOR even as the sinner groweth weak through adversities, so the righteous is made strong by tempta tions. Thus do the Saints war against sin : thus by toiling are they strengthened, and by dying are made conquerors. No wrestler is called stronger until after a conflict, none without a victory can be crowned. No soldier without a battle casteth down his enemy, none without a war has won the title of Imperator. Thou hast, O Christian, fitting arms wherewith to fight thine enemy, thou hast strongest darts, wherewith to vanquish thy foe. Ry. As gold. p. 93. Lesson VII. Chap. vi. AT that time: He came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of His disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon. And that which follows. A Homily of S. Ambrose. Book 3 upon S. Luke VI. Carefully note all these things, how He goeth up with the Apostles, and goeth down to the multitudes. For how did the multitude behold CHRIST, save in low estate? They followed not to high things, they went not up to things above. And so, when He came down, He found the sick, for the sick could not go up to the height. Hence likewise Matthew teacheth that the weak were healed down below. For first must every one be healed, that going on from strength to strength he may ascend the mount. And therefore He healeth each below, to wit, He recalleth them from lusts, turneth from them the hurt of their blindness. He cometh down unto our wounds: that by a certain familiarity and bounty of His nature, He may make us partakers with Him of the heavenly kingdom. Ry. For the covenant. p. 94. Lesson VIII. BLESSED be ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of GOD. S. Luke gives four of the LORD's beatitudes, but S. Matthew eight; but in these eight are these four, and in those four are these eight. For the one embraces as it were, the four cardinal virtues; while the other hath sealed in them the mystical number eight. For how many psalms are inscribed for the eighth; and those received a command to give a portion to eight, perchance of benedictions. For even as the octave of our hope is perfection, so the summary of virtue is eightfold. Ry. My Saints. p. 94. Lesson IX. BUT first let us consider the more important things. Blessed, saith He, are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Both of the Evangelists set this as the first benediction. For it is the first in order, and is after a sort the parent and spring of virtues, because he who hath despised things temporal, will merit things eternal: neither can any one attain the reward of the heavenly kingdom if he be weighed down by desires of the world, and have no power to rise. Te Deum, p. 15. 3. ANOTHER HOMILY. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according AT to S. Luke. Lesson VII. Chap. xii. T that time: JESUS said unto His disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. And that which follows. A Homily of the Venerable Bede. Book iv. chap. 52, upon S. Luke. Concerning this leaven the Apostle commandeth: Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. For even as a little leaven corrupteth the whole entire lump of flour wherein it is cast, and soon defileth with its savour the whole mixture; so verily deceit, if it but once taints the soul, cheats it of the sincerity and truth thereof. This is therefore the meaning: Fret not yourselves because of the dissemblers, for the time cometh, wherein both your virtue, and their hypocrisy shall be made manifest. Ry. For the covenant. p. 94. Lesson VIII. BUT that which followed: Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light: are may well be taken to refer not only to the future time, when all the hidden things of the heart shall be brought into light, but also to this present time: because those things which amid the dark shadows of persecutions and of prisons, the Apostles either spake or suffered, now openly proclaimed by the reading of their Acts, since the Church has been glorified throughout the whole world. Be not afraid of them that kill the body. If the persecutors of the Saints, when they had killed their bodies, have no more that they can do against them; with empty madness do they rage, who cast the dead limbs of the Martyrs to be torn in pieces by wild prevent the omnipotence of GOD, beasts and fowls, though they cannot when He shall raise them up and quicken them. Ry. My Saints. p. 94. Lesson IX. BUT there are two kinds of perse cutors: the one openly raging, the other feignedly and deceitfully enticing. The SAVIOUR seeking to defend and instruct us against both, commandeth us above, to take heed of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, and here not to dread the cruelty of the executioner: because, after death neither the cruelty of these, nor the deceit of those can any longer endure. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? If GOD cannot forget, saith He, the very smallest animals, or fowls which fly everywhere through the air; ye, who are made after the image of the Creator, ought not to be afraid of them that kill the body: because, He Who guideth the brute creatures, will not fail to take care for rational beings. Te Deum, p. 15. |