be ashamed; but let him glorify GoD Te Deum. p. 15. If a feast of nine Lessons occur to-day, its office is said, with ninth Lesson of the homily of the vigil. A feast of three Lessons is merely commemorated. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. John. Lesson I. Chap. xvii. AT that time: JESUS lifted up his eyes to heaven; and said : FATHER, the hour is come, glorify thy SON. And that which follows. A Homily of S. Augustine the Bishop. Tract 104 on S. John. came by the moving of fate, but rather by the ordinance of GoD: nor was it any necessity of the stars, that linked the events of CHRIST'S Passion: for GOD forbid that stars could force the Maker of the stars to die. Ry. It is a good. p. ccx. Lesson III. THERE are some who understand that the SON was glorified by the FATHER in this: that He did not spare But if He is said to have glorified Him Him, but delivered Him up for us all. in His Passion, how much more in His Resurrection? For in His Passion, His humility is proved more than His glory: as the Apostle witnesseth, saying, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Then he goes on, and saith next, concerning His glory: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and hath given Him a Name which is above every name: that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, to the glory of GOD the FATHER. This is the glory of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, which began with His Resurrection. Te Deum. p. 15. Our LORD, the only begotten Son of the FATHER, and co-eternal with Him, could, had there been need, have silently prayed in the form of a servant, and after the form of a servant. But He wished to show Himself in such wise a worshipper of the FATHER, as to remember that He was our Teacher. For this reason, He made known to us that prayer which He offered for us; because it is not only the discourse of such a Master to His disciples, but also His prayer for them to the FATHER, which edifies them, and, if them, who THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD. were present to hear the words spoken, doubtless us also, who were to read them, when they had been written down. Ry. I will sing. p. ccx. Lesson II. WHEREFORE, in that He saith this, FATHER, the hour hath come, glorify Thy SoN; He shows us, that every time, and whatever He did, and when He did it, or suffered it to be done, was appointed by Him, Who was not subject to time; because whatever should happen at any time, had their efficient causes in the wisdom of GOD, wherein time has no part. Therefore we are not to believe that this hour * Inv. Alleluia. CHRIST the LORD ascending into heaven: O come let us worship. Alleluia. Ps. Venite, p. 3. HYMN. Eterne Rex altissime. ETERNAL Monarch, King most High, Whose Blood hath brought Redemption Yea, angels tremble when they see depart from Jerusalem, but wait for That Flesh hath purg'd what flesh had the promise of the FATHER, which, stain'd, And GOD, the Flesh of GOD, hath reign'd. Be Thou our Joy, and Thou our Guard, O grant us thitherward to tend, And with unwearied hearts ascend For saith he, ye have heard of me. Ry. After His Passion being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of Toward Thy Kingdom's Throne, where Thou, GOD: Al. While they beheld, He As is our faith. art seated now. That when to judgment suddenly TO FATHER and to PARACLETE. Amen. FIRST NOCTurn. Ant. Thou hast set * Thy glory, O GoD, above the heavens. Alleluia. Ps. viii. Domine Dominus, p. 7. Ant. The LORD is in His holy temple: the LORD's seat is in heaven. Alleluia. Ps. xi. In Domine confido, p. 9. Ant. He goeth forth * from the uttermost part of the heavens, and runneth about unto the end of it again. Alleluia. Ps. xix. Cæli enarrant, p. 14. . GOD is gone up with a merry noise. Ry. And the LORD with the sound of the trumpet. was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Al. y. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the FATHER. And. Lesson II. WHEN they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, LORD, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the FATHER hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the HOLY GHOST is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. Ry. All the beauty of the LORD is lifted up above the stars: His glory is Here beginneth the Book of the Acts in the clouds of heaven, and His of the Apostles. Lesson I. Chap i. Name endureth for ever and ever. Alleluia. y. He goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again. His glory. AN Lesson III. THE former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that JESUS began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the HOLY GHOST ND while they looked stedfastly had given commandments unto the toward heaven as he went up, apostles whom he had chosen: to behold, two men stood by them in whom also he shewed himself alive white apparel; which also said, Ye after his passion by many infallible men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing proofs, being seen of them forty days, up into heaven? this same Jesus, and speaking of the things pertaining which is taken up from you into to the kingdom of GoD: and being heaven, shail so come in like manner assembled together with them, com- as ye have seen him go into heaven. manded them that they should not Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is | lethargy of untrustfulness had crept from Jerusalem a sabbath day's jour-over their souls, weighed down with ney. And when they were come in, sorrow, at the suffering of the Cross, they went up into an upper room, the giving up of the Ghost, and the where abode both Peter, and James, burial of the lifeless Body. and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of JESUS, and with his brethren. Ry. Be Thou exalted, LORD: Al. * In Thine own strength. . Thou hast set Thy glory above the heavens, O GOD. In. Glory. In. SECOND NOCturn. in Ant. Be Thou exalted, LORD Thine Own strength, so will we sing, and praise Thy power. Al. Ps. xxi. Domine, in virtute. p. 15. Ry. It is time that I return to Him that sent Me, saith the LORD; be not sorrowful, neither let your heart be troubled: * I pray the FATHER for you, that He Himself may keep you. Alleluia, Alleluia. y. If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: when I am taken up, I will send Him unto you. I pray. WE Lesson V. WHEREFORE the blessed apostles, and all the disciples, who had been both terrified at the end upon the Cross, and doubtful in their belief of the resurrection, were so stablished by the clear truth, that when the LORD went up into the heights of heaven, *they not only felt no sorrow, but were even filled with great joy. And in truth, there was great and unspeakable reason for joy, when, in the sight of that holy multitude, the nature of mankind ascended above the dignity of all heavenly creatures, rising higher than the ranks of the angels, to be elevated above the heights of the archangels, and to find no limit to its progress, in any loftiness, until, received to the seat of the Everlasting FATHER, it should be joined upon the throne unto His glory, unto Whose Ant. I will magnify Thee, O LORD, for Thou hast set me up. Al. Ps. xxx. Exaltabo te, Domine. 18. p. Ant. GOD is gone up with a merry noise and the LORD with the sound of the trumpet. Al. Ps. xlvii. Omnes gentes. p. 28. 7. CHRIST going up on high. Led captivity captive. Al. A Sermon of S. Leo the Pope. Ry. AFTER the blessed and glorious Resurrection of our LORD JESUS nature it was united in the SoN. Ry. Let not your heart be troubled: CHRIST, wherein by divine power He I go to the FATHER, and when I am raised up in three days the true taken up from you, I will send you, temple of GOD, destroyed by the Alleluia: the SPIRIT of truth, and wickedness of the Jews, to day, dearly your heart shall rejoice. Alleluia. beloved, the number of the forty holy. I will pray the FATHER, and He days is fulfilled, appointed in a most shall send you another Comforter. sacred order, and designed for our The SPIRIT. useful instruction; to the end that whilst the LORD during this interval lengthens the stay of His bodily presence, our faith in the Resurrection might be fortified. For the death of CHRIST had grievously troubled the hearts of His disciples, and a certain Lesson VI. SINCE then the Ascension of CHRIST is our promotion, and, where the glory of the Head is gone before, thither the hope of the body is called also, let us, dearly beloved, be glad with fitting joy, and rejoice with established by many devout thanksgiving. For to-day we rection was are not merely confirmed in posses- | proofs to them as they doubted. sion of Paradise, but we have in CHRIST When we note these proofs as we passed into the highest heavens, read, what is the result, save that we winning greater things by the unspeak- are assured by their doubt? For Mary able grace of CHRIST than we had lost Magdalene, who believed quickly, hath through the envy of the devil. For, done less for me, than Thomas, who the Son of God hath united to His own doubted long. For he, in doubting, body, them whom the malicious enemy touched the scars of the wounds, and had cast down from the happiness of cut away the wound of doubt from our their first dwelling, and hath set them breast. at the right hand of GoD, with whom He liveth and reigneth, in the unity of the same SPIRIT, GOD, throughout all ages. Amen. R. CHRIST, going up on high, led captivity captive. *He gave gifts to men. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. GOD is gone up with a merry noise, and the LORD with the sound of the trumpet. He. Glory. He. THIRD NOCTURN. Ant. Thou art exalted. * Al. above all gods. Al. Ps. Dominus regnavit, p. 54. Far xcvii., Ry. I will pray the FATHER, and He shall give you another Comforter: that He may abide with you for ever; even the SPIRIT of truth. Alleluia. y. If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. That. Ben. The Divine help. Lesson VIII. IN order to take in the truth of the LORD's resurrection, we must observe what Luke states, saying: After they had eaten, He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem. And, a little after, As cloud received Him out of their sight. they beheld, He was taken up, and a Mark the words: observe the mysteAnt. The LORD hath prepared. * Al.ries. Sitting at meat He was taken His seat in heaven. Al. Ps. ciii., Benedic, p. 57. Ant. The LORD is great in Sion. * Al. And high above all people. Al. Ps. xcix., Dominus regnavit, irascantur, p. 55. . I ascend unto My FATHER, and your FATHER. Al. R. To My GOD, and your GOD. Al. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. Mark. up. He ate and He ascended. Doubtless, that the truth of His bodily existence might be evident, through the act of eating. Mark indeed tells us, that before the LORD ascended into heaven, He rebuked the disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. And in this what have we to consider, save that the LORD them bodily, for this reason, that blamed His disciples, when He left the words which He spake when He departed, might remain more deeply impressed in the heart of the hearers? Ry. Thou makest the clouds Thy chariot, O LORD: * and walkest upon the wings of the wind. Al. . Thou art clothed with majesty and honour, Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment. And. Glory. And. Lesson IX. temperance; and to temperance WHEN then He rebuked them for patience; and to patience godliness; their hardness of heart, let us and to godliness brotherly kindness; hear what instruction He utters. Go and to brotherly kindness charity. into all the world, and preach the For if these things be in you, and gospel to every creature. My brethren, abound, they make you that ye shall was the holy gospel to be preached to neither be barren or unfruitful in the things without life, or to brute knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. animals, that the disciples should be But he that lacketh these things is told of it, Preach it to every creature? blind, and cannot see afar off, and But man is denoted by the name of every hath forgotten that he was purged creature, for man hath something in from his old sins. common with every creature. Existence he hath in common with stones: life with trees: feeling with animals: understanding with angels. If then man has something in common with every creature, in some sense man is every creature therefore the gospel is preached to every creature, when it is preached to man alone. Te Deum. p. 15. FRIDAY. FIRST NOCTURN. Ry. All the beauty. p. ccxix. Lesson III. WHEREFORE the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in Here beginneth the Second Epistle of the present truth. Yea, I think it S. Peter the Apostle. Lesson I. SIMON Peter, a servant and an apostle of JESUS CHRIST, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of GOD and our SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of GOD, and of JESUS our LORD, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Ry. After His Passion. p. ccxix. Lesson II. AND beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our LORD JESUS CHRIST hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. Ry. Be thou exalted. p. ccxx. SECOND NOCTURN. A Sermon of S. Leo the Pope. Sermon. 2 on the Ascension of the LORD. THE mystery of our salvation, dearly beloved, which the Creator of the world valued at the price of His own blood, was fulfilled through the dispensation of humility from the day of His bodily birth, till the end of His Passion. And although many tokens of Godhead shone forth in Him, even in the form of a servant, nevertheless the mode of action during that period |