JUNE 26. Lesson VI. THIRD DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF S. JOHN FOR what homicide, what sacri BAPTIST. lege, or what wickedness did John so punish in himself? Let us, All as on the Festival, except that brethren, be warned to penitence; let which follows. SECOND NOCTURN. us examine our consciences, and be roused to execute vengeance upon our. selves, that we may escape the terrible A Homily of S. Augustine the Bishop. judgment of the Living God. LE Lesson IV. And may the humility of a pure confession to S. Luke. ET us rejoice within doors, and not under the sun; but, according to the Apostle, always sorrowful on account of humility and gravity, but always rejoicing on account of inward consolation. Let us rejoice, most beloved, on the nativity of the blessed John, and rejoice concerning the birth itself. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according For we have, in the recollection of it, abundant cause for gladness, and manifold material for joy. He was a burning and a shining light, and the Jews wished to rejoice in his light; but he rather rejoiced in the warmth of devotion, rejoiced as a friend of the Bridegroom at the Bridegroom's voice. We must rejoice together in both; with him in the one, and with ourselves in the other. For he burnt for himself, but shone for us. Ry. His name shall be. p. xxxiii. LET us rejoice in his warmth, so as Ry. He shall go. p. xxxiii. Lesson VII. Chap. i. she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And that which follows. A Homily of S. Augustine the Bishop. On S. John 1. For it was not preaching, but inspiration, that taught John, whom the Spirit filled in his mother's womb. Truly burning, and very much on fire, was he, whom the heavenly flame seized hold upon beforehand, so that he who was not yet conscious of himself, felt the coming of Christ. Truly that new fire which came down from heaven entered by the mouth of Gabriel into the ear of the Virgin; again, through the mouth of the Virgin and ear of the mother, to the little one; that from that hour the Holy Spirit might fill this vessel of election, and prepare a light for Christ the Lord. Ry. They made signs. p. xxxiv. came forth from the heat of John, not the heat from the brightness. For there are some who do not shine because they burn, but rather burn to shine; but they clearly burn, not with the spirit of charity, but with the desire of vanity. Ry. The Lord's forerunner. p. xxxiv. Lesson IX. WOULD you know how John burnt and shone? I think that both, namely, heat and brightness, were threefold. For he burnt in himself with great austerity of demeanour; towards Christ with an inward and full warmth of devotion; towards sinners with a firmness of plain reproof. Nevertheless he shone (to speak briefly) by example, finger, and word; both manifesting himself for an example, and a greater Light which was concealed, for the remission of sins, and enlightening our very darkness itself; as it is written, Since Thou dost light my candle, O Lord my God, enlighten my darkness; doubtless for amendment of life. Ry. Among them. p. xxxv. Te Deum. p. 15. JUNE 27. for the Lord. This voice upon the R. His name shall be. p. xxxiii. T ing. THEREFORE the voice of the Lord upon the waters is John baptizThere also the God of Majesty thundered. For there came a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Then also the Lord deigned to descend upon many waters in the baptism of John, that He might fulfil all righteousness which is in the law. The voice of the Lord is with power. For He takes away the weakness of the people by the baptism of repentance; baptizing them in water unto repentance through Him. The voice is with power, saying: Repent ye, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand: and, Bring forth fruit worthy of repent FOURTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF S. JOHN THE voice of the Lord breaketh the BAPTIST. cedars. It may be said that in making ready a people prepared for the Lord, breaking and crushing the haughty impiety which was raised up against the knowledge of God, he was making the crooked straight. For he who brought down every mountain and hill, he it was who broke the cedars, and made the way straight for the Lord, by that which led the proud and lofty and haughty heart to repentWhence the Lord, beholding ance. his preparation for His coming, broke the opposing powers, figuratively called the cedars of Libanus. For the Lord must reign until He shall put His enemies under His feet, and break in pieces those cedars. Ry. Elisabeth, the wife. p. xxxiv. Lesson IX. THIRD NOCTURN. HE knew truly that the ears of the Prophet which were opened by Lesson of the Holy Gospel according the Spirit of God, not by the age of his to S. Luke. Lesson VII. Chap. i. ELISABETH'S full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son. And that which follows. A Homily of S. Ambrose the Bishop. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied. Behold how good God is, and how will body, were of another nature. He who had affection to exult, had sense to understand. At the same time observe this, how little Elisabeth prophesied, and how much Zacharias did so: both spoke, filled with the Holy Ghost: but the rule was observed, that women should endeavour rather to learn than to teach Divine things. Ry. Among them. p. xxxv. JUNE 28. ing to pardon sin. He not only FIFTH DAY IN THE OCTAVE OF S. JOHN restores that which He took away, but grants that which was not hoped for. For this is the great grace of God, that he who till now was dumb, prophesies; that He is confessed by him who had denied. Let no one there fore be distrustful; let no one who is conscious of former sins despair of Divine favour. The Lord can change His sentence, if thou canst correct thy fault. Ry. They made signs. p. xxxiv. Lesson VIII. A fully, while he prophesied of the Lord, he turned his words to the Prophet, that he might show this also to be a favour of the Lord: lest while he publicly recapitulated his own favours, he should seem to be ungratefully silent concerning those which he perceived in his son. But perhaps some will think it an absurd departure from reason, that he should speak to a child of eight days old. But truly if we consider, we shall perceive that he, who before he was born heard the salutation of Mary, after he was born could hear the voice of his father. ND thou, child, shalt be called the Ry. The Lord's forerunner. p. xxxiv. BAPTIST. A Homily of an unnamed writer. Sarum Breviary. Lesson IV. JOHN was sent before, as the voice before the Word, the light before the Sun, the herald before the Judge, and the friend before the Bridegroom. Because the darkness of sin, and the night of unbelief had covered the whole world; and the people were not able to behold the Sun of Righteousness. Ry. His name. p. xxxiii. Lesson V. THEREFORE John is sent before, as the messenger before the Prince; as the Lord says by the Prophet, Behold I send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Ry. He shall go. p. xxxiii. Lesson VI. LE ET us therefore, brethren, being assisted by his prayers, purify ourselves from all defilement of flesh or spirit, because by so doing we may be able to rejoice one day in our own resurrection, as we rejoice to-day in his birth. Rz. Elisabeth, the wife. p. xxxiv. THIRD NOCturn. The manifestation of the Spirit is given Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to to every man to profit withal. S. Luke. Lesson VII. Chap. i. NOW Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And that which follows. A Homily of S. Cyril of Jerusalem. Lecture 16. ONE fountain waters a whole garden, and one and the same rain comes down in every part of the world, and becomes white in the lily, red in the rose, purple in violets and hyacinths, diverse and manifold in all kinds of plants; and so it is of one sort in the palm, of another in the vine, and all in all things; being all the time of one nature, and not diverse from itself. For the rain does not change as it descends, and become first one thing, then another; but applying itself to the condition of that which is to receive it, it becomes to each what is suitable. So also the Holy Spirit, being one, and of one nature, and undivided, distributes grace to every one severally, as He will. Ry. They made signs. p. xxxiv. Lesson VIII. Ky. The Lord's forerunner. p. xxxiv. (VIGIL OF SS. PETER AND PAUL. Ben. May our sins be blotted out by the words of the Gospel. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according AT to S. John. Lesson IX. Chap. xxi. T that time: Jesus said unto Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? And that which follows. A Homily of S. Augustine the Bishop. Tract 123 on S. John. A threefold confession is paid back for the threefold denial, that the tongue may serve love no less than it had served fear; and lest impending death should seem to have had more power than a present life in drawing forth the voice. Let it be love's duty to feed the Lord's flock, if it was fear's token to deny the Shepherd. They who feed Christ's sheep in this spirit, that they wish the sheep to be their own, not Christ's, are convicted of loving themselves, not Christ; or of being moved by desire of boasting, of ruling, or of gaining; not by the charity of obedience, of helpfulness, and of AND while the Spirit is of one nature, pleasing God.) Ry. Among them. p. xxxv. JUNE 29. Festival of SS. Peter and Paul, Apostles and Martyrs. yet many are the excellencies which by the fiat of God, and in the Name of Christ, He works out. For He uses one man's tongue to utter wisdom, illuminates another's soul with prophecy, to another gives power to drive away demons, to another gives ability to interpret the Divine Scriptures. One man's self-control He strengthens, another He teaches how to give alms, another to fast and discipline himself, another to despise the interests of the body; another He prepares for WITH golden light of morn martyrdom; different in each case, but not diverse from Himself, as it is written, Inv. Christ the Lord, the King of kings, O come let us worship: * Who by martyrdom of the Cross glorified blessed Peter the Apostle. Venite. Ps. xcv. p. 3. HYMN. Aureâ luce et decore roseo. With rosy hues of day, O Light of light, Thou shedd st Thou deck'st the sky with jo, For now the day is come- Two Saints have shed their blood: The Gentile world to win; Thy Lord hath mark'd thy love, The wage is thine for aye, Thy sound, O Paul, hath gone With full and grateful heart, What now we know in part. Twin olive-boughs of peace, Whate'er our lot befall. To God, the Three in One, All honour, praise, and might, And Holy Ghost on high, FIRST NOCTURN. Psalms of the Common of Apostles. Ant. 1. They brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches: that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them; and they were healed. Ant. 2. Peter said to the chief priests: Jesus, Whom ye slew and hanged upon a tree: Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance, and forgiveness of sins. Ant 3. And Peter said unto the man with the palsy, Æneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole: arise and make thy bed. And he arose immediately; and all that saw him turned to the Lord. . Their sound is gone out into all lands. Ry. And their words into the ends of the world. Of the Acts of the Apostles. Lesson I. Chap. iii. NOW Peter and John went up to gether into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour; and a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Ry. Simon Peter, before I called thee from the ship, I knew thee, and set thee prince over My people, * and I gave thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. y. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. And. Lesson II. THEN Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up; and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people |