Page images
PDF
EPUB

ing. And there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, that were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was to heal them. And behold inen brought in a bed, a man who had the palsy and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up upon the roof, and let him down through the tiles with his bed into the midst, before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the Scribes and the Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this who speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? And when Jesus knew their thoughts, answering, he said to them: What is it you think in your hearts? Which is easier to say? Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say: arise and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy) I say to thee, arise, take up thy bed and go into thy house. And immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he lay; and he went away to his own house, glorifying God. And all were astonished; and they glorified God. And they were filled with fear, saying: We have seen wonderful things to-day.

OFFERT. Ps. cxlv.--Praise the Lord, O my soul; whilst I live I will praise the Lord: I will sing praises to my God, while I have a being. Al

leluia.

SECRET.-May the sacrifice offered in thy presence, O Lord, be consumed by the same divine fire, by which the Holy Ghost inflamed the hearts of the disciples of Christ thy Son. Thro' the same -in unity of the same.

COMM. John xiv-I will not leave you orphans:

I will come to you again, Alleluia: and your hearts shall be glad. Alleluia.

P. COMM. Sumpsimus.-Having received, O Lord, these sacred mystic gifts, we humbly beg, that what thou hast ordered us to do in remembrance of thee, may become a help to our weakness. Thro'.

EMBER SATURDAY.

INTROIT. Rom. v.- -The love of God is poured into your hearts, Alleluia, by his spirit that dwelleth in us, Alleluia, Alleluia. Ps. cii. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me, praise his holy name. V. Glory.

I. COLLECT.-Enrich, O Lord, our hearts by a plentiful effusion of thy Holy Spirit by whose wisdom we were created, and by whose providence we are governed. Thro'-in unity of the same.

I. LESSON. Joel ii. 28. 32.-Thus saith the Lord

God: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy: your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Moreover upon my servants and handmaids in those days I will pour forth my spirit. And I will shew wonders in heaven: and in earth, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. The sun

shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood; before the great and dreadful day of the Lord doth come. And it shall come to pass, that every one that shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. Alleluia.

V. John vi. It is the spirit that giveth life: but the flesh availeth nothing.

II. COLLECT. Illo nos.-Let thy holy spirit, O Lord, we beseech thee, kindle in our breasts that fire, which our Lord Jesus Christ brought on earth, and earnestly desired it should burn. Who liveth.

II. LESSON. Lev. xxiii. 9. 21.-In those days: The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: When you shall have entered into the land, which I will give you, and shall reap your corn, you shall bring sheaves of ears, the first-fruits of your harvest, to the priest: who shall lift up the sheaf before the Lord, the next day after the Sabbath, that it may be acceptable for you, and shall sanctify it. You shall count therefore from the morrow after the Sabbath, wherein you offered the sheaf of the firstfruits, seven full weeks, even unto the morrow after the seventh week be expired, that is to say, fifty days, and so you shall offer a new sacrifice to the Lord. Out of all your dwellings, two loaves of the first-fruits, of two tenths of flour leavened, which you shall bake for the first-fruits of the Lord. And you shall call this day most solemn, and most holy. You shall do no servile work therein. It shall be an everlasting ordinance in all your dwellings and generations, saith the Lord Almighty. Allel. V. Job xxvi. His spirit hath adorned the heavens. III. COLLECT. Deus.-O God, who, for the healing our souls, commanded us to mortify our bodies by fasting: mercifully grant that we may faithfully serve thee both with body and soul. Thro'.

III. LESSON. Deut. xxvi. 1. 11.-In those days: Moses said to the children of Israel: Hear, O Israel, what I command you this day: When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God will give thee to possess, and hast conquered it, and dwellest in it: thou shalt take the first of all thy fruits, and put them in a basket, and shalt go to the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, that his name may be invocated there: and thou shalt go to the priest that shall be in those days, and say to him; I profess this day before the Lord thy God, who heard us, and looked down upon our affliction, and labour,

and distress; and brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand, and a stretched out arm, with great terror, with signs and wonders: and brought us into this place, and gave us this land, flowing with milk and honey. And therefore now I offer the firstfruits of the land which the Lord hath given me. And thou shalt leave them in the sight of the Lord thy God, adoring the Lord thy God. And thou shalt feast in all the good things which the Lord thy God hath given thee. Alleluia.

V. Acts ii. When the days of Pentecost were completed, they were all sitting together.

IV. COLLECT. Præsta, quæsumus.-Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that, being instructed by these holy fasts, we may avoid all vice, and more easily obtain thy mercy. Thro'.

IV. LESSON. Lev. xxvi. 3. 12.-In those days The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: If you walk in my precepts and keep my commandments, and do them, I will give you rain in due season. And the ground shall bring forth its increase, and the trees shall be filled with fruit. The threshing of your harvest shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time; and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land without fear. I will give peace in your coasts: you shall sleep, and there shall be none to make you afraid. I will take away evil beasts: and the sword shall not pass through your quarters. You shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you. Five of yours shall pursue a hundred others, and a hundred of you ten thousand: your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. I will look on you, and make you increase: you shall be multiplied, and I will establish my covenant with you. You shall eat the oldest of the old store, and new coming on, you shall cast away the old. I will set my tabernacle in the midst

of you, and my soul shall not cast you off. I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people, saith the Lord Almighty. Allel.

V. Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of thy love.

V. COLLECT. Præsta, quæsumus.-Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that whilst we fast from meat, we may likewise fast from all those vices to which we are prone. Thro'.

V. LESSON. Dan. iii. 49.-In those days: The angel of the Lord went down with Azarias and his companions into the furnace: and he drove the flame of the fire out of the furnace, and made the midst of the furnace like the blowing of a wind bringing dew, and the fire touched them not at all, nor troubled them, nor did them any harm. Then these three, as with one mouth, praised, and glorified, and blessed God in the furnace, saying: Alleluia.

V. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the God of our forefathers, and worthy of praise for ever.

VI. COLLECT. Deus, qui tribus.-O God, who, in the behalf of the three young men, didst render harmless the flames of fire: mercifully grant, that we, thy servants may not be burnt by the flames of vice. Thro'.

Here is said, either the Collect, Eccl. tuæ, or Deus omnium, p. 50.

EPISTLE. Rom. v. 1. 5.--Brethren: Being justified by faith, let us have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we have access through faith, into this grace wherein we stand, and glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God. And not only so: but we glory also in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience trial; and trial hope. And hope confoundeth not; because the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given

to us.

« PreviousContinue »