ciple at Damascus, named Ananias: and the Lord said to him in a vision : Ananias. And he said; Behold I am here, Lord. And the Lord said to him Arise and go into the street that is called Strait, and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold he prayeth. (And he saw a man named Ananias, coming in and putting his hands upon him, that he might recover his sight.) But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints in Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that invoke thy name. And the Lord said to him, Go thy way, for this man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and laying his hands upon him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest: that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell upon his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight and rising up he was baptised. And when he had taken meat, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples that were at Damascus for some days. And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. And all that heard him were astonished, and said: Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those who called upon his name: and came hither for that intent that he might carry them bound to the chief priests? But Saul increased much more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, affirming that this is the Christ. GRAD. Gal. ii. He who wrought in Peter to the apostleship, wrought in me, also among the Gentiles: and they have known the grace of God that was given to me. V. The grace of God was not 442 fruitless in me: but his grace always abideth in me Alleluia, Alleluia. V. The great St. Paul was a chosen vessel, and truly worthy of honour: who also deserves to be seated on a twelfth throne. Alleluia. After Septuag. instead of the Alleluia and V. is said. TRACT. Thou, O holy Paul, the Apostle art a chosen vessel: thou art truly worthy of glory. V Thou wast the preacher of truth and the doctor of the Gentiles in the faith and in the truth. V. By the all nations have known the grace of God. V. Inter sede for us to God who chose thee, GOSPEL. Matt. xix. as in Mass XVI. p. xxix. OFFERT. Ps. cxxxviii. To me, O God, thy friends are made exceedingly honorable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened. SECRET. Sanctify, &c. as p. 431. Of St. PETER May the intercession, &c. ib. COMM. Verily I say to you: that you who hare forsaken all things and followed me, shall receive a hundred fold and obtain eternal life. P. COMM. Of St. PETER, May, &c. as 18th instant, p. 436. XXVI. St. POLYCARP, bp. m. All as in Mass III. p. v. except EPISTLE. loved: Whosoever is not just, is not of God, nor he that loveth not his brother. For this is the declara tion, which you have heard from the beginning. that you should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and killed his brother. And wherefore did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked: and his brother's just. Wonder not, brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth it death. Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murder er. And you know that no murderer hath eternal GOSP COL life abiding in himself. In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. GOSPEL. Matt. x. and P. COMM. Refecti. XXVII. St. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, bp. c. COLLECT. Ecclesiam. May thy heavenly grace, we beseech thee, O Lord, enlarge the Church which thou hast been pleased to enlighten by the resplendent virtues and learning of blessed John thy Confessor and Bishop. Thro'. GRAD. Behold a great Prelate, who in his days pleased God. V. There was none found like him in keeping the law of the Most High. Allel, Allel. V. Blessed is the man who suffereth temptation, for When he hath been tried he shall receive a crown of life. Alleluia. XXVIII. St. AGNES, v. m. a second time. INTROIT. Vultum tuum, Mass XXI. p. xxxvi. COLLECT. Deus, qui. O God, who rejoicest us by the yearly solemnity of blessed Agnes, thy Virgin and Martyr; grant, we beseech thee, that we may imitate her life, to whose memory we pay this honour. Thro'. EPISTLE, Gradual and Tract, as in p. xxxvi. GOSPEL. Matt. xiii. p. xxxvii. OFFERT. Grace is spread on thy lips, therefore hath God blessed thee for ever. SECRET. May thy blessing, we beseech thee, O Lord, plentifully descend upon these our offerings, that through thy mercy they may both sanctify us, and cause us to rejoice in the solemnity of thy inartyrs. Thro'. COMM. The kingdom of heaven is like to a mer chant seeking good pearls, who having found one of great value, went and sold all his possessions and bought it. P. COMM. Sumpsimus. Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the votive mysteries we have received on this annual solemnity, may both succour us in this temporal life, and procure for us that which will have no end. Thro'. XXIX. St. FRANCIS de SALES. All as in Mass XI.* p. xxi, except COLLECT. Deus, qui. O God, who for the sal vation of souls wast pleased that blessed Francis, thy Confessor and Bishop, should become all to all: mercifully grant, that being plentifully enriched with the sweetness of thy charity, by following his directions, and by the help of his merits, we may obtain life everlasting. Thro'. XXX. St. MARTINA, v. & m. All in Mass XXXI. XXXI. St. PETER NOLASCUS, c. All as in Mass XV. p. xxviii, except COLLECT. Deus, qui. O God, who, in imitation of thy charity, didst inspire blessed Peter to institute a new order in the Church for the redemption of captives; grant, by his intercession, that being delivered from the slavery of sin, we may enjoy everlasting liberty in our heavenly country. Thro' February I. St. IGNATIUS, bp. m. INTROIT. Gal. vi. God forbid that I should glory save but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Ps. cxxxi. Remember David, O Lord, and all his meckness. V. Glory. COLL. SECR. and P. Comm. as in Mass II. p. ii. EPISTLE. Rom. viii. 35, 39. Brethren: Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation? or distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword? (As it is written: "For thy sake we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.") But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, 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. GRAD. Behold, as on January 27, p. 443. Alleluia, Alleluia, V. Gal. ii. With Christ I am nailed to the cross; I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me. Alleluia. After Septuag. instead of Alleluia and V. is said the TRACT, Desiderium. GOSPEL. John xii. as on St. Laurence, Aug. 10. OFFERT. Thou hast crowned. COMM. I am the wheat of Christ; I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread. II. PURIFICATION of the B. V. MARY. THIS feast is kept, not only in remembrance of our Saviour's Presentation in the Temple forty days after his birth, (in compliance with the law of Moses, Lev. xii.) but also in commemoration of HIS BLESSED MOTHER'S PURIFYING HERSELF, by offering that sacrifice in the temple, which was prescribed by the same law. Its institution must be of an early date, since we find mention made of it in the 5th century. By the distribution of the blessed candles, the faithful are exhorted to be as piously disposed as holy SIMEON was when he took Christ in his arms, and prophesied that he should become the LIGHT of the |
