SECRET. May this offering, O Lord, we be seech thee, cleanse away our sins: and sanctify the bodies and souls of thy servants, to prepare them for worthily celebrating this sacrifice. Thro'. COMM. Luke iv. 22.-All wondered at the words that came from the mouth of God. P. COMM. Quos tantis.-We beseech thee, O Lord, that we, to whom thou vouchsafest the use of these great mysteries, may be made truly worthy to receive the benefits thereof. Thro'. IV. SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. The Introit, Gradual Offertory, and Communion, as on last Sunday, are continued till Septuagesima. COLLECT. Deus qui. GOD, who knowest that thro' human frailty we are not able to subsist amidst so many dangers, grant us health of soul and body; that whatsoever we suffer for our sins, we may overcome by thy assistance. Thro'. After Candlemas the II. Collect (A cunctis) p. xx1. with its Secret, p. xxvii. and Postcom. P. xliv. is continued till Passion Sunday: the III. (except from Ash-Wednesday to Passion Sunday) is at the choice of the Priest. EPISTLE. Rom. xiii. 8. 10.-Brethren: Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbour, hath fulfilled the law. For "Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not covet:" and if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this word: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."* The love of our neighbour worketh no evil. Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law. GOSPEL. Matt. viii. 23. 27.-At that time When Jesus entered into a boat his disciples. followed him; and behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the ship was covered with waves, but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awakened him saying: Lord, save us, we perish. And Jesus saith to them: Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up, he commanded the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him. CREDO. SECRET. Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that the offering of this sacrifice may always cleanse our frailty from all evil, and be a protection to us. Thro'. P. COMM. Munera tua.-May thy gifts, which we have partaken of, O God, detach us from all earthly pleasures, and ever refresh and strengthen us with heavenly food. Thro'. V. SUNDAY after EPIPHANY. COLLECT. Familiam.-Preserve, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy family by thy constant mercy, that we, who confide solely in the support of thy heavenly grace, may be always defended by thy protection. Thro'. EPISTLE. Colos. iii. 12. 17.-Brethren: Put ye on therefore as the elect of God, holy, and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience: bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another. Even as the Lord hath forgiven you, 30 you also. But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection: and let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body: and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly, in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God and the Father, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. GOSPEL. Matt. xiii. 24. 30.-At that time: Jesus spoke this parable to the multitude, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seed in his field. But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat, and went his way. And when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle. Then the servants of the good man of the house came and said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it cockle? And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up? And he said: No, lest while you gather up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it. Let both grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it in bundles to burn, but gather the wheat into my barn. SECRET. We offer thee, O Lord, this sacrifice of propitiation: that thou wouldst mercifully forgive us our sins, and guide our tottering hearts. Thro'. P. COMM. Quæsumus.-We beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we may one day receive the effects of that salvation, of which we have received the pledge in these mysteries. Thro'. VI. SUNDAY after EPIPHANY. COLLECT. Præsta.-Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that being always intent upon what is reasonable and just, we may, both in word and deed, perform what is acceptable to thee. Thro'. EPISTLE. 1 Thess. i. 2. 10.-Brethren: We give thanks to God always for you all: making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing; being mindful of you in the work of your faith, and hope and charity, and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before God and our Father knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election: For our gospel hath not been to you in word only but in power also, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much fulness, as you know what-manner of men we have been among you for your sakes. And you became followers of us, and of the Lord: receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but also in every place your faith, which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead) JESUS, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come. GOSPEL. Matt. xiii. 31. 35.-At that time:Jesus spoke to the multitude this parable: The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and dwell in the branches thereof. Another parable he spoke to them: the kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened. All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes; and without parables he did not speak to them: that the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world." CREDO. SECRET. May this oblation, O God, we be seech thee, cleanse, renew, govern and protect us. P. COMM. Celestibus.-Being fed, O Lord, with heavenly dainties, we beseech thee, that we may always hunger after them, as they preserve our life. Thro'. If there be not VI. Sundays between the Epiphany and Septuagesima, what remains are omitted, and token in between the XXIII. and the last Sunday after Pentecost. SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY. THE groans of death, surrounded me: and the sorrows of hell encompassed me: and in my affliction I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice from his holy temple. Ps. I will love thee, O Lord, mystrength: the Lord is my firmament my refuge, and my deliverer. V. Glory. Circumdederunt me ge inferni mortis, dilores circumdederunt me: et in tribulatione mea invocavi Dominum, et exaudivit de templo sancto suo vocem meam. Ps. Diligam te Domine, fortitudo mea: Dominus firmamentum meum et refugium meum, et liberator meus. V. Gloria. COLLECT. Preces.-Mercifully hear, we beseech thee, O Lord, the prayers of thy people: that we who are justly afflicted for our sins, may be meroffully delivered for the glory of thy name. Thro'. EPISTLE. 1 Cor. ix. 24. and x. 1.—Brethren: Know you not that they that run in the race, all run indeed, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain. And every one that striveth |