That this word is not hard is proved | fold. severing in the truth of faith, wherein Before those that slandered by those three thousand, and those him as a man that was a sinner, five thousand men, who had one Zacchæus himself stood; that is, perhouse, one table, and one mind. For the multitude of them that believed, it is said, were of one heart and of one mind. But because we are very far from their virtue, and are scattered through different houses, at any rate when we come together hither, let us take all care to do as they did. For albeit in other things we are poor and needy, yet at least when we come in hither unto you, receive us with charity, and when I say, Peace be unto you, answer, And with thy spirit, not only with voice, but also with heart. Ry. And Jacob. p. 118. THIRD NOCTURN. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. Luke. Lesson VII. Chap. xix. As on the Festival. Lesson IX. BUT whosoever hath taken anything by fraud, must first restore this according to the law, and then, what remaineth he may give to the poor. And so he also, as he keepeth nought for himself, disperseth all abroad, giveth to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. And this is that wise folly which the publican gathered A Homily of Venerable Bede the from off the sycamore tree, as it were AN Priest. the fruit of life: that is, to restore A little after the former one. ND when they saw it they all murmured, saying, That He was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. It is manifest that the Jews always hated the salvation of the Gentiles. For it is written; The next Sabbath Day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of the LORD. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken From the First Epistle of S. Felix IV., by Paul. And at another time even the faithful themselves contended with the Prince of the Apostles, saying: Wherefore wentest thou in to men DAY OF THE OCTAVE. Everything as on the festival, except the Lessons of the Second Nocturn. SECOND NOCTURN. Pope. uncircumcised and didst eat with WE read that Moses by the LORD'S them? Ry. My House. p. 119. Lesson VIII. BUT Zaccheus stood and said unto the LORD: Behold, LORD, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation I restore him four command made and hallowed the Tabernacle, with its table and altar, with its vessels and utensils for carrying on Divine worship, not only with holy prayers, but also anointed them, by GoD's command, with an unction of holy oil. In what sort these things were done, and how these same hallowed things were IN the book of Kings we read how David, that most devout of kings, enlarged the worship of GOD, and would have built a temple to the LORD, but was forbidden because of the much blood which he had shed; and how he collected the funds for it; and how also Solomon his son accomplished his desire by the command and help of GOD, and consecrated the temple with the altar and the other things for the performance of Divine worship. Therefore did Solomon make at that time in the temple a crowded festival, and all Israel with him, a very great multitude, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, to wit, fourteen days, and upon the eighth day he sent the people away. Ry. How dreadful. p. 118. Lesson VI. Of Consecration. THAT the solemnities of dedications of churches and of priests, should be yearly kept in solemn sort, the LORD Himself giveth example, for He came to the feast of the Dedication of the Temple with the rest of the people who were to celebrate the same, giving a pattern to all to do the like, as it is written: It was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter, and JESUS walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. But that feasts of dedication should be kept for eight days ye may find by the acts of the dedication of the temple, recorded in the book of Kings. Ry. And Jacob. p. 118. ON THE FEASTS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. Throughout the year. Inv. GOD, P. 3. Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of intercede for us. Ps. Venite, HYMN. Quem terra, pontus, sidera. And all things in due course is done, From whom the Great Desire of earth FIRST NOCTURN. Ant. Blessed art thou * among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb. Ps. viii. Domine Dominus nosler, p. 7. Ant. As the best myrrh * thou yieldest a pleasant odour, holy Mother of GOD. Ps. xix. Cæli enarrant, p. 14. Ant. And the glory of the LORD * came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. Ps. xxiv. p. 92. y. In thy glory and thy beauty. R. Go forth, proceed prosperously, and reign. Our FATHER. Abs. Hear, LORD. y. Sir, pray. Ben. The FATHER Eternal. Of the Proverbs of Solomon. Lesson I. Chaps. viii. and ix. WISDOM dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me. Ry. Holy and immaculate virginity, with what praises I shall celebrate thee, I know not: * for Him Whom the heavens could not comprehend, thou containedst in thy womb. Y. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb. For. Lesson II. builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: she hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Ry. Blessed art thou, Virgin Mary, who barest the LORD, the Creator of the world: * thou gavest birth to Him Who made thee, and eternally remainest a Virgin. . Hail Mary, full of grace: the. LORD is with thee. Thou. Glory. Thou. SECOND NOCTURN. Ant. In thy glory and thy beauty, go forth, proceed prosperously, and reign. Ps. xlv. Eructavit, p. 27. Ant. GoD shall give her the help of His countenance: GOD is in the Ps. xlvi. Deus noster ICHES and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: that I may cause those that love me to inherit sub-midst of her, therefore she shall not stance; and I will fill their treasures. be removed. The LORD possessed me in the begin-refugium, p. 28. ning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth. RZ. Rejoice with me, all ye that love the LORD, for being little, I pleased the Most High: * and from my womb I gave birth to GoD and man. . All generations shall call Ant. All our fresh springs shall be in thee, O holy Mother of GOD. Ps. lxxxvii. Fundamenta ejus, p. 50. y. GOD shall give her the help of His countenance. R. GOD is in the midst of her, From the Letter of S. Cyril of me blessed, for God hath regarded the THAT the WORD is said to have been lowliness of His handmaiden. And. Lesson III. BLESSED is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. Wisdom hath made flesh, denotes nought else than that He shared in flesh and blood just as we do. Therefore He made our body His own, and came forth a Man from a woman, without laying aside His Godhead, or His generation from the FATHER, for even in taking flesh He remained what He was before. This it is which the teaching of accurate faith everywhere proclaims; this we find was the belief of the holy (F) Fathers, and therefore they did not | nament of stainless virginity; she is the hesitate to call the Blessed Virgin spiritual paradise of the Second Adam; Mother of GOD; not that the nature of the WORD or His Godhead derived the source of its origin from the holy Virgin, but because He drew His sacred body, made perfect with an understanding soul, from her: to which body the WORD of GOD was personally united, and is said to have been born after the flesh. Ry. I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress tree in Mount Sion: like the best myrrh * I yielded a pleasant odour. . And like cinnamon and aspalathus. I yielded. From the Treatise of S. Augustine, the Bishop, on the Creed to the Catechumens. Y a BY Lesson V. woman came death, by a woman life; by Eve destruction, by Mary salvation. The one, sinful, followed the deceiver; the other, unstained, brought forth the SAVIOUR. The one readily accepted the cup from the serpent to drink, and gave it to her husband, whereby they both merited death; the other, on whom heavenly grace was poured from on high, brought forth that Life, whereby the dead flesh might be quickened. Who is it that wrought this, save the Virgin's Son, the Bridegroom of the virgins? He Who gave His mother fruitfulness, but took not from her virginity. Ry. Who is she, that looketh forth as the sun, and comely as Jerusalem? * The daughters of Sion saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens, and they praised her. . As the days of the spring, the blossoms of roses, and the lilies of the valleys compassed her about. The daughters. A Sermon of S. Proclus, the Bishop, on the Nativity of the LORD. Lesson VI. HOLY Mary, the Mother of GOD, is the pure treasure, beauty, and or she is the bridal chamber wherein the WORD betrothed human flesh to Himself. She is that living bush of nature which the flame of divine childbearing consumed not; she is truly that light cloud which bore in her body Him who sitteth upon the Cherubim. She is that most pure fleece, moist with heavenly dew, wherewith the Shepherd clad the sheep. Ry. The LORD desired the daughter of Jerusalem adorned with her jewels: the daughters of Sion saw her, and called her blessed, saying, * Thy name is as ointment poured forth. y. At Thy right hand did stand the Queen in a vesture of gold, wrought about with divers colours. The daughters. Glory. Thy. THIRD NOCTURN. Ant. Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, * thou alone hast destroyed all heresies throughout the world. Ps. xcvi. Cantate Domino..cantate, p. 53. Ant. Suffer me * to praise thee, blessed Virgin : give me strength against thine enemies. Ps. xcvii. Dominus regnavit, p. 54. * thou Ant. After childbearing remainedst a Virgin inviolate: Mother of GOD, intercede for us. Ps. xcviii. Cantate Domino..quia, p. 55. In Advent, and on the Feast of the Ant. 3. The Angel of the LORD brought tidings unto Mary, and she conceived of the HOLY GHOST. Ps. xcviii. Cantate Domino..quia, p. 55. [Ant. 1. O daughter, blessed art thou of the Most High GoD* above all the women upon the earth. Ant. 2. Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions:* and let thy seed possess the gate of them which hate thee. Ant. 3. I will bless her, and give thee a Son also of her; * yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations.] 7. GOD chose her, and elected her. Lesson VIII. Ry. He made her to dwell in His BUT if the Flesh of the WORD tabernacle. Our FATHER. Abs. GOD loose us. 7. Sir, pray. Ben. The Evangelical. Lesson of the holy Gospel according to S. Luke. At that time: As JESUS spake unto the multitude, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee. And that which follows. Lesson VII. of GOD born after the flesh is held to be extraneous to, and to have no connection with, the flesh of His Virgin Mother, then it is in vain that the womb that bare Him and the paps blessed. But what says the Apostle? which He had sucked are pronounced GOD sent forth His SON, made of a woman, made under the law. Nor are they to be listened to, who think we should read, Born of a woman, made under the law, but made of a woman, because being conceived in the Virgin's womb He derived His Flesh, not from nothing. nor from any other source than the flesh of His Mother, for otherwise, if He had not His origin Let us from man, He could not with truth 66 Blessed is A Homily of Ven. Bede, Priest. Book IV. Chap. 49, on S. Luke xi. THIS woman is shewn to be of great devotion and faith; for when the Scribes and Pharisees were at once tempting and blaspheming the LORD, she recognises with such sincerity His Incarnation, and confesses it before them all with such boldness, as at once to put to confusion the calumnies of the chief men then present, and the unbelief of future heretics. For as at that time the Jews blasphemed the work of the HOLY SPIRIT and denied the LORD to be the truc Son of GOD, consubstantial with the FATHER, so afterwards the heretics denied that the ever-Virgin Mary did, Ry. All generations shall call me by virtue of the HOLY SPIRIT, yield the blessed: * for He that is mighty hath substance of her flesh to the only-magnified me, and holy is His Name. begotten Son of GOD, about to be born. And His mercy is on them that with human members, and so affirmed fear Him, throughout all generations. that we ought not to confess that He For. Glory. For. is the true Son of Man, consubstantial with His Mother. Lesson IX. YEA, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Well does the SAVIOUR of the world assent to the witness of the woman, not asserting her alone blessed, who merited to give bodily birth to the Word of GOD, but also all whose aim it is to conceive that same Word spiritually by the hearing of faith, and, by keeping to good works, to bring Him forth either in their own or their neighbour's hearts, and, as it were, to |
