PASSIONTIDE AND HOLY WEEK
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK.
The Chief Priests and the Ancients of the people, are met to-day, in one of the rooms adjoining the Temple, for the purpose of deliberating on the best means of putting Jesus to death. Several plans are discussed. Would it be prudent to lay hands upon him at this season of the Feast of the Pasch, when the City is filled with strangers, who have received a favourable impression of Jesus from the solemn ovation given to him three days back? Then, too, are there not a great number of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who took part in that triumph, and whose enthusiastic admiration of Jesus might excite them to rise up in his defence? These considerations persuade them not to have recourse to any violent measure, at least for the present, as a sedition among the people might be the consequence, and its promoters, even were they to escape being ill-treated by the people, would be brought before the tribunal of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. They, therefore, come to the resolution of letting the Feast pass quietly over, before apprehending Jesus.
But these blood-thirsty men are making all these calculations as though they were the masters. They are, if they will, shrewd assassins, who put off their murder to a more convenient day: but the Divine decrees, - which, from all eternity, have prepared a Sacrifice for the world's salvation, — have fixed "ttiAa very year's Pasch as the day of the Sacrifice, and, to-morrow evening, the holy City will re-echo with the trumpets, which proclaim the opening of the Feast. The figurative Lamb is now to make way for the true one; the Pasch of this year will substitute the reality for the type; and Jesus' Blood, shed by the hands of wicked priests, is soon to flow simultaneously with that of victims, which have only been hitherto acceptable to God, because they prefigured the Sacrifice of Calvary. The Jewish priesthood is about to be its own executioner, by immolating Him, whose Blood is to abrogate the Ancient Alliance, and perpetuate the New one.
But how are Jesus' enemies to get possession of their divine Victim, so as to avoid a disturbance in the City? There is only one plan that could succeed, and they have not thought of it: it is treachery. Just at the close of their deliberations, they are told that one of Jesus' Disciples seeks admission. They admit him, and he says to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you?^ They are delighted at this proposition: and yet, how is it, that they, doctors of the law, forget that this infamous bargain between themselves and Judas has all been foretold by David, in the 108th Psalm? They know the Scriptures from beginning to end; — how comes it, that they forget the words of the Prophet, who even mentions the sum of thirty pieces of silver.^ Judas asks them what they will give him; and they give him thirty pieces of silver! All is arranged: to-morrow, Jesus will be in Jerusalem, eating the Pasch with his Disciples. In the evening, he will go, as usual, to the Garden on Mount Olivet. But how shall they, who are sent to seize him, be able to dis- tinguish him from his Disciples? Judas will lead the way; he will show them which is Jesus, by going up to him and kissing him!
^ 8t Matth. xxvi. 15. • Icfem, xxvii. 9. Zach. xi. 12.
Such is the impious scheme devised on this day, within the precincts of the Temple of Jerusalem. To testify her detestation at it, and to make atonement to the Son of God for the outrage thus offered him, the Holy Church, from the earliest ages, consecrated the Wednesday of every week to penance. In our own times, the Fast of Lent begins on a Wednesday; and when the Church ordained that we should commence each of the four Seasons of the year with Fasting, Wednesday was chosen to be one of the three days thus consecrated to bodily mortification.
On this day, in the Roman Church, was held the sixth Scrutiny, for the admission of Catechumens to Baptism. Those, upon whom there had been previous doubts, were now added to the number of the chosen ones, if they were found worthy. There were two Lessons read in the Mass, as on the day of the great Scrutiny, the Wednesday of the fourth Week of Lent. As usual, the Catechumens left the Church, after the Gospel; but, as soon as the Holy Sacrifice was over, they were brought back by the Door- Keeper, and one of the Priests addressed them in these words: " On Saturday next, the Eve of Easter, " at avAih an hour, you will assemble in the Lateran "Basilica, for the seventh Scrutiny; you will then " recite the Symbol, which you must have learned; "and lastly, you will receive, by God's help, the " sacred laver of regeneration. Prepare yourselves, "zealously and humbly, by persevering fasts and " prayers, in order that, having been buried, by this " holy Baptism, together with Jesus Christ, you may " rise again with him, unto life everlasting. Amen."
At Rome, the Station for to-day is in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. Lot us compassionate with our Holy Mother, whose Heart is filled with poignant grief at the foresight of the Sacrifice, which is preparing.
MASS.
The Church commences her chants with one to the glory of the Holy Name of Jesus, outraged as it is, on this day, by them that plot his Death. This Name, which was given him by heaven, and signifies that he is our Saviour, is now being blasphemed by his enemies: in a few hours, their crime will bring its full meaning before us, for his Death will have worked the Salvation of the world.
INTROIT.
In nomine Jesu omne At the name of Jesus every
genu flectatur, coelestium, knee should bow, of those
terrestrium, et inferno- that are in heaven, on earth,
rum: quia Dominus factus and under the earth; because
est obediens usque ad mor- the Lord became obedient
tem, mortem autem crucis: unto death, even the death of
ideo Dominus Jesus Chris- the cross: therefore the Lord
tus in gloria est Dei Patris. Jesus Christ is in the glory of
God the Father.
Ps, Domine, exaudi ora- P5. O Lord, hear my prayer,
tionem meam: et clamor and let my cry come unto
mens ad te veniat. thee.
In nomine. At the name, dtc.
In the first Collect, the Church acknowledges to God, that her children have sinned against him: but she reminds him of the Passion, endured for their sakes, by his Only Begotten Son, and this revives her hope.
OttEMUS. LET us PRAY.
Flectamus genua. ^. Let us keeel down.
Levate. B. Stand up again.
Praesta, qusesumus, omni- Grant, we beseech thee, O
potens Deus: ut qui nostris Almighty God, that we, who
excessibus ineessanter affli- continually are punished for
ghnuT, per unigeuiti Filii our excesses, may be de-
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY tV^EK, 281
liyered by the Passion of thy tui Passionem liberemur.
Only Begotten Son. Who Qui tecum, liveth, <kc.
Lesson from Isaias the Lectio Isaise prophetae. Prophet.
Ch. LXII. and LXIII. Cap. LXIL et LXIIl.
Thus saith the Lord God: Haec dicit Dominus Deus: Tell the daughter of Sion: Dicite filiae Sion: Ecce Behold thy Saviour cometh. Salvator tuus venit, ecce Who is this that cometh from merces ejus cum eo. Quis Edom, with dyed garments est iste^ qui venit de f rom Bosra, this beautiful one Edom, tinctis vestibus de in his robe, walking in the Bosra] late formosus in greatness of his strength ] I, stola sua, gradiens in mul- that speak justice, and am a titudine fortitudinis suae, defender to save. Why then Ego, qui loquor justitiam: is thy apparel red, and thy et propugnator sum ad sal- ^rments like them that tread vandum. Quare ergo ru- in the wine- press] I have brum est indumentum tuum, trodden the wine-press alone, et vestimenta tua sicut and of the Gentiles there is calcantium in torcularil not a man with me; I have Torcular calcavi solus: et trampled on them in my in- de gentibus non est vir dignation, Mid have trodden mecum. Calcavi eos in them down in my wrath, and furore meo: et conculcavi their blood is sprinkled upon eos in ira mea. Et asper- my garments, and I have sus est sanguis eorum su- stained all my apparel. For per vestimenta mea, et the day of vengeance is in my omnia indumenta mea in- heart, the year of my redemp- (juinavi. Dies enim ultionis tion is come. I looked about, in corde meo: annus re- and there was none to help; demptionis mese venit. Cir- I sought, and there was none cumspexi, et non erat auxi- to give aid; and my own arm liator: et quaesivi, et non hath saved me, and my indig- fuit qui adjuvaret. Et nation itself hath helped me. salvavit mini brachium And I have trodden down the meum: et indignatio mea people in my wrath, and made ipsa auxiliata est mihi. Et them druuK in my indigna- conculcavi populos in furore tion, and have brought down meo: et mebriavi eos in their strength to the earth. I indignatione mea, et de- will remember the tender traxi in terram virtutem mercies of the Lord, the praise eorum. Miserationem Do- of the Lord, for all the things mini recordabor, laudem
282 ' HOLY WEEK.
Domini super omnibus, that the Lord hath bestowed
J use reddidit nobis Dominus on us. )eus noster.
How terrible is this our Defender, who tramples his enemies beneath his feet, as they that tread in the wine-press; so that their hlood is sprinkled upon his garments! But is not this the fittest time for us to proclaim his power, now that he is being treated with ignominy, and sold to his enemies by one of his Disciples? These humiliations will soon pass away; he will rise in glory, and his might will be shown by the chastisements, wherewith he will crush them that now persecute him. Jerusalem will stone them that shall preach in his name; she will be a cruel step-mother to those true Israelites, who, docile to the teaching of the Prophets, have recog- nised Jesus as the promised Messias. The Synagogue will seek to stifle the Church in her infancy; but no sooner shall the Church, shaking the dust from her feet, turn from Jerusalem to the Gentiles, than the vengeance of Christ will fall on the City, which bought, betrayed, and crucified him. Her citizens will have to pay dearly for these crimes. We learn from the Jewish historian, Josephus, (who was an eye-witness to the siege,) that the fire which was raging in one of the streets, was quenched by the torrents of their blood. Thus were fulfilled the threats pronounced by oar Lord against this faith- less City, as he sat on Mount Olivet, the day after his triumphant Entry.
And yet, the destruction of Jerusalem was but a faint image of the terrible destruction which is to befal the world at the last day. Jesus, who is now despised and insulted by sinners, will then appear on the clouds of heaven, and reparation will be made for all these outrages. Now he suffers himself to be betrayed, scoffed at, and spit upon; but, when the
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK.
283
day of vengeance is come, happy they that have served him, and have compassionated with him in his humiliations and sufferings! Wo to them, that have treated him with contempt I Wo to them, who not content with their own refusing to bear his yoke, have led others to rebel against him! For he is King; he came into this world that he might reign over it; and they that despise his Mercy, shall not escape his Justice.
The Gradual, which immediately follows upon this sublime passage from Isaias, is a prayer addressed by Jesus to his Eternal Father: the words are taken from one of the Psalms.
GRADUAL.
Turn not away thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
^. Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even unto my soul; I stick fast in the mire of the deep, and there is no sure standing.
Ne avertas faciem tuam a puero tuo, quoniam tribu- lor: velociter exaudi me.
^. Salvum me fac, Deus, quoniam intraverunt aquae usque ad animam meam: infixus sum in limo pro- fundi, et non est substantia.
In the second Collect, the Church again reminds our Heavenly Father of the Death, which his Divine Son deigned to suffer, in order to set us free from the yoke of Satan; she prays that we may have a share in the glorious Resurrection of this our Redeemer.
COLLECT.
O God, who wouldst have Deus, qui pro nobis Fi-
thy Son suflfer on the Cross, Hum tuum Crucis patibu-
to deliver us from the power lum subire voluisti, ut
of the enemy; grant that we inimici a nobis expelleres
thy servants, may obtain the potestatem: concede nobis
f:ace of his resurrection, famulis tuis, ut resurrec-
hrough the same, dhc, tionis gratiam consequamur.
Per eumdem.
For the other Collects, see page 246.
284 HOLY WEEK.
EPISTLE.
Lectio Isaiae ProphetaB. Lesson from Isaias the
Prophet
Cap, LTII. Ch. LIU.
In diebus illis: Dixit In those days: Isaias said: Isaias: Domine, quis credit Who hath believed onr report % auditui nostro; et brachium and to whom is the arm of the Domini cui revelatum est ] Lord revealed % And he shall Et ascendet sicut virgultum grow up as a tender plant be- coram eo: et sicut radix de lore him, and as a root out of terra sitienti Non est spe- a thirsty ground. There is no cies ei, neque decor. Et beauty in him, nor comeli- vidimus eum: et non erat ness. And we have seen him, aspectus, et desideravimus and there was no sightliness eum: despectum, et novis- that we should be desirous of simum virorum, virum do- him; despised, and the most lorum, et scientem infirmi- abject of men, a man of sor- tatem. Et quasi abscon- rows, and acquainted with in- ditusvultus ejus, et despec- firmity. And his look was as tus: unde nee reputavimus it were hidden and despised; eum. Vere languores nos- whereupon we esteemed him tros ipse tulit: et dolores not. Surely he hath borne nostros ipse portavit. Et our infirmities, and carried nos putavimus eum quasi our sorrows. And we have leprosum, et percussum a thought him as it were a le- Deo, et humiliatum. Ipse per, and as one struck by God autem vulneratus est prop- and afflicted. But he was ter iniquitates nostras: at- wounded for our iniquities, he tritus est propter scelera was bruised for our sins; the nostra: disciplina pacis chastisement of our peace was nostras super eum: et upon him, and by his bruises livore ejus sanati sumus. we are healed. All we like Omnes nos quasi oveserravi- sheep have gone astray, every mus: unusquisque in viam one hath turned aside into suam declinavit: et posuit his own way; and the Lord Dominus in eo iniquitatem hath laid upon him the iniqui- . omnium nostrum. Oblatus ty of us all He was offered est, quia ipse voluit: et non because it was his own will, aperuit os suum. Sicut ovis and he opened not his mouth, ad occisionem ducetur; et He shall be led as a sheep to quasi agnus coram tondente the slaughter, and shall be se, obmutescet: et non dumb as a lamb before his aperiet os suum. De angus- shearer; and he shall not open
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK. 28«jf
•
his mouth. He was taken tia, et de judicio sublatoa away from distress, and from est Generationem ejus quia judgment Who shall declare enarrabit ] Quia abscissus liis generation 1 because he is est de terra viyentium. cut off out of the land of the Propter scelus populi met living. For the wickedness percussi eum. Et oabit im- of my people have I struck pios pro sepultura, et divi- hiuL And he shall ^ve the tem pro morte sua: eo quod ungodly for his burial, and iniquitatem non fecerit, ne- the rich for his death; because c^ue dolus inventus fuerit he hath done no iniquity, nei- in ore ejus. £t Dominus ther was there deceit in his voluit conterere eum in mouth. And the Lord was infirmitate. Siposueritpro pleased to bruise him in infir- peccato animam suam, vide- mity. If he shall lay down bit semen lon^aevum: et vo- his life for sin. he shall see luntas Dommi in mana a longlived seed, and the will ejus dirigetur. Pro eo of the Lord shall be pros- quod laboravit anima ejus, perous in his hand. Because videbit, et saturabitur. Li his soul hath laboured, he shall scientia sua justificabit ipse see and be filled; by his know- Justus servus mens muitos: ledge shall this my just servant et iniquitates eorum ipse jusSfy many, and he shall bear portabit Ideo dispertiam their iniquities. Therefore ei plurimos, et fortium divi- will I distribute to him very det spolia: pro eo quod many, and he shall divide the tradioit in mortem animam spoils of the strong, because suam, et cum sceleratis re- he hath delivered his soul unto putatus est. Et ipse pecca- deathj and was reputed with ta multorum tulit: et pro the wicked; and he hath borne transgressoribus rogavit j the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.
Again it is Isaias that instructs us, not indeed upon the triumph which our Emmanuel is to win over his enemies, but upon the sufiFerings of ths Man of Sorrows, So explicit is his description of our Lord's Passion, that the holy Fathers have called him the fifth Evangelist. What could be more sublimely plaintive than the language here used by the son of Amos? And we, after hearing both the Old and New Testament upon the sufferings which Jesus went through for our sins, — how shall we suflBciently love this dear Redeemer, who bore our infirmiti^
28G HOLY WEEK.
and carried our Sorrows, so as to look as a leper, and as one struck by Ood, and gffiicted?
We are healed by his bruises! O heavenly Phy- sician, that takes upon himself the sufiFerings of them he comes to cure! But not only was he bruised for our sins; he was also slaughtered as a lamb: and this not merely as a Victim submitting to the inflexible justice of his Father who hath laid upon him tlce iniquity of us all, but, (as the Prophet here assures us,) because it was his own will. His love for us, as well as his submission to his Father, led him to the great Sacrifice. Observe, too, how he refuses to de- fend himself before Pilate, who could so easily deliver him from his enemies: He shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearers, and he shall not open his Tnouth. Let us love and adore this divine Silence, which works our Salvation. Let us not pass over an iota of the devotedness which Jesus shows us, — a devotedness which never could have existed, save in the Heart of a God. Oh! how much he has loved us, — his children, the purchase of his Blood, his Seed, as the Prophet here calls us. O Holy Church! thou long-lived Seed of Jesus, that laid down his life! — thou art dear to him, for he bought thee at a great price. Faithful Souls! give him love for love. Sinners! be converted to this your Saviour; his Blood will restore you to life, for if we have all gone astray like sheep, remember what is added: The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. There is no sinner, however great may be his crimes; there is no heretic, or infidel, who has not his share in this precious Blood, whose infinite merit is such, that it could redeem a million worlds, more guilty even than our own.
The Tract, which follows this Lesson, is taken from the 101st Psalm, in which the Royal Prophet expresses the sufferings of body and mind endured by Jesus^ in his human Nature.
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK. 287
TRACT.
Hear, O Lord, my prayer, Doinine,exaudiorationem
and let my cry come unto meam, et clamor mens ad
thee. te veuiat.
^. Tnm not away thy face ^, Ne avertas faciem
from me, in the day when I tuam a me, in quacumque
am in trouble, incline thine die tribulor, inclina ad me
ear to me. aurem tuam.
y. In what day soever I ^, In quacumque die in-
shall call upon thee, hear me vocavero, velociter exaudi
speedy. m^
If. For my days are van- y. Quia defecerunt sicut ished like smoke: and my fumus dies mei: et ossa bones are as if they were fried mea sicut in f rixorio con- in a frying-pan. f rixa sunt.
^. I am smitten as grass, ^. Percussus sum sicut
and my heart is withered, be- f oenum. et aruit cor meum,
cause I forgot to eat my bread, quia o olitus sum mandu-
care panem meum.
Jt, Thou, Lord, arising, ^. Tu exsurgens, Domine,
t have mercy on Sion, for misereberis Sion, quia ve-
the time to have mercy on her nit tempus miserendi ejus, is come.
The Church then gives us the history of the Pas- sion according to St. Luke. This Evangelist men- tions several details not given by Saints Matthew and Mark, which will assist us to a fuller under- standing of the divine mystery of the Sufferings and Sacrifice of the Man-God.
THE PASSION AND GOSPEL.
The Passion of our Lord Passio Domini nostri Jesu Jesus Christ according to Christi secundum Lucam. Luke.
Ch. XXII, and XXIIL Cap, XX IL et XXIII.
At that time: The feast of In illo tempore: Appro- Unleavened Bread, which is pinquabat dies festus Azy- called the Pasch, was at hand, morum, qui dicitur Pas- And the chief priests and the cha: et quaerebant princi- Bcribes sought now they might pes sacerdotum et scribse.
quomodo Jesum interfice- put Jesus to death; but they rent: timebant vero pie- feared the people. And Satan bem. Intravit autem Sata- entered into Judas, who was nas in Judam, ^ui cognomi- sumamed Iscariot, one of the nabatur Iscanotes, unum twelve; and he went, and dis- de duodecim; et abiit et coursed with the chief priests locutus est cum principi- and the magistrates, how he bus sacerdotum et magis- might betray him to them, tratibus, quemadmodum And they were glad, and cove- ilium traderet eis. Et gavisi nanted to give him money, sunt: et pacti sunt pecu- And he promised; and he niam ill! dare. Et spopondit. sought opportunity to betray Et quserebat opportunita- him in the absence of the mul- tem ut traderet ilium sine titude. turbis.
Venit autem dies Azymo- And the day of the un- rum, in qua necesse erat leavened bread came, on which occidi Pascna. Et misit Fe- it was necessary that the trum et Joannem, dicens: Pasch should be killed. And Euntes parate nobis Pas- he sent Peter and John, say- cha, ut manducemus. At ing: Go and prepare us the illi dixerunt: Ubi vis pare- Pasch, that we may eat. But mus] Et dixit adeos: Ecce they said: Where wilt thou introeuntibus vobis in civi- that we prepare ] And he tatem, occurret vobis homo said to them: Behold, as you quidam amphoram aquae go into the city, there shall
Sortans; sequimini eum in meet you a man carrying a omum, in quam intrat, et pitcher of water; follow him dicetis patrifamilias domus: into the house where he en- Dicit tibi Magister: Ubi est tereth in, and you shajl say to diversorium, ubi Pascha the good man of the house: cum discipulis meis man- The Master saith to thee: ducem] Et ipse ostendet Where is the guest-chamber, vobis coenaculum magnum where I may eat the Pasch stratum, et ibi parate. with my disciples] and he will
shew you a large dining-room furnished; and there prepare. Euntes autem invene- And they going, found as runt sicut dixit illis: et pa- he had said to them, and they raverunt Pascha. Et cum made ready the Pasch; and facta esset hora, discubuit, when the hour was come, he et duodecim Apostoli cum sat down, and the twelve apos- eo: et ait illis: Desiderio ties with him. And he said desideravi hoc Pascha man- to them: With desire I have ducare vobiscum, ante- desired to eat this Pasch with quam patiar. Dico enim you before I suffer. For I say vobis: quia ex hoc non to you, that from this time i
will not eat it, till it be ful- manducabo illud, donee tilled in the kingdom of God. impleatur in regno Dei Et And having taken the chalice accepto calice, gratias egit, he cave thanks, and said: Take et aizit: Accipite, et di* ana divide it among you. For vidite inter voa Dico enim I say to yoxL that I will not vobis: c{xiod non bibam de drink of the fruit of the vine, generatione vitis, donee reg- till the kingdom of God come, num Dei veniat. £t accep- And taking bread, he gave to pane, gratias egit, et thanks, and brake, and gave fregit, et dedit eis, (ucens: to them, saving: This is my Hoc est corpus meum, quod Body, widen is given to you: pro vobis datur. Hoc f acite do this for a commemoration m meam commemoratio- of me. In like manner the nem. Similiter et calicem, chalice also, after he had postquam coenavit, dicens: supped^ saying: This is the Hie est calix novum testa- chance, the new testament mentum in sanguine meo, of my Blood, which shall be qui pro vobis fundetur. shed for you. But yet be- Yerumtamen ecce manus hold, the hand of him that be- tradentis me, mecum est trayeth me is with me on the in mensa. Et quidem Fi- table. And the Son of Man lius hominis, secundum indeed goeth according to that quod definitum est, vadit: which is determined; but yet verumtamen vse homini illi^ wo to that man by whom he per quern tradetur. Et ipsi shall be betrayed. And they coeperunt quaerere inter se, began to enquire among them- quis esset ex eis, qui hoc scdves which of them it was facturus esset that should do this thing.
And there was also a strife Facta est autem et con- amongst them, which of them tentio inter eos, c^mib eorum should seem to be greater, videretur esse major. Dixit And he said to them: The autem eis: Keges gentium kings of the Gentiles lord it dominantur eorum: et qui over them; and they that have potestatem habent super power over them, are called eos, benefici vocantur. Vos beneficent. But you not so; autem non sic: sed qui but he that is the greater major est in vobis iiat sicut among you, let him be as the minor; et qui praecessor est, vounger; and he that is the sicut ministrator. Nam quis leader, as he that serveth. major est, qui recumbit, an For wnich is greater, he that qui ministrat 1 Nonne qui sitteth at table, or he that recumbit? Ego autem in servelh? Is not he that sit- medio vestrum sum, sicut tethat table 1 But I am in the qui ministrat: vos autem midst of you, as he that serv- estis, qui pennansistis me- eth; and you are they who cum in tentationibus mds.
Et ego dispono vobis, sicut have continued with me in my disposuit mihi Pater mens temptation s. And I dispose regnum: ut edatis et biba- to you, as my Father hath dis- tis super mensam meam in posed to me, a kingdom: regno meo, et sedeatis super that you ma^ eat and drink thronos, judicantes duode- at my table in my kingdom; cim tribus Israel. Aitautem and may sit upon thrones Dominus: Simon, Simon, judging the twelve tribes of ecce Satanas expetivit vos, Israel. And the Lord said: ut cribraret sicut triticum. Simon, Simon, behold Satan Ego autem rogavi pro te, ut hath desired to have you, that non deficiat fides tua: et tu he may sift you as wheat, aliquando conversus, confir- But I have prayed for thee ina fratres tuos. Qui dixit that thy faitn fail not: and ei: Domine, tecum paratus thou, being once converted, sum, et in carcerem et in confirm thy brethren. Who mortem ire. At ille dixit: said to him: Lord, I am ready Dico tibi Petre, non canta- to go with thee, both into bit hodie gallus, donee ter prison, and to death. And he abneges nosse me. Et dixit said: I say to thee, Peter, the eis: Quando misi vos sine cock shall not crow this day, sacculo et pera et calcea- till thou thrice deniest that mentis, numquid aliquid thou knowest me. And he defuit vobis 1 At illi dixe- said to them: When I sent runt: Nihil. Dixit ergo eis: you without purse, and scrip, Sed nunc, qui habet, saccu- and shoes, did you want any lum toUat similiter et pe- thiug 1 But they said: No- ram. Et qui non habet, ven- thing. Then said he to them: dat tu nicam suam et emat But now he that hath a purse, gladium. Dico enim vobis, let him take it, and likewise a quoniam adhuc hoc, quod scrip: and he that hath no scriptum est, oportet im- sword, let him sell his coat, pleri in me: Et cum iniquis and buy one. For I say to deputatus est. Etenim ea you, that this that is written quae sunt de me, finem ha- must yet be fulfilled in me, bent. At illi dixerunt: Do- " And he was reckoned among mine, ecce duo gladii hie. " the wicked:" for the things At ille dixit eis: Satis est. concerning me have an end.
But they said: Lord, here are
two swords. And he said to
them: It is enough.
Et egressus ibat secun- And going out, he went ac-
dumconsuetudineminmon- cording to his custom to the
tem Olivarum: secuti sunt mount of Olives. And his
autem ilium et discipuli. Et disciples also followed him.
cum pervenisset ad locum. And when he was come to the
dixit iUis: Orate, ne intretis place, he said to them: Pray,
lest yon enter into temptation, in tentatiouem. Et ipse And he was withdrawn away avulsus est ab eis, quantum from them a stone's cast; and jactus est lapidis, et positis kneeling down he prayed, say- genibus orabat, dicens: ing: Father, if thou wilt, re- Pater, si vis, transfer cali- move this chalice from me; cem istum a me: verumta- but yet not my will, but thine men non mea voluntas, sed be done. And there appeared tua fiat. Apparuit autem to him an Angel from heaven, illi Angelus ae coelo, con- strengthening him. And being fortans eum. Et f actus in in an agony, he prayed the agonia, prolixius orabat. Et longer. And his sweat became f actus est sudor ejus sicut as drops of blood trickling guttse sangiiinis decurrentis down upon the ground. And in terram. Et cum surrexis- when he rose up from prayer, set ab oratione, et venisset and was come to his disciples, ad discipulos suos, invenit he foimd them sleeping for sor- eos dormientes prae tristitia^ row. And he said to them: et ait iUis: Quid dormitis 1 Why sleep you 1 Arise, pray, Surgite, orate, ne intretis in lest you enter into temptation, tentationem.
As he was yet speakmg, be- Adhuc eo lojiuente, ecce hold a multitude; and he that turba: et qui vocabatur was called Judas, one of the Judas, unus de duodecim, twelve, went before them, and antecedebat eos: et appro- drew near to Jesus to kiss him. pinquavit Jesu, ut osculare- And Jesus said to him: Judas, tur eum. Jesus autem dixit dost thou betray the Son of illi: Juda, osculo Filium Man with a kiss 1 And they hominis tradis 1 Videntes that were about him, seeing autem hi, qui circa ipsum what would follow, said to erant, quod futurum eratj him: Lord, shall we strike dixerunt ei: Domine, si with the sword 1 And one of percutimus in gladio 1 Et them struck the servant of the percussit unus ex illis ser- High Priest, and cut off his vum principis sacerdotum: right ear. But Jesus answer- et amputavit auriculam ejus ing, said: Suffer ye thus far. dexteram. Respondens au- And when he had touched his tem Jesus, ait: Sinite usque ear, he healed him. And Jesus hue. Et cum tetigisset au- said to the chief priests and riculam ejus, sanavit eum. magistrates of the temple, and Dixit autem Jesus ad eos the ancients that were come to qui venerant ad se, principes him: Are you come out, as sacerdotum et magistratus it were against a thiei. with Templi, et seniores: Quasi swords and clubs 1 When I ad latronem existis cum gla- was daily with you in the diis et fustibus. Cum quoti- temple, you did not stretch die vobiscum fuerim in Tera- fortn your hands against me. plo, non extendistis manus
292 HOLY WEEK.
in ma Sed lisec est hora ves- But this is your hour, and the
tra, etpotestas tenebrarum. power of darkness.
Comprehendentes autem And apprehending him,
eum, duxerunt ad domum they led nim to the High
principis sacerdotum. Pe- Priest's house: but Peter
trus vero sequebatur a longe. followed afar off. And when
Accensoautemigne in medio they had kindled a fire in the
atrii, et circumsedentibus midst of the hall, and were
'iUis, erat Petrus in medio sitting about it, Fet&c was in
eoruHL Quern cum vidisset the midst of them. Whcwn
ancilla quaedam sedentem when a certain servant maid
ad lumen, et eum fuisset had seen sitting at the light,
intuita, dixit: Et hie cum and had earnestly beheld him,
illo erat. At ille negavit she said: This man also was
eum, dicens: Mulier, non with him. But he denied,
novi ilium. Et i)ost pusU- saying: Woman, 1 know him
lum alius videnseum, dixit: not. And after a Httle while,
Et tu de illis es. Petrus vero another seeing ihim. said:
ait; O homo, non sum. Et Thou also art one oi them,
intervallo facto quasi horse But Peter said: man, I am
unius, alius quidam affir- not. And after the space as
mabat, diesis: Vere et hie it were of one hour, another
cum illo erat: nam et certain man afi&rmed, saying:
Galilaeus est. Et ait Petrus: Of a truth this man was also
Homo, nescio quid dicis. Et with him: for he is also a
continue, adhuc illo loquen- Galilean. And Peter said:
te, cantavit gallus. Et con- Man, I know not what thou
versus Dominus- respexit sayest. And immediately as
Petrum. Et recordatus est he was yet speaking, the
Petrus verbi Domini, sicut cock crew. And the Lord
dixerat: Quia priusquam turning looked on Peter. And
f alius cantet, ter me negabis. Peter remembered the word
it egressus foras Petrus, of the Lord, as he had said:
flevit amare. Before the cock crow, thou
shalt deny me thrice. And Peter going out wept bitterly.
Et viri qui tenebant And the men that held him,
eum, illudebant ei, caBden- mocked him. and struck him.
tes. Et velaverunt eum: et And they blindfolded him,
percutiebant faciem ejus, et and smote him on the face,
interrogabant eum, dicen- And they asked him, saying:
tes: Prophetiza, quis est Prophesy, who is it that struck
qui te percussiti Et alia theel And blaspheming,
multa biasphemantes dice- many other things they said
bant in eum. Et ut factus against him. And as soon as
est dies, convenerunt se- it was day, the ancients of the
niores plebis, et principes people, and the chief priests,
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK. 293
auid scribes came togetHeF, 8acerdotumet8crib8e,etdax«
and they brought him into enint ilium in concilium
their council, saying: If thou suum, dicentes: Si tu es
be the Christ, tell us. And Christus, die nobis. Et ait
he said to them: If I shall illis: Si vobis dixero, noa
tell yoo, you will not believe credetis mihi: si autem et
me; and if I shall also ask interrogavero, non respond*
yon, you will not answer me, ebiti3mihi,n^uedimittetis.
nor let me go. But hereafter Ex hoc autem erit Filius
the Son of man shall be hominis sedens a dextria
sitting on the right hand of virtutis Dei Dixerunt au-
the power of Gbd. Then said tern omnes: Tu ergo es Fi-
they all: Art thou the Son of lius Dei ) Qui ait: Yos di-
God) And he said: You say citis, quia ego sum. At illi
that I am. And they said: dixerunt: Quid adhuc desi-
What need we any further deramus testimonium? Ipsi
testimony? For ourselves enim audivimus de ore ejus. have heard it from his own moutL
And the whole multitude of Et surgens omnis multitu- them rose up, and led him do eorum, duxerunt ilium away to Pilate. And they ad Pilatum. Coeperunt au- began to accuse him, saying: tem ilium accusare,dicentes: We have found this man per- Hunc invenimus subverten- verting our nation, and for- temgentemnostram,et pro- bidding to give tribute to hibentem tributa dare C»- CsBsar, and saying that he is sari, et dicentem se Chris- Christ the Kin^. And Pilate tum regem essa Pilatuji asked him, saying: Art thou autem interrogavit eum, di- the King of the Jews? But he cans: Tu es Rex Judseo- answering, said: Thou sayest rum) At ille respondens, it. But Pilate said to the ait: Tu dicis. Ait autem chief priests and to the Pilatus ad principes j^er- multitude: I find no cause dotum et turbas: Nihil in- in this man. But they venio causae in hoc homine. were more earnest, Siiying: At illi invalescebant, di- He stirreth up the peome, centes: Commovet popu- teaching throughout all Ju- lum, docens per universam dea^ beginning from Galilee Judseam, incipiens a Gali- to tnis place. But Pilate hear- Idea usque hue. Pilatus au- ing Galilee, asked if the man tem audiens G^lilaeam, in- were of Galilee 1 And when he terrogavit, si homo Gali- understood that he was of laeus esset. Et ut cognovit, Herod's jurisdiction, he sent quod de Herodis potestate him away to Herod, who him- esset, remisit eum ad He- self was also at Jerusalem rodem, qui et ipse Jeroso- in those days. And Herod lymis erat illis diebus. He-
294 HOLY WEEK.
rodes autem viso Jesu, ga- seeing Jesus was very glad,
visus est valde. Erat enim for lie was desirous of a long
cupiens ex multo tempore time to see him. because he
viaere eum, eo quod au- had heard many tilings of him:
dierat multa de eo: et spe- and he hoped to see some
rabat signum aUquod vi- sign wrougnt by Him. And
dere ab eo fieri Interroga- he questioned him with many
bat autem eum multis ser- words. But^he answered him
monibus. At ipse nihil iUi nothing. And the chief priests
respondebat. Stabant au- and the scribes stood by,
tem principes sacerdotum earnestly accusing him. And
et scnbae constanter accu- Herod with his army set him
santes eum: sprevit 'autem at naught, and mocKed him,
ilium Herodes cum exerci- putting on him a white gar-
tu suo: et illusit indutum ment, and sent him back to
veste alba, et remisit ad Pilate. And Herod and Pilate
Pilatum. Et f acti sunt amici were made friends that same
Herodes et Pilatus in ipsa day; for before they were
die: nam antea inimici enemies to one another. Then
erant ad invicem, Pilatus Pilate calling together the
autem convocatis principi- chief priests, and the magis-
bus sacerdotum, et magis- trates, and the pe^le, said to
tratibus, et plel^, dixit ad them: You have brought this
illos: Obtulistis mihi hunc man to me as one that per-
hominem, quasi avertentem verteth the people: and,
populum: et ecce ego co- behold I, having examined
ram vobis interrogans nul- him before you, find no cause
lam causam inveni in ho- in this man touching those
mine isto ex his, in quibus things wherein- you accuse
eum accusatis. Sed neque him. No, nor Herod neither.
Herodes: nam remisi vos ad For I sent you to him, and
ilium: et ecce, nihil dignum behold, nothing worthy of
morte actum est ei. Emen- death is done to him. I will
datum ergo ilium dimittam. chastise him therefore and
release him.
Necesse autem habebat Now of necessity he was to
dimittere els, per diem fes- release unto them one upon
tum, unum. Exclamavit the feast day. But the wnole
autem simul universa tur- multitude together cried out
ba, dicens: ToUe hunc, et at once, saying; Away with
dimitte nobis Barabbam. this man, and release unto us
Qui erat, propter seditio- Barabbas. Who, for a certain
nem quamaam f actam in sedition made in the city, and
civitate et homicidium, for a murder, was cast into
missus in carcerem. Ite- prison. And Pilate again
rum autem Pilatus locutus spoke to them, desiring to re-
est ad eos, volens dimittere lease Jesus. But they cried
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK. 295
out again, saving: Crucify Jesum. At illi succlama-
him, crucify nira. And he bant, dlcentes: Crucifige,
said to them the third time: cracifige eum. Ille autem
Why, what evil hath this man tertio dixit ad illos: Quid
done ] I find no cause of enim mali fecit iste 1 Nul-
death in him. I will chastise lam causam mortis invenio
him therefore, and let him go. in eo. Corripiam ergo il-
But they were instant with lum, et dimittam. At illi
loud voices requiring that he instabant vocibus magnis
might be crucified; and their postulantes, ut crucifigere-
voices prevailed. And Pilate tur: et invalescebant voces
gave sentence that it should eorum. Et PUatus adjudi-
be as they required. And he cavit fieri petitionem eorum.
released unto them him who Dimisit autem Ulis eum,
for murder and sedition had qui propter homicidium et
been cast into prison, whom seditionem missus fuerat in
they had desired: but Jesus carcerem, quern petebant:
he delivered up to their wilL Jesum vero tradiait volun-
tati eorum.
And as they led him away, Et cum ducerent enm,
they laid hold on one Simon apprehenderunt Simonem
of Cyrene, coming from the quemdam Cyrenensem ve-
country: and they laid the nientem de villa, et impo-
cross on him to carry after suerunt illi crucem port re
Jesus. And there followed post Jesum. Sequebatur
him a great multitude of peo- autem ilium multa turba
plCj and of women, who be- populi, et mulierum, quaa
wailed and lapaented him. plangebant et lamentaban-
But Jesus turning to them, tur eum. Con versus autem
said: Daughters of Jerusa- ad illas Jesus, dixit: FiH»
lem, weep not over me, but Jerusalem, nolite flere su-
weep for yourselves, and for per me: sed super vos
your children. For behold the ipsas flete, et super filios
days shall come, wherein they vestros. Quoniam ecce ve-
wiU say, Blessed are the bar- nient dies, in quibus di-
ren, and the wombs that have cent: Beatae steriles, et ven-
not borne, and the paps that tres qui non genuerunt,
have not given suck. Then et ubera quae non lactave-
shall they begin to say to the runt. Tunc incipient dicere
mountains: Fall upon us; and montibus: Cadite super
to the hills: Cover us. For nos: et collibus: Operite
if in the green wood they do nos. Quia si in viridi ligno
these things, what shall be hsec faciunt; in arido quid
done in the dry 1 And there fiet 1 Ducebantur autem et
were also two other malefac- alii duo nequam cum eo, ut
tors led with him, to be put interficerentur. to death.
296 HOLY WEEK.
Et postquam -VBnenmt in And when they were come
locum, qui vocatur Calva- to the place which is called
lise, ibi cracifixerunt eum: Calvary, they crucified Um
et latrones unum a dextris, tiiere; and me roDbers, one
et alterum a sinistii& Je- on the right hand, and the
BUS autem dicebat: Pater, other on the left. And Jesus
dimitte illis: non enim said: Father forgive them,
sciunt quid faciunt. Di- for they know not what thejr
Yidentes vero vestimenta do. But they dividing his
ejus, miserunt sortes. Et garments, east lots. And the
stabat populus spectans, et people stood beholdiug, and
deridebant eum principes the rulers with them derided
cum eis^ dicentes: Alios sal- him, saying: He saved others;
vos fecit: se salvum faciat, let him save himself, if he be
si hie est Christus, Dei e\ec- Christ, the elect of God. And
tus. Bludebant autem ei et the soldiers also mocked him,
milites, accedentes, et ace- coming to him, and offering
tum offerentes ei et dicen- him vinegar, and saving: If
tes: Si tu es Eez Judseo- thou be the King of the Jews,
rum, salvum te fac Erat save thyself. And there was
autem et superscriptio scrip- iJso a superscription written
ta suj)er eum litteris graeas, over him in letters of Greek,
et latinis, et hebraicis: Hie and Latin, and Hebrew: This
est Hex Juda&orum. is the King of the Jews.
Unus autem de his, qui And one of the robbers who
pendebant, latronibus, bias- were hanged, blasphemed him,
phemabat eum, dicens: Si saying: If thou be Christ, save
tu es Christus, salvum fac thyseS and us. But the other
temetipsum, et nos. Be- answering, rebuked him, say-
spondens autem alter, incre- ing: Neitner dost thou fear
pabat eum, dicens: Neque God, seeing thou art under the
tu times Deum, quod in same condemnation. And we
eadem damnatione es. Et indeed justly, for we receive
nos quidem juste, nam dig- the due reward of our deeds;
na factis recipimus: hie ve- but this man hath done no
ro nihil mali gessit Et di- eviL And he said to Jesus:
cebat ad Jesum: Domine, Lord, remember me when thou
memento mei, cum veneris shalt come into thy kingdom,
in reguum tuum. Et dixit And Jesus said to him: Amen
Uli Jesus: Amen dico tibi: I say to thee, this day thou
Hodie mecum eiis in Para- shalt be with me in paradise, diso.
Erat autem fere hora sex- And it was almost the sixth
ta: et tenebrse factse sunt hour; and there was darkness
in universam terram, usque^ over all the earth until the
in horam nonam. Et obscur ninth hour. And the sun was
ratus est sol: et velum Tern- darkened; and the veil of the
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK. 297
Temple was rent in the midst pli scissnm est medium. Et
And Jesus ciyinff with a loud damans voce magna Jesim
Yoice, said: Fatner, into thy ait: Pater, in manus tuas
hands I commend my spirit, commendo spihtum meum.
And saying this, he gave up Et haec dicens, exspiravit. the ghoNst.
Here, a pause is made, as on Palm Sunday. All kneel down, and if such be the custom of the place, they prostrate and kiss the ground.
Now the centurion seeing Videns autem centurio
what was done, glorified God, quod factum f uerat, gloriti-
saying: Indeed this was a cavit Deum, dicens: Vere
just man. And all the multi- hie homo I'ustus erat. Et
tude of them that were come omnis turoa eorum, qui
together to that sight, and saw simul aderant ad spectacu-
the things that were done, re- lum istud, et videbant quae
turned striking their breast, fiebant, percutientes pec-
^d all his acquaintance, and tora sua, revertebantur^
the women that had followed Stabant autem omnes not!
him from Galilee, stood afar ejus a longe et mulieres,
off, beholding these things. quae secutae eum erant a
Galilaea, haec yidentes. •
Here, the Deacon oflfers the Incense to the Priest, that he may bless it; and, having himself received a blessing, he concludes the history of the Passion, observing the ceremonies used for singing the Gospel at High Mass.
And behold there was a Et ecce vir nomine Jo- man named Joseph, who was seph, qui erat decurio, vir a counsellor, a good and just bonus et Justus; hie non man, (the same had not con- consenserat consilio et ac- sented to their counsel and tibus eorum: ab Arima- doing,) oi Arimathea, a city tJiaea civitate Judaese: qui of Judea, who also himseH exspectabat et ipse regnum looked for the kingdom of Dei Hie accessit ad Fila- G^od. This man went to Pi- tum, et petiit corpus Jesu. late and begged the body of Et depositum involvit sin- Jesus. And taking him down done: et posuit eum in he wrapped him in fine linen, muntimento excise, in <pio
298 HOLT WEEK.
nondum quisquam positus and laid him in a sepulchre fuerat. that was hewed in stone,
wherein never yet any man
had been laid.
The words of the Oflfertory are those of Jesus, suppliantly beseeching his Eternal Father not to turn away his face from his own Son, who is a prey to every suflfering, both of body and mind.
OFFERTORY.
Domine, exaudi oratio- Hear, O Lord, my prayer;
nem meam: et clamor mens and let my cry come to thee:
ad te perveniat: ne avertas turn not away thy face from
faciem tuam a me. me.
In the Secret, the Church prays that we may have a tender devotion for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass^ in which the Passion of our Saviour is daily com- memorated.
SECRET.
Suscipe, quaesumus. Do- Accept, O Lord, we beseech
mine, munus oblatum, et thee, tne offerings we have
dignanter operare: ut quod made; and mercifully grant
Passionis illii tui Domini that we may receive, with
nostri mysterio gerimus, pious sentiments, what we
piis affectibus consequa- celebrate in the mystery of
mur. Pereumdem. the Passion of our Lord.
Through the same, (S:c,
For the other Secrets, see page 254.
The Church takes her Communion- Anthem from the same Psalm, which supplied her with the Tract and Offertory, namely the 101st.
COMMUNION.
Potum meiim cum fletu I mingled my drink with weeping; for having lifted me np, thon hast thrown me down, and I am withered like grass; but thou, Lord, endurest for ever: thou shalt arise, and have mercy on Sion; because the time to have mercy on her is come.
temperabam: quia elevans allisisti me: et ego sicut foe- num ami: tu autem, Do- mine, in aetemum perma- nes: tu exsurgens misere- beris Sion, quia venit tem- pus miserendi ejus.
The Death of Jesus should be to us an unceasing motive for confidence in the divine mercy. This confidence is one of the first conditions of our salva- tion. The Church asks it for us in the Postcom-
munion.
POSTCOMMUNION.
Grant, O Almighty God, that we may have a lively hope, that thou hast given us eternal life by the temporal death of thy Son, represented in these adorable mysteries. Through the same, ^c.
Largire sensibus nostris, omnipotens Deus: ut, per temporalem Filii tui mor- tem, quam mysteria vene- randa testantur, vitam te nobis dedisse perpetuam confidamus. Per eumdem.
See the other Postcommunions in the Mass for Monday, page 255.
LET us PRAY.
OREMUS.
Bow down your heads to Humiliate capita vestra
God. Deo.
Look down, O Lord, we Kespice, quaesumus. Do- beseech thee, on this thv mine, super hanc famiHam family, for which our Lord tuam: pro qua Dominus Jesus Christ hesitated not to noster Jesus Christus non be delivered into the hands dubitavit manibus tradi no- of wicked men, and undergo centium, et crucis subire the punishment of the Cross, tormentum. Qui tecum. Who liveth, dbc.
THE OFFICE OF TENEBRAE.
On this and the two following days, the Church anticipates the Night-Office; she celebrates it on the previous evening of each day, and this in order that the Faithful may be present at it. The Matins and Lauds of Maundy Thursday are, therefore, said this afternoon. The Faithful should make every effort to assist at this solemn Office, seeing it is on their account that the Church has changed her usual hours. As to the merit there is in joining in it, there can be no doubt, but that it is to be preferred to any private devotions. The surest means for obtaining favours from God, and winning him to our requests, is to approach him through the Church. And as regards the feelings of devotion wherewith we ought to celebrate the mysteries of these three great Days, the Offices of the Church are, ordinarily speaking, a surer and richer source than the Exercises of Piety composed by men. The soul that feeds on the words and ceremonies of the holy Liturgy, will be all the more disposed to profit by the private devotions she practises at home. The prayer of the Church will thus become the basis, whereon is built the edifice of christian piety during these glorious Anniversaries of our Redemption; and we shall be imitating our forefathers who lived in the Ages of Faith, and who were such admirable Christians, because they lived the life of the Church, by means of the sacred Liturgy.
The Office of Tenebrae for to-day is given below, on Maundy Thursday; the " Night Office".
As an appropriate exercise for the close of this day, we offer our readers the following stanzas from a Hymn of the Greek Liturgy: they allude to the mysteries we have been explaining.
HYMN.
(In Parasceve.)
On this day, Judas leaves Hodie Jadas Magistrum ids Master, and takes the devil derelinquit, et dJabolum for his guide. The love of 88sumit:obcaBcatur passions money blinds him. He fell amoris pecuniae; decidit from the light, he became a lumine, obscuratus est darkened; for how could he ille. Quomodo namoue vi- be said to see^ who sold the dere poterat ille qui Lumi- light for thirty pieces of nare vendidittrigintaargen- fiilverl But to us he has teis? Sed nobis exortus risen, he that suffered for the est ille, qui passus est pro world: let us thus cry out mundo. Ad quem dame* unto him: Glory be to thee, mus: Qui passus, et com* that didst endure thy Passion, passus es hominibus, gloria and hadst compassion, for tibi mankind!
What was it, O Judas! that Qusenam te ratio, Juda, led thee to betray Jesus 1 Had Salvatoris proditorem effe- te cut thee off from the num- cit 1 Numquid ille ab Apos- ber of his Apostles 1 Had he tolorum te chore segregavit? deprived thee of the gift of Numquid sanitatum te healing the sick ] When he gratia privavit 1 Numquid supped with his Apostles, did cum coenaret una cum ulis, be drive thee from table 1 a mensa te expulit 1 Num- When he washed their feet, quid aliorum cum lavisset, did he pass thee byl And pedes tuos ne^exitl O yet, thou wast unmindful of quantorum factus es imme- these great favours! Thy un- nior beneficiorum! et tuum grateful plot has branded thee sane consilium ingratum in- with infamy: but his incom- famia notatur: iUius autem parable patience and great praedicatur incomparalalis mercy are worthy of praise. patientia et misericordia
m^na.
Say, O ye unjust ones! what Dicite iniqui quidnam a
is it ye have heard from our Salvatore nostro audistis i
Saviour 1 Did he not ex- Nonne Legem ac documen-
pound unto you the Law and ta Prophetarum exposuit i
the Prophets] Why, there- Quomodo ergo Verbum
fore, have ye plotted how to quod ex Deo est, et nosr
tras animas redimit, Pilato deliver up to Pilate the Word
tradere cogitasfis ) that is from God, and that
came to redeem our souls?
Crucifigatur, clamabant ii They that had enjoyed thy
?[ui tuis semper muneribus unceasing gifts cried out: Let
uerant delectati; petebant- him he crucified! These mur-
que ut malefactorem acci- derers of such as were inno-
pereut pro benefactore cent, sought thee, that they
mterfectores illi justorum. might treat thee, their bene-
Sed tacebas, Christe, eorum factor, as an evil-doer. But
I)roterviam sustinens: vo- thou, O Christ! didst bear
ens pati, nosque salvare, their wickedness with silence,
ut hominum amans. for thou being the lover of
mankind, didst desire to suffer
for and save us.
Loquendi libertatem non We are prevented from
habemus propter multa speaking by the multitude of
peccata nostra; tu ex te our sins: do thou, O Virgin-
genitum exora, Virgo Dei- Mother of Gk)d! pray for us
Sara: multum enim valet to Him that was bom of thee,
eprecatio Matris apud cle- for the Mother's prayer avails
mentiam DominL J^e de- much with the mercy of our
spicias peccatorum suppli- Lord. Despise not, O most
cationes, o castissima; quia pure Virgin! the prayers of
misericors est et potens ad sinners, for he that refused
salvandum, is qui pro nobis not even to suffer for us, is
etiam pati sustmuit merciful, and is able to save us.
We subjoin the following beautiful Preface from the Ambrosian Missal: it expresses, in a most touching manner, the sentiments which a Christian should have within him on this vigil of our Lord's Supper.
PREFACE.
Dignum et justum estj It is meet and just, right
sequum et salutare, nos tibi and available to salvation,
semper hie et ubique gra- that we should ever, here and
tias agere, Domine sancte, in all places, give thanks to
Pater omnipotens, seteme thee, O Holy Lord, Almighty
Deus, per Cnristum Domi- Father, Eternal God, through
num nostrum, qiii innocens Christ our Lord: who, being
pro impiis voluit pati, et innocent, willed to suffer for
pro sceleratis indebite con- sinners, and be unjustly con
demned for the guilty. His demuari. Gums mors de- Death wiped away our crimes, licta nostra detersit, et re- and his Itesurrection opened surrectio Paradisi fores for ns the gates of heaven, nobis reseravit. Per quern Through him we beseech thy tuam pietatem supphciter clemency, that, to-day, thou exoramus; ut nos hodie a cleanse us from our sins, and, peccatis emacules; eras vero to-morrow, feed us on the venerabilis Coenae dapibus banquet of the venerable saties; hodie acceptes nos- Supper; that, to-day, thou trorum confessionem de- receive the confession of our lictorum: eras vero tribuas faults, and, to-morrow, grant spiritualium incrementa do- ns the increase of spiritual norum; hodie jejuniorum gifts; that, to-day, tnou re- nostrorum vota suscipias; ceive the offering of our fasts, eras vero nos ad sanctissimsd but. to-morrow, introduce us Coenae convivium intro- to tne feast of the most holy ducas. Per eumdem Chris- Supper. Through the same tum Dominum nostrum. Christ our Lord. Amen. Amen.