seeking to fix the faith of his Resurrection in them that are to preach it to all nations, deigns to recompense the love of this Woman, who followed him even to the Cross, was faithful to him after his Death, and loved him most, because most forgiven. By thus showing himself to Magdalene, Jesus teaches us, that he is more anxious to satisfy the love he bears his faithful creature, than to provide for his own glory.

Magdalene loses no time in doing her Master's bidding. She hastens back to the City, and having come to the Disciples, says to them: I have seen the Lord, and these things he said to me. But as yet, they have not Faith; John alone has received that gift, although he has seen nothing more than the empty Sepulchre. Let us remember, that, after having fled like the rest of the Disciples, he followed Jesus to Calvary, was present at his Death, and was made the adopted Son of Mary.

Meanwhile, Magdalene's two companions,-Salome, and Mary the mother of James, are following her, though slowly and at some distance, to Jerusalem. Jesus meets them, and greets them, saying: All hail.2 Overcome with joy, they fall down and adore him, and kiss his sacred feet. It is the third Apparition: and they that are favoured with it, are permitted to do what was denied to the more favoured and fervent Magdalene. Before the day is over, Jesus will show himself to them whom he has chosen as the heralds of his glory; but he first wishes to honour those generous Women, who, braving every danger, and triumphing over the weakness of their sex, were more faithful to him, in his Passion, than the men he had so highly honoured as to make them his Apostles. When he was born in the stable at Bethlehem, the first he called to worship him in his Crib, were some poor Shepherds; he sent his Angels

1 St. John, xx. 18.

2 St. Matth. xxviii. 9.

to invite them to go to him, before he sent the star to call the Magi. So now,-when he has reached the summit of his glory, put the finish to all his works by his Resurrection, and confirmed our faith in his divinity by the most indisputable miracle, he does not begin by instructing and enlightening his Apostles, but by instructing, consoling, and most affectionately honouring, these humble but courageous Women. How admirable are the dispensations of our God! How sweet, and yet, how strong!1 Well does he say to us by his Prophet: My thoughts are not your thoughts!2

Let us suppose, for a moment, that we had been permitted to arrange the order of these two Mysteries. We should have summoned the whole world, kings and people, to go and pay homage at the Crib. We should have trumpeted to all nations the miracle of miracles, the Resurrection of the Crucified, the Victory over Death, the restoration of mankind to Immortality! But He who is "the power and wisdom of God,"3-Christ Jesus our Lord,—has followed a very different plan. When born in Bethlehem, he would have for his first worshippers a few simpleminded shepherds, whose power to herald the great event was confined to their own village: and yet, the Birth-Day of this Little Child is now the era of every civilised nation. For the first witnesses of his Resurrection, he chose three weak Women; and yet, the whole earth is now, at this very moment, celebrating the anniversary of this Resurrection. There is in it a mysterious feeling of joy unlike that of any other day throughout the year: no one can resist it, not even the coldest heart. The infidel who scoffs at the believer, knows at least that this is Easter Sunday. Yea, in the very countries where paganism and idolatry are still rife, there are Chris

1 Wisd. viii. 1.

2 Is. lv. 8.

3 I. Cor. i. 24.

tians whose voices unite with ours in singing the glorious Alleluia to our Risen Jesus. Let us, then, cry out as Moses did, when the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea, and were keeping their first Pasch: Who, O Lord, is like unto thee, among the strong?1

We will resume our history of the Resurrection, when we come to the hour of each Apparition. It is now time for us to unite with the Church in her Office of Matins. She has spent the greatest part of the night in administering that holy Sacrament of Regeneration, which gives her a New People; and now she is about to offer to God the wonted tribute of her praise.

THE OFFICE OF MATINS.

The Night Office of every Sunday throughout the year consists of three portions, called Nocturns. Each Nocturn is composed of three Psalms with their Antiphons, followed by three Lessons and Responsories. These Nocturns are preceded by a Psalm, which is called the Invitatory, and end with the Ambrosian Hymn, the Te Deum; they begin after midnight, and are over by the aurora, when the still more solemn office of Lauds is chanted. But this Night has been almost wholly spent in the administration of Baptism, and, when the Holy Sacrifice was finished, it was close upon the hour of sun-rise. It is necessary, therefore, to shorten the usual Night Office, in order that the Canticles, wherewith the Church welcomes the return of Light,-the work and type of her Divine Spouse,-may be sung at the very time when the Sun is shedding his first rays upon the earth. This is the reason of there

1 Exod. xv. 11.

being only one Nocturn for the Night Office1 of Easter Sunday.

After the secret recitation of the Pater, Ave, and Credo, the Church thus begins her Matins:

Then follows, with the glad chorus announcing the Resurrection, the Invitatory Psalm, whereby the Church invites her Children to come and adore the Lord their God. To-day, it is the Angels who tell the mystery to Magdalene and her companions: let us listen to the glorious tidings, for they are addressed also to us.

INVITATORY.

Surrexit Dominus vere,* The Lord hath truly risen, * Alleluia !

Alleluia !

PSALM

Venite, exsultemus Domino, jubilemus Deo Salutari nostro, præoccupemus faciem ejus in confessione, et in psalmis jubilemus ei.

94.

Come, let us praise the Lord with joy, let us joyfully sing to God our Saviour; let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make joyful noise to him with psalms.

a

1 The modern appellation of Matins has been given to this portion of the Divine Office, because it is now celebrated in the Morning.