heaven, may also have our hearts always fixed on heavenly things. Thro' the same. LESSON. Acts i. 1. 11.-The former treatise, 1 made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, by forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth: for John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. They therefore who were come together, asked him saying: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel? But he said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power; but you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments. Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. God ascended in triumph, and the Lord at the sound of the trumpet. Alleluia. V. The Lord on Sina, in his holy place, ascend V. Dominus in Sina, in sancto, ascendens in al ing on high, hath led captivity captive. Alleluia. tum captivum duxit captivitatem. Alleluia. GOSPEL. Mark xvi. 14. 20.-At that time: Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were at table; and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe then who had seen him after he was risen again. And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues: they shall take up serpents: and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick and they shall recover. And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right-hand of God. But they going preached every where: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed. CREDO. OFFERT. Ps. xlvi.-God is ascended with jubilee, and the Lord with the sound of the trumpet. Allel. SECRET. Receive, O Lord, the offerings we make in memory of the glorious ascension of thy Son: and mercifully grant, that we may be both delivered from present danger, and arrive at everlasting life. Thro' the same. COMMUNICANTES.-Being united in communion, and celebrating the most sacred day on which our Lord, thy only begotten Son, placed the substance of our frail nature, which he had taken upon himself, on the right hand of thy glory, and honouring the memory in the first place, &c. as in the Ordinary, p. xxxiv. COMM. Ps. lxvii.-Sing to the Lord, who hath ascended towards the east, above all the heavens. Alleluia. P. COMM. Præsta.-Grant, we beseech thee, O almighty and most merciful God, that we may obtain the invisible effects of the visible mysteries we have received. Thro'. SUNDAY within the OCTAVE of INTROIT. Psalm xxvi. H voice, with which I have cried out to thee. XAUDI, Domine, vocem meam, qua clamavi ad te. Allel. Tib dixit cor meum: Quæsivi vultum tuam: vultum tuam, Domine, requiram : ne avertas faciem tuam a me. Alleluia, Alleluia. Ps. Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea: quem timebo? V. Gloria. COLLECT. Omnipotens.-O almighty and eternal God, inspire thy servants with true devotion, and grant that we may serve thy divine Majesty with sincere hearts. Thro'. Commem. of the Ascension, p. 366, by the Collect, Secret, and P. Comm. thereof. EPISTLE. 1 Peter iv. 7.—Most dearly beloved : Be prudent, and watch in prayers. But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves for charity covereth a multitude of sins. Using hospitality one towards another without murmuring. As every man hath received grace, ministering the same one to another: as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the words of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the power which God administereth that in all things God may be honoured though Jesus Christ: to whom is glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. The Lord hath extended his empire over all nations: God sitteth on his holy throne. Alleluia. V. I will not leave you orphans: I am going, but I will come to you again, and your hearts shall rejoice. Alleluia. V. Non vos relinquam orphanos: vado, et venio ad vos, et gaudebit cor vestrum. Alleluia. GOSPEL. John xv. 26. xvi. 1. 4.—At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: When the Paraclete cometh whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall give testimony of me: and you shall give testimony, because you are with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized. They will put you out of the synagogues: yea the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a service to God. And these things will they do to you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things I have told you that when the hour shall come, you may remember that I told you of them. CREDO. OFFERT. Ps. xlvi.-God ascended in triumph and the Lord at the sound of the trumpet. Allel. SECRET.-May these unspotted sacrifices purify us, O Lord! and strengthen our souls with heavenly grace. Thro'. COMM. John xvii.-Father, when I was with them, I kept those, whom thou gavest me. Allel. now I return to thee: I do not pray that thou mayest take them out of the world, but that thou wouldst keep them from evil. Alleluia, Alleluia. P. COMM. Repleti.-Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that we may be always thankful for the sacred gifts with which we have been filled. Thro'. THE WHITSUN-EVE. HE Vigil of Pentecost, like that of Easter, has always been consecrated in a particular manner to fasting and prayer. The primitive Christians, after the usual prayers of the day, spent the greatest part of the night in the Church, and hence originates the word Vigil or Wake. The Mass, like that of Holy Saturday, is preceded by several Lessons and Tracts out of the Old Testament, and by the Blessing of the Font. I. PROPHECY.-In those days: God tempted Abraham, p. 310. Let us pray. Deus, qui. GOD, who by this action of thy servant Abraham hast given to mankind an excellent example of obedience; grant us, both to break our perverse wills, and to fulfil thy righteous commands. Thro'. II. PROPHECY.-In those days: It came to pass in the morning watch and TRACT, Let us sing to the Lord, p. 312. Let us pray. Deus, qui primis. GOD, who, by the light of the New Testament, hast expounded the miracles wrought in the first ages of the world; so that the Red Sea was a figure of the sacred font, and the deliverance of the people out of Egypt did represent the Christian sacraments: grant that all nations who have now obtained the privilege of Israelites by the merit of faith, may be born again by the participation of thy spirit. Thro'.-in unity of the same. III. PROPHECY.-In those days: Moses wrote, p. 319, and TRACT, Hear, O ye, p. 320. Let us pray. Deus glorificatio. GOD, the glory of the faithful and the life of the righteous, who hast instructed us also by the canticle of thy servant Moses: grant thy mercy to all nations, by giving them happiness and diminishing their frights, that the revenge threatened may turn to their eternal salvation. Thro' |