Eternal thanks be to thee, O adorable Trinity, for the mercy thou hast shown to me, in permitting me to assist at this divine Sacrifice. Pardon me the negligence and coldness wherewith I have received so great a favour; and deign to confirm the Blessing, which thy Minister is about to give me in thy Name. Placeat tibi, sancta Trinitas, obsequium servitutis meæ, et præsta ut sacrificium, quod oculis tuæ Majestatis indignus obtuli, tibi sit acceptabile, mihique, et omnibus pro quibus illud obtuli, sit te miserante, propitiabile. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. The Priest raises his hand, and blesses you thus: May the Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, bless you! R. Amen. Benedicat vos omnipotens He then concludes the Mass, by reading the first fourteen verses of the Gospel according to St. John, which tell us of the eternity of the Word, and of the mercy which led him to take upon himself our flesh, and to dwell among us. Pray that you may be of the number of those who received him, when he came unto his own people, and who, thereby, were made Sons of God. quod factum est; in ipso vita erat, et vita erat lux hominum; et lux in tenebris lucet, et tenebræ eam non comprehenderunt. Fuit homo missus a Deo, cui nomen erat Joannes. Hic venit in testimonium, ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine, ut omnes crederent per illum. Non erat ille lux, sed ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine. Erat lux vera, quæ illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum. In mundo erat, et mundus per ipsum factus est, et mundus eum non cognovit, In propria venit, et sui eum non receperunt. Quotquot autem receperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri, his qui credunt in nomine ejus: qui non ex sanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo, nati sunt, ET VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST, et habitavit in nobis: et vidimus gloriam ejus, gloriam quasi Unigeniti a Patre, plenum gratiæ et veritatis, B. Deo gratias. and without him was made nothing that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. That was the true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them he gave power to be made the sons of God; to them that believe in his name, who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. AND THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us; and we saw his glory, as it were the glory of the OnlyBegotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. B. Thanks be to God. CHAPTER THE SECOND. ON THE OFFICE OF VESPERS, FOR SUNDAYS AND FEASTS, DURING THE TIME AFTER PENTECOST. THE Office of Vespers, or Even Song, consists firstly of the five following Psalms. For certain Feasts some of these Psalms are changed for others, which are more appropriate to the day; but those we now give are the ones for Sunday's Vespers. After the Pater and Ave have been said in secret, the Church commences this Hour with her favourite supplication : V. Incline unto my aid, O God. B. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia. ANT. The Lord said. . Deus, in adjutorium meum intende. R. Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen. Alleluia. ANT. Dixit Dominus. The first Psalm is a prophecy of the future glory of the Messias. The Son of David shall sit on the right hand of the heavenly Father. He is King; he is Priest; he is Son of Man; and Son of God. His enemies will attack him, but he will crush them. He will be humbled; but this voluntary humiliation will lead him to highest glory. PENT. IV. D PSALM 109. Dominus a dextris tuis: confregit in die iræ suæ reges. Judicabit in nationibus, implebit ruinas: * conquas The Lord said to my Lord, his Son: Sit thou at my right hand, and reign with me. Until, on the day of thy last coming, I make thy enemies thy footstool. O Christ! the Lord thy Father will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: from thence rule thou in the midst of thy enemies. With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength, in the brightness of the saints: For the Father hath said to thee: From the womb before the day-star I begot thee. The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: he hath said, speaking to thee, the GodMan: Thou art a Priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech. Therefore, O Father, the Lord, thy Son, is at thy right hand: he hath broken kings in the day of his wrath. He shall also judge among nations in that terrible com : sabit capita in terra multo- ing, he shall fill the ruins of the world: he shall crush the heads in the land of many. rum. De torrente in via bibet:* propterea exaltabit caput. ANT. Dixit Dominus Domino meo: Sede a dextris meis. ANT. Fidelia. He cometh now in humility: he shall drink in the way of the torrent of sufferings: there fore, shall he lift up the head. ANT. The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand. ANT. Faithful. The following Psalm commemorates the mercies of God to his people-the promised Covenant-the Redemption-his Fidelity to his word. But it also tells us that the Name of the Lord is terrible because it is holy; and concludes by admonishing us, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom. His work is praise and magnificence: and his justice continueth for ever and ever. He hath made a remembrance of his wonderful works, being a merciful and gracious Lord: he hath given food to them that fear him. He will be mindful for ever of his covenant with men: he will show forth to his people the power of his works. That he may give them his Church, the inheritance of the Gentiles: the works of his hands are truth and judgment. All his commandments are faithful, confirmed for ever and ever made in truth and equity. He hath sent Redemption to his people he hath thereby commanded his covenant for ever. : Holy and terrible is his name: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding to all |