earthly substance give us that which is divine. Through the same, &c. terrena substantia conferat quod divinum est. Per eumdem. Commemoration of St. Anastasia. Graciously receive, O Lord, we beseech thee, our offerings, and grant, by the merits of blessed Anastasia, thy Martyr, that they may avail to our salvation. Through, &c. Accipe, quæsumus, Domine, munera dignanter oblata: et beatæ Anastasiæ, martyris tuæ, suffragantibus meritis, ad nostræ salutis auxilium provenire concede. Per Dominum. After both Priest and people have communicated, the holy Church, all illumined with the sweet Light of her Spouse, to whom she has just been united, applies to herself the words, which the Prophet Zachary formerly addressed to her, when he announced the coming of the King, her Saviour. Commemoration of St. Anastasia. Thou hast fed, O Lord, thy family with these sacred oblations; ever, therefore, comfort us with her intercession, whose feast we celebrate. Through, &c. Satiasti, Domine, familiam tuam muneribus sacris ejus, quæsumus, interventione nos refove, cujus solemnia celebramus. Per Dominum. The Mass of the Aurora ended, and the Birth of Grace having been honoured by this second immolation of the divine Immortal Victim-the Faithful retire from the Church, that they may refresh themselves by sleep, and so, be in readiness for the Third Mass. Mary and Joseph are in the Stable of Bethlehem, watching near the Crib. The light which reflects from the new-born Babe, and which surpasses the brightness of the sun that is just rising, fills the Cave and shines on the rocks outside; but, now that the Shepherds are gone, and the Angels are singing elsewhere, there is silence in the sacred grotto. As we lie down to take our rest, let us think upon the Divine Infant, and how he passes this his first night, in his humble Crib. That he may conform to the necessities of our human nature, which he has assumed, he closes his tender eye-lids, and sleep comes, because he so wills it, and lulls his senses to rest:-but, even while asleep, his heart watcheth,1 offering itself unceasingly for us. At times, he smiles on his Mother, who keeps her eyes fixed on him, loving him as She alone can love; he prays to his Eternal Father, and implores pardon for guilty man; he expiates for our pride by his own humiliations; he shows himself to us as the model of the infancy we must now begin to practise. Let us ask him to give us of the merit which attaches to this his sleep; that so, after having slept in peace, we may wake in his grace, and walk on, strenuously, in the path we have now entered. 1 Cant. v. 2. CHRISTMAS MORNING. BEFORE MASS. THE merry-pealing Bells have wakened us up, echoing to us the sweet burden of our Matin-Song, and inviting us to come once more and adore our Jesus, and assist at the Mass of the Day, which we call the Third Mass: Christ is born unto us; come! let us adore! The sun is shining in the east-not, indeed, as he will in his summer's pride;-still, brightly enough to tell us, that his triumph over winter has begun. Now, we say, the day will grow longer! Under this emblem, let us see and adore our Sun of Justice, Jesus, our sweet Saviour, who has also begun, to-day, to run his triumphant course!1 Until the hour of Mass comes, let us keep up in our souls the spirit of this glorious Festival, by reading the following selections from the ancient Liturgies. They are full of joy and tender devotion, and tell us, of the triumph of Light, of the loveliness of the new-born Babe, and of the glory of the VirginMother. We will begin with these stanzas of Prudentius, the prince of Christian Poets: they are taken from his Hymn, which is thus headed: The Eighth of the Kalends of January: (VIII. Kal. Januarias.) HYMN. Why is it, that the Sun, which rises to-day, leaves his narrow path? Is it not, that Quid est, quod arctum circulum Sol jam recurrens deserit? 1 Ps. xviii. 6. Christusne terris nascitur Heu, quam fugacem gra- Festina volvebat dies! cem. Sensim recisa extinxerat ! Coelum nitescat lætius, Gratetur et gaudens humus; Scandit gradatim denuo Jubar priores lineas. Te cuncta nascentem, puer, Sensere dura, et barbara, Victusque saxorum rigor Obduxit herbam cotibus. Jam mella de scopulis Jam stillat ilex arido O sancta præsepis tui, Jesus is born on our earth, Jesus, who comes to widen for us the way of Light? Ah! how speedily did the rapid Day turn his sweet face from us! how, each time, shorter was his stay, preparing us for total night! But now, let the heavens wear brighter looks, and the glad earth be happy, for, the Sun begins, once more, to mount the longer path. Dear Infant Jesus! all things, however hard and senseless, feel that thou art born: the very stones relent, and verdure comes from rocks. The flinty mountain-side drips now with honey; the oak's stiff trunk now sweats its sappy tears; and balsam oozes now from humblest shrub. How holy is thy cradle-crib, O King eternal! How sacred ever to mankind! Nay, the very Ox and Ass stand over it as theirs! Now let us listen to the several Churches, beginning with those of the East, as being nearest to the country where the great Event took place. First, comes the Church of Syria; her Chanter is St. Ephraim; and he begins his song thus: Nato Filio, lumen affulsit, et ex mundo tenebræ fugatæ, illuminatusque est orbis; laudes ergo referat Nato, qui illum illuminavit. Ortus est ex utero Virginis, eoque viso defecerunt umbræ et tenebræ erroris ab eo expulsæ; orbisque The Son of God is bornLight has shone forth, darkness has fled from the earth, and the world is enlightened; let it praise the New-Born Babe, that gave it light. He has risen from the Virgin's womb; the shades of night have seen him and fled : the darkness of error has been scattered; let the whole earth sing praise to Him, by whom it has been illumined. totus illustratus; laudes ergo illi referat. The Church of Armenia thus sings to our Emmanuel, during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: A fresh flower has, this day, sprung up from the Root of Jesse: and a daughter of David has given birth to the Son of God. A multitude of Angels and the Heavenly Host, coming down from heaven with the Only Begotten King, sang and said: This is the Son of God! Let us all exclaim: Ye heavens exult, and ye foundations of the world be glad! for, the Eternal God has appeared upon the earth, and has conversed with men, that he may save our souls! Novus flos hodie oritur ex radice Jesse, et filia David parit Filium Dei. Multitudo Angelorum et militiæ cœlestis, descendentes de cœlis cum unigenito rege cantabant et dicebant : Hic est Filius Dei. Omnes dicamus: exsultate cœli, et lætamini fundamenta mundi, quia Deus æternus in terris apparuit, et cum hominibus conversatus est, ut salvet animas nostras. The Greek Church thus cries out in her beautiful language: Come! let us rejoice in the Lord, celebrating the mystery of this day. The wall of division is destroyed; the fiery sword is sheathed, and the Angel no longer keeps us from the Tree of Life. I, yea I, that was driven, by the sin of disobedience, from the Paradise of delights, may now enter and feast. The unchangeable Image of the Father, the type of his eternity, assumes the form of a servant, and is born of a Virgin-Mother; yet, he suffers not any change: for, that which he was, he continues to be the true God; Venite, exsultemus Domino, hodiernum celebrantes mysterium. Murus dirutus est medius; avertitur flammeus gladius, Cherubim a ligno vitæ recedit. Et ego paradisum deliciarum participo, a quo per inobedientiam expulsus fueram. Incommutabilis imago Patris, typus ejus æternitatis, formam servi accipit, ex nuptinecia matre progrediens, nullam passus commutationem: quod enim erat permansit, Deus cum esset verus; quod autem non erat præteraccipit, homo factus |