very midst of darkness, there has suddenly risen up the bright and lovely Light, that is, our Emmanuel, our merciful God. The upright of heart are enlightened by him: but, wo to the sinner that will not receive him! ANT. To the upright of heart a Light has risen up in darkness; the merciful, and compassionate, and just Lord. ANT. Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis corde: misericors et miserator, et justus Dominus. PSALM 111. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight_exceedingly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. Glory and wealth shall be in his house and his justice remaineth for ever and ever. To the righteous a Light is risen up in darkness: he is merciful, and compassionate, and just, and is born among men to-day. Acceptable, on this day, is the man that showeth mercy and lendeth; he shall order his words with judgment: because he shall not be moved for ever. The just shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not fear the evil hearing. His heart is ready to hope in the Lord; his heart is strengthened he shall not be moved, until he look over his enemies. He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor; his justice remaineth for ever and ever: cornu ejus exaltabitur in gloria. Peccator videbit et irascetur, dentibus suis fremet et tabescet: desiderium peccatorum peribit. ANT. Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis corde: misericors et miserator et justus Dominus. his horn shall be exalted in glory. The wicked shall see, and shall be angry; he shall gnash with his teeth, and pine away: the desire of the wicked shall perish. ANT. To the upright of heart a Light is risen up in darkness;-the merciful, and compassionate, and just Lord. The fourth Psalm expresses the cry of distress sent forth to its Deliverer by the human race, when in the depth of its misery and degradation. But, this cry was also one of hope; for God had promised to come to its deliverance. At length, the Lord, whose mercy is infinite, has vouchsafed to descend upon the earth, and our Redemption begins this very day. ANT. Apud Dominum misericordia, et copiosa apud eum redemptio. ANT. With the Lord, there is merciful forgiveness; and with him, a plentiful Redemption. PSALM 129. From the depths have I, thy people, cried to thee, O Lord: Lord hear my voice. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If thou wilt observe iniquities, O Lord, Lord, who shall endure it? For with thee there is merciful forgiveness; and by reason of thy law, I have waited, all these long ages, for thee, O Lord. My soul hath relied on his word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with him plentiful redemption. This day he hath been born among us, and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. ANT. With the Lord, there is merciful forgiveness; and with him, a plentiful Redemption. A custodia matutina usque ad noctem : * speret Israel in Domino. Quia apud Dominum misericordia:* et copiosa apud eum redemptio. Et ipse redimet Israel: * ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus. ANT. Apud Dominum misericordia, et copiosa apud eum redemptio. The fifth Psalm celebrates the Ark of the Lord, which rested in Ephrata. Mary was the true Ark, of which that of old was but a type: in Her did our Lord take up his dwelling; in Her did he place the throne of his Majesty. Let our God, then, arise, and take possession of his Church, which begins, to-day, in Bethlehem; let him arise, and, together with Mary, the Queen of mercy, govern us. Henceforth, he is to dwell among us-console us in all our tribulations-satisfy us poor ones with the Bread of eternal life-invest the new Priesthood with singular powers-shine, in his Church, as the Lamp of immutable truth—triumph over all his enemies-in a word, whilst the crowns of other kings shall fall off, the one which sits on the brow of our divine King, our sweet Babe of Bethlehem, shall flourish for everlasting ages. Behold! we have heard of it that it was in Bethlehem of Ephrata; we found it in the fields of the wood. We will go into his tabernacle; we will adore in the place where his feet have stood. Arise, O Lord, into thy resting place; thou and Mary, the Ark which thou hast sanctified. Let thy priests be clothed with justice: and let thy Saints rejoice. For thy servant David's sake, O heavenly Father! turn not away the face of thy Christ. The Lord hath sworn truth to David, and he will not make it void: "Of the fruit of thy womb, I will set upon thy "throne. 66 |