cast their stones against thee, and bruise and tear thy flesh, as they please :-nothing can distract thee from this sight of the Eternal King, who raised himself from his throne to applaud thee, and deck thee with the Crown, which he had prepared for thee from all eternity! Now that thou art reigning in the kingdom of heaven, pray for us, that we also may be faithful, and faithful even unto death, to this same Jesus, who not only left his throne, but even came down among us as a Little Child. GRADUAL. Princes sat, and spoke against me and the wicked persecuted me. V. Help me, O Lord my God save me for thy mercy's sake. Alleluia, alleluia. . I see the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of the power of God. Alleluia. Sederunt principes, et adversum me loquebantur : et iniqui persecuti sunt me. V. Adjuva me, Domine Deus meus; salvum me fac propter misericordiam tuam. Alleluia, alleluia. V. Video cœlos apertos, et Jesum stantem a dextris virtutis Dei. Alleluia. GOSPEL. Sequel of the holy Gospel according to Matthew. Ch. XXIII. At that time: Jesus said to the Scribes and Pharisees: Behold, I send to you Prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them you will put to death, and crucify, and some you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city that upon you may come all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the just, even unto the blood of Zacharias, the son of Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Matthæum. Cap. XXIII. In illo tempore: dicebat Jesus scribis et Pharisæis : Ecce ego mitto ad vos Prophetas, et sapientes, et scribas; et ex illis occidetis, et crucifigetis, et ex eis flagellabitis in synagogis vestris, et persequemini de civitate in civitatem: ut veniat super vos omnis sanguis justus, qui effusus est super terram, a sanguine Abel justi usque ad sanguinem Zachariæ, filii Barachiæ, S quem occidistis inter templum et altare. Amen dico vobis, venient hæc omnia super generationem istam. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, quæ occidis Prophetas, et lapidas eos qui ad te missi sunt, quoties volui congregare filios tuos, quemadmodum gallina congregat pullos suos sub alas, et noluisti! Ecce relinquetur vobis domus vestra deserta. Dico enim vobis, non me videbitis amodo, donec dicatis: Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Barachias, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Amen, I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not? Behold, your house shall be left to you desolate. For I say to you, you shall not see me, henceforth, till you say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Martyrs are given to the world that they may continue the ministry of Christ on the earth, by bearing testimony to his word, and by confirming this testimony by their blood. The world has despised them; like their divine Master, they have shone in the darkness, and darkness has not understood their light. Nevertheless, many have received their testimony, and the seed of the Martyrs' blood has brought forth in them the rich fruit of Faith. The Synagogue was cast off by God for its having shed the blood of Stephen, after having imbrued its hands in that of Jesus. Unhappy, they who cannot appreciate the Martyrs! Let us, who are Christians, take in the sublime lessons taught us by their generous sacrifice; and let our respect and love for them testify, that we are grateful for the noble ministry they have fulfilled in the Church, and are still fulfilling. The Church is never without Martyrs, just as she is never without Miracles: it is the twofold testimony that she will give to the end of time, and by which she evidences the divine life she has received from her almighty Founder. During the Offertory, the Church once more proclaims the merits and the glorious death of Stephen; and by this she teaches us that the sacrifice of the holy Deacon is united with that of Jesus himself. United by Holy Communion to her divine Spouse, the Church, too, sees the heavens opened, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. She sends up to this Incarnate Word the yearnings of her intense love, and derives from the heavenly Food she has received that meekness, which makes her bear with the injuries and insults put upon her by her enemies, in order that she may win them all to the faith and love of Jesus Christ. It was by partaking of this same heavenly Food, that Stephen got the superhuman strength, whereby he won his victory and Crown. Commemoration of Christmas Day. Præsta, quæsumus, omnipotens Deus; ut natus hodie Salvator mundi, sicut divinæ nobis generationis est auctor, ita et immortalitatis sit ipse largitor. Qui tecum. Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that as the Saviour of the world, who was born this day, procured for us a divine Birth, he may, also, bestow on us immortality. Who liveth, &c. VESPERS. The solemnity of the Christmas Octave-from which the Feast of St. Stephen has, in a manner, distracted us-returns at Vespers, in all its splendour. The Church sings the Psalms and Antiphons of Christmas Day, and the Martyr's Feast is, so to speak, suspended until she comes to the Capitulum. In this same way she celebrates the Vespers on all the Feasts which are kept during this Octave. The Psalms and Antiphons are given above, page 234. CAPITULUM. (Acts, VI.) But Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and signs among the people. Stephanus autem plenus gratia et fortitudine faciebat prodigia, et signa magna in populo. HYMN.* O God! thou the inheritance, Crown, and reward of thy Soldiers! absolve from the bonds of our sins us who sing the praises of thy Martyr. For, counting the joys of the world, and the deceitful bait of its caresses, as things embittered with gall, thy Martyr Stephen obtained the delights of heaven. Bravely did he go through, and manfully did he bear, his pains; and, shedding his blood for thy sake, he now possesses thy eternal gifts. Therefore, most merciful Father! we beseech thee, in most suppliant prayer, forgive us, thy unworthy servants, our sins, for it is the feast of thy Martyr's triumph. * * In the Monastic Breviary, it is as follows :R. breve. Posuisti, Domine, Super caput ejus. Posuisti. V. Coronam de lapide pretioso. * Super. Gloria Patri. Gloria et honore. Deus, tuorum militum Sors, et corona, præmium, Laudes canentes Martyris Absolve nexu criminis. Hic nempe mundi gaudia, Et blandimenta noxia, Caduca rite deputans Pervenit ad cœlestia. Poenas cucurrit fortiter, Ob hoc precatu supplici Amen. |