CANTICLE OF ZACHARY (St. Luke, I.) Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel: quia visitavit, et fecit redemptionem plebis suæ. Et erexit cornu salutis nobis: in domo David pueri sui. Sicut locutus est per os sanctorum: qui a sæculo sunt prophetarum ejus. Salutem ex inimicis nostris: et de manu omnium qui oderunt nos. Ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris: et memorari testamenti sui sancti. Jusjurandum quod juravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum: daturum se nobis. Ut sine timore de manu inimicorum nostrorum liberati: serviamus illi. In sanctitate et justitia coram ipso: omnibus diebus nostris. Et tu, puer, propheta Altissimi vocaberis: præibis enim ante faciem Demini parare vias ejus. Ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi ejus: in remissionem peccatorum eorum. Per viscera misericordiæ Dei nostri: in quibus visitavit nos Oriens ex alto. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath, this day, visited and wrought the redemption of his people. And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant. As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning: Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us. To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament. The oath which he swore to Abraham our father; that he would grant to us, That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear, In holiness and justice before him all our days. And thou, child, the Precursor of the Man-God, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, To give to his people the knowledge of salvation, unto the remission of their sins, Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient, from on high, hath visited us, The Office of Lauds being over, the faithful retire from the church: but they will soon return, to assist at the solemn Sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb. In order the better to understand the holy Liturgy of our Easter, we will again imagine ourselves to be in one of the cathedral churches of the 4th or 5th century, where the sacred rites were carried out in all their magnificence. The city is filled with strangers. The priests of the country churches have come to assist at the consecration of the oils, at the administration of Baptism, and at the grand functions of Easter. The inhabitants are not allowed to undertake any journey that would prevent them from assisting at the Offices of the Church; for we find several councils forbidding even the nobles to go beyond the city walls until the Paschal solemnity is over. We shall not 1 Councils of Agatha, of Orleans I. and IV, of Epaon, &c. be surprised at these regulations, if we remember what we have already stated with regard to Palm Sunday, how the monks of the East, who had obtained permission from their Abbots to leave their monasteries at the beginning of Lent, and retire into the desert, there to live with God alone, were obliged to return for the celebration of Easter. St. Pachomius,-who was the first to organize, in the desert of the east, a congregation or confederation of all the houses that had sprung from his celebrated monastery of Tabenna, insisted upon all his disciples convening every year in this central monastery, for the purpose of celebrating the Resurrection. On some of these occasions, there were to be seen encamped around Tabenna as many as fifty thousand monks. Even now, notwithstanding all the deplorable injuries done to the spirit of Christianity by heresy, our churches are crowded on the great Paschal solemnity. Even they that never think of entering the House of God on any other day of the year, make an exception for Easter Sunday, as though they could not resist the power of the great mystery of Jesus' triumph. It is the last remnant of faith left in these men; it keeps them from total forgetfulness of their religion. When their last hour comes, their celebration of Easter, though so imperfect, may draw down upon them the mercy of their Saviour; but if their Easters have been but so many neglects of the Sacraments, what consolation, what hope, can they yield? those slighted invitations to mercy will then cry out for vengeance, and give to the Resurrection the awful triumph of justice!-But these are thoughts far too sad for our festivity: let us turn them into a prayer to our risen Jesus, that He break not the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax;'1 let us 1 Is. xlii. 3. delight in the thought of those bright days of the past, when faith made Easter so glorious a sight for heaven and earth; let us exult in the reflection, that the same faith is still that of millions, and will be so till the end of time! And before going to Mass, let us aid our enthusiasm by a remembrance of the Martyrs of Easter. Yes, the grand solemnity was once consecrated by the blood of Saints, and the Church chronicles the event in her Martyrology. In the year 459, Easter Sunday fell upon the 5th of April. The Church in Africa was then suffering persecution from the Vandals ; they were Arians, and had been brought into the country by their kings, Genseric and Hunneric. The Catholics of the city of Regia were assembled in the church for the celebration of the Resurrection, and, in order to keep out the heretics, they had closed the doors. The Arians, marshalled by one of their priests, forced an entrance, and rushed in, brandishing their swords. At that very moment a lector was in the ambo, singing the Alleluia; an arrow, shot by one of the barbarians, pierced his throat; he fell, and finished his song in heaven. The Vandals fell upon the faithful, and the church streamed with blood. They dragged others from the holy place, and executed them by order of their king. The little children were the only ones spared. Let us unite with the Church, who honours these noble victims of Easter on the 5th of April. MASS It is the hour of Tierce (9 o'clock), and the basilica is crowded with the faithful. The sun is pouring in his brightest beams; and who has not felt the charm of an Easter sun? The pavement is strewed with flowers. Above the glittering mosaics of the apse, the wall is covered with rich tapestry. Festoons hang from the sanctuary arch to the pillars of the nave and aisles. Lamps, fed with the purest oil, and suspended from the ciborium (or canopy), are burning around the altar. The Paschal candle, which has been ceaselessly burning since last night, stands on its marble pillar; its bright flame attracts every eye, and the perfumes, wherewith its wick is saturated, fill the sacred edifice with a delicious fragrance. It is the noble symbol of Jesus, our light, and seems to say: 'Alleluia! Christ is risen!' But by far the most interesting object is the group of the neophytes, clad in their white garments, like the Angels that appeared at the sepulchre. They are the living expression of the mystery of our Lord's Resurrection. Yesterday they were dead, by sin; now they are living, by that new life which is the fruit of Jesus' victory over death. Oh! happy thought of our mother the Church, to choose for the day of their regeneration that on which the ManGod won immortality for us His creatures! The Station, at Rome, was formerly in the basilica of Saint Mary Major, the principal church of all those that are dedicated to the Mother of God in the holy city. Was it not just to associate with the Paschal solemnity the memory of her, who, more than all other creatures, had merited its joys, not only because of the exceptional share she had had in all the sufferings of Jesus, but also because of the unshaken faith, wherewith, during those long and cruel hours of His lying in the tomb, she had awaited His Resurrection? But now the papal Mass is celebrated in St. Peter's, as being more convenient, by its size and situation, to the immense concourse of the faithful, who flock to Rome, from every part of the Christian world, for the Feast of Easter. The Roman Missal, however, still gives Saint Mary Major as the stational church of to-day; and the indulgences are gained, as formerly, by those who assist at the Services celebrated there. |