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duties of their state of life, simply because they never think of this important dogma of their faith!

The soul is more than the body; but the body is an essential portion of our being. It is our duty to treat it with great respect, because of its sublime destiny. If we, at present, chastise it and keep it in subjection, it is because its present state requires such treatment. We chastise it, because we love it. The Martyrs, and all the Saints, loved their body far more than does the most sensual voluptuary: they, by sacrificing it, saved it; he, by pampering it, exposes it to eternal suffering. Let us be on our guard: sensualism is akin to naturalism. Sensualism will have it, that there is no happiness for the body but such as this present life can give; and, with this principle, its degradation causes no remorse. Naturalism is that propensity we have to judge of everything by mere natural light, whereas we cannot possibly know the glorious future for which God has created us except by faith. If, therefore, the Christian can see what the Son of God has done for our bodies by the divine Resurrection we are now celebrating, and feel neither love nor hope, he may be sure that his faith is weak; and if he would not lose his soul, let him henceforth be guided by the word of God, which alone can teach him what he is now, and what he is called to be hereafter.

At Rome, the Station is in the basilica of the twelve Apostles. The neophytes were brought, today, into the church dedicated to the witnesses of the Resurrection, where repose the bodies of two out of the twelve: St. Philip and St. James the Less. In the Mass, frequent allusions are made to the apostolic labours of these heralds of our risen Jesus; they preached His Name throughout the world, and all ages shall hear their teachings.

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MASS

The Introit is taken from the Book of Wisdom. It tells us of the heavenly eloquence of the Apostles, who, at first, were dumb and timid as little children. Divine Wisdom changed them into other men, so that they everywhere published the victory of the ManGod.

INTROIT

Victricem manum tuam, They praised with one acDomine, laudaverunt pari- cord thy victorious hand, O ter, alleluia: quia Sapientia Lord, alleluia for wisdom aperuit os mutum, et lin- hath opened the mouth of the guas infantium fecit diser- dumb, and made the tongues tas. Alleluia, alleluia. of infants eloquent. Alleluia, alleluia.

Ps. Cantate Domino canticum novum: quia mirabilia fecit. . Gloria Patri. Victricem.

Ps. Sing to the Lord a new song: for he hath done wonderful things. V. Glory, &c. They praised, &c.

The Collect alludes to the effect produced by the preaching of the Apostles,-the union of all nations into one family. The neophytes, by their Baptism, have been admitted into this great unity: the Church prays that God would preserve them in it, by His grace.

COLLECT

Deus, qui diversitatem gentium in confessione tui Nominis adunasti da ut renatis fonte baptismatis una sit fides mentium, et pietas actionum. Per Dominum.

O God, who hast united various nations in the confession of thy name: grant that they who have been born again by the water of baptism, may have the same faith in their hearts, and the same piety in their actions. Through, &c.

Then is added one of the two Collects given in yesterday's Mass, page 247.

EPISTLE

Lectio Actuum Apostolo- Lesson from the Acts of the

rum.

Cap. VIII.

In diebus illis: Angelus Domini locutus est ad Philippum, dicens: Surge et vade contra meridianum ad viam, quæ descendit ab Jerusalem in Gazam: hæc est deserta. Et surgens abiit. Et ecce vir Æthiops, eunuchus potens Candacis reginæ Ethiopum, qui erat super omnes gazas ejus, venerat adorare in Jerusalem: et revertebatur sedens super currum suum, legensque Isaiam prophetam. Dixit autem Spiritus Philippo : Accede, et adjunge te ad currum istum. Accurrens autem Philippus, audivit eum legentem Isaiam prophetam, et dixit: Putasne intelligis quæ legis? Qui ait: Et quomodo possum, si non aliquis ostenderit mihi? Rogavitque Philippum ut ascenderet, et sederet secum. Locus autem Scripturæ quam legebat, erat hic: Tanquam ovis ad occisionem ductus est: et sicut agnus coram tondente se, sine voce, sic non aperuit os suum. In humilitate judicium ejus sublatum est. Generationem ejus quis enarrabit, quoniam tolletur de terra vita ejus? Respondens autem eunuchus Philippo, dixit: Obsecro te,

Apostles. Ch. VIII.

In those days: An Angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying: Arise, go towards the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza: this is desert. And rising up he went. And behold a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge over all her treasures, had come to Jerusalem to adore. And he was returning, sitting in his chariot, and reading Isaias the prophet. And the Spirit said to Philip: Go. near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip running thither, heard him reading the prophet Isaias, and he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest? Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? and he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. And the place of the scripture which he was reading was this: 'He was led as a sheep to the slaughter: and like a lamb without voice before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In humility his judgment was taken away. His generation who shall declare, for his life shall be taken from the earth?' And the eunuch answering Philip, said: I beseech thee, of whom

de quo propheta dicit hoc? de se, an de alio aliquo? Aperiens autem Philippus os suum, et incipiens a Scriptura ista, evangelizavit illi Jesum. Et dum irent per viam, venerunt ad quamdam aquam: et ait eunuchus: Ecce aqua, quid prohibet me baptizari? Dixit autem Philippus: Si credis ex toto corde, licet. Et respondens ait: Credo Filium Dei esse Jesum Christum. Et jussit stare currum: et descenderunt uterque in aquam, Philippus et eunuchus, et baptizavit eum. Cum autem ascendissent de aqua, Spiritus Domini rapuit Philippum, et amplius non vidit eum eunuchus. Ibat autem per viam suam gaudens. Philippus autem inventus est in Azoto, et pertransiens evangelizabat civitatibus cunctis, donec veniret Cæsaream, nomen Domini Jesu Christi.

doth the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opening his mouth, and beginning at this scripture, preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water: and the eunuch said: See here is water, what doth hinder me from being baptized? And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answering, said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found in Azotus, and passing through, he preached the gospel to all the cities till he came to Cesarea.

The Church, by this passage from the Acts of the Apostles, would remind her neophytes of the sublime grace of their Baptism, and under what condition they have been regenerated. God put the opportunity of salvation in their path, as He sent Philip to the eunuch. He gave them a desire to know the truth, in the same manner as He inspired this servant of Queen Candace to read what was to occasion his being instructed in the faith of Christ. This pagan, had he chosen, might have received the instructions of God's messenger with mistrust and indifference, and so have resisted the grace that was offered him;

but no, he opened his heart, and faith filled it. Our neophytes did the same: they were docile, and God's word enlightened them; they went on from light to light, until at length the Church recognized them as true disciples of the faith. Then came the Feast of the Pasch, and this mother of souls said to herself: 'Lo here is water,-the water that purifies, the water that issued from Jesus' side when opened by the spear: what hinders them from being baptized?' Having confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, they were baptized, as was the Ethiopian of our Epistle, in the life-giving waters; like him, they are about to continue the journey of life, rejoicing, for they are risen with Christ, who has graciously vouchsafed to associate the joy of their new birth with that of His own triumph.

GRADUAL

Hæc dies quam fecit Dominus: exsultemus et lætemur in ea.

V. Lapidem quem reprobaverunt ædificantes, hic factus est in caput anguli: a Domino factum est istud, et est mirabile in oculis nostris.

Alleluia, alleluia.

V. Surrexit Christus, qui creavit omnia: et misertus est humano generi.

This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us be glad and rejoice therein.

. The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

Alleluia, alleluia.

V. Christ is risen, who created all things, and hath shewn mercy to mankind.

The Sequence, Victima Paschali, page 164.

GOSPEL

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem. Cap. XX.

In illo tempore: Maria stabat ad monumentum foris,

Sequel of the holy Gospel according to John.

Ch. XX.

At that time: Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weep

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