8. MARK, EVANGELIST: SS. PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES. 23 xxiii had heard, he both approved it and gave it to be read by the Church with his own authority. Taking, therefore, with him the gospel which he had composed, he departed into Egypt, and was the first to preach Christ at Alexandria, and founded the Church there; shewing such soundness of doctrine and such holiness of life, as to leave an example to all the followers of Christ. RyRy. of the Common. Lesson V. PHILO, the most learned of the Jews, seeing the primitive church at Alexandria as yet observing the Mosaic law, wrote a book on their conversation, as in praise of his own people. And as Luke relates, that they who believed at Jerusalem had all things in common, so Philo reports of the Church in Alexandria, as he had seen it under Mark. He died in the eighth year of Nero, and was buried at Alexandria, being succeeded by Anianus. From the Exposition of S. Gregory the Pope on Ezekiel the Prophet. 6 Lesson VI. Homily 3. L. i. THE four sacred Living Creatures which by the spirit of prophecy foresee things to come, are described in typical story, when it is said: Every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. What is expressed by the face save knowledge, and what by the wings save flight? By the face, doubtless, is every one known: and by wings are the bodies of fowls lifted on high. The face, therefore, belongeth to faith, the wings to contemplation. For by faith are we known to Almighty God, even as He saith Himself of His sheep: I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. And again He saith: I know whom I have chosen. But by contemplation we are raised above ourselves, as though we were lifted in the air. THIRD NOCTURN. Homily on the Gospel, I am the true Vine, of the Common of Martyrs in Eastertide, p. 97, and RR, p. 97. MAY 1. Festival of SS. Philip and Tames, Apostles and Martyrs. All of the Common in Eastertide, P. 88, except the Lessons. Hymn. Annue Christe, p. i. In the 1st Nocturn, if the Epistle of S. James be not in course of reading, the beginning of his Epistle is read, as on the 4th Sunday after Easter. But if it be in course of reading, the lesson for the day is read. SECOND NOCTURN. Lesson IV. PHILIP, born at Bethsaida, was one of those among the Apostles who were first called by Christ our Lord; from whom when Nathanael had heard that the Messiah promised in the law had come, he was brought to the Lord. How familiar he was with Christ is proved by this: that those Greeks who were desirous of seeing the Lord, made their request to Philip: and the Lord, when He intended to feed the multitude in the wilderness, said unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat? He, when he had received the Holy Ghost, and when Scythia fell to his province for the preaching of the gospel, converted almost all that nation to the Christian faith. Lastly, when he had come to Hierapolis, in Phrygia, he was crucified for the Name of Christ, and stoned on the kalends of May. His JAMES, the brother of the Lord, surnamed the Just, from his earliest age drank no wine nor strong drink, abstained from flesh, and never used ointment or the luxurious bath. He alone was permitted to enter into the Holy of holies. and prayed to God for their salvation THIRD NOCTURN. one He wore linen garments; Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to and his assiduity in prayer had so hardened his knees, that the skin was as callous as that of a camel. After the Ascension of Christ, the Apostles created him bishop of Jerusalem; to him also, the prince of the Apostles sent to give him tidings when he was delivered by the Angel from prison. When in the council of Jerusalem, a controversy had arisen, concerning the law and circumcision, James spoke to the brethren, and proved the vocation of the Gentiles, and gave advice that an epistle should be written to the absent brethren to the effect that the Mosaic law should not be bound upon the Gentiles. Of whom also the Apostle speaketh to the Galatians: Other of the Apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. SUCH 6 Lesson VI. S. John. 7 14 Lesson VII. Chap. xiv. AT that time: Jesus said unto His disciples: Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions. And that which follows. A Homily of S. Augustine the Bishop. Tract 67 on S. John. attention more steadily to God, that we We must, my brethren, lift up our may take in with our understanding the words of the holy gospel which have just been sounding in our ears. For the Lord Jesus says, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. Lest they should fear death as men, and therefore be troubled, He comforts them, declaring that He also is God. Ye believe, He saith, in God, believe also in Me. For the conclusion is: If ye believe in God, believe also in Me: which would not follow necessarily if Christ were not God. was the holiness of the life of James, that men pressed upon each other to touch the hem of his garment. And when he was ninetysix years old, and had presided in a most holy manner for thirty years over that Church, and most constantly had preached Christ the Son of God, he was first attacked with stones;YE believe in God, believe also in then he was led up to the highest place of the temple, and cast down from thence. And as his legs were broken and he lay half alive, he stretched forth his hands to heaven, Lesson VIII. Him, Whose nature and no robbery it is to be equal with God. For He humbled Himself, not however losing the form of God, but taking the form of a servant. Ye fear death, coming to this form of a servant; let And the multiform deceiver's had feared for themselves also? Where- thou hast denied Me thrice? THEY Lesson IX. were naturally troubled as though they were about to perish from Him. But when they hear: In My Father's House are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for you: they recover from their trouble, sure and confident that even after the perils of temptation, they should abide in God's dweling, with Christ. Because, although one is stronger than another, one wiser than another, one juster than another, one holier than another, In My Father's House are many mansions. None of them shall be exiled from that house, where each shall receive a mansion according to his desert. MAY 3. Festival of the Invention of the Cross. * Inv. Alleluia. All hail, O holy Cross, all bail. Alleluia. Venite, Ps. 95xcv. p. 3. HYMN. Pange lingua. ING, my tongue, the glorious battle Tell the triumph of the strife; That the first-made Adam fell, Of the ancient wood to quell. For the work of our salvation Needs would have his order so, Of th' appointed time was come, To the Son and Paraclete; FIRST NOCTURN. FOR 3 Lesson I. Chap. iii. as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles througli Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. R. Sweetest wood, and sweetest iron, sweetest weight was hung on thee. Thou alone wast counted worthy this world's ransom to uphold. Alleluia. . This sign of the Cross shall be in heaven, when the Lord shall come to judge. Thou. Of the Epistle of S. Paul the Apostle to the Philippians. 2 Lesson II. Chap. ii. LET this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of GoD, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men : and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name: that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue_should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Ry. This sign of the Cross shall be in heaven when the Lord shall come to judge. * Then the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed. Alleluia. Alleluia. . When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory: and shall begin to judge the world by fire. Then. buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Ry. We worship Thee, O Christ, and bless Thee:* for by Thy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. Alleluia. Alleluia. . We venerate Thy Cross, O Lord, and celebrate Thy glorious Passion. For. Glory. For. The Sarum use has but one nocturn in Easter-tide. SECOND NOCTURN. Ant. 1. Save us, O Christ our Sa viour, by the virtue of the holy Cross : as Thou savedst Peter in the sea, and have mercy upon us. Alleluia. Exaltabo. Ps. xxx. p. 19. Ant. 2. O Saviour of the world, Who by Thy Cross and Blood hast redeemed us: save us, and help us, we beseech Thee, our God. Alleluia. Omnes gentes. Ps. lvii. p 30. Ant. 3. We venerate the sign of the Cross: whereby we have received the pledge of salvation. Alleluia. Jubilate. Ps. lxvi. p. 38. L Lesson IV. FTER the great victory gained by A1 the emperor Constantine over Maxentius, under the sign of the Lord's Cross, received by him from heaven, Helena, the mother of Constantine, being warned in sleep, came to Jerusalem desiring to discover the Cross: where she cast down a marble statue of Venus, that had stood for about one hundred and eighty years, having been set up by the hea then in the place of the Cross, in order to destroy the memory of the Lord's Passion. In like manner she did at the manger of the Saviour, and at the place of His Resurrection; in the former spot removing the image of Adonis, in the latter, that of Jupiter. Rz. O blessed Cross, which alone wast counted worthy to bear the King and Lord of the heavens ! Alleluia. y. O admirable Cross, cleanser of wounds, restorer of health! Which. HA 5. Lesson V. AVING cleared out the place of the Cross, three crosses were dug out, which had been buried deep, and with them, but apart, the title of the Lord's Cross: and when it appeared not to which of the three it had been affixed, the doubt was solved by a miracle. Macarius, bishop of Jerusalem, having made prayers to God, touched with each cross a woman labouring under grievous sickness : who, when the others produced no effect upon her, was straightway cured by the third Cross. Ry. But it behoveth us to glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: in Whom is our salvation, our life, and our resurrection: * by Whom we are saved and delivered. Alleluia. V. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By. 6 Lesson VI. the Cross should not in any wise be used for punishment: so that that, which formerly had been a shame and scorn of men, began to be their veneration and glory. Ry. O Cross, tree of life whereon hung the Saviour, the King of Israel: How sweet and precious art thou, that barest SO dear a burden, * honoured by supporting the Body of Christ. Alleluia. Alleluia. . Guard, O Lord, Thy flock, which Thou hast redeemed by the wood of the holy Cross. How sweet. Glory. Honoured. HELENA having discovered the Lesson of the Holy Gospel according health-giving Cross, raised a very magnificent church in the same place: wherein she left a part of the Cross enclosed in a silver case, and carried to S. John. Lesson VII. Chap. iii. part to Constantine, her son: the AT that time: There was a man of latter part was placed in the church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem at Rome. Also she brought her son the nails, wherewith the most Holy Body of Jesus Christ was affixed. From which time Constantine enacted a law, that the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God. And that which follows. |