Fourth Lesson. The Lesson is taken from the Sermons of St. Bernard, Abbat [of Clairvaux.] (On Ps. xc.) 66 HE E hath given His Angels charge over thee." A wonderful graciousness, and a wonderful outpouring of love. For who hath given charge? And what charge? Unto whom? And over whom? Let us carefully consider, my brethren, let us carefully hold in mind this great charge. For who hath given this charge? To Whom belong the Angels? Whose commandments do they obey, and Whose will do they do? "He hath given His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways," and that not carelessly, for "they shall bear thee up in their hands." The Highest Majesty, therefore, hath given charge unto Angels, even His Angels. Unto these beings so excellently exalted, so blessed, so near to Himself, even as His own household, unto these hath He given charge over thee. Who art thou? "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" (Ps. viii. 5.) Even as though man were not "rottenness, and the son of man, a worm." (Job xxv. 6.) But what charge hath He given them over thee? "To keep thee in all thy ways." Fourth Responsory. 'As the Lord liveth, His Angel hath kept me in my way that I went thither, and in my sojourning there, and in mine home-coming again hither. Verse. And the Lord hath not suffered me that am His handmaid to be defiled. Answer. His Angel hath kept me in my way that I went thither, and in my sojourning there, and in mine homecoming again hither. Fifth Lesson. WHAT respect, what thankfulness, what trust, ought this word to work in thee! Respect for their presence, thankfulness for their kindness, 1 Judith xiii. 20. trust in their safe-keeping. Walk carefully, as one with whom are Angels, as hath been laid in charge upon them, in all thy ways. In every lodging, in every nook, have reverence for thine Angel. Dare not to do in his presence what thou wouldst not dare to do in mine. Or dost thou doubt whether he be indeed present, because thou seest him not? What if thou heardest him? What if thou touchedst him? What if thou smelledst him? Behold, not by sight alone is the presence of things made manifest. Fifth Responsory. "The Angel of the Lord came down into the furnace together with Azariah and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the furnace, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt them. Verse. Blessed be their God, Who sent His Angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him! Answer. So that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt them. Sixth Lesson. LET us also, brethren, dearly love His Angels, as them with whom we are one day to be co-heirs, and who in the meanwhile are leaders and guardians set over us by the Father. With such guardians, whereof shall we be afraid? They that keep us in all our ways, can neither be conquered nor corrupted, far less can they corrupt. They are trusty, they are wary, they are mighty. Whereof shall we be afraid? Only let us follow them, only let us cleave unto them, and we shall abide under the shadow of the God of heaven." As often then as the gloom of temptation threateneth thee, or the sharpness of tribulation hangeth over thee, call upon Him That keepeth thee, thy Shepherd, thy Refuge in times of trouble, call upon Him, and say: "Lord, save us; we perish." (Matth. viii. 25.) 2 Dan. iii. 49, 95. Sixth Responsory. In all their affliction He was not 3 Isa. lxiii. 9. So the Hebrew, but the Jewish tradition, as in Isa. ix. 3, (p. 225,) attributes the negative to an eccentric spelling, and reads, "In all their affliction He was afflicted." afflicted, and the Angel of His presence saved them. Verse. In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare them and carried them all the days of old. Answer. And the Angel of His presence saved them. Verse. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Answer. And the Angel of His presence saved them. THIRD NOCTURN. First Antiphon. The LORD sent His Angel, which cut off all the mighty of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the King of Assyria. Ps. xcv. O sing unto the LORD, &c., (p. 72.) Second Antiphon. Worship the Lord, all ye His Angels! Zion heard, and was glad. Ps. xcvi. The LORD reigneth, &c., (p. 73.) Third Antiphon. Bless the LORD, all ye His Angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, to hearken unto the voice of His word. Ps. cii. Bless the LORD, (p. 76.) Verse. Before the Angels will I sing praise unto Thee. Answer. I will worship toward Thy holy Temple, and praise Thy Name. Seventh Lesson. The Lesson is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (xviii. 1.) T that time: Came the disciples unto A Jests, mying. Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And so on. Homily by St. Hilary, Bishop [of Poitiers. (Comm. on Matth. xviii.) "Unless ye become as little children," saith the Lord, " ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven," that is, unless by the uprooting of bodily and mental depravity, we bring our souls to the innocency of childhood. But He giveth the name of children to all such as believe by the hearing of faith. Children follow their father, love their mother, know not how to wish evil to their neighbours, are not careful for earthly 2 Par. (Chron.) xxxii. 21. riches; they insult not, they hate not, they lie not, they believe what they are told, and take for truth what they hear. Us then it behoveth to return to the simpleness of little children, for when we are well rooted therein, we shall so far bear about in ourselves an image of the sublime simpleness of the Lord JESUS. Seventh Responsory. "When Maccabeus and they that were with him heard that [Lysias] besieged the holds, they and all the people with lamentation and tears besought the Lord that He would send a good Angel to deliver Israël. Verse. So they went forth together with a willing mind, and, as they were at Jerusalem, there appeared before them on horseback one in white clothing. Answer. A good Angel to deliver Is raël. Eighth Lesson. WOE unto the world because of of fences!" The lowliness of the Passion is an offence unto the world. Such is the state of stupidity to which man's ignorance hath reduced itself, that it turneth away from the Lord of Eternal Glory, because of the unsightliness of the Cross! And what is so certain to bring woe unto the world as to turn away from Christ? And therefore He saith: "It must needs be that offences come," because His fulfilling the lowliness of the Passion was the predestined mean whereby He was to give us eternal life. Eighth Responsory. 30 Lord, Thou didst send Thine Angel in the time of Hezekiah, King of Judah, and didst slay in the host of Sennacherib an hundred, fourscore, and five thousand. Wherefore now also, O Lord of heaven, send Thy good Angel before us, for a fear and dread of the might of Thine arm. Verse. That those be stricken with terror that come with blasphemy against Thy holy people. Answer. Now also, O Lord of heaven, send Thy good Angel before us, for a fear and dread of the might of Thine arm. 2 2 Macc. xi. 6, 8. 3 2 Macc. xv. 22-24. Verse. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. Answer. Now also, O Lord of heaven, send Thy good Angel before us, for a fear and dread of the might of Thine arm. "TAK Ninth Lesson. AKE heed that ye despise not one of these little ones that believe in Me." He hath laid on us a most meet tie to constrain us to love one another, especially such as indeed believe in the Lord. "For I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do always behold the face of My Father Which is in heaven. For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." From these words we see, first, that the Son of Man saveth; secondly, that the Angels do see God; and thirdly, that the Angels of these little ones have the wardship over the prayers of the faithful. That the Angels have this wardship is taught us absolutely. The Angels therefore do every day offer to God the prayers, which they which are saved, do make to Him in the Name of Christ. Therefore it is dangerous for a man to despise them, seeing that these are they by whose watchful service and ministry, his wishes and requests are presented before the throne of the eternal and unseen God. LAUDS. First Antiphon. God hath given His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. Second Antiphon. Let us praise the Lord, Whom the Angels do praise, unto Whom Cherubim and Seraphim do cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy." Third Antiphon. In heaven their Angels do always behold the face of My Father, Which is in heaven. Fourth Antiphon. Blessed be God, * Who sent His Angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him. Fifth Antiphon. Praise ye God, * all His Angels-Praise ye Him, all His hosts! Chapter. (Exod. xxiii. 20.) BEHOLD, I send Mine Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice. RULER Hymn.1 ULER of the dread immense! Low before Thy throne we bend; May he crush the deadly wiles Ere to this our land it come; Us, who put our trust in Thee. Verse. O my God, before the Angels will I sing praise unto Thee. Answer. I will worship toward Thy holy Temple, and praise Thy Name. Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias. The Angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. Prayer throughout the Office. GOD, Who, in Thine unspeakable Providence, hast been pleased to give Thine holy Angels charge over us, to keep us, mercifully grant unto our prayers, that we be both ever fenced by their wardship here, and everlastingly blessed by their fellowship hereafter. Through our Lord JESUS Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. PRIME. Antiphon. God hath given, &c (First Antiphon at Lauds.) 1 Translation by the late Rev. E. Caswall. 2 Zech. iv. 1. as a mean whereby to make Thy Church again the mother of children, grant that we like him may set little price by earthly things, and attain unto a portion of those good things which Thou givest in heaven. Through our Lord Antiphon. Let us praise, &c., (Second esus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and Antiphon at Lauds.) Chapter from Lauds. Short Responsory as on p. 1297. reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. MATTINS. FIRST NOCTURN. Lesson from Wisd. iv. 7, &c., (p.856.) SECOND NOCTURN. Fourth Lesson. FRANCIS was born at Assisi in Um bria [in the year of our Lord 1182.] From his early youth he followed_the example of his father, [Peter Bernardone,] and busied himself with merchandise. It befell one day that, contrary to his usage, he had thrust from him a beggar, who cried for money for Christ's sake, when, being cut to the heart with regret, he gave him large alms, and promised to God from that day forth never to deny to any that asked of him. He fell after this into a grievous sickness, and from the time that he was healed thereof, he gave himself more earnestly to works of love for his neighbour. At length he became fain in this sort to be perfect, even as the Lord hath said in the Gospel, (Matth. xix. 21,) and gave to the poor whatsoever he had. His father would not have it so, and brought him before the Bishop of Assisi, that he might renounce all right to any inheritance. He cheerfully gave up all to his father, even to his clothes, telling them that now he should be able with more utter dependence to say: "Our Father, Who art in heaven-" 1 "Francesco," i.e. Frenchman. His real name was John, but the people of Assisi gave him the nickname of "Frenchman" because he spoke French well. words of the Gospel: "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes." (Matth. x. 9, 10.) Thereupon he determined that that should be his rule of living. He took off his shoes, and contented himself with one coat. When he had gathered twelve comrades, he founded the Order of Friars Minors.1 He went to Rome in the [same] year, to get from the Apostolic See a confirmation of his Order. When he came Pope Innocent III. thrust him away. Thereafter he dreamt that he saw the Church of the most Holy Saviour falling, and whom he had cast forth bearing it up with his shoulders. He bade therefore that he should be sought for and brought again before him, welcomed him kindly, and approved all the Rule which he had established. Francis therefore sent his Friars into all quarters of the world to preach the Gospel of Christ. He himself was fain to find some occasion of martyrdom, and therefore made a voyage into Syria, [in the year 1219,] but the Sultan treated him with the greatest kindness, offering him many gifts, and, since he could do no good, he returned again to Italy. [TOWA Sixth Lesson. WARDS the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the year 1224,] when there had already been built many houses of Friars of his Order, he withdrew himself into a most secret place upon Mount Alverno, and began to fast for forty days in honour of the holy Archangel Michael. Upon the Feast-day of the Uplifting of the Holy Cross, [as he was praying upon the side of the mountain,] he saw a vision of a crucified Seraph, which left in his hands and feet holes with nails therein, and in his side a great wound. Holy "BuonaVentura" hath left it in writing that he once heard Pope Alexander IV., when preaching, testify that he had himself seen these marks. It was a sign of such love of Christ toward him as stirred up the great wonder of all men. Two years thereafter he fell sick unto death, and was fain to be carried into the Church of St. Mary-of-the-Angels, that he might give up the breath of life in the same place where God had breathed into him the breath of the life of grace. Being there [laid on the earth, sprinkled with ashes, and covered with an old habit,] he exhorted the Friars to be poor and lowly, and to cleave to the faith of the Holy Church of Rome. [He then caused the Gospel of St. John to be read from the words "Now before the feast of the Passover" to the end,] after which he began to recite the 141st Psalm: "I cried unto the LORD with my voice," and in uttering the words, "the righteous wait for me, till Thou deal bountifully with me," he gave up the ghost. It was the 4th day of October, [in the year 1226.] He was famous for miracles, and Pope Gregory IX. added his name to the list of the Saints. THIRD NOCTURN. Lessons from Matth. xi. 25, with the Homily of St. Austin, (p. 867.) At Second Vespers a Commemoration is made of the following, from the Common Office for Many Martyrs. Prayer, "O God, by Whose mercy, &c." (p. 836.) OCTOBER 5. St. Placidus and his Comrades, Martyrs. Simple. All from the Simple Office for Many Martyrs, (p. 841,) except the following. Prayer throughout the Office. "0 God, by Whose mercy, &c." (p. 836.) MATTINS. First and Second Lessons from Scripture according to the Season. 1 I.e. "the lesser brethren," a name assumed out of humility in regard to the Dominicans. * This absolute date of Sept. 14, appears to rest upon the authority of an anonymous vision at a later date, and is difficult to reconcile with the original historians. It is hardly consistent with the statement of the Breviary on Sept. 17, and is rejected by the Bollandists in parr. 590, 591, of their preliminary remarks to the Life of St. Francis. 3 It was in that Church that he heard the text from Matth. x. 10. 4 I.e. after Vespers on Saturday, the 3rd. |