brother, casting a net into the sea. And

so on.

Homily by Pope St. Gregory [the Great.] (5th on the Gospels.)

He gave up much who, with all that he had, gave up also all desire to have aught. They that follow [the Lord] give up as much as they that follow Him not are able to desire. Let no one, then, when he seeth another give up much, say within himself: I would fain follow the despisers of the world, but I have nothing to give up. My brethren, ye give up much if ye give up earthly desires.

Eighth Lesson.

LITTLE though our outward sacrifice

may be, it is enough for the Lord, "for the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart," (1 Kings xvi. 7,) and He considereth, not the intrinsic worth of the offering, but the intention of the offerer. If we look to the outward aspect only, behold, these holy purchasers acquired unto themselves to live everlastingly among Angels at the price of a ship and some nets. The Lord regardeth not the worth of what thou payest, but only what love thou hast for the kingdom of God.

Ninth Lesson.

OF great worth for Zaccheus was the half of his goods, for he kept the

other half wherefrom to restore fourfold to any man from whom he had taken anything by false accusation. (Luke xix. 8.) Of great worth for Peter and Andrew were the nets and the ship which they left. Of great worth for the poor widow were the two mites (Luke xxi. 1-4.) Of great worth is the cup of cold water. (Matth. x. 42.) Whatsoever thou hast, be it little or be it much, is worth the kingdom of God.

Vespers are of St. Bibiana, from the Chapter inclusive.

DECEMBER 5.

Sixth Day within the Octave of St. Andrew.

All as the Feast except that the Antiphons are not doubled, and the following.

FIRST NOCTURN.

Lessons from Scripture according to the Season.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons of St. Bernard, Abbat [of Clairvaux.]

WAS it a man, my brethren, that so

spake or was it an Angel? or was it some new kind of creature? It was a man subject to like passions as we are. (James v. 17.) That he could suffer is shown by those actual sufferings whose approach made him so to leap for joy. Whence came in man this strange delight, this unheard of merriment? Whence came into our weakness such strength? Whence came into man a mind so spiritual, love so burning, a soul so great? God forbid that we should attribute his strength to himself. "Every good gift and every perfect is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights," (James i. 17,) even from Him "Who only doeth wondrous things." (Ps. lxxi. 18.)

Fifth Lesson.

SURELY and certainly, dearly beloved

brethren, Andrew's strength was from that Spirit Who "helpeth our infirmities," (Rom. viii. 26,) and by Whom "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts," (v. 5,) a long strong as death, Cant. viii. 6,) yea, stronger than death.

would to God that we also might be found partakers in that Spirit! Were He with us, without doubt He would help our infirmities, and, as He made the Cross and even death itself welcome to blessed Andrew, so would He make for us toil and penance to be not only not irksome, but even most sweet, yea, and altogether lovely. (Cant. v. 16.) "For My Spirit," saith the Lord, "is

sweet above honey," (Ecclus. xxiv. 27,) so sweet that it can take the bitterness out of that exceeding bitter thing, death.

Sixth Lesson.

HAPPY is that soul which maketh

her boast and her triumph in the Cross, only so as she continue to cleave thereto, and can be cast down by no trials. If any man be on the Cross, let him pray, let him pray with blessed Andrew to his Lord and Teacher, not to suffer him to be taken down therefrom. For what will not the evil one dare? what will not the wicked one be bold enough to attempt? That which he did to the disciple by the hands of Egeas, that had he imagined to do to the Master by the tongues of the Jews. And in both cases he repented when it was too late, and fled overcome and confounded. And so may he fly from us, conquered by Him Who triumphed both in His Own Person and in that of His disciple.

Homily by the Venerable Bede, Priest [at Jarrow]. (Comment. on Mark i. 6.)

These were the first who were called to follow the Lord. Unlettered fishers were sent to preach, to the end that the faith of believers "should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." (1 Cor. ii. 5.) But a question may arise, as to a discrepancy between the narrative of Matthew and Mark, and that of Luke. For Matthew and Mark (i. 16-20) say that the Lord first called Peter and Andrew, "and when He had gone a little farther thence, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, and straightway He called them." Whereas Luke saith (v. 4-11) that Peter and Andrew "enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net brake; and they beckoned unto their

partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came and filled both the ships

When Simon Peter saw it... he was astonished. and so were also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him."

Eighth Lesson.

HENCE we must understand that

these two narratives relate to two different occasions, whereof that recorded in Luke was the earlier, and that the Lord did not upon that occasion call them, but merely foretold to Peter that he should from thenceforth catch men. This is not said in that place so as to imply that he was thenceforth to cease to catch fish; nay, even after the Resurrection of the Lord we read that Peter went a-fishing. (John xxi. 13.) Therefore was it said that thenceforth he should catch men, not that thenceforth he should not catch fish.

Ninth Lesson.

WE E are therefore given to understand from Luke that after the event recorded by him they went back again to catch fish as usual, before that took place which is told by Matthew and Mark, namely, the Lord's calling, first Peter and Andrew, and then the two sons of Zebedee, and bidding them follow Him. For on the first occasion they drew their ships to the land, as though to have them ready on their return, but on the second they followed Him as One Who called and commanded them to come after Him.

DECEMBER 7.

Octave Day of St. Andrew.

All as on the Feast, except the following.

FIRST VESPERS.

These, as regards St. Andrew, begin with the Chapter.

All as the First Vespers of the Feast.

MATTINS.

FIRST NOCTURN.

Lessons from Scripture according to the Season.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Fourth Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Sermons of St. Bernard, Abbat [of Clairvaux.] (For St. Andrew's Eve.)

WITH what joy of the whole earth

should be proclaimed so fresh a marvel, so astounding a work of God's power! Andrew was a man subject to like passions as we are, (James v. 17,) and yet when he saw the cross which had been made ready for him at hand, he was seized with such a yearning for it, he bounded with such an unearthly joy, unknown for ages, that he cried out and said, "O precious Cross, of a long time have I desired thee, and, now that thou art made ready for me, my soul is drawn to thee, and I come to thee in peace and gladness; thou also oughtest to welcome me with joy." See ye how that his gladness made him beside himself, to cry out, "Thou also oughtest to welcome me with joy."

Fifth Lesson.

WAS there then such an outburst of

gladness that it could infect the very cross itself, take away all its deadliness and make it all happy? But indeed can any say that it is more contrary to experience, reason, and nature to find happiness felt by the cross, than to find it felt by the crucified? To the cross nature hath denied the power to feel glad, in the crucified whatever power she hath is to destroy all gladness and inspire grief. Brethren, what spake from Andrew's mouth was not a tongue but a quivering flame of fire, or if indeed it were a tongue, a tongue of fire. From above had Christ sent fire into his bones, (Lam. i. 13,) and these words are coals kindled at it. And would that to us they might be hot burning coals (Ps. cxix. 4) to devour and burn away whatever carnal feeling there is still left in us.

Sixth Lesson.

BLESSED Andrew! thy faith was

indeed as a grain of mustard seed, which suddenly developed such unhoped for heat when it began to be ground in the mill of persecution. What would it have been if it had been ground a little more? What imagination can pieture what its hotness would have become? What ears could have borne to hear his words? When Egeas threatened him with the death of the Cross, he thought to crush him; but he was mistaken. The word roused him, and he cried out: "If I had been afraid of the torture of the Cross, I should not have preached the glory of the Cross." They who are the servants of the Cross do well to honour the lover of the Cross, and this honour he hath right to expect more especially from such as have made particular profession to take up their

cross.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (iv. 18.)

AT that time: JESUS, walking by the

sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea. And so on.

Homily by the Venerable Bede, Priest [at Jarrow.]

Meetly did the Lord will to make His fishers of men out of fishers of fish. It is the business of a fisher to go into a boat, to take nets in his hands, and therewith to drag fishes to the shore out of the depths of the sea. Even so did the fishers of men by entering the bosom of the Church, go up into the ship of faith, and with the nets of their preaching both by word and work, draw many men unto the true day out of the bitter and dark depths of this world's ocean. Behold how in Achaia, blessed Andrew had his nets in his hands, and caught a great multitude of spiritual fishes. We read that not only the whole city, but also all the country round about, believed, so that he himself said: "Christ hath sent me into this province, where I have gained people not a few."

Eighth Lesson.

UT we may consider that it was not

at His first calling chose four disciples; four is a perfect number, and when quartered, signifieth perfection. Or at least, there is a reference to the four principal virtues, namely, Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude, and Justice. These virtues the four Apostles set forth, not only in their number, but also in their names-Peter, which is by some interpreted"Knowing," signifieth Prudence. Andrew, which is interpreted "Manly," signifieth Fortitude, a virtue which was his, not in name only, but also in deed, for he persevered manfully in the right faith, even unto suffering, so that even when he was being led out to be crucified, and come in sight of the Cross, he joyfully hailed it with the words, "Hail, precious Cross!"

Ninth Lesson.

BY James, which is interpreted "Sup

plantor," is signified Justice, whose task is to supplant iniquity and love uprightness. By John, which is interpreted "Grace of God," or "In him is grace," is signified Temperance, otherwise called Discretion, which is the mother of all virtues. When therefore the Lord, at the first calling, chose four Disciples, He gave us to know by their very number, that, if we will be His followers, we must have these four virtues.

DECEMBER 18.

Office in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary looking shortly to be delivered.

Greater Double.

Whatever is not specially given here is from the Common Office for Feasts of the Blessed Virgin, (p. 894,) except that the last verse of the Hymn is not altered in honour of the Incarnation.

Prayer throughout as on March 25, (p. 1033.)

FIRST VESPERS.

with "Alleluia" added to the Second and Third.

Hymn. Creator of the starry pole, &c., (p. 179.)

Verse. Hail, Mary, full of grace.
Answer. The Lord is with thee.

Antiphon at the Song of the Blessed Virgin. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, O Mary,-fear not; thou shalt bear in thy womb the Son of God. Alleluia.

A Commemoration is made of the Week-day. Antiphon, “O, &c."

MATTINS.

991

Invitatory. Hail, Mary, full of grace, * the Lord is with thee.

Hymn. Supernal Word, &c., (p. 179.)

FIRST NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. Behold, our Lord cometh with power, and He shall lighten the eyes of His servants. Alleluia.

Ps. viii. O LORD, our Ruler, &c., (p. 6.)

Second Antiphon. Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down the Righteous One: let the earth open, and let her bring forth the Saviour.

Ps. xviii. The heavens declare, &c., (p. 16.)

Third Antiphon. Behold, the Name of the LORD cometh from far, and His brightness filleth the world.

Ps. xxiii. The earth is the LORD'S, &c., (p. 124.)

Verse. Out of Zion, the Perfection of beauty,

Answer. Our God shall come mani