HE

Fifth Lesson.

E was appointed Royal Almoner, and the Queen Jane made him her Confessor. When King Wenceslaus fell away from his good life and resolutions, and plunged into sin, he took in bad part the remonstrances and warnings of his godly wife, and dared to ask from John a disclosure of the things which the Queen had confided to him in the tribunal of Sacramental Penance. But the servant of God remained unshaken, first under blandishments and then under torture and a miserable imprisonment, in refusing to gratify the King's base curiosity. But the laws neither of God nor of man could withhold the insane mind of Wenceslaus from his infamous idea, and the champion of Christ openly foretold to the people that his own last conflict was at hand, and the afflictions which would thereafter befall the kingdom. He went presently to Buntzel, and, in front of the antient image of the Blessed Virgin which is there honoured, prayed earnestly for strength from heaven to fight a good fight. He returned thence on the evening before Ascension Day [1383,] and the King chancing to look out at a window and see him pass, sent for him and furiously demanded his compliance, with the threat of having him drowned if he was obstinate. John remained perfectly unmoved. That night, therefore, he was thrown into the River Muldaw, where it runs through Prague, and so gained the glorious crown of martyrdom.

Sixth Lesson.

THE sacrilegious murder was com

mitted secretly, but a great sign from God made it public, and, with it, the glory of the martyr. As the lifeless corpse was borne along by the stream, lights appeared, floating and moving over the waters. The next morning therefore the Canons, fearing nothing the anger of the King, took the body from the sand and carried it in solemn procession to the Metropolitan Church, and there gave it burial. The memory of this victorious Priest became constantly more illustrious by miracles and by the veneration paid it by the faith

ful, especially such as are slandered. After more than three hundred years, when his remains, which had lain all the while under ground, were judicially examined, the tongue was found incorrupt and fresh, and when, after six years more, it was shown to the judges appointed by the Apostolic See, it suddenly swelled again to its full size, and changed in colour from dark to bright red. These and other signs being duly certified, the supreme Pontiff Benedict XIII., upon the 19th day of March, in the year of salvation 1729, inscribed in the list of the holy martyrs, the name of this first champion of the inviolability of sacramental confession, whose secrecy he sealed with his blood.

So speak the monuments of olden time, And shrines that bright with votive spoils appear;

So speak the Festivals in her sweet praise, Returning year by year.

Now for new mercies a new song ascends, While with our Lady's ensigns all unfurl'd, Rome in procession long high triumph holds,

And with great Rome the world.

Oh, happy day! on which Saint Peter's throne

Receives the Faith's great Ruler back again;

Returning from his banishment, in peace O'er Christendom to reign.

Ye youths and maidens, priests and people all!

Pour out your grateful hearts on this glad day,

Striving with all your strength, to Heaven's high Queen

Her well-earn'd praise to pay.

unto us, and that, not without a plentiful increase of graces. Verily, Christ is enough, and verily "our sufficiency is of Him" (2 Cor. iii. 5,) but for us "it is not good that the man should be alone," (Gen. ii. 18.) It was more meet that a woman as well as a man should appear in the matter of our redemption. And thus the woman "blessed among women" is not seen idle, but a place is found for her in the work of reconciliation. We must needs have a medium between us and the Mediator Christ. neither can we have one more useful than Mary. Eve was a cruel medium, through which the venomous serpent infected her husband with its poison, but Mary is a trustworthy medium which offereth the healthful antidote for that poison both to men and to women. The one ministered to the work of seduction, the other to that of the atonement. The one smuggled in the fall, the other brought in the Redemption. Why should weak man tremble to come to Mary? There is nothing stern, nothing dreadful about her; she is all sweetness, offering, to all, milk and wool. Consider well the whole course of the Gospel history, and if thou find in Mary any such thing as harshness, or hardness, and even the least sign of loss of temper, trust her not again, and fear to come unto her.

BUT

Fifth Lesson.

if thou find her to be altogether as indeed she is, full of a mother's tenderness and grace, full of gentleness and mercy, give thanks unto Him Who, in the vast abundance of His goodness, hath given thee such a spokeswoman in whom thou canst not but trust. In fine, through the boundlessness of her charity she hath made herself all things to all men, (1 Cor. ix. 22,) "A debtor both to the wise and to the unwise," (Rom. i. 14.) She openeth to all the bosom of her mercy, that of her fulness all may receive; the captive, ransom; the sick, health; the sorrowful, comfort; the sinful, pardon; the righteous, grace; even angels, gladness. She is not one who inquireth what we have deserved, but is to all most easy to be entreated and most merciful; in the wideness of her love she hath pity upon the needs of all. She is the woman of whom God

promised of old time that she should bruise with her foot of power the head of the old serpent. For her heel he lay in wait, but vainly. For she by herself hath crushed the depravity of every heresy. They that lay in wait for her have been crushed, they that assailed her have been trampled down, they that maligned her have been silenced, and all generations call her blessed. If by the moon we are to understand the Church, we have her office of advocate clearly set forth, where it is said, "A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet." (Apoc. xii. 1.) Let us embrace the blessed feet of Mary, casting ourselves down in most earnest entreaty before her. Let us take hold upon her, and not let her go until she bless us; for she is able.

Sixth Lesson. (From History.)

CHRISTENDOM hath oftentimes had

marvellous experience how present an help is the Mother of God for scattering her foes. Thus it was that the most holy Pope Pius V., after the famous victory which the Christians gained over the Sultan of Turkey in the battle of Lepanto, ordered that in the Litany of Loretto this Queen of heaven should be styled, among other titles, "Help of Christians." But one of the most remarkable and indeed truly miraculous instances was that of Pius VII., Bishop of Rome. He was dragged from his Apostolic See by the plots and arms of wicked men, and for five years was kept in close confinement, mainly at Savona, being almost utterly cut off from all means whereby he could govern the Church, a feature without a precedent in any previous persecution. When it was least expected, he was replaced upon the Papal throne, with universal approbation, and as it were by the hands of the whole world. The same thing happened to him a second time, when another storm arose, and he left the City and went in company with the Sacred College of Cardinals to the Riviera. Then, by an outpouring of God's mercy, the storm, which had threatened darkly, ceased, and he returned to Rome amid fresh rejoicing of the nations. But before leaving the North of Italy he carried out an old intention which his captivity had prevented him from realising,

and, amid solemn pomp, placed with his own hands a crown of gold upon the famous image at Savona which depicts the Mother of God under the title of Mother of Mercy. The wonderful turns in his affairs the same Pope Pius VII., having had personal experience of everything, ascribed to the intercession of the most holy Mother of God, whose mighty aid he had himself unceasingly implored, and had urged all Christ's faithful people to implore. He therefore appointed a solemn Feast to be kept for ever in honour of the Virgin Mother, styled "Help of Christians," upon the 24th day of May, being that of his own happy return to the City of Rome, and he approved for this occasion a special office that the memorial, as well as the thanksgiving for such great mercies might remain in all time distinct.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Seventh Lesson.

The Lesson is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Luke (xi. 27.)

AT that time: As JESUS spake unto

the multitudes, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice and said unto Him: Blessed is the womb that bare Thee. And so on.

Homily by St. Bernard, Abbat [of Clairvaux.] (For Sept. 8.)

Consider, O man, the counsel of God; recognise its wisdom and its goodness. He Who was about to water the whole floor with dew from heaven, began by drenching the fleece. He who was about to redeem all mankind, poured the price of redemption upon Mary. Consider deeper with what feelings He hath willed that we should honour Mary, He Who hath given unto her a fulness of all good; so that if we have any hope, any grace, any salvation, we know that it runneth over from her abundance "who goeth up, overflowing with delights." (Cant. viii. 5.) With all our hearts, then, with all our deepest affections and longings, let us honour Mary, since this is the will of Him Who hath been pleased that it should be through Mary that we should have all things. I say that such is His will-for our sakes.

In the Seventh Responsory insert the

Office in honour of our Lord's title of "Our Most Holy Redeemer."

Ordinary or Greater Double.

All as on Sundays, except the following.

FIRST VESPERS.

First Antiphon. The LORD shall send the rod of His strength out of Zion, and He shall reign for ever and ever.

Ps. cix. The LORD said, &c., (p. 146.)

Second Antiphon. The Lord sent redemption unto His people; He hath commanded His covenant for ever.

Ps. cx. I will praise Thee, &c., (p. 147.)

Third Antiphon. 'The Lord is my goodness, and my fortress, my strength, and my Deliverer.

Ps. cxv. I believed, &c., (p. 153.) Fourth Antiphon. With the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.

Ps. cxxix. Out of the depths, &c., (p. 99.)

Fifth Antiphon. In whatsoever day I call upon Thee, answer me: Thou wilt strengthen my soul exceedingly.

Ps. cxxxvii. I will praise Thee, &c., (p. 164.)

Chapter and Prayer from Lauds.

Who hast a Name, and hast a Power,
The height and depth to sway,
And Angels bow, and devils cower,
In transport or dismay;

Thou too shalt be our Judge at length;
Lord, in Thy grace bestow

Thy weapons of celestial strength,
And snatch us from the foe.

Honour and glory, power and praise, To Father, and to Son,

And Holy Ghost, be paid always,

The Eternal Three in One. Amen.

Verse. Lord, Thou hast redeemed us by Thy Blood.

Answer. And hast made us unto our God a kingdom.

Antiphon at the Song of Zacharias. 'But My salvation shall be for ever, and My righteousness from generation to generation. Alleluia.

At Compline, Prime, Terce, Sext, and None, the last verse of the Hymn is altered in honour of the Incarnation.

MATTINS.

Invitatory. Where in heaven JESUS reigns, Angels bow before Him. * Come ye also, sons of earth, come ye and adore Him.

Hymn, "Who madest all and dost control," (p. 42.)

FIRST NOCTURN.

First Antiphon. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill.

Ps. iii. LORD, how are they increased, &c., (p. 5.)

Second Antiphon. O LORD our Ruler, how excellent is Thy Name in all the earth!

Ps. vii. beginning with the words, "Who hast set, &c.," (p. 6.)

Third Antiphon. The LORD is in His holy temple: the LORD's throne is in heaven.

Ps. x. In the LORD, &c., (p. 8.)

2 Translation by Cardinal Newman.

• Isa. li. 6, 8.