A Homily of S. John Chrysostom. Homily 2 on S. Matthew. Think not it is of small things thou art hearing, when thou hearest of this Birth, but rouse up thy mind, and straightway tremble, being told that God hath come upon earth. Yea, for it is far beyond all thoughts to hear that God the Unspeakable, the Unutterable, the Incomprehensible, and He that is equal to the Father, hath passed through a Virgin's womb, and hath vouchsafed to be born of a woman, and to have Abraham and David for forefathers. Hearing these things, arise, and surmise nothing low; but even because of this very thing most of all shouldest thou marvel, that, being Son of the Unoriginate God, and His true Son, He suffered Himself also to be called Son of David, that He might make thee son of God. He suffered a slave to be father to Him, that He might make the Lord to be Father to thee a slave. Ry. Sing, O daughter of Sion; shout, O Israel; * be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. . The King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee. Be glad and rejoice. Lesson VIII. SEEST thou at once, from the beginning, of what nature are the Gospels? If thou doubt concerning the things that pertain to thee, from what belongs to Him believe these also. For it is far more difficult, judging by human reason, for God to become man, than for a man to be declared a son of God. When, therefore, thou art told that the Son of God is Son of David and of Abraham, doubt not any more, that thou too, the son of Adam, shalt be son of God. For not at random, nor in vain did He abase Himself so greatly, only He was minded to exalt us. Thus He was born after the flesh, that thou mightest be born after the Spirit; He was born of a woman, that thou Lesson IX. WHEREFORE the birth was twoand also surpassing ours. fold, both made like unto us, born of a woman indeed was our lot, For to be but to be born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of man, but of the hand the birth surpassing us, the Holy Ghost, was to proclaim beforebirth to come, which He was about freely to give us of the Spirit. And everything else too was like this. Thus His Baptism also was of the same kind, for it partook of the old, and it partook also of the new. To be baptized by the prophet marked the old, but the coming down of the Spirit shadowed out the new. And like as though any one were to place himself in the space between two persons that were standing apart, and stretching forth both his hands were to lay hold on either side, and tie them together, even so hath He done, joining the old covenant with the new, God's nature with man's, the things that are His with ours. Ry. With heart and soul let us sing glory to Christ* on this holy solemnity of Mary the glorious Mother of God. y. All gathered together into one, let us praise the Lord Jesus Christ. On. Glory. On. [In Sarum use, Te Deum is not said in Advent.] (DECEMBER 20. VIGIL OF S. THOMAS, A. M. Festival of S. Thomas, Apostle and All of the Common of Apostles, p. 66, except that which follows. HYMN. Annue Christe, p. i. In the First Nocturn, Lessons of the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians, as in the Common of Apostles, p. 68. SECOND Nocturn. Lesson IV. THOMAS the Apostle, who is also called Didymus, a Galilæan, after receiving the Holy Ghost, journeyed into many provinces to preach the Gospel of Christ, and gave to the Parthians, the Medes, the Persians, the Hyrcanians, and the Bactrians, the precepts of Christian faith and life. Finally, betaking himself to the Indians, he instructed them in the Christian religion. And at last, when he had by the holiness of his life and doctrine, and by the greatness of his miracles, stirred up in all other persons admiration for himself and love of Jesus Christ, he excited to more wrath against himself the king of that nation, worshipper of idols: by whose sentence he was condemned and thrust through with a spear, and at Calamina adorned his apostolate with the crown of martyrdom. Ry. of the Common. Lesson V. It is written. p. 70; Lesson VI. As many. p. 70; with RyRy. V. and VI. of the Common. THIRD NOCTURN. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according to S. John. Lesson VII. Chap. xx. AT that time: Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. And that which follows. A Homily of S. Gregory the Pope. Homily 26 on the Gospels. What, beloved brethren, what do you remark among these things? Do you suppose that it happened by chance that that chosen disciple was then absent, but afterwards came in and heard, and hearing doubted, doubting touched, touching believed? This did not happen by chance, but by divine dispensation. The supreme mercy dealt wonderfully, that the doubting disciple, while he touched the wounds of his Master's flesh, should heal the wounds of unbelief in us. For the unbelief of Thomas more benefited our faith, than the faith itself of the believing disciples; since, whilst he by touching is brought to believe, our mind, laying aside all doubt, is strengthened in faith. RyRy. of the Common. Lesson VIII. FOR just as, after His resurrection the Lord suffered His disciple to doubt, but did not leave him in his doubt, so, before His nativity, He willed that Mary should have a husband, who, nevertheless, should not complete his marriage. For in this wise the doubting and touching disciple was made a witness of the truths of the resurrection, as the husband of the Mother had been the guardian of her most chaste virginity. For he touched, and exclaimed: My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him: Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed. When the Apostle Paul says: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, it is at once clear that faith is the evidence of those things which cannot possibly appear. For those things which are seen belong not unto faith, but to knowledge. In Ember-tide Lesson IX is read from the homily of the feria. Otherwise. fessed God, saying: My Lord and my God. Therefore, by seeing he believed, who, beholding very Man, acknowledged that God Whom he could not see. That which follows makes us very joyful. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. No doubt in this statement we are specially denoted, who retain Him in our minds Whom we have not seen in the flesh. We are denoted; but only if we follow up our faith by works, for he no doubt truly believes, who by works carries out that which he believes. DECEMBER 29. ence, might perchance be swayed by the woful sight of his friends' sufferings. But Thomas regarded not flesh and blood, and no mere human affection weakened his stedfastness to his pastoral office. RyRz. of the Common. Lesson V. THEREFORE he betook himself to Pope Alexander III., who kindly received him; and on departing he was commended by him to the monks of the monastery of Pontigny, of the order of Cistercians. When Henry knew this, having sent threatening letters to the convent of the Cistercian brothers, he endeavoured to drive Thomas out of the monastery of Pontigny. Wherefore the holy man, fearing lest the Cistercian order should suffer any harm for his sake, withdrew of his own accord, and came to Louis, In the First Nocturn, Lessons, And king of France, at his invitation, and from Miletus, p. 79. Festival of 3. Thomas of Canter bury, Bishop and Martyr. All of the Common of one Martyr, p. 78, except that which follows. SECOND NOCTURN. Lesson IV. THOMAS, born at London, in Eng land, succeeded Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury. As he had borne himself with distinction in discharging the office of chancellor, so he was brave and unyielding in the episcopal office. For when Henry II., king of England, having convened the bishops and nobles of the realm, wished to pass laws at variance with the ad vantage and dignity of the Church, Thomas stedfastly resisted the royal desire. Yielding his opinion neither for promises nor threats, he was obliged to withdraw privately, just as he was about to be thrown into prison. Therefore all his kindred of every age, his friends and followers, were banished, and those amongst them whose age permitted it, were bound by an oath to repair to Thomas, on the chance that he who could not be terrified out of his holy resolve by any private inconveni with him he remained until by the office of a good shepherd, lo! slan- Lesson VI. AT this saying of the king, some wicked courtiers, hoping that they would do him a pleasure, if they put Thomas out of the way, coming secretly to Canterbury, attacked the Archbishop in the cathedral while attending Vespers. And he, hastening to the ecclesiastics who were striving to close the entrance to the cathedral, opened the door, addressing these words to his attendants: "GOD'S House is not to be guarded like a camp: and I will willingly suffer death for the House of God." Then addressing the soldiers: "Do you, at God's command, beware lest ye hurt any of my people." Then kneeling down, commending the Church and himself to God, to Blessed Mary, to S. Denis, and the other patron Saints of that church, he presented his sacred head to the stroke of the ungodly sword, with the same stedfastness wherewith he had withstood the laws of that most unrighteous king: on the fourth of the kalends of January, in the year of the Lord eleven hundred and seventy-one. The whole pavement was sprinkled with his brains. The forenamed Pope Alexander enrolled him in the number of the Saints, and he was afterwards famous for many miracles. THIRD NOCTURN. steals the sheep; and the hireling, who allows this, and does not defend those entrusted to him. RyRy. of the Common. Lesson VIII. THIS is what Ezekiel in old time reproached in these words: Woe to the shepherds of Israel! have they not fed themselves? are not the flocks fed by the shepherds? But they did the contrary, which is one of the worst forms of wickedness, and the cause of much mischief. Therefore he saith: They did not bring again that which was driven away, neither did they seek that which was lost, neither did they bind up that which was broken, neither did they heal the sick, because they fed themselves, and fed not the flock. And Paul expresses the same thing in things, not the things of Christ. Lesson of the Holy Gospel according other words: All seek their to S. John. Lesson VII. Chap. x. At that time: Jesus said unto the Pharisees I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. And that which follows. A Homily of S. John Chrysostom. Homily 59 on S. John. A great thing, dearly beloved, a great thing, I say, is the office of a prelate in the Church, one which needs great wisdom and courage, as Christ has set it before us, that we should lay down our lives for the sheep and never desert them: that we should valiantly resist the wolf. For this is the difference between a shepherd and a hireling: the one watches over his own safety, despising the sheep; the other, despising his own safety, ever watches for that of the sheep. Therefore Christ, having shown us the example of a shepherd, describes two kinds of deceivers: the thief, who slays and Lesson IX. Own BUT Christ shows that He differs from each of these: that He differs from them who come for the destruction of others, when He saith that He is come that they might have life, and might have it more abundantly; and He differs from those also who quietly suffer the sheep to be carried off by the wolves, saying, He lays down His life for their sake, lest the sheep should perish. For, when the Jews wished to kill him, He did not on that account refrain from teaching, nor deliver up them that believed in Him, but persisted, and suffered death; wherefore He saith often, I am the Good Shepherd. And, as these statements did not appear to be confirmed by any proof, (for as to His laying down His life, that was soon afterwards established by the fact, but as for having life, and having it more abundantly, that was to happen in the world to come,) He confirms the one statement by the other. JANUARY 21. Festival of S. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr. All of the Common of a Virgin Martyr, p. 107, except that which follows. SECOND NOCTURN. From the book of S. Ambrose the Bishop on Virgins. Lesson IV. TO-DAY is the birthday of a virgin, let us imitate her purity; it is the birthday of a martyr, let us offer sacrifice. It is the birthday of S. Agnes, let men wonder, let not children despair, let the married women be amazed, let the unmarried copy her. But what can we say worthy of her, whose very name lacks not praise? Piety beyond her years, courage beyond her sex; so that she seems to me not to have had a mere human name, but a prophecy of martyrdom, to tell what she was to be. The virgin's name is the title of modesty. I will call her a martyr: I have preached enough. A panegyric which is not demanded, and yet is continued, is tedious: no one is more worthy of praise than one whom every one can praise. As many men, so many preachers: who no sooner speak than they name her Martyr. RyRz. of the Common. SHE Lesson V. is said to have won her martyrdom when thirteen years old. All even if dragged unwillingly to the altars, to lift her hands to Christ amidst the fire and among the very flames of idolatry to set the victorious sign of her conquering Lord, and then to put her neck and both her hands into the iron gyves. But no gyves could hold such slender limbs. It was a new kind of martyrdom. She was not old enough for punishment, and yet she was ripe for victory. She was weak for any conflict, and yet fitted to be crowned; she achieved a masterpiece of courage, though she laboured under the disadvantage of her youth. the more hateful that cruelty which Festival of the Conversion of S. would not spare so tender an age; nay, rather, great was the power of faith, which found its witness even in that age. Was there room for the wound in that slender frame? And yet she who had not where to receive the sword, had wherewith to conquer the sword. Fearless in the bloody hands of the executioners, unmoved by the heavy dragging of the clanking chains, she now presented her whole body to the sword of the angry soldier. She knew nothing yet of death, but she was ready, Paul, Apostle. the Conversion of Paul the Apostle. Inv. Let us praise Jesus Christ: in Venite. Ps. 95. p. 3. HYMN. Annue Christe. p. i. Pss. of the Common. p. 66. FIRST NOCTURN. Ant. 1. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the |