Lesson II. Chap. viii.

THAT Thou wert as my brother,

that sucked at the breast of my mother! when I should find Thee without, I would kiss Thee; yea, I should not be despised. I would lead Thee, and bring Thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: would cause Thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. His left hand should be under my head, and His right hand should embrace me. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my Love, until He please.

Ry. They shall look upon Me, and they shall mourn, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. . And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. There were also looking on afar off, Mary Magdalene, and other women which came up with Him unto Jerusalem. Ry. They shall be.

Ant. 1. Now Simon spake within himself, saying: This Man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and

what manner of woman this is that toucheth Him; for she is a sinner.

Ant. 2. And the Lord turned and said: This woman since the time I came into thine house hath not ceased to kiss My feet, and to wipe them with

the hairs of her head.

thou lovedst much: thy faith hath Ant. 3. Thy sins are forgiven; for made thee whole; go in peace.

y. In thy glory and thy beauty.
Ry. Go forth, proceed, and reign.
A Sermon of S. Gregory the Great.
Lesson IV.

Homily 25 on the Gospels. MARY MAGDALENE, a woman of

the city, who was a sinner, loving the truth, washed away with tears the

stains of her sins; and the voice of the Truth is fulfilled, saying, Her sins which are many are forgiven, for she loved much. For she who up to that time had remained cold through sin, thenceforward was kindled with the fire of love: who at the sepulchre of the Lord, when the disciples went away, went not away; sought Him Whom she found not; made inquiry for Him weeping, and, inflamed with love, ceased not to desire Him Whom she believed to have been taken away. Whence it happened that she alone first saw Him who remained to seek Him; for doubtless the merit of all good works lies in this, that we persevere in them.

R. The first day of the week * cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. . He that diligently seeketh good, procureth favour. R. Cometh.

Lesson V.

THEREFORE first she sought, and

in no way found, yet she persevered in seeking; whence it came to pass that she found: for this was done that her desires through procrastination might increase, and increasing might obtain that which they had sought. This is that which the Church, the Spouse, says in the Canticles: By night on my bed I sought Him Whom my soul loveth. For we seek our Beloved on our beds when in some little rest of this present life we earnestly yearn for Him. We seek Him by night, for though our hearts wake for Him, He is hidden from our eyes.

Ry. Mary Magdalene runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, * and we know not where they have laid Him. . I sought Him Whom my soul loveth I sought Him, but I found Him not. And we.

:

Lesson VI.

BUT he who finds not his Beloved, it

remains that he will rise and go about the city; that is, that he pass through in mind the holy Church of the saints, that he seek for Christ in the streets, and in the broad ways, that he behold them that are walking both in narrow and broad places, in order that if he find in them any things which are good, he may in these trace His footsteps, because there are some, even in the secular life, who have somewhat that we might imitate of the actions of His virtues. Seeking, they also find us, the watchmen who keep the city: because the holy fathers who guard the rule of the Church, enter into our good studies, that they may teach us either by word or by writing: whom when we have passed a little, we find Him Whom we love: because our Redeemer, although by humility a Man amongst men, was by His Divinity above man.

Ry. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple; * but Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping. y. Till He come nigh, she will not be comforted, and will not depart, till the Most High shall behold. But Mary. Glory. But Mary.

THIRD NOCTURN.

Ant. 1. O great indeed was the love of Mary Magdalene: who, believing her Lord to have been taken away, outstayed the disciples at the sepulchre.

Ant. 2. They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: Jesus saith unto her, Mary; she turned herself.

Ant. 3. Touch Me not: for I am not yet ascended unto My Father.

. God is in the midst of her. Ry. Therefore shall she not be removed.

to S. Luke.

Lesson VII. Chap. vii.

AND one of the Pharisees desired Him that He would eat with him. And He went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And that which follows.

A Homily of S. Augustine the Bishop.

Book 50. Hom. 25. Vol. 10.

Ye have listened attentively when the Gospel was read, and the things there narrated, and the acts there performed are now before the eyes of your hearts. Ye have seen with the eyes, not of the flesh, but of the mind, Jesus Christ reclining in the house of the Pharisee, and not disdaining his invitation. Ye have also seen a woman, notorious in the city, of evil fame, who was a sinner, not invited, entering the banquet at which the great Physician was reclining, and seeking health, with a pious absence of shame, inopportunely for the feast, but opportunely for her salvation, for she knew under what a disease she was labouring, and that He was skilful to heal to Whom she

silent, she spake; she made no discourse, but she manifested devotion. Because she touched the Lord weeping, kissing, wiping, and anointing His

feet; the Pharisee who had invited

Him, because he was one of those proud ones, of whom the Prophet Isaiah spake,-Who say, Stand by thyself, come not near me, I am holier than thou,-imagined that the Lord knew not the woman what she was.

Ry. In simplicity of heart seek Him; * for * He will be found of them that tempt Him not; and sheweth Himself unto such as do not mistrust Him. . Mary turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing. For. Glory. He.

Lesson IX.

PHARISEE, who invitest and scornest the Lord! thou who feedest the Lord, dost thou not understand by Whom it is that thou thyself shouldest be fed? Whence knowest thou that the Lord is ignorant of what this woman hath been, unless because He suffers her to kiss His feet, to wipe them, to anoint them? Therefore should He not forsooth have suffered His pure feet to be touched by one impure? If such a woman had approached the feet of that Pharisee, he would have said that which Isaiah saith of the like, Depart from me, touch me not, for I am holier than thou. She came to the Lord impure, that she might depart pure; she came sick, that she might depart whole; she came to the confession of her sin, that she might depart in the profession of His love.