5 8 of falsehood ever betray a stench of death. The artful language they use,1 and the flatteries they utter for gain's sake, cannot hide the hollowness of their works. They separate themselves from the flock of Christ, and flee from the light; for, as the Apostle says, all things that are reproved, or deserve to be so, are made manifest by the light; and as to the things that are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of them. Therefore, be ye not partakers with them. The useless or rotten fruits of darkness, and the trees of Autumn, twice dead, which bear such fruits on their withered branches,-both of them shall be cast into the fire. If you yourselves were heretofore darkness, now that you have become light in the Lord by Baptism, or by a sincere conversion, show yourselves to be so, and produce the fruits of light, in all goodness, and justice, and truth.9 this condition alone, can you hope to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and call yourselves disciples of that Wisdom of the Father, who, on this seventh Sunday, asks us to give him our love. 3 On St. James the Apostle almost seems to be giving a commentary on the Gospel of this seventh Sunday, where he says: Can the fig-tree, my Brethren, bear grapes? or the vine, figs? So neither can the salt water yield sweet. Who is a wise man and endued with wisdom among you? let him, by a good conversation, (that is, by his good conduct), shew his work in the meekness of Wisdom. . . . For there is a wisdom which is bitter, and misleads others; it descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish . . . But the Wisdom, which is from above, first indeed is chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded, consenting to the good (and always sides with them,) 1 Eph. v. 6. Eph. v. 11. full of mercy and good fruits, without judging (the conduct of others,) without dissimulation. And the fruit of justice is sown in peace to them that make peace.1 The Offertory Anthem has been selected, according to Honorius of Autun,' in allusion to the sacrifice of the thousand victims which were offered at Gabaon by Solomon, in the early days of his reign; when the sacrifice was ended, he was bid ask, what he would have God give to him: he desired and obtained Wisdom, with the addition of riches and glory, for which he had not asked. It depends upon us, that the Sacrifice which is here ready to be offered up, should be equally, and even more, accepted of God, for it is Incarnate Wisdom that is being offered to the Most High God; he desires to obtain for us all the gifts of his Eternal Father,—and give Himself also to us. 3 OFFERTORY. As in holocausts of rams and bullocks, and as in thousands of fat sheep, so let our Sacrifice be made in thy sight this day, that it may please thee for there is no confusion to them that trust in thee. Sicut in holocaustis arietum, et taurorum, et sicut in millibus agnorum pinguium: sic fiat sacrificium nostrum in conspectu tuo hodie, ut placeat tibi: quia non est confusio confidentibus in te, Domine. Another circumstance which confirms what we have said regarding the mysterious character of this seventh Sunday, as to its being especially sacred to eternal Wisdom,-is the fact, that the Verse of Scripture, which formerly used to be joined to the present Offertory-anthem, is the same as that which, in the Roman Pontifical, opens the magnificent 'St. James, iii. 11-18. 2 Gemma anim. iv. 57. 3 + 3 Kings, iii.-2 Paralip. i. Antiph. Gregor. ap. Thomasi, v. ceremony of the Consecration of Virgins: And now we follow thee with all our heart, and we fear thee, and seek thy face; put us not to confusion, but deal with us according to thy meekness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies! After being a third time called by the Bishop, the affianced of the divine Spouse advance, (singing these words,) to the Altar, where they are to be espoused to Him. The Secret speaks to God of how the multiplied variety of the ancient sacrifices, such as those mentioned in the Offertory, were all made one in the oblation of our Christian Sacrifice. 2 The Communion, says Honorius of Autun, gives us the prayer of Solomon, who asks Wisdom of God, and obtains it. If any of you, says St. James, want Wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him.3 Original Sin has vitiated man to such a degree,he is so far from divine union, at his first coming into this life,-that, of himself, he can neither cleanse the defilement that is on him, nor enter on the path which leads to God. It is requisite that our God, as a generous and patient physician, take our cure into his own hand; and, even when the cure is effected, should support and guide us. Let us then, in the Postcommunion, say with the Church: POSTCOMMUNION. Grant, O Lord, that the healing efficacy of these thy mysteries may, through thy mercy, free us from all our sins, and bring us to the practice of what is right. Through, etc. Tua nos, Domine, medicinalis operatio et a nostris perversitatibus clementer expediat, et ad ea quæ sunt recta, perducat. Per Dominum. The other Postcommunion, as in page 137. VESPERS. The Psalms, Capitulum, Hymn and Versicle, as above, pages 74-84. ANTIPHON OF THE MAGNIFICAT. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, nor the evil tree bring forth good fruit: every tree, that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire. Alleluia. LET US PRAY. O God, whose providence is never deceived in what it appointeth: we humbly beseech thee to remove whatever may be hurtful, and to grant us all that will profit us.-Through, etc. Non potest arbor bona fructus malos facere, nec arbor mala fructus bonos facere omnis arbor quæ non facit fructum bonum, excidetur, et in ignem mittetur. Alleluia. : OREMUS. Deus, cujus providentia in sui dispositione non fallitur, te supplices exoramus ut noxia cuncta submoveas, et omnia nobis profutura concedas. Per Dominum. THE EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. IN the Middle-Ages, this Sunday was called, the sixth and last Sunday after the Natalis of the Apostles (that is, the Feast of St. Peter;) it was, indeed, the last, for the years when Easter had been kept as late in April as was possible; but, it was only the first after that Feast of St. Peter, when Easter immediately followed the spring equinox. We have already noticed the variable character of this last portion of the liturgical cycle, which was the result of Easter's being kept on a different day each year; and that, in consequence of this variation, this week might be either the second of the reading from the Sapiential Books, or, what was of more frequent occurrence, the Books of Kings were still providing the Lessons for the divine Office. In this latter case, it is the ancient Temple raised by Solomon, the King of Peace, to the glory of Jehovah, that engages the Church's attention to-day. We shall find, that the portions of the Mass, which are chanted on this Sunday, are closely connected with the Lessons read in last night's Office. Let us, then, turn our reverential thoughts once more to this splendid monument of the ancient Covenant. The Church is now going through that month, which immediately preceded the events so momentous to Jerusalem; she would do honour, to-day, to the glorious and divine past which prepared her own present. Let us, like her, enter into the feelings of the first Christians, who were Juda's own children; |