Vigil of the Nativity, Dec. 24

The Vigil of the Nativity - December 24

　
A Homily by St. Jerome the Priest
　
Why was the Lord conceived of a virgin espoused rather than of one who was not? First, that Mary’s genealogy might be reckoned from that of Joseph. Secondly, lest she be stoned by the Jews as an adulteress. Thirdly, that she might have a guardian on their flight into Egypt. To these, the Martyr Ignatius hath added a fourth reason; namely, that the birth might take place unknown to the devil, who would thus suppose that Mary had conceived by Joseph.
Before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. That is, she was found by Joseph, not by anyone else, for already he had almost an husband’s privilege to know all that concerned her. But from the words, Before they came together, it doth not follow that they ever did come together. The Scripture is concerned only to shew that up to this time they had not so done.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. If any man be joined to an harlot, he becometh one body with her ; and according to the law, they that be privy to a crime are held to be guilty. How then can it be that Joseph is described as a just man, at the very time he was compounding the criminality of his espoused? These words be none other than a testimony to the virginity of Mary ; for Joseph knew her to be chaste ; wherefore he marveled at all that had come to pass, and hid in silence that of which he knew not the mystery.
　

Antiphon on the Benedictus:

The Saviour of the world shall arise like as the dawning of the sun upon the darkened world, * even as his coming down into the womb of the Virgin was like as the mist upon the little herbs, alleluia.
　

Collect:

O God, who makest us glad with the yearly Expectation of the birth of thine only Son Jesus Christ : grant that as we joyfully receive him for our Redeemer, so we may with sure confidence behold him when he shall come to be our Judge, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and forever. Amen.

3rd Sunday of Advent Propers

       

MISSAL PROPERS:
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT 

INTROIT. Gaudete. Philippians 4:4-6
REJOICE in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice: let your moderation be known unto all men: the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. Ps. 85:1 Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land: thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. V. Glory be.


COLLECT.
O LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee: grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. AMEN.

EPISTLE. 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

GRADUAL. Ps. 80. Shew thyself, O Lord, thou that sittest upon the Cherubims, stir up thy strength and come. V. Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep.
Alleluia, alleluia. V. Stir up thy strength, O Lord: and come and help us. Alleluia

GOSPEL. St. Matthew 11:2-10
2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

OFFERTORY. Ps. 85. Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land: thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob: thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people.

COMMUNION. Isa. 35. Say to them that are of a fearful heart: Be strong, fear not: behold your God will come and save you.

POSTCOMMUNION.
HAVE mercy upon us, O Lord, we beseech thee: and grant that the heavenly assistance of thy holy mysteries may so cleanse us from all our iniquities, that we may be made ready worthily to keep thy coming festival. [Through.]

Of Thy Mystic Supper O Son of God

This Chant is set to an Ambrosian chant tune. It is chanted immediately before the Communion in our parish.

Propers for the 2nd Sunday in Advent

Better Late than never, I always say! These propers are used for all Ferial days until the 3rd Sunday anyway, like they were at yesterday's Mass.
 MISSAL PROPERS:
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT 

INTROIT. Populus Sion. Isa. 30
O PEOPLE of Sion, behold, the Lord is nigh at hand to redeem the nations: and in the gladness of your heart the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard. Ps. 80. Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. V. Glory be.


COLLECT.
BLESSED Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou has given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. AMEN
COLLECT 2 of Advent; 3 of St Mary.
EPISTLE. Romans 15:4-13
4 BRETHREN: whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

GRADUAL. Ps. 50. Out of Sion hath God appeared: in perfect beauty. V. Gather my saints together unto me: those that have made a covenant with me with sacrifice.
Alleluia, alleluia. V. Ps. 122 I was glad when they said unto me: we will go into the house of the Lord. Alleluia.


GOSPEL. St. Luke 21:25-33
25 AT that time; Jesus said unto his disciples: And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Conception of the Mother of God

A Sermon by Saint Jerome the Priest

　
The Angel, divinely inspired, declared who and what the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary is when he said : Hail, thou that art highly favored with a fulness of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women. For surely it was fitting that a fulness of grace should be poured into that Virgin who was to give glory to heaven and the Saviour to the world ; whereby she brought peace to earth, death to sin, law to life, and faith to the Gentiles ; thus making plain before our face the straight and narrow path to perfection. It is well said of her that she is full of grace. To others grace cometh measure by measure. On Mary grace was poured out once, in all fulness. It is well said : Full of grace. We believe that the holy Fathers and Prophets had grace, but they were not full of grace. But into Mary came a fulness of all grace which is in Christ, although it came otherwise than it did to him. Therefore is it said : Blessed art thou among women : that is, Blessed art thou above all women. The fulness of the blessing of Mary utterly neutralized in her any effects of the curse of Eve. As if in praise of her, it is said in the Song of Solomon : Rise up, my dove, my fair one, for the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. And again : come from Lebanon, my spouse ; come, thou shalt be crowned.
Not unfitly is it said : Come from Lebanon. For Lebanon is so named on account of its stainless and glistering whiteness. The earthly Lebanon is white with snow, but the lonely heights of Mary’s holiness are white with purity and grace, brilliantly fair, whiter far than snow, sparkling with the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Again it is said : Rise up, my dove. For like a dove, she is clean, and in her is simplicity. Thus she is full of grace and truth, for the heavens dropped down from above, and the skies poured down righteousness upon her. And therefore she is immaculate, because in her hath never been any corruption. She hath compassed a man in her womb, as saith holy Jeremiah, but she conceived not by the will of fallen man. The Lord, saith the Prophet, hath created a new thing in the earth ; a woman shall compass a man. Verily, it is a new thing, a thing of power greater than all other works, when God, (whom the world cannot compass nor carry, and whom no man shall see and live,) entered the hospice of her womb, breaking not the cloister of her virgin flesh. And in her womb he dwelt, the Infinite inclosed within her finiteness.
And from her the Infinite One came forth, so that thereby was fulfilled what was spoken by the Prophet Ezekiel : This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. Hence also in the Song of Songs it is said : A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse, a spring shut up, a fountain sealed, and orchard with pleasant fruits, with trees of frankincense, and all the chief spices. Verily she was a garden of delights, filled with the perfumes of all flowers and spices, rich with the sweet savour of graces. She was a garden inclosed in such wise that never did Satan enter therein to sully the blossoms. She was a spring shut up, a fountain sealed, yes, sealed with the seal of the Trinity.

Antiphon on the Benedictus:

Today let us celebrate with duteous solemnity the Conception of
God's most holy mother, the ever Virgin Mary: * from whom the Son of the Highest went forth, alleluia.

Collect:

O merciful God, hear the supplication of thy servants; that we who are gathered
together to honor the conception of the Virgin Mother of God may through her prayers be delivered by thee from the perils which beset us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Antiphon on Magnificat:

All generations shall call me blessed: * for God hath regarded his lowly handmaiden.

Saint Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr

Saint Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr

　
Bibiana (also known as Viviana) hath been venerated as a virgin and Martyr since the earliest times. A church dedicated to her is known to have existed in Rome in the fifth century, which same is said to have been built by Pope Saint Simplicius. This saint suffered her passion in the reign of Julian the Apostate, and the tale is as follows: The family of Bibiana, being pre-eminent for Christianity, was marked for persecution. Hence her father, who had been prefect of Rome, was branded as a slave, and banished, shortly after which he was martyred. * His wife Dafrosa, and his two daughters, Bibiana and Demetria, were at first imprisoned and starved, and then Dafrosa was beheaded. Whereafter the two daughters were continually persecuted, in an attempt to keep them from imitating the unshakeable constancy of their holy parents ; and Demetria was so worn out by her sufferings that she suddenly dropped dead in the presence of the judge before whom she was making a brave witness to Christ. * Whereupon Bibiana was put in charge of an artful woman who had orders to seduce her, with promises of freedom if she would embrace a life of luxury and ill-fame. But she stedfastly refused such blandishments, and kept her virginity undefiled. Hence she was cruelly flogged to death, and her body left to be eaten by dogs. But a priest named John cam by night, and buried her remains near the graves of her holy mother and sister, nigh to which place was built the church named for her. And Urban VIII, when he restored this ancient temple is said to have placed the relicks of all three of these holy women under the high altar.
　

Antiphon on the Magnificat:

Come, thou bride of Christ, receive the crown, * which the Lord hath prepared for thee for ever (alleluia).

Collect:

O God, the giver of all good gifts, who didst bestow on thy servant Bibiana both the flower of virginity and the palm of martyrdom : we pray thee, that, by her intercession, our hearts may in such wise be joined in charity unto thee, that we, being defended against all dangers, may attain unto the rewards of everlasting salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
　

Antiphon on the Benedictus:

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, * who when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it (alleluia).

Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Confessor, Doctor

Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Confessor, Doctor

　
Peter ( on account of his eloquence surnamed Chrysologus, which is Greek for Him-of-the -golden-words) was born in Imola, near Ravenna and very early displayed a leaning to godliness. Wherefore Cornelius, Bishop of Imola, soon ordained him deacon. On the death of the Archbishop of Ravenna, Saint Pope Sixtus III ( so it is said ) was warned in a dream to consecrate this deacon to that post, and thereupon refused to ratify the election made by the people of Ravenna, but consecrated the unwilling Peter instead. The Emperor Valentinian and the Empress-Mother Galla Placidia lived in Ravenna, and the young Archbishop soon won their confidence, and well as that of the successor to Saint Sixtus III, who was Pope Saint Leo the Great. * Now there was much paganism left round about Ravenna, and many abuses had crept in amongst the faithful. Wherefore Peter strove mightily for Christ, building splendid churches, caring for the poor, and above all preaching the Gospel. He once preached a most severe sermon against the revelries of New Year’s Day, in which he said : He that jesteth with the Devil shall never rejoice with Christ. In his preaching he was wont to recommend frequent Communions, that the Body of Christ might be our daily bread. In 708, and hundred and seventy-six of his discourses were collected, which same are still extant, all of them being brief, for he feared to weary his hearers. * It is said that when he preached his vehemence was such that he sometimes became speechless with excitement. Moreover, his hearers were not seldom moved to tears, cries, and prayers. By command of Pope Saint Leo, he addressed an Epistle to the Council of Chalcedon against the heretick Eutyches, and also confuted him in another letter addressed to Eutyches himself. When he had ruled the Church in Ravenna for about eighteen years, he passed in peace to a better life, on December 2^nd, about 450, at Imola ; whither he had gone, forewarned by God, to prepare himself for his death ; and where his holy body was buried, hard by the remains of his chosen patron Saint Cassian the Schoolmaster.
　

Antiphon on the Benedictus:

Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, saith the Lord (alleluia).

Collect:

O God, who by divine foreshowing wast pleased to summon thy great teacher Saint Peter Chrysologus to be a ruler and Doctor of thy Church : grant, we beseech thee, that, as we have learned of him the doctrine of life on earth, so we may be found worthy to have him for our advocate in heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
　
　

　

Antiphon on the Magnificat:The Lord loved him and adorned him, he clothed him with a rove of glory, * and at the gates of Paradise he crowned him (alleluia).