The Second Sunday of Advent

The Office of this Sunday is filled, from beginning to end, with the sentiments of hope and joy, with which the soul should be animated at the glad tidings of the speedy coming of Him who is her Saviour and Spouse. The interior coming, that which is effected in the soul, is the almost exclusive object of the Church's prayers for this day : let us therefore open our hearts, let us prepare our lamps, and wait in gladness that cry, which will be heard in the midnight : Glory he to God ! Peace unto men !

The Roman Church makes the Station to-day in the Basilica of Holy Cross-in-Jerusalem. It was in this venerable church that Constantine deposited a large piece of the True Cross, together with the Title which was fastened to it by Pilate's order, and which proclaimed the Kingly character of the Saviour of the world. These precious relics are still kept there ; and, thus enriched with such a treasure, the Basilica of Holy Cross-in-Jerusalem is looked upon, in the Roman Liturgy, as Jerusalem itself, as is evident from the allusions made in the several Masses of the Stations held in that Basilica. In the language of the sacred Scriptures and of the Church, Jerusalem is the image of the faithful soul ; and the Office and Mass of this Sunday have been drawn up on this idea, as the one of the day. We regret not to be able here to develop the sublime beauty of this figure ; and must proceed at once to the passage, which the Church has selected from the Prophet Isaias. There she tells her children how well-founded are her hopes in the merciful and peaceful reign of the Messias. But first let us adore this divine Messias :

166 ADVl

Regein ventunim Dominuni, venite, adoremus.

De Isaia Propheta. Cap. XL Et egredietur virga de radice Jesse, et flos de radice ejus ascendet. Et requiescet super euui Spiritus Domini, Spiritus sapientiae et intellectus, Spiritus consilii et fortitudims, Spiritus scientiae et pietatis : et replebit eum Spiritus timoris Domini. Non secundum visionem oculorum judicabit, neque secundum auditum aurium arguet : sed judicabit in justitia pauperes, et arguet in aequitate pro mansuetis terrae. Et percutiet terram virga ons sui, et spiritu labiorum suorum interficiet impium. Et erit justitia cingulum lumborum ejus, et fides cinctorium renum ejus. Habitabit lupus cum agno, et pardus cum hoedo accubabit : vitulus et leo et ovis simul morabuntur, et puer parvulus minabit eos. Vitulus et ursus pascentur : simul requiescent catuli eorum : et leo quasi bos comedet paleas. Et delectabitur infans ab ubere super foramine aspidis: et in caverna reguli, qui ablactatus fuerit, manual suam mittet. Non nocebunt, et non Occident in universo monte sancto meo : quia repleta est terra scientia Domini, sicut aquae maris operientes. In die ilia radix Jesse, qui stat in sig-

Come, let us adore the King, our Lord, who is to come.

From the Prophet Isaias. Ch. XL

And there shall come forth a Branch out of the root of J esse, and a Flower shall rise up out of his root. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom 'and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the Spirit of knowledge and of godliness : and he shall be filled with the Spirit of the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears : but he shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. And he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. And justice shall be the girdle of his loins, and faith the girdle of his reins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid : the calf and the lion and the sheep shall abide together, and a little child shall lead them. The calf and the bear shall feed : their young ones shall rest together : and the lion shall eat straw like an ox. And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp : and the weaned child shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk. They shall not num populorurn, ipsum Gendeprecabuntur, et erit ejus gloriosum. hurt, nor shall they kill in all my noly mountain : for the tes earth is filled with the know- sepulchrum ledge of the Lord, as the covering waters of the sea. chre shall be glorious.

How much is contained in these magnificent words of the Prophet ! The Branch ; the Flower that is to come from it ; the Spirit which rests on this flower ; the seven Gifts of this Spirit ; peace and confidence* established on the earth ; and, throughout the world, one brotherhood in the kingdom of the Messias ! St. Jerome, whose words are read by the Church in the lessons of the Second Nocturn of this Sunday, says : " That the Branch which cometh forth from the root " of Jesse, is the Blessed Virgin Mary, who had con- " tact with no shrub or plant; and that the Flower " is the Lord Jesus, who says in the Canticle of Can- " tides : / am the Flower of the field, and the Lily " of the valley." In every age of the Christian Church, this wonderful Branch and its divine Flower have been objects of enthusiastic veneration. In the Middle Ages, the Tree of Jesse, with its prophetic branches, was carved on the cathedral porches, was painted on the windows, was embroidered on the hangings of the sanctuary, and the melodious voice of the priests sang its praises in the beautiful Responsory composed by Fulbert of Chartres, and put to music by the devout King Robert.

JJ. The root of Jesse gave 1$. Stirps Jesse virgam out a Branch, and the Branch produxit, virgaque florem ;* a Flower ; * and on the et super nunc florem requies-

Flower resteth the Holy cit Spiritus almus. Spirit. f. The Virgin Mother of f. Virgo Dei Genitrix

GodistheBranch,herSonthe virga est, flos filius ejus.* that the Messias will make even wolf and lamb dwell together ; and now we have the Apostle showing us . how this same Christ brings J ews and Gentiles into the one same family. Glory to this sovereign King, the powerful offspring of the root of Jesse, who now bids us hope in him! Listen to the Church, she again tells us that he is about to show himself in J erusalem.

GRADUAL.

Ex Sion species decoris ejus; Deus manifeste veniet. liness Sion : Congregate illi sanctos ft. ejus, qui ordinaverunt testamentum ejus super sacri-

He shall come in his comeand beauty from God will come visibly, Gather to him his Saints, who have set his covenant ficia. by sacrifice.

Alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia.

Laetatus sum in his quae I rejoiced at what was told dicta sunt mihi : in domum me : we are to go up to the Domini ibimus. Alleluia. house of the Lord. Alleluia.

GOSPEL.

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum.

Gap. XI. In illo tempore : Cum audisset Joannes in vinculis opera Christi, mittens duos de discipulis suis, ait illi : Tu es, qui venturus es, an ahum exspectamus ] Et respondens Jesus ait illis : Euntes renuntiate J oanni quae audistis, et vidistis. Caeci vident, claudi ambulant, leprosi mundantur, surdi audiunt, mortui resurgunt, pauperes evangelizantur : et beatus est, qui non fuerit scandalizatus in me. Illis autem abeuntibus, ccepit Jesus dicere ad turbas de Joanne : Quid existis in desertum videre? A run-

Sequel of the holy Gospel according to Matthew.

Ch. XL At that time : When John had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples, he said to him : Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another? And J esus making answer, said to them : Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the Gospel preached to them : and blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me. And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitude, concerning dinem vento agitatam ? Sed quid existis videre ? Hominem mollibus vestitum 1 Ecce qui mollibus vestiuntur, in domibus regum sunt. Sed quid existis videre ? Prophetam? Etiamdicovobis, et plus quam Prophetam. est enim de quo scriptum est : Ecce ego mitto Angelum meum ante faciem t tuam, qui praeparabit viam tuam ante te. ,

John : What went you out into the desert to see ? A reed shaken with the wind 1 But what went you out to see ? A man clothed in soft garments] Behold they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to see 1 A Hie Prophet ] Yea, I tell you, and more than a Prophet, For this is he of whom it is written : Behold, I send my Angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

Thou art He that was to come, O Jesus ! We look for no other. We were blind, thou hast enlightened us ; we were lame, thou hast made us walk ; the leprosy of sin disfigured us, thou hast cleansed us; we were deaf to thy words, thou hast given us hearing ; we were dead in sin, thou hast given us life again ; we were poor and had none to care for us, thou hast come to us with every aid and consolation. These have been, and will again be, the blessings of thy visit to our souls, 0 Jesus ! — a visit, silent but wonderful in its work ; which flesh and blood cannot understand, but which faithful hearts feel is granted them. Come, my Saviour, come to me ! thy condescension, and familiarity with such poverty as mine, shall not scandalise me ; thy workings in the souls of men are proof enough that thou art God. He alone, that created souls, can heal them.

After the Symbol o£ Faith has been chanted, when you see the Priest is about to make the offering of the Bread and Wine, unite with the Church in asking to be filled with life by the divine Guest, who is so soon to be with her.

OFFERTORY.

Dens, tu convertens vivificabis nos, et plebs tua laetabitur in te : ostende bis, Domine, misericordiam tuam, et Salutare tuum da Salnobis. vation.

Thou wilt turn, O God, to us, and bring us to life, and no- thy people shall rejoice in thee : show us, O Lord, thy mercy, and grant us thy

SECRET.

Placare, quaesumus, Do- Be appeased, O Lord, we mine, humilitati nostras beseech thee, by our humble precibus et hostiis : et ubi prayers and sacrifices : and nulla suppetunt suffragia me- although we allege no deserts ritorum, tuis nobis succurre on our part, grant us thy pro- praesidiis. Per Dominum. tection. Through, <kc.

The other Secrets as on the first Sunday, page 136.

During the Communion, the voice of the Church is again heard, proclaiming the happiness which is to be granted to Jerusalem. Her God is coming to her, and he wishes to make her his Spouse. Let her prepare herself for this divine Visit, and detach herself from everything which is not God, her God who is her Spouse.

COMMUNION.

Jerusalem, surge, et rta in excelso : et vide jucunditatern, quae veniet tibi a Deo tuo.

Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high ; and behold the joy that will come to thee from thy God.

In the following Prayer, the Church explains in what consists that high standing to which she has just invited Jerusalem : — love of the things of heaven whence comes her Saviour, and contempt of earthly things which, when loved, separate man from God.

POSTCOMMUNION.

Repleti cibo spiritualis Being filled, O Lord, with alimoniae, supplices te, Do- this spiritual food, we humbly beseech thee to teach us, by partaking of this mystery, to despise earthly things, and to love such as are heavenly. Through, &c. mine, deprecamur, ut hujus participatione mvsterii, doceas nos terrena despicere, et amare ccelestia. Per Domi-

The other Postcommunions as on the first Sunday, ■page 137.

VESPERS.

1. Ant. Behold the Lord will come in the clouds of heaven with great power. Alleluia.

2. Ant. Sion is our strong city, the Saviour shall be its wall and bulwark ; open the gates, for God is with us. Alleluia.

3. Ant. Behold the Lord will appear, and will not deceive us : if he stay, expect him, for he will come, and will not delay. Alleluia.

4. Ant. Mountains and hills shall sing forth praises before God, and all the tree of the forest shall clap their hands, because the Lord, the ruler, will come into his eternal kingdom. Alleluia, alleluia.

5. Ant. Behold our Lord will come with power, and will enlighten the eyes of his servants. Alleluia.

6. Ant. Ecce ip. nubibus cceli Dorninus veniet cum potestate magna. Alleluia.

7. Ant. Urbs fbrtitudinis nostra? Sion, Salvator ponetur in ea murus et antemurale : aperite portas, quia nobiscum Deus. Alleluia.

8. Ant. Ecce apparebit Dominus, et non mentietur : si moram fecerit, exspecta eum, quia yeniet, et non tardabit. Alleluia.

9. Ant. Montes et colles cantabunt coram Deo laudem, et omnia ligpa silvarum plaudent manibiis, quoniam veniet dominator Dominus in regnum aeternum. Alleluia, alleluia.

10. Ant. Ecce Dominus poster cum virtute veniet, et illuminabit oculcft servorum suorum. Alleluia.

CAPITULUM.

Brethren, soever were written for what things written, were our learning :

Fratres, qugecumque scripta sunt, ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt : ut per

ADVENT. patientiam et consolationem Sqripturarum spem habeamus. that through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope.

The Hymn Creator dime sideivim, the Verse Borate, and the Canticle Magnificat, are given in pages 110 and 112. antiphon of the Magnificat.

Tu es qui venturus es, an Art thou he that art to alium exspectamus] Dicite come, or look we for ano- Joanni quae vidistis : Ad lu- ther 1 Tell John what you men redeunt caeci, mortui resurgunt, pauperes evangelizantur. Alleluia. have seen : the blind see, the dead rise again, the poor have the Gospel preached unto them. Alleluia.

OREMUS.

Excita, . Domine, corda nostra ad praeparandas Unigeniti tui vias ; ut per ejus adventum, purificatis tibi mentibus servire mereamur. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

LET US PRAY.

Stir up, O Lord, our hearts, to prepare the ways of thy Only Begotten Son ; that by his coming we may be enabled to serve thee with pure minds. Who liveth and reigneth with thee for ever and ever. Amen.