Friday in Ember Week

The Lord is now nigh : Prope est jam Dominus ; come, let us adore. venite, adoremus.

The Church does not read anything from the Prophet Isaias to-day; she merely gives, in the Office of Matins, a sentence of that chapter of St. Luke's Gospel, which relates the mystery of our Lady's Visitation : and to this she subjoins a fragment of St. Ambrose's Homily upon that passage. The considerations and affections with which this important event of our Lady's life ought to inspire the faithful, shall be given further on, in the Proper of the Saints.

The Station for to-day is in the Church of the Holy Apostles, which many suppose to have been first built by Constantine, and in which the glorious bodies of the two holy Apostles Philip and James the Less, buried under the altar, await the second Coming of Him, who chose them as his cooperators in the work of the first, and who, on the last day, will give them to sit upon thrones near his own, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel.

That we may the "better conform to the intentions of our Holy Mother the Church, who offers to our contemplation the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin, let us recite the following Hymn, composed in honour of this Mystery, during the ages of faith :

1 St. Matt. xix.

ADVENT.

A PROSE IN HONOUR OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. {Taken from the Ancient Roman-French Missals.)

Ave, Verbi Dei parens, Virginis humilitas Ave, omni nodo carens, Humilis virginitas.

Gaude, quae sic gravidaris, Nec gravaris Filio : Gaude quae sic oneraris Onere gratissimo.

Salve, Jesse stirpe orta, Virgula fructifera. Salve, clausa templi porta, Soli Deo pervia.

Plaude, vellns Gedeonis, Rore madens Pneumatis. Plaude, pellis Saloraonis, Pulchrior prae caeteris.

Vale, Jacob micans stella, Circumlustrans maria. Vale, consignata cella, Rubus in vi flammea.

Euge, sole quod amicta Solem gignis stellula. Euge, quod sis praeelecta, Scala coeli fulgida.

Pange, aurora consurgens Luce novi sideris ; Pange, area trina ferens Charismata miseris.

Eia ! magnificat tua Jesum Christum anima ; Eia ! tecum ut laudemus Ora, dulcis Maria. Amen.

Hail, Mother of the divine Word ! Hail, most humble and most spotless Virgin !

Rejoice, thou Mother of a Son who supports thee ! Rejoice, thy burden is a burden most sweet to bear !

Hail, Branch of Jesse, Fruit-bearing Branch ! Hail, Gate of the Temple, closed to all but God !

Be glad, thou Fleece of Gedeon, full of the dew of the Holy Spirit ! Be glad, thou tent of Solomon, of all the first in beauty !

Hail, shining Star of Jacob, lighting up the sea ! Hail, thou sealed-up Sanctuary, thou Burning Bush !

What bliss is thine, that thou the humble Starshouldst be clad with the Sun,and then bring forth the Sun ! What bliss is thine, that thou shouldstbe elected the bright Ladder reaching up to heaven.

Sing to thy God, thou Aurora rising in the light of the new Star ! Sing, thou Ark of the covenant, bearing unto us sinners thy three treasures.

Oh ! let thy soul magnify Jesus ! and oh ! sweet Mary, pray that, with thee, we too may magnify him, Amen.

FRIDAY IN EMBER WEEK.

PRAYER FROM THE GALLICAN S ACR AMEN TARY.

Domine Deus, Pater omnipotens, pectorum arcana nostrorum, eunctasque propitius maculas ablue peceatorum : ac praesta, ut benedictione pietatis tuae a nostris criminibus metuendum terri- Domini

O Lord God, Father Al- Purifica, mighty, purify the recesses of our heart, and mercifully wash away all the stains of our sins ; and grant, O Lord, Dothat cleansed from our sins mine, by thy merciful blessing, we may await in confidence the mundati, dread and terrible Coming of bilemque Adventuni

{In Adventu Domini, Collect.) our Lord Jesus Christ. nostri J esu Christi exspectemus interriti.