Fifth Day Within the Octave

Israelites with the rays of the majesty of Jehovah encircling his head ; — what an aureola of glory was due to Mary, who has within her, as in a living heaven, that very God himself ! The Divine Wisdom tempers the effulgence of her glory that it be not visible to men ; and this in order that the state of humility, which the Son of God has chosen as the one in which he would manifest himself to the world, should not be removed at the very onset by the dazzling glory which would, otherwise, have been seen gleaming from his Mother.

The sentiments which filled the Heart of Mary during these months of her ineffable union with the Divine Word, may be thus expressed in the words of the Spouse in the sacred Canticle : / $at under the shadow of him whom I desired ; and his fruit was 8V)eet to my palate. I sleep, but my heart watches. My soul melted when he spoke. I to my Beloved and my Beloved to me, who feedeth among the Lilies, till the day break, and the shadoivs retire. And if there ever were a human heart, that was forced, by the overpowering vehemence of its love of God, to use these other words of the same Canticle, it was Mary's : 0 daughters of Jerusalem ! stay me up with flowers, compos me about vrith fragrant fruits; for I languish with love. "These sweet " words," says the venerable Peter of Celles, "are those " of the Spouse that dwelleth in the gardens, and is " now near the time of her delivery. What so lovely " in creation as this Virgin, who loves the Lord with " such matchless love and is so exceedingly loved by " this her Lord ? It is She of whom the Scrip- " ture speaks, when it calls the Spouse, the dearest "hind. What, too, so lovely as that well-beloved " Son of God, born of his beloved Father from all " eternity, and now, at the end of time, as the Apostle

1 Cant. ii. 3, 16, 17 ; v. 2, 6. 8 Ibid, ii. 5.

" speaks, formed in the womb of his dearest Mother, " and become to her, in the words of the same divine " proverb, the sweetest fawn ? Let us, therefore, cull " our flowers, and offer them to both Child and " Mother. But let me briefly tell you what are the " flowers you must offer to our Lady. Christ says, " speaking of his humanity, / am the flower of the " field, and the lily of the valleys. By him, there- " fore, let us purify our souls and bodies, and so be " able to approach our God in chastity. Next, pre- " serve this flower of purity from all that would in- " jure it, for flowers are tender things, and soon droop " and fade. Let us wash our hands among the inno- " cent, and, with a pure heart, and pure body, and " cleansed lips, and chaste soul, let us gather, in the " paradise of our heavenly Father, our fresh flowers " for the new Nativity of our New King. With these "flowers let us stay up this most saintly Mother, " this Virgin of Virgins, this Queen of Queens, this *' Lady of Ladies ; that so we may deserve to receive " the blessing of the Mother and the Divine Babe."1

SEQUENCE IN HONOUR OF OUR BLESSED LADY.

(Taken from the ancient

Ave, Virgo gratiosa, Virgo Mater gloriosa, Mater Regis glorise.

Ave, fulgens margarita Per quam venit mundi vita, Christus sol justitise.

O oliva fructifera, Tu pietatis viscera Nulli claudis hominum.

Nos exsules laetificas, TJt vitis, dum f ructificas, Salvatorem Dominum.

Roman-French Missals.)

Hail, Virgin full of grace ! glorious Virgin- Mother of Him that is King of glory !

Hail, fair pearl ! by whom came the lire of the world, Christ, the Sun of Justice.

. fruitful olive ! thou excludest no mortal from thy tender compassion.

Thou givest gladness to us exiles, for, like a fruitful vine, thou yieldest thy fruit, Jesus our Lord

Sermon for Christmas Eve.

"Diifeed by LjOOQle

Hail, Virgin-Mother of God ! thou art the Sun of the heavenly day ! thou art the Moon of the world's night !

Tenderest of Mothers ! help us poor mortals, for God wills us to hope in thee above all creatures.

Hail, O purest Virgin! God's special Temple ! pray for us to him, that he would forgive us all our sins.

Thou art unto us what no other creature is. Guide us. O Star of the Sea ! Defend us always and in all places. We fly to thee in our necessities.

Tender Mother ! we pray thee guide us, or we go astray. Tell us, what would thy Jesus have us do? that so, after this life ended, we may live for ever with the Saints.

O Jesus ! Son of God, our only Saviour, in whom rests all our hope ! grant, by the intercession of thy Mother, that we may be united to the Angels in eternal joy.

Amen.

Ave, Virgo Mater Dei, Tu superni Sol diei, Et mundi noctis Luna.

Clementior prae caeteris, Succurre nobis miseris, Mortalium spes unica.

Ave, decus virginale, Templum Dei speciale ! Per te fiat veniale Omne quod committimus.

Tu nobis es singularis ; Tu nos ducas, Stella maris : Tu nos semper tuearis : En ad te confugimus.

Ad te, pia, suspiramus, Si non ducis, deviamus ; Ergo doce quid agamus ; Post hunc finem ut vivamus Cum Sanctis perenniter.

Jesu Christe, Fili Dei, Tota salus nostras spei ; Tuae matris interventu Angelorum nos conventu Fac gaudere jugiter.

Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE TIME OF ADVENT.

(The Mozarabic Breviary, First Sunday of Advent)

PRAYER.

We have heard, O Christ, we confess, and believe, that thou art come from the bosom of thy Father, to clothe thyself in the cover of our flesh by the mystery of the Incarnation, that thou

ORATIO.

Audivimus, Christe ; confitemur, et credimus, quod de sinu Patris egrediens veneris, ut carnis nostras vestibulo cingereris, liberaturus, scilicet susceptae Incarnationis mysterio, quod perie-

472 ad\ rat naturae vitiatae contagio. Fac nos, praenuntiata Adventus tui gaudia, promptissima surrectionis devotione •xcipere : ut quia tu e loco

§atno, secretoque progreiens, salvaturus homines, humanitus properasti aa publicum ; nos e loco criminis exeuntes, munditiores concitum Divinitatis tuae prospectemus excursum : ut extrema vitae nostrae, nullius discri minis conculcatione involvens ; sic provoces terrore justitiae, ut solita justifices pietate. Amen. mayest thus deliver mankind, that had been lost by the corruption of sinful nature. Grant us so devoutly to welcome the joyful tidings of thy Coming, that as thou, issuing from, the divine sanctuary of thy Father's bosom, didst, for man's salvation, come into the world, in the form of man ; we may abandon the sins in which we have been living, and hasten, thus purified, to meet thv Divine Majesty ; that at the close of our lives, the fear of thy threats may not crush us by despair : but make us now so tremble at the dread of thy justice, that thy wonted mercy may then justify us. Amen.

DEC. 13. ST. LUCY.

December 13. SAINT LUCY, VIRGIN AND MARTYR.

There comes to us, to-day, the fourth of our Wise Virgins, the valiant Martyr, Lucy. Her glorious name shines on the sacred Dyptich of the Canon of the Mass, together with those of Agatha, Agnes, and Cecily; and as often as we h^ar it pronounced during these days of Advent, it reminds us (for Lucy signifies Light), that He who consoles the Church, by enlightening her children, is soon to be with us. Lucy is one of the three glories of the Church of Sicily ; as Catania is immortalised by Agatha, and Palermo by Rosaly, so is Syracuse by Lucy. Therefore, let us devoutly keep her feast : she will aid us by her prayers during this holy season, and will repay our love by obtaining for us a warmer love of that Jesus, whose grace enabled her to conquer the world. Once more let us consider, why our Lord has not only given us Apostles, Martyrs, and Bishops as guides to us on our road to Bethlehem, but has willed also that we should be accompanied thither by such Virgins as Lucy. The children of the Church are forcibly reminded by this, that, in approaching the Crib of their Sovereign Lord and God, they must bring with them, besides their faith, that purity of mind and body without which no one can come near to God. Let us now read the glorious Acts of the Virgin Lucy.

Lucy, a Virgin of Syracuse, Lucia, Virgo Syracusana, illustrious by birth and by genere et Christiana fide ab infantia nobilis, una cum matre Eutychia, quae sanguinis fluxu laborabat, Catanara ad venerandum corpus beatae Agathae venit. Quaa ad ejus sepulchrum quum suppliciter orasset, Agathae intercessione, matris sanitatem impetravit. Statim vero matrem exoravit, ut quam dotem sibi datura esset? Christi pauperibus tribui pateretur. Ut igitur Syracusas rediit, omnem pecuniam, quam ex facultatious venditis redegerat, pauperibus distribuit.

Quod ubi rescivisset is, cui earn parentes contra Virgin is voluntatem desponderant, apud Paschasium Praefectum, Luciam, quod Christiana esset, accusavit. Quam ille cum nec precibus, nec minis ad cultum idolorum posset perducere ; immo tanto magis incensam videret ad celebrandas christianae fldei laudes, quanto magis ipse earn a sententia avertere conabatur : Cessabunt, inquit, verba, quum ventum erit ab verbera. Cui Virgo : Dei servis verba deesse non possunt, quibus a Christo Domino dictum est : Quum steteritis ante reges et praesides, nolite cogitare quomodo aut quid loquamini ; dabitur enim vobis in ilia hora quid loquamini ; non enim vos estis qui loquimini, sed Spiritus Sanctua qui loquitur in vobis. the Christian faith, which she had professed from her infancy, went to Catania, with her mother Eutychia, who was suffering from a flux of blood, there to venerate the body of the blessed Agatha. Having prayed fervently at the tomb, she obtained her mother's cure, by the intercession of Agatha. Lucy then asked her mother that she would permit her to bestow upon the poor of Christ the fortune which she intended to leave, her. No sooner, therefore, had she returned to Syracuse, than she sold all that was given to her, and distributed the money amongst the poor.

When he to whom her parents had, against her will, promised her in marriage, came to know what Lucy had done, he went before the Prefect Paschasius, and accused her of being a Christian. Paschasius entreated and threatened, but could not induce her to worship the idols ; nay, the more he strove to shake her faith, the more inflamed were tne praises which she uttered in professing its excellence. He saicL therefore, to her : We shall have no more of thy words, when thou feelest the blows of my executioners. To this the Virgin replied : Words can never be wanting to God's servants, for Christ our Lord has said to them : When you shall be brought before kings and governors, take no thought how or what dbyGoogk

DEC. 13. ST. LUCY. to speak ; for it shall be given to you in that hour what to speak ; for it is not you that speak, but the Holy Spirit that speaketh in you.

Paschasius Quam quum Paschasius Estne in te Spiritus Sanctus? Respondit : Caste et pie viventes templum sunt Spiritus Saneille : Jubebo te ad duci, ut te Spiritus Sanctus deserat. Cui Virgo : Si invitam jusseris violari. castitas mihi duplicabitur ad coronam. Quare Paschasius ira inflammatus Luciam eo trahi jussit, ubi ejus virgjnichasius tas violaretur : sed divinitus factum est, ut firma Virgo ita consisteret, ut nulla vi de loco dimoveri posset. Quamobrem Prsefectus circum ipsam pice, resina, ac ferventi oleoperfusam, ignemaccendi imperavit ; sed quum ne flamma quidem multis tormentis excruciate guttur gladio transfigitur. Quo vulnere accepto, Lucia litatem, quae futura erat Dioet Maximiano mortuis, Idibus Decembris. spiritum Deo reddidit. Cujus corpus Syracusis sepultum, deinde Constantinopolim, postremoVenetiastranslatum est. Decem- then asked her : Is the Holy Spirit in thee ? interrogasset : She answered : Thev who live chastely and piously, are the temple of the Holy Spirit, He said : I will order thee to tl At be taken to a brothel, that lupanar this Holy Spirit may leave thee. The Virgin said to him : The violence wherewith thou threatenest me would obtain for me a double crown of chastity. Whereupon Pasbeing exceeding angry, ordered Lucy to be dragged to a place where her treasure might be violated ; but, by the power of God, so firmly was she fixed to the place where she stood, that it was impossible to move her. Wherefore the Prefect earn laederet, ordered her to be covered over with pitch, resin, and boiling oil, and a fire to be kindled round her. But prsedicens Ecclesise tranquilseeing that the flame was not permitted to hurt her, cletiano they tormented her in many cruel ways, and at length ran a sword through her neck, Thus wounded, Lucy foretold the peace of the Church, which would come after the deaths of Dioclesian and Maximian, and then died. It was the Ides of ber (Dec. 13). Her body was buried at Syracuse, but was translated thence first to Constantinople, and afterwards to Venice.

We here give some of the Antiphons which occur in the Office of the Saint : they form a lyric poem of great beauty.

Orante sancta Lucia, apparuit ei beata Agatha, et consolabatur ancillam Christi ed Agatha, com-

As Lucy was praying, there appeared unto ner the blessand she forted the handmaid of Christ,

Lucia Virgo, quid a me O Virgin Lucy ! why askpetis, quod ipsa poteris est thou of me, what thyself praestare continuo matri tuae? canst straightways grant

Per te, Lucia Virgo, civitas Domino Jesu Christo. unto thy mother ] Because of thee, O Virgin Syracusana decorabitur a Lucy ! the city of Syracuse shall be honoured by the

Benedico te, Pater Domini mei Jesu Christi, quia per Filium tuum ignis exstinctus est a latere meo.

Lord Jesus Christ. Words of Lucy : I bless thee, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, because by thy Son the fire was quenched

In tua patientia possedisti In animam tuam, Lucia, sponsa Christi : odisti quae in munsunt, et coruscas cum Angelis : sanguine proprio inimicum vicistL that was around me. thy patience thou didst possess thy soul, O Lucy, Spouse of Christ ! thou didst do hate the things that are in the world, and thou shinest among the Angels. Thou didst conquer the enemy by thine own blood.

We present ourselves before thee, O Virgin Martyr, beseeching thee to obtain for us that we may recognise in his lowliness that same Jesus whom thou now seest in his glory. Take us under thy powerful patronage. Thy name signifies Light; guide us through the dark night of this life. O fair Light of Virginity ! enlighten us ; evil concupiscence has wounded our eyes : pray for us, O thou bright Light of Virginity ! that our blindness be healed, and that rising above created things, we may be able to see that true Light, which shineth in darkness, but which darkness cannot comprehend. Pray for us, that our

DEC. 13. ST. LUCY. eye may be purified/and may see, in the Child who is to be born at Bethlehem, the new Man, the second Adam, the model on which the life of our regeneration must be formed. Pray, too, O holy Virgin, for the Church of Rome and for all those which adopt her form of the Holy Sacrifice ; for they daily pronounce at the Altar of God thy sweet name, and the Lamb, who is present, loves to hear it. Heap thy choicest blessings on the fair Isle, which was thy native land, and where grew the palm of thy martyrdom. May thy intercession secure to her inhabitants firmness of faith, purity of morals, and temporal prosperity, and deliver them from the disorders which threaten her with destruction.