January 1 — Christmas Day: Midnight Mass

But such is the greatness of to-day's Mystery, that the Church is not satisfied with only once offering up the Holy Sacrifice. The long-expected and precious Gift, deserves an unusual welcome. God the Father has given his Son to us ; and it is by the operation of the Holy Ghost that the grand Portent is produced : — let there be, then, to the ever Blessed Three, the homage of a triple Sacrifice !

Besides : — this Jesus, who is born to-night, is born thrice. He is born of the Blessed Virgin, in the stable of Bethlehem ; he is born by grace, in the hearts of the Shepherds, who are the first fruits of the Christian Church ; and he is born eternally from the Bosom of the Father, in the brightness of the Saints : — to this triple Birth, therefore, let there be the homage of a triple Sacrifice !

The first Mass honours the Birth according to the Flesh, which, like the other two, is an effusion of the Divine Light. The hour is come : the people that walked in darkness, have seen a great Light ; Light is risen to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death} Outside the holy place, where we are now assembled, there is dark Night : — material Night, caused by the absence of the sun ; spiritual Night, by reason of the sins of men, who either sleep in the forgetfulness of God, or wake to the commission of crime. At Bethlehem, round the Stable, and in the City, all is deep darkness ; and the inhabitants, who would not find room for the Divine Babe, are sleeping heavily : — will they waken when the Angels begin to sing %

Midnight comes. The Holy Virgin has been longing for this happy moment. Her heart is suddenly overwhelmed with a delight, which is new even to Her. She falls into an ecstasy of love. As her Child will, one day, in his almighty power, rise

1 Is. ix. 2. through the unmoved barrier of his Sepulchre ; so now, as a sun-beam gleaming through purest crystal, he is born, and lies on the ground before her. With arms outstretched to embrace her, and smiling upon her — this is her first sight of her Son, who is Son also of the Eternal Father ! She adores — takes him into her arms — presses him to her heart — swathes his infant limbs — and lays him down in the manger. Her faithful Joseph unites his adoration with hers ; and so, too, do the Angels of heaven, for, the Royal Psalmist had sung this prophecy of their adoring him on his entrance into the world. Heaven opens over this spot of earth, which men call a Stable; and from it there mount to the Throne of the Eternal Father, the first prayer, the first tear, the first sob, of this his Son, our Jesus, who thus begins to prepare the world's salvation.

The eyes of the faithful are now riveted on the Sanctuary, where the same Jesus is to be their Holy Sacrifice. The procession of the sacred Ministers has entered the Holy of Holies, and the Priest comes with them to the foot of the Altar. The Choir is singing its opening-canticle, the Introit ; where we have our God himself speaking to his Son, and saying : This Day, have I begotten thee. Let the Nations rage, if they will, and be impatient of the yoke of this Babe of Bethlehem ; he shall subdue them, and reign over them, for he is the Son of God.

INTROIT.

Dominus dixit ad me : The Lord hath said unto

Filius meus est tu ; ego me : Thou art my Son ; this hodie genui te. day have I begotten thee.

Ps. Quare fremuerunt Ps. Why have the nations gentes, et populi meditati raged, and the people devised sunt mania? ft. Gloria vain things'? ft. Glory, &c.

Patri. Dominus dixit. The Lord hath said, &c. iPs. xcvi. 7.— Heb. i. 6.

The Angelic Hymn is preceded by the Kyrie eleison ; but these nine supplications for mercy over, it bursts forth with those sublime words : Gloeia in excelsis Deo ; ET in TEEEA PAX HOMINIBUS BON.E voluntatis ! Let us unite, heart and voice, in this the chant of the Angels : Glory be to God ! Peace be to men ! These our heavenly Brethren first intoned it, and they are, at this moment, round our Altar, as they were round the Crib ; they are singing our happiness. They are adoring that divine Justice, which gave not a Redeemer to their fallen fellow-angels, yet, to us gives the very Son of God to be our Redeemer. They are magnifying that deep humiliation of Him, who made both Angels and men, and who so lovingly favours the weaker of the two. They know that our gratitude needs help, and so they lend us their sweet voices to give thanks to Him, who, by this mystery of love and magnificence, is enabling us poor mortals to one day fill up the thrones left vacant by the rebel Spirits. Oh ! yes ; let us all, men and Angels, Church of earth and Church of heaven, let us sing : Glory be to God ! and Peace to men ! The more the Son of the Eternal Father has had to humble himself in order to enrich and exalt us, the more fervently must we cry out our warmest praise, and hymn this Mystery of the Incarnation : Tu solus Sanctus ! Tu solus Bominus ! Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe ! — Thou only, 0 Jesus ! art Holy ! Thou only art Lord ! Thou only art Most High !

The Collect then follows, summing up all our prayers in one :

LET US PKAY. OREMUS.

O God, who hast enlightened Deus, qui hanc sacratissi- this most sacred Mght by the mam noctem veri luminis brightness of Him, who is the fecisti illustratione clares- true Light : grant, we beseech cere : da, qusesumus, lit cujus lucis mysteriain terra cognovinms, ejus quoque gaudiis in coelo perfruamur. Qui tecum.

Lectio Epistolse beati Pauli Apostoli ad Titum.

Cap, II

Charissime, apparuit gratia Dei Salvatoris nostri omnibus hominibus, erudiens nos, ut, abnegantes impietatem et ssecularia desideria, sobrie, et juste, et pie vivamus in hoc sagculo : exspectantes beatam spem, et adventum gloriae magni Dei et Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi : qui dedit semetipsum pro nobis, ut nos redimeret ab omni iniquitate, et mundaret sibi populum acceptabilem, sectatorembonorum operum. Hsec loquere et exhortare, in Christo Jesu Domino nostro. thee, that we who have known the mysteries of this Light on earth, may likewise come to the enjoyment of it in heaven. Who liveth, <kc.

Lesson of the Epistle of Saint Paul the Apostle to Titus.

Ch. II

Dearly beloved, the grace of God, our Saviour, hath appeared to all men, instructing us, that denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and godly, in this world ; looking for the blessed hope, and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ : who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works. These things speak, and exhort, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This God our Saviour hath at length appeared ! and with such grace and mercy ! He alone could deliver us from dead works, and restore us to life. At this very hour, he appeareth to all men, laid in his narrow Crib, and fastly wrapped, as a Babe, in swaddling-clothes. Yea, here have we the Blessed, One, whose visit we had so long hoped for ! Let us purify our hearts, that he may be pleased with us ; for though he is the Infant Jesus, he is, also, as the Apostle has just told us, the Great God, and the Son of the Eternal Father, born from all eternity. Let us unite with the Angels and the Church in this hymn to our Great God, Jesus of Bethlehem.

CHRISTMAS DAY: MIDNIGHT MASS.

GRADUAL.

With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength ; in the brightness of the Saints : from the womb, before the Day-star, I begot thee. p. The Lord said to my Lord : Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies my footstool.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

"ft. The Lord hath said to me : Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Alleluia.

_ Tecum priricipium in die virtutis tuae, in splendoribus sanctorum : ex utero ante luciferum genui te.

"ff. Dixit Dominus Domino meo : sede a dextris meis, donee ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Dominus dixit ad me : Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te. Alleluia.

GOSPEL.

Sequel of the holy Gospel according to Luke.

Oh. II.

At that time, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. And Joseph, also, went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Juclea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem ; because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child. And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapt him up in swaddling-clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam.

Gap. II.

In illo tempore : exiit edictum a Caesare Augusto, ut describeretur universus orbis. Haec descriptio prima facta est a praeside Syriae Cyrino : et ibant omnes, ut profiterentur singuli in suam civitatem. Ascendit autem et Joseph a Galilaea de civitate Nazareth, in Judaeam, in civitatem David, quae vocatur Bethlehem ; eo quod esset de domo et familia David, ut profiteretur cum Maria desponsata sibi uxore praegnante. Factum est autem, cum essent ibi, impleti sunt dies ut pareret. Et peperit filiuin suum primogenitum, et pannis eum involvit, et reclinavit eum in praesepio ; quia non erat eis locus in diversorio. Et pastores ' erant in regione eadem vigilantes, et custo- dientes vigilias noctis super gregem suum. Et ecce Angelus Domini stetit juxta illos, et claritas Dei circumfulsit illos, et timuerunt timore magno. Et dixit illis Angelus : ISTolite timere : ecce enim evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum, quod erit omni populo : quia natus est vobis liodie Salvator, qui est Christus Dominus, in civitate David. Et hoc vobis signum : Invenietis infantem pannis involutum, et positum in prsesepio. Et subito facta est cum Angelo multitudo militise ccelestis, laudantium Deum, et dicencentium : Gloria in altissimis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonse voluntatis. in the inn. And there were in the same country Shepherds watching and keeping the night-watches over their flock. And behold an Angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them, and they feared with a great fear. And the Angel said to them : Fear not : for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people : for, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you : You shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and laid in a manger. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying : Glory to God in the highest ; and on earth, peace to men of good will.

0 Divine Infant ! we, too, must needs join our voices with those of the Angels, and sing with them : Glory be to God ! and Peace to men ! We cannot restrain our tears at hearing this history of thy Birth. We have followed thee in thy journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem ; we have kept close to Mary and Joseph on the whole journey; we have kept sleepless watch during this holy Night, waiting thy coming. Praise be to thee, sweetest Jesus, for thy mercy ! and love from all hearts, for thy tender love of us ! Our eyes are riveted on that dear Crib, for our Salvation is there ; and there we recognise thee as the Messias foretold in those sublime Prophecies, which thy Spouse the Church has been repeating to us, in her solemn prayers of this Night. Thou art the Mighty God — the Prince of Peace — the Spouse of our souls — our Peace — our Saviour — our Bread of Life. And now, what shall we offer thee ? A good Will ? Ah ! dear Lord ! thou must form it within us ; thou must increase it, if thou hast already given it ; that thus, we may become thy Brethren by grace, as we already are by the human nature thou hast assumed. But, 0 Incarnate Word ! this Mystery of thy becoming Man, works within us a still higher grace : — it makes us, as thy Apostle tells us, partakers of that divine nature, which is inseparable with thee in the midst of all thy humiliations. Thou hast made us less than the Angels, in the scale of creation ; but, in thy Incarnation, thou hast made us Heirs of God, and Joint-Heirs with thine own divine Self ! Never permit us, through our own weaknesses and sins, to degenerate from this wonderful gift, whereby thy Incarnation exalted us, and oh ! dear Jesus, to what a height !

After the Gospel, the Church triumphantly chants the glorious Symbol of our Faith, which tells, one by one, the Mysteries of the Man-God. At the words : Et Incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et Homo f actus est, profoundly adore the great God who assumed our human nature, and became like unto us, his poor creatures ; let your adoration and love repay him, if it were possible, for this his incomprehensible abasement. In each of to-day's Masses, when the Choir comes to these words in the Credo, the Priest rises from the sedilia, and remains kneeling, in humble adoration, at the foot of the Altar, whilst they are being sung. You must unite your adorations with these of the Church, which is represented by the Celebrant.

During the Offering of the bread and wine, the Church tells us, how the Birth of Jesus Christ filled heaven and earth with joy. In a few short moments,

1 II. St. Pet. i. 4. 2 Rom. viii. 17. there will be on our Altar, where we now see mere bread and wine, the Body and Blood of this same Jesus, our Emmanuel.

OFFEETOEY.

Lsetentur coeli et exsultet Let the heavens rejoice, and terra, ante faciem Domini, the earth be glad, in the prequoniam venit. sence of the Lord, for that he is come.

SECEET.

Accepta tibi sit, Domine, Eeceive, 0 Lord, the offer- qusesumus, hodiernse festi- ings we make to thee, on this vitatis oblatio : ut, tua gra- present solemnity : that by tia largiente, per hasc sacro- thy grace, through the inter- sancta commercia in iUius course of these sacred mys- inveniamur forma, in quo teries, we may be conformable tecum est nostra substan- to Him, in whom our nature tia. Qui tecum vivit. is united to thine. Who liveth,

The Preface then gives expression to the thanksgiving of the people, and finishes with the triple Sanctus to the God of Sabaoth. At the Elevation, when, in the midst of the mysterious silence, your Saviour, the Incarnate Word, descends upon the Altar, you must see, with the eye of your faith, the Crib, and Jesus stretching out his hands to his Eternal Father, and looking upon you with extreme tenderness, and Mary adoring him with a Mother's love, and Joseph looking on and weeping with joy, and the holy Angels lost in amazement at the mystery. You must give your heart to the New-Born Babe, that he may fill it with what he wishes to see there; nay, beg of him to fill it with himself, and make himself its Master and its All.

After the Communion, the Church, — which has just been united to the Infant God by partaking of the sacred mysteries, — once more celebrates the Eternal Generation of that Divine Word, who was born from the Bosom of the Father before any creature existed, and who has appeared to the world, this Night, before the Day-Star has risen.

COMMUNION.

In the brightness of the In splendoribus Sancto- Saints, from the womb, before rum, ex utero ante lucif erum the day-star, I begot thee. genui te.

The Church terminates this her first Sacrifice, by praying for the grace of indissoluble union with the Saviour, who is born to her.

POSTCOMMUNION.

Grant, we beseech thee, 0 Da nobis, quaesumus, Do-

Lord onr God, that we, who mine Deus noster, ut qui celebrate with joy the Birth Nativitatem Domini nostri of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Jesu Christi mysteriis nos partaking several times of f requentare gaudeamus, dig- these sacred mysteries, may, nis conversationibus ad ejus by a worthy conduct of life, mereamur pervenire consor- come to be united with him. tium. Qui tecum. Who liveth, &c.

The sacred Night is passing quickly on ; and will soon bring us to the Second Mass, which is to sanctify the hour of day-break, or the Aurora. Every day in the year, the Church passes the hour before Sun-rise in prayer, for the rising of the Sun is a beautiful figure of the mystery of Jesus' coming to this earth, to give it light. This portion of the Divine Office is called Lauds, on account of its being wholly made up of praise and joy. On Christmas Day, however, she somewhat anticipates the usual hour, in order that she may begin, at the precise time of the Aurora, a more perfect and more divine Sacrifice of Praise — the Eucharistic Oblation, which satisfies all the obligations we owe to the Divine bounty.

The Office of Lauds is celebrated with the same o solemnity as that of Vespers ; and altogether, the two Offices are much alike. Both of them tell us of the Divine Sun of Justice ; Lauds celebrate his glorious rising, whilst Vespers — which are said at sun-set, when the shades of evening are beginning to fall upon the earth — remind us, how we must long for that eternal Day which shall have no night, and whose Lamp is the Lamb. Lauds are the morning, Vespers the evening, incense. The mysteries of the liturgical day, begin with the first, and end with the second.

LAUDS.

"ft. Deus, in adjutorium "ft. Incline unto my aid, O meum intende. God.

1$. Domine ad adjuvan- I£. O Lord, make haste to dum me festina. help me.

Gloria Patri, et Filio : et Glory be to the Father, and

Spiritui Sancto. to the Son, and to the Holy

Ghost.

Sicut erat in principio, et _ As it was in the beginning, nunc, et semper, et in sascula is now, and ever shall be, sseculorum. Amen. Alle- world without end. Amen, luia. Alleluia.

The first Psalm of Lauds shows us our Lord in his infinite power and majesty. His admirable Birth has renewed our earth. He is born in time ; but he was before all time. The voice of the deep sea betokens marvellous power; the power of our Emmanuel is more wonderful far. Let us lead lives worthy of the holiness of his House, which he has come to throw open to us.