Wednesday in Ember Week

The fast of to-day is prescribed by a double law : it is Lent, and it is Ember Wednesday. It is the same with the Friday and Saturday of this week. There are two principal objects for the Ember days of this period of the year: the first is to offer up to God the season of spring, and, by fasting and prayer, to draw down His blessing upon it ; the second is, to ask Him to enrich with His choicest graces the priests and sacred ministers who are to receive their Ordination on Saturday. Let us, therefore, have a great respect for these three days ; and let those who violate, upon them, the laws of fasting or abstinence, know that they commit a twofold sin.

Up to the eleventh century the Ember days of spring were kept in the first week of March ; and those of summer, in the second week of June. It was St. Gregory VII. who fixed them as we now have them ; that is, the Ember days of spring in the first week of Lent, and those of summer in Whitsunweek.

The Station for to-day is in the basilica of Saint Mary Major. Let us honour the Mother of God, the refuge of sinners ; and let us ask her to present to our divine Judge the humble tribute of our penance. qusesumus Bomine, beni- mercifully to regard the devo- gnus intende : ut qui per tion of thy people ; that abstinentiam macerantur mortifying their bodies by in corpore, per fructum boni fasting, their minds may be

COLLECT

Devotionem populi tui

We beseech thee, 0 Lord, o peris reficiantur in mente. refreshed by good works. Per Dominum nostrum Je- Through Jesus Christ our sum Christum. Amen. Lord. Amen.

The Epistle of the Mass for all the Ember Wednesdays consists of two lessons from sacred Scripture. To-day the Church brings before us the two great types of Lent, Moses and Elias, in order to impress us with an idea of the importance of this forty days' fast, which Christ Himself solemnly consecrated when He observed it, thus fulfilling, in His own Person, what the Law and the Prophets had but prefigured.

FIRST LESSON

Lectio libri Exodi.

Cap. xxiv. In diebus illis: dixit Dominus ad Moysen : Asoende ad me in montem et esto ibi, daboque tibi tabulas lapideas, et legem ao mandata, quae scripsi, ut doceas filios Israel Surrexerunt Moyses, et Josue minister ejus. Ascendensque Moyses in montem Dei, senioribus ait: Exspectate hie donee revertamur ad vos. Habetis Aaron et Hur vobiscum. Si quid natum fuerit qusestionis, referetis ad eos. Cumque ascendisset Moyses, operuit nubes montem, et habitavit gloria Domini super Sinai, tegens ilium nube sex diebus: septimo autem die vocavit eum de medio caliginis. Erat autem species glorias Domini, quasi ignis ardens super verticem montis in conspectu filio-

Lesson from the Book of Exodus. Ch. xxiv.

In those days : the Lord said to Moses : Come up to me into the mount, and be there ; and I will give thee tables of stone, and the law, and the commandments which I have written, that thou mayst teach them. Moses rose up, and his minister J osue ; and Moses going up into the mount of God, said to the ancients : Wait ye here till we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you: if any question shall arise, you shall refer it to them. And when Moses was gone up, a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord dwelt upon Sinai, covering it with a cloud six days ; and the seventh day he called him out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the

LENT rum Israel. Ingressusque Mpyses medium nebulae, ascendit in montem : et fuit ibi quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus.

Lord was like a burning fire upon the top of the mount, in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses entering into the midst of the cloud, went up into the mountain ; and he was there forty days and forty nights.

SECOND LESSON

Leotio libri Begum.

3. Cap, xix.

In diebus illis : venit Elias in Bersabee-Juda, et dimisit ibi puerum suum. et perrexit in desertum, viam unius diei. Cumque venisset, et sederet subter unam juniperum, petivit animse suae ut moreretur, et ait: Suffioit mini, Domine : tolle animam meam: neque enim melior sum quam patres mei. Projecitque se et obdormivit in umbra jumped: et ecce angelus Domini tetigit eum, et dixit illi : Surge, et comede. Respexit, et ecce ad caput suum subcinericius panis, et vas aquae: comedit ergo et bihit* et rursum obdormivit. Reversusque est angelus Domini secundo, et tetigit eum, dixitque illi : Surge, comede : grandis enim tibi restat via, Qui cum surrexisset, oomedit et bibit, et ambulavit in, fortitudine cibi illius. quar draginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus usque ad montem Dei Horeb.

Lesson from the Book of Kings.

3. Ch. xix.

In those days : Elias came into Bersabee of Juda, and left his servant there. And he went forward one day's journey into the desert. And when he was there, and sat under a juniper tree, he requested for his soul that he might die, and said: It is enough for me, Lord: take away my soul, for I am no better than, my fathers. And he oast himself down, and slept in the shadow of the juniper tree ; and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him : Arise and eat. He looked, and behold there was at his head a hearth-cake and a vessel of water ; and he ate and drank, and he fell asleep again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said to him: Arise, eat, for thou hast vet a great way ■ to go. And he arose, and atey and' drank, and walked in the , strength of that food forty, days and forty nights, unto th* mount of . God, Horeb*

Moses and Elias fast for forty days and forty nights, because God bids them come near to Him. Man must purify himself, he must unburden himself, in some measure at least, of the body which weighs him down, if he would enter into communication with Him who is the Spirit. And yet the vision of God granted to these two holy personages was very imperfect : they felt that God was near them, but they beheld not His glory. But when the fulness of time came, God manifested Himself in the flesh : and man saw, and heard, and touched Him. We, indeed, are not of the number of those favoured ones who liv,ed with Jesus, the Word of life: but in the holy Eucharist He allows us to do more than see Him : He enters into our breasts, He is our food. The humblest member of the Church possesses God more fully than either Moses on Sinai, or Elias on Horeb. We cannot, . therefore, be surprised that the Church, in order to fit us for this, favour at the Easter solemnity, bids us go through a preparation of forty days, though its severity is not to be compared with the rigid fast which Moses and Elias had to observe as the condition of receiving what God promised them.

GOSPEL,

Sequentia sancti Evangelii Sequel of the holy Gospel secundum Matthseum. according to Matthew.

Cap. xiL Ch. xii.

In illo tempore : Responderunt J esu . quidam de senbis et pharisaeis, dicentes: ed Magister, volumus a. te signum videre. Qui respondens, ait illis: Generatio adulterous genemala et adultera signum ration quserit : et signum non da- a bitur ei, nisi, signum Jonaa Sicut enim fuit

At that time : Some of the scribes and pharisees answerhim, saying : Master we would see a sign from thee, Who answering said to them : An evil and seeketh a sign*; and sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet®. prophet. For as Jonas was iGSJTiv.f. ' 2lst:joLiT:i

LENT

Jonas in ventre ceti tribus diebus et tribus noctibus, sic erit Filius hominis in corde terrae tribus diebus et tribus noctibus. Viri Ninivitae surgent in judicio cum generatione ista, et condemnabunt earn: quia poenitentiam egerunt in praedicatione Jonae; et ecce plus quam Jonas hie. Regina Austri surget in judicio cum generatione ista, et condemnabit earn : quia venit a finibus terrae audire sapientiam Salomonis ; et ecce plus quam Salomon hie. Gum autem immundus spiritus exierit ab homine, ambulat per loca arida, quserens requiem, et non invenit. Tunc dicit: Revertar in domum meam, unde exivi. Et veniens invenit earn vacantem, scopis mundatam, et ornatam. Tunc vadit, et assumit septem alios spiritus secum nequiores se, et intrantes habitant ibi: et fiunt novissima hominis illius pejora prioribus. Sic erit et generationi huic pessimae. Adhuc eo loquente ad turbas, ecce mater ejus et fratres stabant foris quaerentes loqui ei. Dixit autem ei quidam : Ecce mater tua, et fratres tui foris stant, quaerentes te. At ipse respondens dicenti sibi, ait: Quae est mater mea, et qui sunt fratres mei ? Et extendens manum in discipulos suos, dixit: Ecce mater mea, et fratres mei: quicumque enim fecerit voluntatem Patris mei, qui in in the whale's belly three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas ; and behold a greater than Jonas here. The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon ; and behold a greater than Solomon here. When an unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and findeth none. Then he saith: I will return into my house, from whence I came out. And coming, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there ; and the last state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation. As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his Mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him. And one said unto him : Behold thy Mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee. But he answering him that told him said : Who is my mother, and who are my brethren ? And stretch- ccelis est, ipse metis frater, ing forth his hand towards

Our Lord forewarns Israel of the chastisements which its voluntary blindness and hardness of heart will bring upon it. The men of Israel refuse to believe, unless they see signs and prodigies ; they have them in abundance, but will not see them. Such are the unbelievers of the present day. They say they want proofs of the divine origin of the Catholic religion. What is history but a tissue of proofs ; what are the events of the present age, but testimony of the truth ? And yet they remain incredulous. They have their own views and prejudices, and they intend to keep to them ; how, then, can it be wondered at that they never embrace the true faith ? Infidels, who have not had the like opportunities, will rise in judgment with such a generation and condemn it for its resistance to grace. Let us Catholics remember that amidst the great religious movement which is now going on, it is our duty to be not only most firm in our faith, but also most zealous in the observance of the laws of the Churchy such, for example, as Lent. The apostolate of example will produce its fruits ; and if a mere handful of Christians was to the Roman empire like that leaven of which our Saviour speaks, and which leavened the whole mass, what results might we not expect in a country Kke our own, which has retained so much Catholic practice and doctrine, if the Catholics themselves were but zealous in the exercise of their duties ?

1 See the Gospel for the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, in our 4 Septuagesima.' et soror, et mater est. his disciples, he said : Behold my mother and my brethren ; for whosoever shall do the will of my Father that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

LENT capita vestra

Humiliate Deo.

Mentes nostras, quaesumus, Domine, lumine tuse claritatis illustra : ut videre possimus quae agenda sunt, et quae recta sunt, agere valeamus. Per Christum . Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Bow down your heads to God.

Enlighten, we beseech thee, 0 Lord, our minds with the light of thy brightness, that we may discern what is to be done, and be able to do it. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We take the following devout stanzas on fasting from the Triodion of the Greek Church.

Mirabilia arma oratio, et jejunium ; hoc Moysen legislatorem effecit, et Heliam inter sacrificia zelatorem t huic firmiter insistentes, fideles, ad Salvatorem clamemus : Peccavimus tibi soli, miserere nostri.

Spirituale jejunium jejunemus, tortuosos laqueos omnes abrumpamus, declinemus pariter malorum exemplorum nequitiam, dimittamusque fratribus debita, ut nobis quoque delicta nostra dimittantur ; ita enim olamare poterimus : Dirigatur, Domine, oratio nostra, sicut incensum, in conspectu tuo.

Solus bonus, fons misericordiae, Agnus Dei, qui, utpote Deus, tollis peccata mundi, serva me criminum proceUis agitatum, et ad poenitentiae semitas dirige.

Purum jejunium, fuga peccati, pravorum affectuum abscessus, charitas

Wonderful is the armour of prayer and fasting ! With it, Moses became a legislator, and Elias a zealous priest. Let us, 0 ye faithful, resolutely take it unto ourselves, and cry out to our Saviour : To thee alone have we sinned ; have mercy on us.

Let us fast a spiritual fast, break all the snares of the serpent, shun the wickedness of evil example, and forgive our brethren their offences against us, that our own sins may be forgiven ; for thus shall we be able to say : May our prayer, 0 Lord, be directed as incense in thy sight !

0 thou that alone art Good ! 0 fount of mercy ! O Lamb of God, who, being thyself God, takest away the sins of the world ! I am tossed by the storms of sin ; save me, and lead me to the paths of penance.

The true fast is fleeing from sin, turning away from evil affections, love of God, erga Deum, orationis studium, lacryma cum compunctione, et pauperum cura, quemadmodum Christus in Scripturis praecepit.

Animam peccati gladio transfossam, multisque criminibus lancinatam sana, o animarum nostrarum medice, utpote benefactor, ad hi bens mihi sapientium mandatorum tuorum remedia, o clemens.

Compunctioni idoneum nacti praesens jejunii tempus, magnopere lugeamus atque ingemamus, manusque ad solum Redemptorem, ut animas nostras solvat, expendamus.

Utinam mihi quoque detur pravos affectus omnes exstinguere, et tui amorem, Christe, concipere, divinis ditescere, mi bone Jesu, tibique famulatum impendere.

Vide, attende, anima, ne forte dum jejunas, crapulae loco tibi sint injuriae, inimicitise, contentiones adversus proximum, atque a Deo propter tuam negligentiam excidas.

Qua ratione, Christe mens, iram tuam sustinebo, dum ad judicandum veneris ? quidve illic respondebo, cum jussa tua neque fecerim, neque peregerim, Christe ? quare mihi ante exitum ignosce.

E cupiditatum tyrannide vindica, Domine, animam meam, ut libere voluntatem tuam implens, gaudeam, earnest prayer, tears of compunction, and charity towards the poor, as Christ teaches us in the Scripture.

My soul is pierced with the sword of sin, and is mangled by manifold crimes : heal it,

0 thou kind physician of souls ! Apply unto me, O merciful Jesus, the remedy of thy all-wise commandments.

Now is the time for compunction, for it is the time of the fast; let us earnestly give ourselves to tears and sighs, and stretch forth our hands to our only Redeemer, beseeching him to unfetter our souls.

Give me the grace, O my good Jesus ! to stifle all my wicked affections, to be filled with the love of thee, to be rich in divine gifts, and to serve thee with all devotedness.

Take heed, my soul, lest, whilst fasting, thou be guilty of the gluttony of injuring and hating thy neighbour, and quarrelling with him ; and thus lose thy God, by thy negligence.

How shall I be able, O my Jesus, to endure thy wrath, when thou comest to judge me ? What answer shall I then make unto thee, if now

1 refuse to fulfil thy just commands ? O pardon me, before my departure hence.

Liberate my soul, O Lord, from the tyranny of my passions, that I may enjoy the freedom of doing thy will,

LENT atque glorificem potentiam tuam in saecula.

Oderis, anima mea, Esau intemperantiam, et Jacobi bona semuleris, Belial abstinentia supplantes, divina thesaurizes, et laudes Deum in saecula.

Tranquillum jejunii mare nobis nulla actis tempestate praetergredi tribue, donee ad portum Resurreetionis toss perveniamus, misericore, te in saecula celebrantes. and grm glory to thy power, for eternity.

Hate, 0 my soul, the intemperance of Esau, and imitate the holy Jacob; destroy Belial by abstinence, make treasure to thyself of divine riches, and let the praise of God be for ever on thy lips.

Grant unto us, O merciful Saviour, that we may traverse the sea of our fast unmolested by storms : and that we, who are ever celebrating thy praise, may be brought to the haven of thy Resurrection.