Holy Week Chapter the First the History of Passiontide and Holy Week

After having proposed the forty-days' fast of Jesus in the desert to the meditation of the faithful during the first four weeks of Lent, the holy Church gives the two weeks which still remain before Easter to the commemoration of the Passion. She would not have her ohildren come to that great day of the immolation of the Lamb, without having prepared for it by compassionating with Him in the sufferings He endured in their stead.

The most ancient saoramentaries and antiphonaries of the several Churches attest, by the prayers, the lessons, and the whole liturgy of these two weeks, that the Passion of our Lord is now the one sole thought of the Christian world. During Passion-week, a saint's feast, if it ocour, will be kept ; but Passion Sunday admits no feast, however solemn it may be ; and even on those which are kept during the days intervening between Passion and Palm Sunday, there is always made a commemoration of the Passion, and the holy images are not allowed to be unoovered.

We cannot give any historical details upon the

PASSIONTIDE AND HOLY VTSSK first of these two weeks; its ceremonies and rites have always been the same as those of the four preceding ones. We, therefore, refer the reader to the following ohapter, in whioh we treat of the mysteries peculiar to Passiontide. The second week, on the contrary, furnishes us with abundant historical details; for there is no portion of the liturgical year which has interested the Christian world so much as this, or whioh has given rise to such fervent manifestations of piety.

This week was held in great veneration even as early as the third oentury, as we learn from St. Denis, bishop of Alexandria, who lived at that time. In the following oentury, we find St. John Ohrysostom, calling it the great week:* 'Not,' says the holy dootor, i that it has more days in it than other weeks, or that its days are made up of more hours than other days ; but we call it great, because of the great mysteries whioh are then celebrated/ We find it called also by other names: the painful week (hebdomada pcenosa), on aooount of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the fatigue required from us in celebrating them ; the week of indulgence, because sinners are then received to penance; and, lastly, Holy Week, in allusion to the holiness of the mysteries whioh are commemorated during these seven days. This last name is the one under whioh it most generally goes with us; and the very days themselves are, in many countries, called by the same name, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday.

The severity of the lenten fast is increased during these its last days ; the whole energy of the spirit of

1 It would be out of place to enter here on a discussion with regard to the name Mediana, under which title we find Passion Sunday mentioned both in ancient liturgies and in Canon Law.

• Epitt. ad Ba$ilid$m, Canon i. * Horn, xzx in Genu, penanoe is now brought out. Even with us, the dispensation whioh allows the use of eggs ceases towards the middle of this week. The eastern Churches, faithful to their ancient traditions, have kept up a most rigorous abstinence ever sinoe the Monday of Quinquagesima week. During the whole of this long period, whioh they oall Xerophagia, they have been allowed nothing but dry food. In the early ages, fasting during Holy Week was carried to the utmost limits that human nature could endure. "We learn from St. Epiphanius, that there were some of the Christians who observed a strict fast from Monday morning to cook- crow of Easter Sunday. Of course it must have been very few of the faithful who oould go so far as this. Many passed two, three, and even four oonsecutive days, without tasting any food; but the general praotioe was to fast from Maundy Thursday evening to Easter morning. Many Christians in the east, and in Russia, observe this fast even in these times. Would that such severe penanoe were always accompanied by a firm faith and union with the Church, out of whioh the merit of suoh penitential works is of no avail for salvation !

Another of the anoient practices of Holy Week were the long hours spent, during the night, in the churches. On Maundy Thursday, after having celebrated the divine mysteries in remembrance of the Last Supper, the faithful continued a long time in prayer. The night between Friday and Saturday was spent in almost uninterrupted vigil, in honour of our Lord's burial. But the longest of all these vigils was that of Saturday, which was kept up till Easter Sunday morning. The whole congregation

1 Ezpoeitio Jidei, ix Hcerea. xxii.

3 St. John Chrysostom, Horn, xxx in Genes.

• St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catech. xriii.

PASSIONTIDB AXD HOLT WEEK joined in it: they assisted at the final preparation of the catechumens, as also at the administration of Baptism ; nor did they leave the church until after the celebration of the holy Sacrifioe, which was not over till sunrise.

Cessation from servile work was, for a long time, an obligation during Holy Week. The civil law united with that of the Church in order to bring about this solemn rest from toil and business, which so eloquently expresses the state of mourning of the Christian world. The thought of the sufferings and death of Jesus was the one pervading thought: the Divine Offices and prayer were the sole occupation of the people : and, indeed, all the strength of the body was needed for the support of the auterities of fasting and abstinence. We can readily understand what an impression was made upon men's minds, during the whole of the rest of the year, by this universal suspension of the ordinary routine of life. Moreover, when we call to mind how, for five full weeks, the severity of Lent had waged war on the sensual appetites, we can imagine the simple and honest joy wherewith was welcomed the feast of Easter, which brought both the regeneration of the soul, and respite to the body.

In the preoeding volume, we mentioned the laws of the Theodosian Code, which forbade all law business during the forty days preceding Easter. This law of Gratian and Theodosius, which was published in 380, was extended by Theodosius in 389; this new decree forbade all pleadings during the seven days before, and the seven days after, Easter. We meet with several allusions to this then recent law, in the homilies of St. John Chrysostom, and in the sermons of St. Augustine. In virtue of this deoree,

1 Const. Apost. lib. i. cap. xyiii. eaoh of these fifteen days was considered, as far Ad the courts of law were concerned, as a Sunday.

But Christian princes were not satisfied with the mere suspension of human justice during these days, whioh are so emphatically days of mercy: they would, moreover, pay homage, by an external act, to the fatherly goodness of God, who has deigned to pardon a guilty world, through the merits of the death of His Son. The Church was on the point of giving reconciliation to repentant sinners, who had broken the chains of sin whereby they were held captives; Christian princes were ambitious to imitate this their mother, and they ordered that prisoners should be loosened from their chains, that the prisons should be thrown open, and that freedom should be restored to those who had fallen under the sentence of human tribunals. The only exception made was that of criminals whose freedom would have exposed their families or society to great danger. The name of Theodosius stands prominent in these acts of mercy. "We are told by St John Chrysostom that this emperor sent letters of pardon to the several cities, ordering the release of prisoners, and granting life to those that had been condemned to death, and all this in order to sanotify the days preceding the Easter feast. The last emperors made a law of this custom, as we find in one of St. Leo's sermons, where he thus speaks of their clemenoy: 'The Roman emperors have long observed this holy practioe. In honour of our Lord's Passion and Resurrection, they humbly withhold the exercise of their sovereign justice, and, laying aside the severity of their laws, they grant pardon to a great number of criminals. Their intention in this is to imitate the divine goodness by

. i Homil. in magn. Eebdom. Homil. xxx, in Gems, Homil. y% adpopul. J^ntiochi

PASSIONTIDE AND HOLT WEEK their own exercise of clemenoy during these dayB, when the world owes its salvation to the divine mercy. Let, then, the Christian people imitate their princes, and let the example of kings induce subjects to forgive each other their private wrongs; for, surely it is absurd that private laws should be less unrelenting than those which are public. Let trespasses be forgiven, let bonds be taken off, let offences be forgotten, let revenge be stifled; that thus the sacred feast may, by both divine and human favours, find us all happy and innocent.'1

This Christian amnesty was not confined to the Theodosian Code ; we find traces of it in the laws of several of our western countries. We may mention France as an example. Under the first race of its kings, St. Eligius bishop of Noyon, in a sermon for Maundy Thursday, thus expresses himself: 'On this day, when the Church grants indulgence to penitents and absolution to sinners, magistrates, also, relent in their severity and grant pardon to the guilty. Throughout the whole world prisons are thrown open ; princes show clemenoy to criminals ; masters forgive their slaves.'2 Under the seoond race, we learn from the Capitularia of Charlemagne, that bishops had a right to exact from the judges, for the love of Jesus Christ (as it is expressed), that prisoners should be set free on the days preceding Easter; and should the magistrates refuse to obey, the bishops could refuse them admission into the church. And lastly, under the third race, we find Charles VI, after quelling the rebellion at Eouen, giving orders, later on, that the prisoners should be set at liberty, beoause

1 Sermon xl. de Quadragesima, ii. * Sermon x.

3 We learn from the same capitularia, that this privilege was also extended to Christmas and Pentecost. 4 Capitular, lib. yi. it was Painful Week, and very near to the Easter feast. A last vestige of this merciful legislation was a custom observed by the parliament of Paris. The ancient Christian practice of suspending its sessions during the whole of Lent, had long been abolished: it was not till the Wednesday of Holy Week that the house was closed, which it oontinued to be from that day until after Low Sunday. On the Tuesday of Holy Week, which was the last day granted for audiences, the parliament repaired to the palace prisons, and there one of the grand presidents,

Eenerally the last installed, held a session of the ouse. The prisoners were questioned ; but, without any formal judgment, all those whose case seemed favourable, or who were not guilty of some oapital offence, were set at liberty.

The revolutions of the last eighty years have produced in every country in Europe the secularization of society, that is to say, the effacing from our national oustoms and legislation of everything which had been introduced by the supernatural element of Christianity. The favourite theory of the last half oentury or more, has been that all men are equal. The people of the ages of faith had something far more convincing than theory, of the saoredness of their rights. At the approach of those solemn anniversaries which so forcibly remind us of the justice and mercy of God, they beheld princes abdicating, as it were, their sceptre, leaving in God's hands the punishment of the guilty, and assisting at the holy Table of Pasohal Communion side by side with those very men, whom, a few days before, they had been keeping chained in prison for the good of society. There was one thought, whioh, during these days, was strongly brought before .all nations: it was the

I Jean Juvenal des Ursins, year 1382,

PASSIONTIDB AND HOLT "WEEK thought of God, in whose eyes all men are sinners ; of God, from whom alone proceed justioe and pardon. It was in consequence of this deep Christian feeling, that we find so many diplomas and charts of the ages of faith speaking of the days of Holy Week as being the reign of Christ : such an event, they say, happened on such a day, 'under the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ regnante Domino nostro Jem Christo.

When these days of holy and Christian equality were over, did subjects refuse submission to their sovereigns ? Did they abuse the humility of their prinoes, and take occasion for drawing up what modern times call the rights of man ? No : that same thought which had inspired human justioe to humble itself before the cross of Jesus, taught the people their duty of obeying the powers established by God. The exeroise of power, and submission to that power, both had God for their motive. They who wielded the soeptre might be of various dynasties: the respeot for authority was ever the same. Now-a-days, the liturgy has none of her ancient influenoe on sooiety ; religion has been driven from the world at large, and her only life and power is now with the consciences of individuals ; and as to political institutions, they are but the expression of human pride, seeking to oommand, or refusing to obey.

And yet the fourth century, which, in virtue of the Christian spirit, produced the laws we have been alluding to, was still rife with the pagan element. How comes it that we, who live in the full light of Christianity, can give the name of progress to a system which tends to separate society from everything that is supernatural ? Men may talk as they please, there is but one way to secure order, peaoe, morality, and seourity to the world ; and that is God's way, the way of faith, of living in accordance with the teachings and the spirit of faith. All other systems oan, at best, but flatter those human passions, which are so strongly at variance with the mysteries of our Lord Jesus Christ, whioh we are now celebrating.

We must mention another law made by the Christian emperors in reference to Holy Week. If the spirit of oharity, and a desire to imitate divine mercy, led them to decree the liberation of prisoners ; it was but acting consistently with these principles, that, during these days when our Saviour shed His Blood for the emancipation of the human race, they should interest themselves in what regards slaves. Slavery, a consequence of sin, and the fundamental institution of the pagan world, had received its death-blow by the preaching of the Gospel; but its gradual abolition was left to individuals, and to their practical exercise of the prinoiple of Christian fraternity. As our Lord and His apostles had not exacted the immediate abolition of slavery, so, in like manner, the Christian emperors limited themselves to passing such laws as would give encouragement to its gradual abolition. We have an example of this in the Justinian Code, where this prince, after having forbidden all law-proceedings during Holy Week and the week following, lays down the following exception: 'It shall, nevertheless, be permitted to give slaves their liberty ; in such manner, that the legal acts necessary for their emancipation shall not be counted as contravening this present enactment.'1 This charitable law of Justinian was but applying to the fifteen days of Easter the decree passed by Constantine, whioh forbade all legal proceedings on the Sundays throughout the year, excepting only such aots as had for their object the emancipation of slaves.

1 Cod. lib. iii. tit. xii. de feriis. Leg. 8,

PASSIOKTIDB AND HOLT WEEK

But long before the peaoe given her by Constantino, the Church had made provision for slaves, during these days when the mysteries of the world's redemption were accomplished. Christian masters were this holy fortnight. Such is the law laid down in the apostolic constitutions, which were oompiled pre? viously to the fourth century. 'During the great week preceding the day of Easter, and during the week that follows, slaves rest from labour, inasmuch as the first is the week of our Lord's Passion, and the second is that of His Resurrection; and the slaves require to be instructed upon these mysteries.'1

Another characteristic of the two weeks, upon which we are now entering, is that of giving more abundant alms, and of greater fervour in the exeroise of works of mercy. St. John Chrysostom assures us that such was the practice of his times ; he passes an enoomium on the faithful, many of whom redoubled, at this period, their charities to the poor, which they did out of this motive : that they might, in some slight measure, imitate the divine generosity, which is now so unreservedly pouring out its graoes on sinners. labour during

Constit. Apost. lib. viii. cap. xxxiii.

CHAPTER THE SECOND

THE MYSTERY OF PASSIONT1DE AND HOLY WEEK

The holy liturgy is rich in mystery during these days many wonderful events ; but as the principal part of these mysteries is embodied in the rites and ceremonies of the respective days, we shall give our explanations according as the occasion presents itself. Our object in the present chapter, is to say a few words respecting the general charaoter of the mysteries of these two weeks.

We have nothing to add to the explanation, already given in our Lent, on the mystery of forty. The holy season of expiation continues its course until the fast of sinful man has imitated, in its duration, that observed by the Man^God in the desert. The army of Christ's faithful children is still fighting against the invisible enemies of man's salvation ; they are still vested in their spiritual armour, and, aided by the angels of light, they are struggling hand to hand with the spirits of darkness, by compunction of heart and by mortification of the flesh.

As we have already observed, there are three objects which principally engage the thoughts of the Church during Lent. The rassion of our Redeemer, which we have felt to be coming nearer to us each week ; the preparation of the cateohumens for Baptism, which is to be administered to them on Easter eve; the reconciliation of the publio penitents, who are to be readmitted into the Church on the Thursday, the day anniversaries of so engages more and more the attention of the Church, the nearer she approaches the time of their oelehration.

The miracle performed by our Saviour almost at the very gates of Jerusalem, by which He restored Lazarus to life, has roused the fury of His enemies to the highest pitch of phrensy. The people's enthusiasm has been excited by seeing him, who had been four days in the grave, walking in the streets of their city. They ask each other if the Messias, when He comes, can work greater wonders than these done by Jesus, and whether they ought not at once to reoeive this Jesus as the Messias, and sing their Hosanna to Him, for He is the Son of David. They cannot oontain their feelings: Jesus enters Jerusalem, and they welcome Him as their King. The high priests and princes of the people are alarmed at this demonstration of feeling ; they have no time to lose ; they are resolved to destroy Jesus. We are going to assist at their impious conspiracy: the Blood of the just Man is to be sold, and the price put on it is thirty silver pieces. The divine Victim, betrayed by one of His disciples, is to be judged, condemned, and orucified. Every circumstance of this awful tragedy is to be put before us by the liturgy, not merely in words, but with all the expressiveness of a sublime ceremonial.

The catechumens have but a few more days to wait for the fount that is to give them life. Each day their instruction becomes fuller; the figures of the old Law are being explained to them; and very little now remains for them to learn with regard to the mysteries of salvation. The Symbol of faith is soon to be delivered to them. Initiated into the glories and the humiliations of the Redeemer, they will await with the faithful the moment of His glorious Resurreotion ; and we shall accompany them with our prayers and hymns at that solemn hour, when, leaving the defilements of sin in the life-giving waters

MYSTERY of the font, they shall come forth pure and radiant with innocence, be enriched with the gifts of the holy Spirit, and be fed with the divine flesh of the Lamb that liveth for ever.

The reconciliation of the penitents, too, is olose at hand. Clothed in sackoloth and ashes, they are continuing their work of expiation. The Church has still several passages from the sacred Scriptures to read to them, which, like those we have already heard during the last few weeks, will breathe consolation and refreshment to their souls. The near approaoh of the day when the Lamb is to be slain increases their hope, for they know that the Blood of this Lamb is of infinite worth, and can take away the sins of the whole world. Before the day of Jesus' Resurreotion, they will have recovered their lost innocence ; their pardon will come in time to enable them, like the penitent prodigal, to join in the great Banquet of that Thursday, when Jesus will say to His guests: ' With desire have I desired to eat this Pasoh with you before I suffer.' 1

Such are the sublime subjects which are about to be brought before us: but, at the same time, we shall see our holy mother the Churoh mourning, like a disconsolate widow, and sad beyond all human grief. Hitherto she has been weeping over the sins of her children ; now she bewails the death of her divine Spouse. The joyous Alleluia has long since been hushed in her oanticles ; she is now going to suppress another expression, which seems too glad for a time like the present. Partially, at first, but entirely during the last three days, she is about to deny herself the use of that formula, which is so dear to her:

1 St. Luke xxii. 15. a Unless it be the feast of a saint, as frequently happens during the first of these two weeks. The same exception is to be made in what follows.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy G-host. There is an aooent of jubilation in these words, whioh would ill suit her grief and the mournfulness of the rest of her chants.

Her lessons, for the night Office, are taken from Jeremias, the prophet of lamentation above all others. The colour of her vestments is the one she had on when she assembled us at the commencement of Lent to sprinkle us with ashes; but when the dreaded day of Good Friday comes, purple would not sufficiently express the depth of her grief ; she will clothe herself in blaok, as men do when mourning the death of a fellow-mortal; for Jesus, her Spouse, is to be put to death on that day: the sins of mankind and the rigours of the divine justice are then to weigh him down, and in all the realities of a last agony, He is to yield up His Soul to His Father.

The presentiment of that awful hour leads the affiioted mother to veil the image of her Jesus: the oross is hidden from the eyes of the faithful. The statues of the saints, too, are covered ; for it is but just that, if the glory of the Master be eclipsed, the servant should not appear. The interpreters of the liturgy tell us that this ceremony of veiling the oruoifix during Passiontide, expresses the humiliation to which our Saviour subjected Himself, of hiding Himself when the Jews threatened to stone Him, as is related in the Gospel of Passion Sunday. The Church begins this solemn rite with the Vespers of the Saturday before Passion Sunday. Thus it is that, in those years when the feast of our Lady's Annunciation falls in Passion-week, the statue of Mary, the Mother of God, remains veiled, even on that very day when the Arohangel greets her as being full of grace, and blessed among women.

CHAPTER THE THIRD

PRACTICE DURING PA8SI0NTIDE AND HOLY WEEK

The past four weeks seems to have been but a preparation for the intense grief of the Churoh during these two. She knows that men are in search of her Jesus, and that they are bent on His death. Before twelve days are over, she will see them lay their sacrilegious hands upon Him. She will have to follow Him up the hill of Calvary; she will have to receive His last breath ; she must witness the stone plaoeA against the sepulchre where His lifeless Body is laid. We cannot, therefore, be surprised at her inviting all her ohildren to contemplate, during these weeks, Him who is the object of all her love and all her sadness.

But our mother asks something more of us than oompassion and tears; she would have us profit by the lessons we are to be taught by the Passion and Death of our Redeemer. He Himself, when going up to Calvary, said to the holy women who had the courage to show their oompassion even before His very executioners: 'Weep not over Me; but weep for yourselves and for your ohildren'. 1 It was not that He refused the tribute of their tears, for He was pleased with this proof of their affection; but it was His love for them that made Him speak thus. He desired, above all, to see them appreciate the importance of what they were witnessing, and learn from it how in exorable is G-od's justice against sin.

During the four weeks that have preceded, the Churoh has been leading the sinner to his conversion;

1 St. Luke xxiii. 28.

(15) so far, however, this conversion has been but begun: now she would perfeot it. It is no longer our Jesus fasting and praying in the desert, that she offers to our consideration; it is this same Jesus, as the great Victim immolated for the world's salvation. The fatal hour is at hand; the power of darkness is preparing to make use of the time that is still left; the greatest of crimes is about to be perpetrated. A few days henoe the Son of God is to be in the hands of sinners, and they will put Him to death. The Church no longer needs to urge her children to repentanoe; they know too well, now, what sin must be, when it oould require such expiation as this. She is all absorbed in the thought of the terrible event, whioh is to close the life of the God-Man on earth ; and by expressing her thoughts through the holy liturgy, she teaohes us what our own sentiments should be.

The pervading character of the prayers and rites of these two weeks, is a profound grief at seeing the just One persecuted by His enemies even to death, and an energetic indignation against the deicides. The formulas, expressive of these two feelings are, for the most part, taken from David and the JProphets. Here, it is our Saviour Himself, disclosing to us the anguish of His soul; there, it is the Church pronouncing the most terrible anathemas upon the executioners of Jesus. The chastisement that is to befall the Jewish nation is prophesied in all its frightful details ; and on the last three days, we shall hear the prophet Jeremias uttering his lamentations over the faithless city. The Church does not aim at exciting idle sentiment ; what she principally seeks, is to impress the hearts of her children with a salutary fear. If Jerusalem's orime strike them with horror, and if they feel that they have partaken in her sin, their tears will flow in abundance.

Let us, therefore, do our utmost to reoeive these strong impressions, too little known, alas! by the superficial piety of these times. Let us reflect upon the love and affeotion of the Son of God, who has treated His oreatures with such unlimited confidence, lived their own life, spent His three and thirty years amidst them, not only humbly and peaceably, but in going about doing good. And now this life of kindness, condescension, and humility, is to be out short by the disgraceful death, whioh none but slaves endured: the death of the oross. Let us oonsider, on the one side, this sinful people, who, having no orimes to lay to Jesus' charge, aoouse Him of His benefits, and carry their detestable ingratitude to suoh a pitoh as to shed the Blood of this innocent and divine Lamb ; and then, let us turn to this Jesus, the Just by excellence, and see Him become a prey to every bitterest suffering: His Soul sorrowful even unto death; weighed down by the malediction of our sins ; drinking even to the very dregs the chalioe He so humbly asks His Father to take from Him ; and lastly, let us listen to His dying words: 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?'3 This it is that fills the Churoh with her immense grief; this it is that she proposes to our consideration; for she knows that, if we once rightly understood the sufferings of her Jesus, our attachments to sin must needs be broken, for, by sin, we make ourselves guilty of the crime we detest in these Jews.

But the Church knows, too, how hard is the heart of man, and how, to make him resolve on a thorough eonversion, he must be made to fear. For this reason, she puts before us those awful imprecations, which the prophets, speaking in Jesus' person, pronounced against them that put our Lord to death. These prophetic anathemas were literally fulfilled against the obdurate Jews. They teach us what the Christian,

1 Acts x. 38. 3 St. Matt. xxyi. 38. 8 Ibid, xzrii. 46. also, must expect, if, as the apostle so forcibly expresses it, we again cruoify the Son of God. In listening to what the Church now speaks to us, we oannot but tremble as we reoall to mind those other words of the same apostle : How much more, think ye, doth he deserve worse punishment, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath esteemed the Blood of the testament unolean, (as though it were some vile thing), by which he was sanotified, and hath offered an affront to the Spirit of grace ? For we know Him that hath said: 'Vengeance belongeth to Me, and I will repay.' And again : * The Lord shall judge His people/ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Fearful indeed it is ! Oh ! what a lesson God gives us of His inexorable justioe, during these days of the Passion ! He that spared not even his own Son, His beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased, will He spare us, if, after all the graces He has bestowed upon us, He should find as in sin, which He so unpitifully ohastised even in Jesus, when He took it upon Himself, that He might atone for it? Considerations such as these — the justioe of God towards the most innocent and august of victims, and the punishments that befell the impenitent Jews — must surely destroy within us every affection to sin, for they will oreate within us that salutary fear which is the solid foundation of firm hope and tender love.

For if, by our sins, we have made ourselves guilty of the death of the Son of God, it is equally true that the Blood which flowed from His sacred wounds has the power to cleanse us from the guilt of our crime. The justice of our heavenly Father oannot be appeased, save by the shedding of this precious Blood ;

1 Heb. vi. 6. 3 Rom. viii. 32.

• Ibid. x. 29-31. * St. Matt. iii. 17.

PRACTICE and the mercy of this same Father wills that it be spent for our ransom. The oruelty of Jesus* executioners has made five wounds in His sacred Body; and from these, there flow five sources of salvation, which purify the world, and restore within each one of us the image of God which sin had destroyed. Let us, then, approach with confidence to this redeeming Blood, which throws open to the sinner the gates of heaven, and whose worth is such that it could redeem a million worlds, were they even more guilty than ours. We are close upon the anniversary of the day when it was shed; long ages have passed away since it flowed down the wounded Body of our Jesus, and fell in streams from the cross upon this ungrateful earth ; and yet its power is as great as ever.

Let us go, then, and draw from the Saviour's fountains ;l our souls will oome forth full of life, all pure, and dazzling with heavealy beauty ; not one

Sot of their old defilements will be left; and the ither will love us with the love wherewith He loves His own Son. Why did He deliver up unto death this His tenderly belo ved Son ? Was it not that He might regain us, the children whom He had lost ? We had become, by our sins, the possession of satan; hell had undoubted claims upon us ; and, lo ! we have been suddenly snatched from both, and all our primitive rights have been restored to us. Yet God used no violenoe in order to deliver us from our enemy ; how comes it, then, that we are now free P Listen to the apostle: 'Ye are bought at a great price/2 And what is this price ? The prince of the apostles explains it: 1 Know ye,' says he, ' that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as gold or silver, but with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb unspotted and undefiled.'3 This divine Blood was plaoed in the

1 h. xii. 3. * 1 Cor. yi. 20. » I St. Peter i. 18, 19. scales of God's justioe, and so far did it outweigh our iniquities, as to make the bias in our favour. The severed our chains, and made peaee both as to the things on earth, and the things that are in heaven. Let us receive upon us, therefore, this precious Blood, wash our wounds in it, and sign our foreheads with it as with an indelible mark, which may proteot us, on the day of wrath, from the sword of vengeance.

There is another object most dear to the Church, which she, during these two weeks, recommends to our deepest veneration ; it is the cross, the altar upon which our incomparable Victim is immolated. Twice during the course of the year, that is, on the feasts of its Invention and Exaltation, this saored Wood will be offered to us that we may honour it as the trophy of our Jesus' viotorv ; but now, it speaks to us out of His sufferings, it brings with it no other idea but that of His humiliation. God had said in the ancient Covenant: * Accursed is he that hangeth on a tree'. The Lamb, that saved us, disdained not to suffer this curse; but, for that very oause, this tree, this wood of infamy, has become dear to us beyond measure. It is the instrument of our salvation, it is the sublime pledge of Jesus' love for us. On this account, the Church is about to lavish her veneration and love upon it; and we intend to imitate her, and join her in this, as in all else she does. An adoring gratitude towards the Blood that has redeemed us, and a loving veneration of the holy cross — these are the two sentiments which are to be uppermost in our hearts during these two weeks.

But for the Lamb Himself — for Him that gave us this Blood, and so generously embraced the cross that saved us— what shall we do? Is it not just that we

1 Colofls. i. 20. 2 Deut. zzL 23. power of this Blood has broken the gates of hell,

PRACTICE ibould keep close to Him, and that, more faithful than the apostles who abandoned Him daring His Passion, we should follow Him day by day, nay, hour by hour, in the way of the cross that He treads for usP Yes, we will be His faithful companions during these last days of His mortal life, when He submits to the humiliation of having to hide Himself from His enemies. We will envy the lot of those devoted few, who shelter Him in their houses, and expose themselves, by this courageous hospitality, to the rage of His enemies. We will compassionate His Mother, who suffered an anguish that no other heart oould feel, because no other creature oould love Him as she did. We will go, in spirit, into that most hated Sanhedrim, where they are laying the impious plot against the life of the just One. Suddenly, we si mil see a bright speck gleaming on the dark horizon ; the streets and

Suares of Jerusalem will re-echo with the cry of osanna to the Son of David. That unexpected homage paid to our Jesus, those palm branches, those shrill voices of admiring Hebrew children, will give a momentary truce to our sad forebodings. Our love shall make us take part in the loyal tribute thus paid to the Xing of Israel, who oomes so meekly to visit the daughter of Sion, as the prophet had foretold He would: but alas ! this joy will be short-lived, and we must speedily relapse into our deep sorrow of soul I

The traitorous disciple will soon strike his bargain with the high priests ; the last Pasch will be kept, and we shall see the figurative lamb give place to the true one, whbse Flesh will become our food, and His Blood our drink. It will be our Lordh Supper. Clad in the nuptial robe, we will take our place there, to* gether with the disciples ; for that day is the day of reconciliation, whioh brings together, to the same holy Table, both the penitent sinner, and the just that \m

PASSI0NT1DE AND HOLY WEEK been ever faithful. Then, we shall have to turn our steps towards the fatal garden, where we shall learn what sin is, for we shall behold our Jesus agonizing beneath its weight, and asking some respite from His eternal Father. Then, in the dark hour of midnight, the servants of the high priests and the soldiers, led on by the vile Isoariot, will lay their impious hands on the Son of God ; and yet the legions of angels, who adore Him, will be withheld from punishing the awful sacrilege ! After this, we shall have to repair to the various tribunals, whither Jesus is led, and witness the triumph of injustice. The time that elapses between His being seized in the garden and His having to carry His oross up the hill of Calvary, will be filled up with the incidents of His mock trial — lies, calumnies, the wretched cowardice of the Roman governor, the insults of the by-standers, and the cries of the ungrateful populace thirsting for innooent Blood ! We shall be present at all these things ; our love will not permit us to separate ourselves from that dear Redeemer, who is to suffer them for our sake, for our salvation.

Finally, after seeing Him struok and spit upon, and after the cruel scourging and the frightful insult of the orown of thorns, we will follow our Jesus up Mount Calvary ; we shall know where His saored feet have trod by the Blood that marks the road. We shall have to make our way through the crowd, and, as we pass, we shall hear terrible imprecations uttered against our divine Master. Having reached the place of execution, we shall behold this august Victim stripped of His garment, nailed to the oross, hoisted into the air, as if the better to expose Him to insult ! We will draw near to the tree of life, that we may lose neither one drop of that Blood which flows for the cleansing of the world, nor one single word

PRACTICE spoken, for its instruction, by our dying Jesus. We will compassionate His Mother, whose heart is pierced through with a sword of sorrow ; we will stand close to her, when her Son, a few moments before His death, shall oonsign us to her fond care. After His three hours' agony, we will reverently watch His sacred Head bow down, and reoeive, with adoring love, His last breath.

A bruised and mangled corpse, stiffened by the cold of death — this is all that remains to us of that Son of Man, whose first coming into the world caused us such joy ! The Son of the eternal Father was not satisfied with emptying Himself and taking the form of a servant; 1 this His being born in the flesh was but the beginning of His sacrifice ; His love was to lead Him even unto death, even to the death of the cross. He foresaw that He would not win our love save at the prioe of such a generous immolation^ and His heart hesitated not to make it. 'Let us, therefore, love God,' says St. John, 'because God first loved us.'2 This is the end the Church proposes to herself by the celebration of these solemn anniversaries. After humbling our pride and our resistance to graoe by showing us how divine justice treats sin, she leads our hearts to love Jesus, who delivered Himself up, in our stead, to the rigours of that justice. Woe to us, if this great week fail to produce in our souls ajust return towards Him who loved us more than Himself, though we were, and had .made ourselves, His enemies. Let us say with the apostle: 'The charity of Christ presseth us; that they who live, may not now live to themselves, but unto Him who died for them.'8 We owe this return to Him who made Himself a Viotim for our sake, and who, up to the very last moment, instead of pronouncing against us the curse we so justly deserved,

1 fh& ii. 7- 3 I St. John iv. 1?, 8 % Cor. v. 14, 16,

PA88I0NTTDE AND HOLY WEEK prayed and obtained for us mercv and graoe. He is, one day, to reappear on the clouas of heaven, and as the prophet says, men shall look upon Him whom they have pierced. God grant that we may be of the number of those who, having made amends by their love for the crimes they have committed against the divine Lamb, will then find confidence at the sight of those wounds !

Let us hope that, by God's mercy, the holy time we are now entering upon will work such a happy ohange in us, that, on the day of judgment, we may confidently fix our eyes on Him we are now about to oontem-

Slate crucified by the hands of sinners. The death of esu puts the whole of nature in commotion ; the midday sun is darkened, the earth is shaken to its very foundations, the rocks are split: may it be that our hearts, too, be moved, and pass from indifference to fear,- from fear to hope, and, at length, from hope to love ; so that, having gone down, with our Crucified, to the very depths of sorrow, we may deserve to rise again with Him unto light and joy, beaming with the brightness of His Eesurrection, and having within ourselves the pledge of a new life, which shall then die no more !

tZaoh. zii. 10.

CHAPTER THE FOURTH

MOHNING AND NIGHT PRAYBKS FOE FA8610NT1DE AND HOLY WEEK

During these two weeks, the Christian, on awaking in the morning, should unite himself with the Churoh, who repeats these words of St. Paid at every Hour of the Divine Offioe during the last three days of Holy Week.

Christus f actus est pro Christ became, for our sake, nobis obediensusque ad mor- obedient unto death, even to tern, mortem autem crucis. the death of the cross.

He should, after this, profoundly adore that great God, who was not to be appeased but by the Blood of Jesus ; he should, also, adore the infinite goodness of this Jesus, who made Himself a Victim, that He might save us sinners. It is with these two sentiments that he must perform the first acts of religion, both interior and exterior, wherewith he begins each day of this present season. The time for morning prayer being come, he may use the following method, whioh is formed upon the very prayers of the Church: —

MORNING PRATERS

First, praise and adoration of the most holy Trinity :— f. Benedicamns Patrem et f. Let us bless the Father Filium, cum sancto Spiritu: and the Son, and the Holy

Ghost. ty. Laudemus et super- I£. Let us praise him and exajtemus eum in srecula. extol him above aU for ever,

(25) f. Gloria Patri, et Filio, f . Glory be to the Father, et Spiritui sancto. and to the Son, and to the

Holy Ghost. ty. Sicut erat in principio, Tty. As it was in the beginet nunc, et semper, et in sae- ning, is now, and ever shall be cula ssBculorum. Amen. world without end. Amen.

Then, praise to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ: f. Adoramus te, Christe, f. We adore thee, 0 Christ, et benedicimus tibi. and we bless thee. ty. Quia per sanctam cru- 1$?. Because by thy holy cross cem tuam redemisti mun- thou hast redeemed the world, dum.

Thirdly, invocation of the Holy Ghost:

Veni, sancte Spiritus, re- Come, 0 holy Spirit, fill the pie tuorum corda fidelium, hearts of thy faithful, and en- et tui amoris in eis ignem kindle within them the fire of accende. thy love.

After these fundamental aots of religion, recite the Lord's Prayer, begging your heavenly Father to he mindful of His infinite meroy and goodness ; to /orgive you your trespasses, through the merits of the Blood of Jesus; to oome to your assistance in the temptations and dangers which so thiokly heset the path of this life ; and finally, to deliver you from evil, by removing from you every remnant of sin, which is the great evil, the evil that offends God, and entails the sovereign evil of man himself.

THE LORD'S PRAYER

Pater noster, qui es in coelis, sanctificetur nomen tuura: adveniat regnum tuum: fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo, et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie: etdimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus no-

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name: thy kingdom come: thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread ; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation;

MORNING AND NIGHT PRATERS stris: et ne nos inducas in but deliver us from evil, tentationem: sed libera nos Amen, a malo. Amen.

Then, address our blessed Lady, using the words of the Angelical Salutation. Pray to her with confidence and love, for she is the refuge of sinners.

THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Hail Mary, full of grace;

Dominus tecum; benedicta the Lord is with thee; blessed tu in mulieribus, et bene- art thou among women, and dictus fructus ventris tui, blessed is the fruit of thy

Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater womb, J esus. Holy Mary,

Dei, ora pro nobis peccatori- Mother of God, pray for us bus, nunc et in hora mortis sinners, now and at the hour nostras. Amen. of our death. Amen.

After this you should reoite the Creed, that is, the Symbol of faith. It oontains the dogmas we are to believe ; and during this season, you should dwell with loving attention on that article which mentions our redemption by the sufferings and death of Jesus. Let us lovingly confess this mystery of a God suffering and dying for us. Let us, by our repentanoe and amendment, merit that this precious Blood may perfect the conversion that has been begun in us.

THE APOSTLES' CREED

Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, creatorem coeli et terra. Et in J esum Christum Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum: qui conceptus est de Spiritu sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus, et sepultus: descendit ad inferos, tertia die resurrexit a mortuis; ascendit ad ccelos,

I believe in God the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell, the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, sitteth at the sedet ad dexteram DeiPatris omnipotentis: inde venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos.

Credo in Spiritum sanctum, sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam, sanctorum communionem, remissionem peccatorum, carnis resurrectionem, vitam aeternam. Amen. right hand of God the Father almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost : the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

After having thus made the profession of your faith, endeavour to excite yourself to sorrow for the sins you have committed. Ask our Lord to give you the graoes appropriate to this holy season ; and, for this end, reoite the following hymn, which the Churoh uses in her Lauds for Lent:

HYMN

O sol salutis, intimis, Jesu, refulge mentibus, Dum nocte pulsa gratior Orbi dies renascitur.

Dans tempus acceptabile, Da lacrymarum rivulis Lavare cordis victimam, Quam lsBta adurat charitas.

Quo f onte manavit nef as, Fluent perennes lacrymaB, Si virga poenitentire Cordis rigorem conterat.

Dies venitr dies tua, In qua reflorent omnia: Lretemur et nos, in viam Tua reducti dextera.

0 Jesus! thou Sun of the world '8 salvation! shine in the depth of our souls; for now is the hour of night's departure, and sweeter day-break dawns upon the earth.

0 thou that givest us this acceptable time! give us to wash, with our tears, the victim we offer thee, which is our heart; and grant that it may burn with joyous love.

If the rod of penance but strike these hearts of stone, a flood of ceaseless tears will flow from that same fount, whence came our many sins.

The day, thine own day, is at hand, when all things bloom afresh; oh! grant that we, too, may rejoice, being brought once more to the path, by thy right handt

Te prona mundi machina, Clemens, adoret, Trinitas, Et nos novi per gratiam Novum canamus canticum.

Amen.

0 merciful Trinity! may the world prostrate itself before thee, and adore; and we, made new by grace, sing a new canticle of praise. Amen.

Then make a humble oonfession of your sins, reciting the general formula made use of by the Church.

THE CONFESSION OF SINS

I confess to almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed; through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.

May almighty God have mercy on us, and our sins being forgiven, bring us to life everlasting. Amen.

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution, and remission of our sins. Amen.

Confiteor Deo omnipotent!, beatse Marias semper Virgini, beato Michaeli Aarchangelo, beato Joanni Baptists), Sanctis apostolis Petro et Paulo, et omnibus Sanctis, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, verbo, et opere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Michaelem Archangelum, beatum Joannem Baptistam, sanctos apostolosPetrum etPaulum, et omnes sanctos, orare pro me ad Dominum Deum nostrum.

Misereatur nostri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peecatis nostris, perducat nos ad vitam SBternam. ▲men.

Indulgentiam, absolutionem, et remissionem peccatoram nostrorum tribuat nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen.

This is the proper time for making your meditation, as no doubt you praotise this holy exercise. During these two weeks, the following should be the leading subjeots of our meditation ; the severity of

God's justioe towards His divine Son, who had taken upon Himself our sins ; the ingratitude of the Jews, who, though laden by Jesus with favours, clamour for His death ; the share we have taken, by our sins, in the crucifixion ; the sufferings, both of body and soul, endured by our Redeemer ; His patienoe and meekness under every injury; and finally, the infinite love He shows He has for us, by saving us at the cost of His Blood, yea, of His very life.

The next part of your morning prayer must be to ask of God, by the following prayers, grace to avoid every kind of sin during the day you are just beginning. Say, then, with the Church, whose prayers must be preferred to all others :

"t. Domine, exaudi ora- 1^. 0 Lord, hear my tionem meam. prayer. ty. Et clamor meus ad Ity. And let my cry come te veniat. unto thee.

Domine, Deus omnipotena, qui ad principium hujus diei nos pervenire f ecisti, tua nos hodie salva virtute, ut in hac die ad nullum declinemus peccatum, sed semper ad tuam justitiam faciendam nostra procedant eloquia, diriganturcogitationes et opera. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus sancti Deus, per omnia ssbcula saBCulorum. Amen.

Then beg the divine assistance for the actions of the day, that you may do them well, and say thrice:

Almighty Lord and God, who hast brought us to the beginning of this day, let thy powerful grace so conduct us through it, that we may not fall into any sin, but that all our thoughts, words, and actions may be regulated according to the rules of thy heavenly justice, and tend to the observance of thy holy law. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. if. Dens, in adjntorinm menm intende.

15?. Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina. f. Dens, in adjutorium menm intende.

Domine, ad adjnvandum me festina. f. Deus, in adjutorium meum intende.

1$. Domine, ad adjnvandum me festina.

Dirigere et sanctificare, regere et gubernare dignare, Domine Deus, rex co3li et terrae, hodie corda et corpora nostra, sensus, sermones, et actus nostros in lege tua, et in operibus mandatorum tuorum, ut hie et in seternum, te anxiliante, salvi et liberi esse mereamur, Salvator mnndi. Qui vivis et regnas in sascula seeculorum. Amen. f. Incline unto my aid, 0 God. ty. O Lord make haste to help me. f. Incline unto my aid, 0 God.

Ity. 0 Lord, make haste to help me.

J. Incline unto my aid, 0 God.

1$. 0 Lord, make haste to help me.

Lord God, and King of heaven and earth, vouchsafe this day to rule and sanctify, to direct and govern our souls and bodies, our senses, words, and actions, in conformity to thy law, 'and strict obedience to thy commands ; that by the help of thy grace, O Saviour of the world ! we may be fenced and freed from all evils. Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

During the day, you will do well to use the instructions and prayers whioh you will find in this volume, for each day of the season. In the evening, you may use the following prayers.

NIGHT PRATERS

After having made the sign of the cross, let us adore that sovereign Lord, who has so mercifully

E reserved us during this day, and blessed us, every our, with His grace and protection. For this end let us recite the following hymn, whioh the Church sings in her Vespers of Passiontide.

HYMN

The standard of our King comes forth ; the mystery of the cross shines upon us, that cross on which Life suffered death,and by his death gave life .

He was pierced with the cruel spear, that, by the Water and the Blood which flowed from the wound, he might cleanse us from sin.

Here on the cross was fulfilled the prophecy foretold in David's truthful words: * God hath reigned from the tree/

O fair and shining tree! beautified by the scarlet of the King, and chosen as the noble trunk that was to touch such sacred limbs.

0 blessed tree! on whose arms hung the ransom of the world! It was the balance, wherein was placed the Body of Jesus, and thereby hell lost its prey.

Hail, 0 cross ! our only hope ! During these days of the Passion, increase to the good their grace, and cleanse sinners from their guilt.

May every spirit praise thee, 0 holy Trinity, thou fount of salvation! and by the cross, whereby thou gavest us victory, give us, too, our recompense. Amen.

After this hymn, say the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Apostles' Greed as in the morning.

Then make the examination of oonsoienoe, going

Vexilla Regis prodeunt; Fulget crucis mysterium, Qua Vita mortem pertulit, Et morte vitam protulit.

Qusb vulnerata lance® Mucrone diro, criminum Ut nos lavaret sordibus, Manavit unda et sanguine.

Impleta sunt quae concinit David fideli carmine, Dicendo nationibus: Eegnavit a ligno Deus.

Arbor decora et f ulgida, Ornata regis purpura, Electa digno stipite Tarn sancta membra tangere.

Beata cujus brachiis Pretium pependit saeculi, Statera facta corporis, Tulitque pradam tartari.

0 crux, ave, spes unica, Hoc Passionis tempore, Piis adauge gratiam, Eeisque dele crimina.

Te, f ons salutis, Trinitas, Collaudet omnis spiritus; Quibus crucis victoriam Largiris, adde pramium.

Amen. over in your mind all the faults you have committed during the day. Think how great is the obstacle put by sin to the merciful designs your God would work in you ; and make a firm resolution to avoid it for the time to come, to do penanoe for it, and to shun the oooasions which might again lead you into it.

The examination of conscience concluded, reoite the Confiteor (or * I oonfess') with heartfelt contrition, and then give expression to your sorrow by the following act, which we have taken from the venerable Cardinal Bellarmine's catechism:

ACT OP CONTRITION

0 my God, I am exceedingly grieved for having offended thee, and with my whole heart I repent of the sins I have committed: I hate and abhor them above every other evil, not only because, by so sinning, I have lost heaven and deserve hell, but still more because I have offended thee,

0 infinite Goodness, who art worthy to be loved above all things. I most firmly resolve, by the assistance of thy grace, never more to offend thee for the time to come, and to avoid those occasions which might lead me into sin.

Tou may then add the acts of faith, hope, and oharity , to the recitation of which Pope Benedict XIV has granted an indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines for each time.

ACT OP FAITH

0 my God, I firmly believe whatsoever the holy Catholic apostolic Roman Church requires me to believe: I believe it, because thou hast revealed it to her, thou who art the very Truth.

ACT OF HOPE

0 my God, knowing thy almighty power, and thy infinite goodness and mercy, I hope in thee that, by the merits of the Passion and Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ, thou wilt grant me eternal life, which thou hast promised to all such as shall do the works of a good Christian; and these

1 resolve to do, with the help of thy grace. a

34 *A8SI0ftTi&E ANti riOLY WEEfc

ACT OP CHARITY

0 my God, I love thee with my whole heart and above all things, because thou art the sovereign G-ood: I would rather lose all things than offend thee. For thy love also, I love, and desire to love, my neighbour as myself.

Then say to our blessed Lady the following anthem, whioh the Church uses from the feast of the Purifioation to Easter.

ANTHEM TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN

Ave Regina coelorum, Ave Domina angelorum: Salve radix, salve porta, Ex qua tnundo lux est orta; Gaude, Virgo gloriosa, Super omnes speciosa: Vale, O valde decora, Et pro nobis Christum exora. f. Dignare me laudare te, Virgo sacrata.

1$?. Da mihi virtutem contra hostes tuos.

Concede, misericors Deus, fragilitati nostras presidium: ut, qui sanctaa Dei Genitricis memoriam agimus, intercessionis ejus auxilio, a nostris iniquitatibus resurgamus. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Tou would do well to add the Stabat Mater, whioh is given below on Friday in Passion Week.

Here invoke the holy angels, whose protection is, indeed, always so much needed by us, but never so much as during the hours of night. {Say with the Churoh;

Hail, Queen of Heaven! Hail, Lady of the angels ! Hail blessed root and gate, from which came light upon the world! Rejoice, 0 glorious Virgin, that surpassest all in beauty! Hail, most lovely Queen! and pray to Christ for us. t . Vouchsafe, 0 holy Virgin, that I may praise thee. ty. Give me power against thine enemies.

Grant, O merciful God, thy protection to us in our weakness; that we who celebrate the memory of the holy Mother of God, may, through the aid of her intercession, rise again from our sins. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

MORNING AND NIGHT PRAYERS

Sancti angeli, custodes nostri, def endite nos in praelio, ut non pereamus in tremendo judicio. f. Angelis suis Deus mandavit de te.

Ip. Ut custodiant te in omnibus viis tuis.

Deus, qui ineffabili providentia sanctos angelos tuos ad nostram custodiam mittere dignaris: largire supplicibus tuis, et eorum semper protectione def endi, et aeterna societate gaudere. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Holy angels, our loving guardians, defend us in the hour of battle, that we may not be lost at the dreadful judgment. f. God hath given his angels charge of thee.

1$. That they may guard thee in all thy ways.

0 God, who in thy wonderful providence hast been pleased to appoint thy holy angels for our guardians: mercifully hear our prayers, and grant we may rest secure under their protection, and enjoy their fellowship in heaven for ever. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then beg the assistance of the saints by the following antiphon :

Ant. Sancti Dei omnes, Ant. All ye saints of God, intercedere dignemini pro vouchsafe to intercede for us nostra omniumque salute, and for all men, that we may be saved.

And here you may add a special mention of the saints to whom you bear a particular devotion, either as your patrons or otherwise ; as also of those whose feast is kept in the Churoh that day, or who have been at least commemorated in the Divine Offioe.

This done, remember the necessities of the Church suffering ; and beg of Q-od that He will give to the souls in purgatory a plaoe of refreshment, light, and peace. For this intention reoite the usual prayers.

De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine: Domine, exaudi vocem meam.

Fiant aures tuse intendentes: in vocem deprecationis mesB.

Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine: Domine, quia sustinebit?

Quia apud te propitiatio est: et propter legem tuam sustinui te, Domine.

Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus: speravit anima mea in Domino.

A custodia matutina usque ad noctem: speret Israel in Domino.

Quia apud Dominum misericordia: et copiosa apud eum redemptio.

Et ipse redimet Israel; ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus.

Requiem »ternam dona eis, Domine.

Et lux perpetua luceat eis. f. A porta inferi.

Erue, Domine, animas eorum.

~f. Bequiescant in pace. B?. Amen. y. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.

Et clamor meus ad te veniat.

OREMTJS

Fidelium Deus omnium Conditor et Bedemptor, ani- m 129

From the depths I have cried to thee, 0 Lord; Lord, hear my voice.

Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

If thou wilt observe iniquities, 0 Lord, Lord, who shall endure it?

For with thee there is merciful forgiveness; and by reason of thy law I have waited for thee, 0 Lord.

My soul hath relied on his word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.

From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with him plentiful redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Eternal rest give to them, 0 Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them. f. From the gate of hell.

Ij?. Deliver their souls, 0 Lord. f. May they rest in peace. B?. Amen. y . 0 Lord, hear my prayer. ty. And let my cry come unto thee.

0 God, the Creator and Bedeemer of all the faithful, malms famulorum famularamque tuarum, remissionem cunctorum tribue peccatorum; ut indulgentiam qnam semper optaverunt, piis supplicationibus consequantur. Qui vivia et regnas in saecula saeculorum. Amen. give to the souls of thy servants departed the remission of all their sins: that through the help of pious supplications, they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

Here make a speoial memento of such of the faithful departed as have a particular claim upon your oharity ; after whioh, ask of God to give you His assistance, whereby you may pass the night free from danger. Say, then, still keeping to the words of the Churoh:

Ant. Save us, 0 Lord, while awake, and watch us as we sleep; that we may watch with Christ, and rest in peace. y . Vouchsafe, 0 Lord, this night. ty. To keep us without sin.

Ant. Salva nos, Domine, vigilantes, custodi nos dormientes; ut vigilemus cum Christo, et requiescamus in pace. f. Dignare, Domine, nocte ista.

B?. Sine peccato nos custodire. f . Miserere nostri, Domine.

Miserere nostri. K Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos.

I$r. Quemadmodum speravimus in te. t . Domine, exaudi orationem meam.

1$?. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.

OREMUB

Visits, quresumus, Domine, habitationem istam, et omnes insidias inimici ab ea longe repelle; angeli \u\

It. Have mercy on us, 0 Lord.

Have mercy on us. \ Let thy mercy, 0 Lord, be upon us.

I$r. As we have hoped in thee. t . 0 Lord, hear my prayer.

1$. And let my cry come unto thee.

Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this house and family, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy: let thy holy sancti habitent in ea, qui angels dwell herein, who may nos in pace custodiant, et keep us in peace, and may benedictio tua sit super nos thy blessing be always upon semper. Per Dominum no- us. Through Jesus Christ our strum Jesum Christum, Fi- Lord, thy Son, who liveth and lium tuum, qui tecum vivit reigneth with thee, in the uni- et regnat in unitate Spiritus ty of the Holy Ghost, God, sancti Deus, per omnia s»- world without end. Amen, cula saeculorum. Amen.

And that you may end the day in the same sentiments wherewith you began it, say once more these words of the apostle:

Christus f actus est pro no- Christ became, for our sake, bis obediens usque ad mor- obedient unto death, even to tern, mortem autem crucis. the death of the cross.