Saturday in Passion Week

Cap, xviii. In diebus >illis: Dixerunt impii Judaei ad invicem: Yenite, et cogitemus contra Jnstum cogitationes : non enim peribit lex a sacerdote, neque consilium a sapiente, nec sermo a propheta : venite, et percutiamus eum lingua, et non attendamus ad universos sermones ejus. Attende, Domine, ad me ; et audi vocem adversariorum meorum. Numquid redditur pro bono malum, quia f oderunt foveam animae meae ? Eecordare quod steterim in con8pectu tuo, ut loquerer pro eis bonum, et averterem indignationem tuam ab eis. Propterea da filios eorum in f amem, et deduc eos in manus gladii ; fiant uxores eorum absque liberis, et vidu® : et viri earum interficiantur morte: juvenes eorum confodiantur gladio in praelio. Audiatur clamor de domibus eorum: adduces enim super eos latronem repente : quia f oderunt foveam ut caperent me, et laqueos absconderunt pedibus meis. Tu autem, Domine, scis omne consilium eorum adversum me in mortem: ne propitieris iniquitati eorum, et peccatum eorum a facie tua non delea-

Lesson from Jeremias the Prophet.

Ch. xviii. In those days, the wicked Jews said to one another: Come, and let us invent devices against the Just: for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us give no heed to all his words. Give heed to me, 0 Lord, and hear the voice of my adversaries. Shall evil be rendered • for good, because they have digged a pit for my soul? Eemember that I have stood in thy sight to speak good for them, and to turn away thy indignation from them. Therefore deliver up their children to famine, and bring them into the hands of the sword; let their wives be bereaved of children, and widows; and let their husbands be slain by death ; let their young men be stabbed with the sword in battle. Let a cry be heard out of their houses; for thou shalt bring the robber upon them suddenly, bscause they have digged a pit to take me, and have hid snares for my feet. But thou, 0 Lord, knowest all their counsel against me unto death; forgive not their iniquity, and let not their sin tur: fiant corruentes in conspectu tuo, in tempore furons tui abutere eis, Domine Deus noster. be blotted out from thy sight: let them be overthrown before thy eyes, in the time of thy wrath do thou destroy them,

0 Lord our God.

It makes us tremble to read these awful anathemas, which Jeremias, the figure of Christ, speaks against his enemies, the Jews. This prophecy, whion was literally fulfilled at the first destruction of Jerusalem by the Assyrians, received a more terrible fulfilment at the second visitation of God's anger upon this city of malediction. This time, it was not beoause the Jews had persecuted a prophet ; it was because they had rejected and crucified the very Son of God. It was to their long-expected Messias that they had rendered evil for good. It was not a saint, like Jeremias, that had spoken good for them to the Lord, and besought Him to turn away His indignation from them ; the Man-God Himself had, without ceasing, made intercession for them, and treated them with the tenderest meroy. But all was in vain ; this ungrateful people seemed to hate their divine Benefactor in proportion to His love for them; and at length, in the transport of their fury, they cried out: 'His Blood be upon us and upon our children!'1 What a frightful chastisement they entailed on themselves by this imprecation ! God heard and remembered. Alas! the sinner, who knows Jesus and the worth of His Blood, yet who again sheds this precious Blood, does not he expose himself to the severity of that same justice which fell so heavily on the Jews? Let us tremble and pray: let us implore the divine mercy in favour of those many obstinately blind and hardened sinners, who are hastening to destruction. Oh ! that by the fervour of our suppli-

1 pt. Matt, xxvii 25, cations addressed to the meroiful Heart of our common Redeemer, we oould obtain a reversion of their sentenoe, and seoure them pardon !

GOSPEL

Sequentia sancti Evangelii Sequel of the holy Gospel secundum Joannem. according to John.

Cap. xii.

In illo tempore: Cogitaverunt principes sacerdotum, ut et Lazarum interficerent: quia multi propter ilium abibant ex Judaeis, et credebant in Jesum. In crastinum autem turba multa, qu» veDerat ad diem f estum, cum audissent quia venit Jesus Jerosolymam: acceperunt ramos palmarum, et processerunt obviam ei, et clamabant: Hosanna: benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini, Bex Israel. Et invenit Jesus asellum, et sedit super eum, sicut scriptum est: Noli timer e, filia Sion: ecce Bex tuus venit sedens super pullum asinae. Hasc non cognoverunt discipuli ejus primum: sed quando glorificatus est Jesus, tunc recordati sunt quia haecerant scripta de eo: et hsec fecerunt ei.

Testimonium ergo perhibebat turba, ; quae erat cum eo quando Lazarum vocavit de monumento, et suscitavit eum a mortuis. Propterea et obviam venit ei turba: quia audierunt eum fecisse

Ch. xii.

At that time: The chief priests thought to kill Lazarus also, because many of the Jews by reason of him went away, and believed in Jesus. And on the next day a great multitude, that was come to the festival day, when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried: Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel! And Jesus found a young ass, and sat upon it, as it is written: Fear not, daughter of Sion; behold thy king cometh sitting on an ass's colt. These things his disciples did not know at first; but when Jesus was glorified, they then remembered that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things to him.

The multitude therefore gave testimony, which was with him, when he called Lazarus out of the grave, and raised him from the dead. For which reason also the people came to meet him, because hoc signum. Pharisaai ergo dixerunt ad semetipsos: Videtis quia nihil proficimus? Ecce mundus totus post eum abiit. Erant autem quidam Gentiles ex his, qui ascenderant ut adorarent in die festo. Hi ergo accesserunt ad Philippum, qui erat a Bethsaida Galileeae, et rogabant eum, dicentes: Domine, volumus Jesum videre. Venit Philippus, et dicit Andreae: Andreas rursum et Philippus dixerunt Jesu.

Jesus autem, respondit eis, dicens : Venit hora, ut clarificetur Filius hominis. Amen, amen, dico vobis, nisi granum f rumenti cadens in terram, mortuum fuerit, ipsum solum manet. Si autem mortuum fuerit, multum fructum affert. Qui amat animam suam, perdet earn: et qui odit animam suam in hoc mundo, in vitam eeternam custodit earn. Si quis mihi ministrat, me sequatur: et ubi sum ego, illic et minister meus erit. Si quis mihi ministraverit, honorificabit eum Pater meus. Nunc anima mea turbata est. Et quid dicam? Pater, salvifica me ex hac hora. Sed propterea veni in horam hanc. Pater, clarifica nomen tuum. Venit ergo vox de ccelo: Et clarificavi, et iterum clarificabo. Turba they heard that he had done this miracle. The pharisees therefore said among themselves: Do you see that we prevail nothing? behold the whole world is gone after him. Now there were certain Gentiles among them, who came up to adore on the festival day. These therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him saying: Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh, and telleth Andrew. Again Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

But Jesus answered them, saying: The hour is come that the Son of man shall be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life, shall lose it; and he that hate th his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal. If any man minister to me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall my minister be. If any man minister to me, him will my Father honour. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause I came unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. A voice therefore came from heaven: I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again, The multitude therq- ergo, qusB stabat et audie- fore that stood and heard, rat, dicebat tonitruum esse said that it thundered. Others factum. Alii dicebant: An- said: An angel spoke to him. gelus ei locutus est.

Bespondit Jesus, et dixit: Jesus answered and said:

Non propter me haec vox This voice came not because venit, sed propter vos. Nunc of me, but for your sakes. judicium est mundi: nunc Now is the judgment of the princeps hujus mundi ejicie- world; now shall the prince of tur f oras. Et ego si exalta- this world be cast out. And I, tus fuero a terra, omnia if I be lifted up from the earth, traham ad meipsum: (hoc will draw all thiugs to myself, autem dicebat, significans (Now this he* said, signifying qua morte esset moriturus). what death he should die.)

Respondit ei turba: Nos au- The multitude answered him: divimus ex lege, quia Chri- We have heard out of the law, stus manet in aeternum: et that Christ abide th for ever; quomodo tu dicis: Oportet and how sayest thou: the Son exaltari Filium hominis? of Man must be lifted up?

Quis est iste Filius hominis? Who is this Son of Man? Jesus

Dixit ergo eis Jesus: Adhuc therefore said to them: Yet a modicum lumen in vobis est. little while, the light is among

Ambulate dum lucem ha- you. Walk whilst you have the betis, ut non vos tenebrae light, that the darkness over- comprehendant: et qui am- take you not; and he that walk- bulat in tenebris, nescit quo eth in darkness knoweth not vadat. Dum lucem habetis, whither he goeth. Whilst you credite in lucem, ut filii lu- have the light, believe in the cis sitis. Haec locutus est light, that you may be children

Jesus: et abiit, et abscondit of light. These things Jesus se ab eis. spoke, and he went away and hid himself from them.

The enemies of Jesus have come to that pitch of hatred, which robs a man of his senses. Lazarus, who has been restored from death to life, is here standing before them ; and instead of his resuscitation convincing them of Jesus' being the Messias, it sets them thinking how best to make away with this irresistible witness. 0 senseless men ! that Jesus who raised him to life when dead; oan again bring him to life if you murder him. Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, whioh we are solemnly to commemorate to-morrow, adds to their jealousy and hatred. Behold, say they, we prevail nothing : the whole world goes after Him. Alas! this ovation is to be soon followed by one of those reverses to whioh a populace is so subject. Meanwhile, however, we have certain Oentiles who desire to see Jesus. It is the beginning of the fulfilment of Jesus' prophecy: ' The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof/ 1 Then shall the Son of mail be glorified ; then shall all nations, by their humble homage to the Crucified, protest against the sinful blindness of the Jews. But, before this comes to pass, it is requisite that the divine Wheat be oast into the ground, and die. Then, the glorious harvest; and the beautiful seed shall yield a hundredfold.

And yet, Jesus feels, in His human nature, a momentary fear at the thought of this death He is to undergo. It is not the agony in the garden ; it is a trouble of soul. Let us listen to His words: Father ! save Me from this hour. It is our God who foresees all that He is about to suffer for our sake, and it fills Him with fear: He asks to be freed from it, though His will has decreed and accepted it. He immediately adds: But for this cause I came unto this hour: Father! glorify Thy name. His soul is now calm ; He once more acoepts the hard conditions of our salvation. After this, His words bespeak a triumph ; by virtue of the sacrifice about to be offered, satan shall be dethroned: the prince of this world shall be cast out. But the defeat of satan is not the only fruit of our Saviour's immolation: man, earthly and depraved creature as he is, is to be raised from this earth to heaven. The Son of God is to be the beav-

? gt. Matt. xxi. 43, enly loadstone, attracting man to Himself: And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself. He forgets His sufferings, and the terrible death whioh just now troubled Him; He thinks but of the defeat of our implaoable enemy, and of our being saved and glorified by His cross. These few words reveal the whole Heart of our Redeemer: if we attentively weigh them, they will suffice to inflame us with devotion as we oelebrate the ineffable mysteries of Holy Week.

Humiliate capita vestra Deo.

Tueatur qusesumus, Domine, dextera tua populum deprecantem, et purificatum dignanter erudiat: ut consolatione praBsenti, ad f utura bona proficiat. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Bow flown your heads to God.

May thy right hand, O Lord, we beseech thee, protect thy people making supplication to thee, and purifying them from their sins, make them wise, that they may make such use of the comforts of this present life, as to arrive at that which is eternal. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us sue for meroy from the Saviour of our souls, in these words of supplioation used in the Gothio liturgy of Spain.

SUPPLICATION

(Feria VI f. Miserere, et parce, clementissime Domine, populo tuo. ty. Quia peccavimus tibi.

S. De crucis throno aspice nos miseros, et passionum compeditos vinculis, nostris

Dominica V)

Have mercy upon, and spare, thy people, 0 most merciful Lord!

I£. For we have sinned against thee. f. Look down, from the throne of thy cross, upon us miserable creatures, who are absolve, Redemptor, suppliciis. ty. Quia peccavimus tibi. f. Passus flagella, et crucis injuriam, persecutorum sustinens convicia, dona delictis nostris poenitentiam.

Quia peccavimus tibi. f. Qui justus judexj male judicatus es, et poenas crucis suscepisti innocens: tu nos a poenis nostris salva redimens. ty. Quia peccavimus tibi. f. Vox tua Patrem pro nobis expostulet, quae silens fuit oiim ante judicem, ut te regnante perfruamur Domino.

Ij2f. Quia peccavimus tibi. fettered by the chains of our passions. Deliver us, 0 thou our Redeemer, from the punishments we deserve. fy. For we have sinned against thee. f. O thou that wast scourged, ignominiously crucified, and insulted by them that persecuted thee! grant us repentance for our sins.

1$. For we have sinned against thee. f. O thou, the just Judge, that wast judged unjustly, and, though innocent, made to suffer the tortures of the cross! save us from our merited punishments, for thou art our Redeemer.

Ipr. For we have sinned against thee. f . 0 thou, that heretofore wast silent before the judge! raise up thy voice in pleading for us to thy Father, that we may be happy with thee, our King and Lord.

For we have sinned against thee.

The following sequence, in praise of Mary, is most appropriate for this Saturday of Passion-week. It sweetly blends together the homages we owe to the cross of Jesus and to the dolours of Mary. We have taken it from the Horoe of the sixth century.

SEQUENCE

Lignum vitae quaerimus, Qui vitam amisimus Fructu ligni vetiti.

Nec inventum noverit

We that, by the fruit of the forbidden tree, lost our life, now seek the tree of life.

He alone hath found this

Qui fructum non viderit Adhaerentem stipiti.

Fructus per quern vivitur Pendet, sicut creditur, Virginis ad ubera.

Et ad crucem iterum, Inter viros scelerum, Passus quinque vulnera.

Hie Virgo puerpera, Hie crux salutifera: Ambo ligna mystica.

Haec hyssopus humilis, Ilia cedrus nobilis: Utraque vivifica.

Positus in medio, Quo me vertam nescio.

In hoc dulci dubio, Dulcis est collatio.

Hie complexus brachiis, Modis vagit variis.

Hie extendit brachia, Complexurus omnia.

Charum Mater tenere Novit hie tenere.

Charitas sub latere, Nescit hie latere.

Hie adhaerens pectori, Pascitur ab ubere.

Hie affixus arbori, Pascit nos ex vulnere.

Crux ministrat pabula, Fructu nos reficiens.

Mater est praeambula, Fructum nobis nutriens.

Tandem ad hoc trahitur Finalis sententia. Quod nemo consequitur TJnam sine alia. tree, who sees the branch whereon is fixed the fruit.

Our faith tells us, that the fruit, that gives us life, hangs on Mary's breast.

And on the cross, between two thieves, though here he is pierced with five wounds.

The Virgin-Mother, and the • saving cross, both are mystic trees;

The cross, humble as the hyssop; Mary, noble as the cedar: both are trees of life.

Placed between the two, I know not to which to turn.

0 sweet perplexity! 0 sweet comparison!

Here, my Jesus lies, fondled * in his Mother's, arms, a weeping little Babe;

There, with his arms stretched out, calling all to his em- ♦ brace.

Here, 'tis a burden sweet to a Mother's love;

There, 'tis Love itself, too ardent to be hid.

Here, leaning on his Mother's heart, he is fed at her breast;

There, fastened to the tree, he feeds us from his wounds.

The cross supplies us with the food of its refreshing fruit;

The Mother forestalls the cross, feeding the very fruit, feeding him for us.

This, then, is my decision: we cannot have the one without the other.

Qui crucem elegerit, Nec sic Matrem deserit: Cum ad crucem venerit, Matrem ibi poterit Stantem invenire.

Nec qui Matrem eligit, Crucem prorsus abigit, Si modum intelligit Quo per Matrem contigit Gladium transire.

Fili Matris unice, Matris crucifixae, Nos de cruce respice, Fili crucifixe.

Fructus o vivifice, Fructus ligni vitae, Nos teipso refice, Nobis da frui te. Amen.

He that chooses the crossy must have the Mother; for wheu he comes to the cross, he will find the Mother standing at the foot.

He that chooses the Mother, meets the cross as well, for it was while standing at the cross, that the Mother's heart was pierced.

O Jesus! crucified Son of a crucified Mother! look upon us ]f rom thy cross.

0 living fruit! 0 fruit of the tree of life! refresh us with thyself, give us the enjoyment of thine own dear self. Amen.