Saturday in Easter Week

H»c diet quam fecit Do- This is the day which the minus: exsoltemus et laete- Lord hath made: let us be mar in ea. glad and rejoice therein.

The seventh day of the gladdest of weeks has risen upon us, bringing with it the memory of the Creator's rest, after the six days of oreation. It also reminds us of that other rest, which this same God took in the tomb ; like a warrior, who, when sure of the viotory, calmnly reposes before the final combat with the enemy. Our Jesus slept His rest in the sepulchre, after permitting death to vanquish Him: but, when He awoke by His Resurrection, what a victory over the tyrant ! Let us, to-day, visit this holy sepulohre, and venerate it: it will speak to us of Him we love, and make our love the warmer. Here, we shall say to ourselves, here rested our dear Master, after He had died for us ! Here was the scene of the glorious victory, when He arose again, and this, too, for us !

The prophet Isaias had said: ' In that day, the root of Jesse, who standeth for an ensign of people, Him shall the Gentiles beseech ; and His sepulohre shall be glorious/ 1 The prophecy has been fulfilled. There is not a nation under the sun where Jesus has not His adorers. The tombs of other men are either destroyed, or they are monuments of death; the tomb of Jesus is everlasting, and speaks but of life.

What a sepulchre this, the sight of which fills us with thoughts of glory, and whose praises had been iIs.xL 10. celebrated so many ages beforehand ! When the fulness of time came, God raised up in Jerusalem a' holy man, named Joseph of Arimathea, who secretly, but sinoerely, became one of Jesus' disoiples. He was a rioh counsellor, or senator. He had prepared his own tomb, and the place he chose was on the side of the hill of Calvary. It was hewn out of the live rock, and consisted of two cells, one serving as a sort of entry into the other. Joseph thought he was labouring for himself, whereas he was preparing the sepulchre of a God. He only thought of the debt whioh every man has to pay, in consequence of Adam's sin ; but heaven had decreed, that Joseph should never lie in that tomb, and that here should originate man's immortality.

Jesus had expired on the cross, amidst the insults of His people ; the entire city had risen up against the Son of David, whom, but a few days before, it had hailed as its King. Then did Joseph brave the f urjr of the deicides, and ask permission from the Roman g>vernor to be allowed the honour of burying the ody of the Crucified. He at onoe repaired to Calvary, aooompanied by Nioodemus, and, having taken down the sacred Corpse from the oross, he devoutly laid It upon the stone whioh he had intended as his own resting-place. He felt that it was a happiness and an honour to give up his own tomb to the dear Master, for whom he had not been ashamed to profess, and that in the very court of Pilate, his devoted attachment. Eight worthy art thou, 0 Joseph 1 of the thanks of mankind ! Thou wast our representative at the burial of our Jesps! And Mary, too, the afflicted Mother, who was present, recompensed thee, in her own way, for the sacrifice thou didst so willingly make for her Son !

The Evangelists draw our attention to one special Wreumst*n<?e of the sepulchre, St, Matthew, $t, Luke,

PASCHAL TTMB and St. John, tell us that it was new, and that no man had ever been laid in it. The holy Fathers teach us, that we must see here a mysterious dispensation, and one of the grand glories 01 the holy tomb. It marks, as they observe, the resemblanoe that exists between the sepulehre, which restored the Man-God to the life of immortality, and the virginal womb which gave Him birth that He might be a Victim for the world's redemption: and they bid us learn from this, how God, when He deiens to dwell in any of His creatures, would have the dwelling to be pure and worthy of His infinite holiness. Here, then, is one of the glories of the holy sepulchre, — that it was an image of the incomparable purity of the Mother of Jesus.

During the few hours that it possessed the precious trust, where was there glory on earth like unto what it enjoyed ? Within that silent cave, there lay, wrapt in shrouds that were bedewed with Mary's tears, the Body which had ransomed the world. Hosts of holv Angels stood in that little rooky oell, keeping watoh over the corpse of Him who was their Creator ; they adored It, in Its sleep of death ; they longed for the hour to come, when this Lamb, that was slain, would arise a Lion in power and majesty. And when the moment fixed by the eternal decree came, that humble spot was made the scene of the grand prodigy ; Jesus rose to life, and, swifter than lightning, passed through the rock to the outer world. An Angel then rolled back the stone from the entrance to the sepulchre, thus proclaiming the departure of the divine Captive. Other Angels showed themselves to Magdalene and her companion, when they came to visit it. Peter, too, and John were soon there. 0 truly, most holy is this plaoe ! The Son of God deigned to dwell within it ; His Mother honoured it with her presence and her tears; Angels adored in it; the jioUest souls on earth visited, vei^erated, an love it 0 sepulchre of the Son of Jesse, thou art indeed glorious !

Hell witnesses this glory, and would fain destroy it. The sight of this sepulchre is insufferable to sa tan's pride, for it is the trophy of the defeat of death, the offspring of sin. He flatters himself on having succeeded, when Jerusalem is destroyed by the Roman legions, and on her ruins there rises up a new and pagan city, called JElia. But no ! neither the name of Jerusalem, nor the glory of the holy sepulchre, shall perish. The pagans cover it with a mound of earth, on which they build a temple to Jupiter ; it is the same spirit that dictated their raising an altar to Venus on Calvary, and another to Adonis over the cave of Bethlehem. But all these sacrilegious efforts only serve to tell the Christians the exact site of these several sacred places. The pagans think by this artifice to turn the respect and homage of the Christians from Jesus to their false gods : here again, they fail. The Christians abstain from visiting the holy places, as long as they are desecrated by the presence of these idols ; but they keep their eye fixed on what their Redeemer has endeared to them, and wait in patience for the time, when it shall please the eternal Father to again glorify His Son.

The time comes. God sends to Jerusalem a Christian empress, mother of a Christian emperor: she is to restore the holy plaoes, the scenes of our Redeemer's love. Like Magdalene and her companions, Helen hastens to the sepulohre. God would have it so, — woman's privilege in all that happened on the great morning of the Resurrection, is to be continued now. Magdalene and her companions sought Jesus ; Helen, who adores Him as her risen Lord, only seeks His sepulohre : but their love is one and the same. The pious empress orders the temple of Jupiter tp be polled down, and the mound of earth to be re* meved ; whioh done, the trophy of Jesus 9 victory onoe more fleams in the light of day. The defeat of death is again proclaimed by this resurrection of the glorious sepulchre. A magnificent temple is built at the ex* ptnse of the imperial treasury, and is oalled the basilica of the Besurrection. The whole world is excited by the news of such a triumph ; the already tottering Structure of paganism receives a shock which hastens its destruction ; and pilgrimages to the holy sepulohre are begun by Christian people throughout the world, forming a procession of universal homage which is to oontinue to the end of time.

During the three centuries following, Jerusalem was the holy and free city, and the sepulohre of Jesus reflected its glory upon her; but the East became a very hot-bed of heresies, and God, in His justice, sent ner the chastisement of slavery. The Saracen hordes inundated the land of prodigy. If the torrent of invasion was checked, it was for a brief period, and the waters returned with redoubled power. Meanwhile, what becomes of the holy sepulchre? Let us not fear: it is safe. The Saracens themselves look upon it with awe, for it is, they say, the tomb of a great Prophet. True, a tax is imposed on the Christians who visit it; but the sepulohre is safe. One of the caliphs presented the keys of the venerable sanotuary to the emperor Charlemagne, hereby evincing, not only the respect he had for this greatest of Christian monarchs, but, moreover, the veneration wherein he held the sacred grotto. Thus did our Lord's sepulohre oontinue to be glorified, even in the midst of dangers which, humanly, would have wrought its utter destruction.

Its glory shone out still more brightly, when, at the oajl of the Father of Christendom, the wester?* nations rose up in arms, and marched, under the banner of the cross, to the deliverance of Jerusalem. The love of the holy sepulchre was in every heart, its name on every tongue. The first engagement drove back the Saraoen, and left the oity in possession of the crusaders. A sublime spectacle was then witnessed in the ohuroh of the holy sepulchre ; the

Sious Godfrey of Bouillon was oonseorated king of erusalem, and the holy mysteries were celebrated, for the first time in the language and ritual of Borne, under the oriental dome of St. Helen's basilioa. But the reign of Japheth in the tents of Sem was of short duration, owing, partly to the short-sighted polioy of the western sovereigns, which kept them from appreciating the importance of such a conquest ; and partly to the treaohery of the Greek Empire, which betrayed the defenceless Jerusalem once more into the hands of the Saracens. Still, the period of the Latin kingdom in the holy city was one of the glories of Jesus' sepulchre, foretold by Isaias.

What are to be its future glories ? At present, it is profaned by the sacrifices which are offered, in its basilioa, by schismatical and heretical priests ; it is entrusted, for a few hours each year, to the Catholios of Jerusalem, and during that brief interval, it receives the fervent homage of the true spouse of Jesus. When will the holy sepulchre be reinstated in its honour ? Will the nations of the West return to the fervour of faith, and emulate the holy chivalry of the crusaders of old? Or will the East renounce the schism, which has oost her her liberty ; stretch out her hand to the mother and mistress of all churches ; and, on the rock of the Resurrection, sign the covenant of a union, which would be the death-warrant of Islamism P Only God knows : but this much He has revealed to us in saored Soripture, that, before the end of the World, Israel will return to t^e Messias he despised and oruoified, and that the riory of Jerusalem is to be restored by the Jews wno shall be oon verted. 1 Then will the sepulchre of the Son of Jesse be at the height of its glory, and soon will this Son of Jesse Himself appear. Our bodies will then be on the eve of the general resurrection ; and thus the final result of the rasoh will be simultaneous with the last and greatest glory of the holy sepulchre. As we rise from our graves, we shall fix our eyes upon our Jesus 9 tomb, and love it as the origin and source of the immortality we shall then have. Until the time of our death comes, when our bodies must be laid in the temporary prison of the grave, let us love the sepulohre of our dear Saviour ; let us be zealous for its honour; and, imitating our forefathers in that earnest faith whioh made them its defenders and soldiers, let us get well into us that portion of the Easter spirit, whioh oonsists in understanding and loving the glories of Jesus' sepulohre.

The name given in the liturgy to this day, is Saturday in albis, or, more correctly, in albis deponendis ; because it was to-day that the neophytes were to lay aside the white robes they had been wearing during the whole Ootave. This Octave had, indeed, begun earlier for them than for the rest of the faithful, inasmuoh as it was on the night of Holy Saturday that they were regenerated, and vested with these white garments, the emblem of the purity of their souls. It was, therefore, on the evening of the following Saturday, and after the Office of Vespers, that they put off their baptismal robes, as we will describe farther on.

In Rome, the Station is in the Lateran basilica, the mother and mistress of all churches. It is olose to the baptistery of Constantino, where, eight days

1 Jtop*. xi. 12, an several other verses, back, the neophytes received the grace of regeneration. The basiKoa, wherein they are now assembled, is that from whioh they set out, during the still and dark night, to the font of salvation, led on by the mysterious light of the Paschal Torch. It was to this same church that they returned after their Baptism, clad in their white robes, and assisted, for the first time, at the entire oelebration of the Christian Sacrifice, and received the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus. No other place oould have been more appropriate for the Station of this day, whereon they were to return to the ordinary duties of life. Holy Church sees assembled around her these her new-born children. It is the last time that she will see them in their white garments, and she looks at them with all the affection of a joyful mother. They are most dear to her, as the fruit of heaven's own giving ; and during the week she has frequently given expression to her maternal pride, in canticles suoh as she alone can sing.

Sometimes she thought how they had feasted at the divine Banquet, and how they were strengthened and beautified by the Flesh of Him who is all wisdom and sweetness ; and she sang these words:

]$r. De ore prudentis pro- From the mouth of the cedit mel, alleluia ; dulcedo mellis est sub lingua ejus, alleluia; 0 Favus distillans labia ejus, alleluia. ping honeycomb, alleluia. wise cometh honey, alleluia; the sweetness of honey is under his tongue; ° his lips are as a drop- f. Sapientia requiescit in Wisdom resteth in his corde ejus, et prudentia in heart, and prudence is in the sermone oris illius. ° Favus word of his mouth, 0 His lips distillans labia ejus, alleluia, are as a dropping honeycomb, alleluia.

Sometimes she was elated with joy, as she saw transformed into innocent lambs those who, heretofore, Jiad led worldly lives ; they had now begun a n$yr

PASCHAL TIKB life, and with all the innooenoe of little ohildren ; to describe them, the sings this pastoral strain: fy. Isti sunt agni novelli Bp. These are the new lambs, qui annuntiaverunt Alleluia: and they have announced to modo venerunt ad fontes; us the Alleluia: they have

° Bepleti sunt claritate. Al- come but now to the fount; leluia, alleluia. ° They are filled with light.

Alleluia, alleluia. t. In conspectu Agni f. They are standing in the amicti sunt stolis albis, et sight of the Lamb, clothed with palm© in manibus eorum. white robes, and palms in their

° Bepleti sunt claritate. Al- hands. ° They are filled with luia, alleluia. light. Alleluia, alleluia.

Again, at other times, she looked with holy pride on the splendid virtues whioh Baptism had infused into their souls, and on the spotless purity whioh made them beam with light ; she thus enthusiastically speaks of their beauty:

Ip. CandidifactisuntNazaroi ejus, alleluia; splendorem Deo dederunt, alleluia; ° Et sicut lac coagulati sunt. Alleluia, alleluia.

S. Candidiores nive, nitidiores lacte, rubicundiores ebore antiquo> sapphiro pulchriores. ° Et sicut lac coagulati sunt. Alleluia, alleluia.

B?. His Nazarites were white, alleluia; they gave bright glory to God, alleluia; 0 And they were pure as milk. Alleluia, alleluia. t. They were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire. ° And they were pure as milk. Alleluia, alleluia.

These three Responsories are taken from the Offioes of the holy Church during Paschal Time.

MASS

The Introit is composed of words from the 104th Psalm, wherein Israel gives praise ttf the Lord, for that He brought ffis peopk out o{ their esiie, By

SATURDAY IN RASTER WEEK: MASS this people, we must understand our neophytes, who were exiled from heaven because of original sin and of those they themselves had oommitted : Baptism has restored them to all the rights they had forfeited, for it has made them members of the Church.

INTROIT

Eduxit Dominus populum strain in exsultatione, alleluia: et electos suos in 1»titia. Alleluia, alleluia.

Ps. Confitemini Domino, et invocate Nomen ejus: annuntiate inter gentes opera ejus, f. Gloria Patri. Eduxit.

The Lord hath led forth his people in gladness, alleluia: and his chosen ones in joy. Alleluia, alleluia.

Ps. Praise the Lord, and call upon his name: publish his works among the Gentiles. t. Glory, &o. The Lord, &e.

Paschal week is about to olose ; the Church, therefore, now asks our Lord to grant to us, her children, that the joy we have experienced during this happy Octave may lead us to the still greater joy of tJ eternal Fasoh.

COLLECT

Concede, quaasumus, omnipotens Deus: ut qui festa paschalia venerando egimus, per haec contingere ad gaudia seterna mereamur. Per Dominum.

Grant, we beseech thee, 0 almighty God, that we, who with reverence have celebrated this Paschal solemnity, may happily arrive at everlasting joys. Through, &c.

To this is added one of the Collects given in Wednesday's Mass, page 247.

EPISTLE

Lectio Bpistolw beati Petri Apostoli J Cap. II Gharissimi, deponentes igitur omnem malitiam, et omnem dolum, et simulationes, et invidias, et omnes

Lesson of the Epistle of Saint Peter the Apostle

/ Ch. II

Dearly beloved: Laying away all malice, and all guile and dissimulations, and envies, and all detractions, as new-

PABCHAL TIME detractiones, sicut modo geniti infantes, rationabile, sine dolo lac concupiscite, ut in eo crescatis in salutem: si tamen gustastis quoniam dulcis est Dominus. Ad quern accedente lapidem vivum, ab hominibus quidem reprobatum, a Deo autem electum et honorificatnm: et ipsi tanqnam lapides vivi superaedificamini, domus spiritual is, sacerdotium sanctum, off erre spirituales hostias, acceptabiles Deo per Jesum Christum. Propter quod continet Scriptura : Ecce pono in Sion lapidem summum angularem, electum, pretiosum: et qui crediderit in eum non confundetur. Vobis igitur honor credentibus: non eredentibus autem, lapis quern reprobaverunt aedificantes, hie factus est in caput anguli: et lapis offensionis, et petra scandali his, qui offendunt verbo, nec credunt in quo et positi sunt. Vos autem genus electum, regale sacerdotium, gens sancta, populus acquisitionis: ut virtutes annuntietis ejus, qui de tenebris vos vocavit in admirabile lumen suum. Qui aliquando non populus, nunc autem populus Dei: qui non consecuti misericordiam, nunc autem misericordiam consecuti.

The neophytes could j born babes, desire the rational v milk without guile; that thereby you may grow unto salvation : if so be you have tasted that the Lord is sweet; unto whom coming, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and made honourable by God: be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore it is said in the scripture: 1 Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious: and he that shall believe in him shall not be confounded/ To you therefore that believe, honour; but to them that believe not, 4 the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner;' and a stone of stumbling and a rock of scandal, to them who stumble at the word, neither do believe, whereunto also they are set. But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Who in time past were not a people: but are now the people of God. Who had not obtained mercy; but now have obtained mercy. ot have received any more

SATURDAY IN EASTER WEEK: MASS appropriate instruction than this, which the Prince of the Apostles addresses to us all. St. Peter wrote this first Epistle to the newly-baptized of those days. He affectionately oalls them new-born babes. He urges them to that virtue, whioh so becomes the age of infanoy, — the virtue of simplicity. He tells them, that the doctrine they have been taught will be to them a milk, whioh will feed and strengthen them. He invites them to taste how sweet is the Lord they have now vowed to serve.

After this, he speaks of one of the leading characteristics of Christ, namely, His being the foundation and corner Stone of God's house, it is upon Him that must rest the faithful, who are the living stones of the spiritual edifice. He alone can give them solidity; and hence, when about to return to His Father, He ohose and established upon earth another rock 9 — a rock that should be ever visible, united with and based upon His own divine self, and partaking of His solidity. The Apostle's humility forbids his developing the whole truth as related in the Gospel, 1 whioh tells us of his glorious prerogative ; but, if we remember the words spoken by our Lord to St. Peter, we understand the whole doctrine implied in our Epistle.

The Apostle is silent about his own dignity as the rocky on whioh Jesus has built His Church; but observe the glorious titles he gives to us, who have been made members of that Churoh by Baptism. You are 9 says he, a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood) a holy nation, a purchased people ! Oh, yes ! what a difference there is between one that is baptized and one that is not ! Heaven is opened to the one, and shut against the other; the one is a slave of the devil, and the other is a king in Christ Jesus, the eternal King, whose brother he has now

1 St. Matth. xyi. IS.

PASCHAL TIMS beoome ; the one out off from God, the other offering Him a sacrifice of infinite worth by the hands of the great High Priest, Jesus. And all these gifts have been bestowed upon us by a purely gratuitous mercy; we had done nothing to merit them. Let us, then, offer to the Father, who has thus adopted us, our humble acts of thanksgiving; let us go baok, in thought, to the time when we ourselves were neophytes, and renew the promises whioh were made, in our name, as the essential oondition of our being admitted to all these graoes.

From this day forward, the Church ceases to use, during Paschal Time, the Besponsory called the Gradual. She substitutes, in its stead, two versicles, \with the Alleluia repeated four times : the formula is less solemn, but more joyous. During the first six days of the Ootave, which bear an analogy with the six days of creation, she would maintain the customary majestio gravity of her chants; now that she has reached the day whereon the Creator rested after His work was finished, she gives free scope to the holy joy, wherewith she is filled.

Alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia. f. Hsbc dies, quam fecit f. This is the day which Dominus: exsultemus et the Lord hath made: let us be laetemur in ea. glad, and rejoice therein.

Alleluia. Alleluia. f. Laudate pueri Domi- f. Praise the Lord, ye his num, laudate Nomen Do- servants; praise the Name of mini. the Lord.

The Sequence Victimm Paschali page 164.

GOSPEL

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem Cap. XX In illo tempore: Una sabbati. Maria Magdalene venit

Sequel of the holy Gospel according to John Ch. XX At that time : The first day of the week, Mary Magdalene mane, cum adhuc tenebrae essent, ad monumentum: et vidit lapidem sublatum a monumento. Cucurrit ergo, et venit ad Simonem Petrum, et ad alium discipulam, quern amabat Jesus, et dicit illis: Tulerunt Dominum de monumento, et nescimus ubi posuerunt eum. Exiit ergo Petrus, et ille alius discipulus, et venerunt ad monumentum. Currebant autem duo simul, et ille alius discipulus prsscucurrit citius Petro, et venit primus ad monumentum. Et cum se inclinasset, vidit posita linteamina, non tamen introivit. Venit ergo Simon Petrus sequens eum, et introivit in monumentum, et vidit linteamina posita, et sudarium, quod fuerat super caput ejus, non cum linteaminibus positum, sed separatim involutum in unum locum. Tunc ergo introivit et ille discipulus, qui venerat primus ad monumentum : et vidit, et credidit: nondum enim sciebant Scripturam, quia oportebat eum a mortals resurgere. cometh early, while it was yet dark, to the sepulchre: and she saw the stone taken away from the sepulchre. She ran, therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith to them: They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went out, and that other disciple, and they came to the sepulchre. And they both ran together, and that other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying: but yet he went not in. Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre, and saw the linen cloths lying. And the napkin, that had been about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapt up into one place. Then that other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulchre : and he saw, and believed; for as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

This inoident, which happened on the morning of our Lord's Resurrection, has been reserved by the Church for to-day's liturgy, because it again brings St. Peter before our notice. This is the Last day on whioh the neophytes assist at the holy Sacrifice in their white garments ; after this, there will be nothing to distinguish them, exteriorly, from the rest of the

VABCK TIME. X.

PASCHAL TIKE faithful. It is important, therefore, to giv© them a olear idea of the foundation of the Cnuroh, — a foundation, without whioh the Churoh oould not exist, and upon whioh they must rest, if they would persevere in the faith wherein they have been baptized. They oannot obtain salvation, unless they keep their faith inviolate. Now they alone have this firm and pure faith, who are docile to the teaohings of Peter, and recognize him as the rook on whioh our Lord has built His Church. In the episode related in our Gospel, we are taught by an Apostle what respeot and deference are due to him, whom Christ appointed to feed both lambs and sheep, 1 that is, the whole flook. Peter and John run together to the sepulohre; John, the younger of the two, arrives there before Peter ; he looks in, but does not enter. What means this humble reserve of the disciple who was so speoially beloved of Jesus P For whom does he wait P He waits for him, whom the Master has placed over all, and who is to aot as their Head. Peter, at length, comes to the sepulohre ; he goes in ; he examines the holy place; and then, John also enters. It is John himself who writes this, and gives us the admirable instruction embodied in what he relates. Yes, it is for Peter to lead the wav, and judge, and decide as master; it is the Christian's duty to follow him, to listen to his teaohings, to honour and obey him. How can we have any difficulty in doing this, when we see an Apostle, and such an Apostle, behaving thus to Peter, and this, too, at a time when Peter had reoeived the promise only of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, whioh were not really given to him until some days after P

The words of the Offertory are taken from the 117th Psalm, which is, by excellence, the Psalm of

1 St. John, xxi. 16, 17.

SATURDAY IN EASTER WEEK: MASS the Resurrection. They hail the divine Conqueror, who rises like a bright star, and gladdens us with His benediotion.

Benedictus qui venit in Blessed be he that cometh nomine Domini: benedixi- in the name of the Lord: we mus vobis de domo Domini: have blessed you out of the

Deus Dominus et illuxit house of the Lord: the Lord nobis. Alleluia, alleluia. is God, and he hath shone

In the Seoret, the Church teaches us, that the mysteries we celebrate during the year exeroise a lasting influence upon us. Each Feast, as it comes round to us, brings with it fresh life and joy ; and it is by its annual celebration, that the Church applies to her children the graoes, whioh each mystery brought with it at the actual time of its accomplishment.

Concede, qusesumus Do- Grant, we beseech thee, O mine, semper nos per haec Lord, that we may always mysteriaPaschalia gratulari; gratefully solemnize the Pas- ut continua nostra reparati- chal mysteries, and that the onis operatio, perpetuae no- continual celebration of the bis fiat causa l&titire. Per sacrament of our redemption

Dominum. may be to us a subject of perpetual jo/. Through, etc.

To this is added one of the Secrets given in Wednesday's Mass, page 254.

Our neophytes are to lay aside, to-day, their white robes ; but there is a garment which they are never to put away: it is Christ Himself, who became united with them by Baptism, as the Apostle of the Gentiles here reminds them:

Omnes qui in Christo ba- All you that have been bapptizati estis, Christum in- tized in Christ, have put on

OFFERTORY upon us. Alleluia, alleluia.

SECRET

COMMUNION duistii, alleluia.

Christ, alleluia.

PASCHAL TIMS

The Ohuroh returns onoe more, in her Postoommunion, to the subject of faith. Without faith there is no Christianity: now, it is the Euoharist which has the power of fostering it in the soul, for the Euoharist is the mystery of faith.

POSTCOMMUNION

Redemptions nostras mu- Being strengthened, 0 Lord, nere vegetati, quaesumus by the sacrament of our re-

Domine: ut hoc perpetuae demption, grant that through salutis auxilio fides semper this help to eternal salvation, vera proficiat. Per Domi- a true faith may always be num. increased in us. Through, Ac.

To this is added one of the Postoommunions given in Wednesday's Mass, page 256.

THE TAKING OFF OF THE WHITE GARMENTS

The Vespers, on each of the days of this week, were celebrated in the manner we described on the Sunday. There was a numerous attendance, each day, in the basilica ; and the faithful thus testified their affectionate interest in the white-robed neophytes, who visited, during the Vespers of eaoh day, the saored font where they had been born to the new life of grace. This afternoon, the concourse of people is greater than on the preceding days, for an interesting ceremony is to take plaoe. The neophytes are about to lay aside the outward symbol of innocence, which they have been wearing ; but they are also to give a solemn promise to maintain the inward purity of soul. By this public oeremony the Church restores the newly baptized to the duties of their ordinary station of life: they must now return to the world, and comport themselves as Christians, — disoiples of Christ, — for suoh they are.

The visit to the baptistery has been made, and the

8ATTJEDAY IN EASTER WEEK

Office of Vespers has terminated with the Station before the oruoifix of the ohaneel: the neophytes are then led to a room adjoining the cathedral, in whioh is prepared a large vessel of water. The bishop goes tonis throne. Seeing the newly baptized standing around him, he addresses them in a discourse, wherein he expresses the joy he feels, as pastor, at the increase wherewith it has pleased God to bless his much-loved flock. He congratulates them upon the grace they have received ; and then, alluding to the main objeot of their coming together this afternoon, — that is the laying aside of the white garments they reoeived after Baptism, — he warns them, with paternal affection, to keep a guard over themselves, and see that thejr never sully the purity of soul, of which their white robes have been but an emblem.

These were lent to the neophytes by the Churoh, as we said on Holy Saturday ; they oome now to restore them. The water in whioh the garments are to be washed, is blessed by the pontiff. As soon as he has finished the address, to which we have just been alluding, he says a prayer, wherein he speaks of the power, given to thip element, of oleansing the stains of the soul herself. Then turning to the neophytes, he recites the 116th Psalm, in thanksgiving ; to whioh he adds this beautiful prayer :

Visit, 0 Lord, thy people with thy salvation! Behold it now illumined with the Paschal joy! But do thou vouchsafe to preserve in our neophytes what thou thyself hast wrought in them unto salvation. Grant, that whilst laying aside these white robes, the change may be but exterior; that the spotless purity of Christ, which the eye cannot see, may ever be in their souls, so that they may never lose it; and that thy grace may assist them to gain, by good works, that immortal life, whereunto the Paschal mystery obliges us to aspire.

After this, aided by their sponsors, — the men by their godfathers, the women by their godmothers, — the neophytes take off their white garments, whioh are then oonsigned to those whose duty it is to wash and keep them. The sponsors having assisted their spiritual children to put on their ordinary dress, lead them to the pontiff, who distributes to each an image of the divine Lamb, stamped on wax: it is the Paschal symbol.

A last vestige of this interesting ceremony is the distribution of the Agnus Dei. This distribution is made by the Pope, on this day, in Borne, the first and every seventh year of his pontificate. We have already described the rite observed in their blessing, and we then drew the attention of our readers to the allusion to the ancient form of Baptism by immersion. The Agnus Dei are blessed on the Wednesday of Easter Week: on the following Saturday, there is what is called Papal Chapel in the palaoe. After High Mass, the Agnus Dei are brought before the Pontiff, who is seated on a throne. The prelate, who presents them, sings the following words, which are taken from one of the beautiful JEiesponsories given above: 'Holy Father! These are the new lambs, and they have announoed to us the Alleluia : thev have oome but now to the fount: they are filled with light.' The Pope, answers: Deo gratia* ! They who are happy enough to witness this funotion, are f oroibly reminded of the ancient ceremony we have been describing, and in which the newly baptized were led before the bishop, as the innocent lambs whom he so gladly weloomed. The Pope then distributes the Agnus Dei to the Cardinals, Prelates, and others only because of its signification, but also beoause of the sacred object wherewith it consoles qs r

SATURDAY IN EASTER WBKK

We cannot oonolude this last day of our neophytes' Octave, without saying a few words upon the Annotine Pasch. It was the anniversary day of the previous Easter Sunday, and was looked upon as the especial feast of those who were a year old in the grace of their Baptism. The Mass was solemnly celebrated for them. The remembrance of the happy day when they were made ohildren of God, was thus brought before them ; and, of course, their families kept the glorious anniversary as a glad holiday. If it came during Lent, the Annotine was not kept, or it was deferred till Easter Monday. It would seem, that, in some places, in order to avoid these continual changes, the anniversary of Baptism was regularly fixed for this the Saturday of faster week. When the custom of administering Baptism at Easter fell into disuse, the Annotine Paxch also ceased to be observed: however, we find traces of it as late as the 13th century. The oustom of looking on the anniversary of our Baptism as a feast-day, is one of those which may be called Christian instincts. The pagans made much of the day which had given them temporal birth ; surely, we ought to show quite as much respect to the anniversary of our Baptism, when we were born to the superuatural life. St. Louis used to sign himself Louis of Poissy, because it was in the little ohurch of Poissy that he had received Baptism. Let us learn from this holy king to love the day and the place of our Baptism, that is, of our being made children of God and of His Ohurch.

We have been considering, during the preceding days of this week, the divine work of the creation. We began with the Sunday, whereon light was called forth from nothingness ; and in this we recognized tyjfc of the mystery of the Resurrection ; for ouy

Jesus, the uncreated Light, was to rise from His grave on that same day of the week. This is Saturday, the seventh day, the day whereon the Lord rested, after the creation. But it is also the day, whereon this same Lord rested in His glorious sepulohre. Let us, then, honour this second mystery, whioh, even more than the first, reveals to us the love of the Son of God for man. Let us give Him our Saturday's homage, by addressing Him in these words of the Mozarabio breviary.

CAPITULA

Christe Dei filius, nostrarum requies animarum, qui otium Sabbati requiescens in tumulo complevisti: ut in quo olim requieveras ab omni opere faciendo, in eo etiam requiesceres in sepulchro, hunc nobis veraciter sanctificans diem, cujus vesperum in prima nobis Sabbati, quae et octava dies est, lucescit: ut, qui dixeras de tenebris lumen splendescere, manifesto a mortuis resurgens appareres in carne; dirige cursum vitae nostras in viam sanctificationis omnimodae, qualiter ita in his septem diebus, quibus mundus iste peragitur, et in quibus quotidie nobis Agnus occiditur, et Pascha quotidie celebratur, salubriori vitae curriculo conversemur: ut absque fermento malitiaB verum Pascha mereamur quotidie pelebrare: et ita ab omnj-

0 Christ, the Son of God, thou rest of our souls, who didst observe the repose of the Sabbath by resting in the tomb, that thou, who on this day, didst heretofore rest from all the work of thy creation, mightest also, on the same, rest in the sepulchre; hereby truly keeping holy that day, whose evening is the beginning of our first day of the Sabbath, which is likewise the eighth day; that thou, who commandedst light to shine forth out of darkness, mightest, by thy Resurrection, appear in the flesh: so direct the course of our lives in the path of all holiness, that in these seven days of the world's duration, on each of which the Lamb is slain and the Pasch is celebrated for us, we may live in such wise as to secure our salvation, and may daily be found worthy to celebrate the true Pasch, pure from the leaven of malice: that ^hus, by bus operibus nostris in hoc die sanctificatione tibi placita quiescamus, ut octavi illius seterni diei resurrectionis gloria consolemur. a holiness pleasing to thee, we may so rest, on this day, from all our works, that we may deserve to receive the glory of the Resurrection, on the eighth, that is, the eternal day.

The Greek Church shall provide us, to-day, with a hymn in honour of the Resurrection. We take the following stanzas from its liturgy for Easter Sunday.

IN DOMINICA RKSURRECTIONIS In imam terram descendisti, ac ©ternas contrivisti, Christe, seras, quae in compedibns vinctos captivabant; et triduanus, sicut e cete Jonas, ex sepnlchro ortus es.

Sigilla intacta servans, e sepnlchro erectus es, Christe, qni in partu tuo non lreseras claves virginis; et Paradisi portas nobis aperuisti.

Salvator meus, viventem et non immolatam hostiam, qnatenus Dens es, teipsum Patri sponte libera obtulisti; exsurgensque e sepulchro nna suscitasti nniversnm Adam.

In sepulchmm quidem descendisti, immortalis; inf erni vero conf registi virtutem: et tanquam victor surrexisti, Christe Dens; mulieribus aromatoferis dixisti: Salvete, Apostolisque tuis pacem dedisti, qui lapsis pr»bes resnrrectionem.

Thon didst descend, O Christ, into the bowels of the earth, and break the eternal bolts which held thy holy ones captives; and, on the third day, like Jonas, thon didst rise from the tomb.

Thou, 0 Jesus, didst leave unbroken the seal when rising from the tomb, as thou didst leave Mary's virginity perfect when born of her. Thou openest to us the gates of heaven.

My Saviour! thou freely offeredst thyself to the Father a living host, for, as God, thou couldst not be slain; and, by thy rising from the tomb, thou didst raise up all the children of Adam.

Thou didst truly descend into the tomb, O immortal God! But thou didst break the power of hell, and rise as a Conqueror. Thou saidst to the women, that brought their perfumes: Hail! Thou gavest peace to thine Apostles, 0 thou that givest resurrection, to the fallen!

PASCHAL TIMS

Mortis concelebramus interitum, inf erni eversionem, alterius vit», et quidem satern©, primitias; et sal tan - tes in hymnis cantamns auctorem, unicorn a Patribus celebratum Deum, et supergloriosum.

Yere sacra et plane f estiva est, ipsa salutaris nox et splendescens, diei rutilantis ac resurrectionis pronuntia, in qua lax sterna ex sepulchro corporaliter cnnctis illnxit.

Venite, ut novo genimini vitis, divinae lsetitise communicemus, die resurrectionis regnique Christi praeclara, laudantes eum in hymnis tanquam Deum in saecula.

Leva in circuitu oculos tuos, Sion, et vide; ecce enim splendore divino radiantes sicut lampades, venerunttibifilii aboccidente, et ab aquilone, a mare meridiano et ab orient©; in te benedicunt Christum in saecula.

0 divina! 0 arnica! O dulcissima vox tua! etenim non fallaciter promisisti Christe, te futurum esse nobiscum usque ad consummationem saeculi: quam spei anchoram fideles nos servantes, laetamur.

O Pascha magnum et sanctissimum, Christe! 0 Sa-

We celebrate the destruction of death, the overthrow of hell, the first-fruits of a new and eternal life. With joy, we sing hymns to the Creator, the one only God of our Fathers, the infinitely glorious One.

0 truly sacred and festive, saving and bright night, the harbinger of the sunny day of the Resurrection, whereon the Light eternal rose from the tomb, and shed his beams upon all men.

Come, let us participate in the new fruit of the Vine, and in the divine joy, for it is the glorious day of Christ's Resurrection and kingdom. Let us praise him, in our hymns, as the God who liveth for ever.

O Sion! lift up thine eyes round about, and see; for children, shining as lights with the brightness of God upon them, have come to thee from the west and north, from the south sea, and the east. In thee, they give praise to Christ for ever.

0 divine! 0 welcome! 0 thy most sweet word, 0 Jesus! Thou hast promised, and the promise cannot fail, that thou wilt abide with us even to the end of the world: it is the anchor of hope to us thy faithful servants, and makes us glad.

0 Jesus! our great and most holy Pasch! 0 Wisdom, pientia, et Verbum, Deique virtus! Da ut jnxta exemplar f ormati, tecum simus partieipes in die nunqnam decedente regni tui.

Word, and Power of God! grant that we may live according to the model thon hast given us, and enjoy with thee the never-ending day of thy kingdom.

In the Proper Offioes of the Order of Holy Sepulohre, there is given the following beautiful hymn, whioh we offer to our readers as being most appropriate to the day.

HYMN

Die sepnlchri gloriosi, Laeta mens, miracula; Qno velnt matris pudic® Christus alvo prodiit: Ut prophetarum fideles PaginsB spoponderant.

In novo conceptus alvo Virginis puerperae, In novo compostus antro Conquievit pumicis: Gloriosus hoc et ilia, Vir, pnerqne prodiit.

Hffic parit corpus caducum,

Omnium spe serins; JEviternum reddit illud, Omnium spe citius; Ula pannis involutum, Linteis hoc conditum.

Ex sinu matris futuram Ad salutem nascitur; At salute jam parata, Rupis alvus reddidit; Ad crucem parens produxit, &t silex ad gloriam.

Be glad, my soul, and sing the wonders of the glorious sepulchre, whence came thy Christ, as, heretofore, from the womb of his Virgin Mother. Thus was it foretold by the truthful prophets.

He was conceived in the pure womb of a Virgin -Mother ; so too, he was buried in a tomb, wherein no other man had been placed; from both he comes the glorious Jesus, as Infant first, and then as Man.

The Mother, after long ages of hope, brings him forth created in mortal flesh; the tomb, though none had hoped it, restores him clad in immortality: Mary wrapped him in swathing-bands; the sepulchre held him in the winding-sheet.

He is born, for the world's salvation, from the womb of his Mother; he rises from the tomb, after our salvation has been wrought: the Mother nursed him for the cross; the tomb, for glory.

Ergo te, coeleetu Agni Purpurata sanguine Aula ter f elix, adorent Terra, pontus, sethera; Nec sepulohrum quia vocarit,

Vita de quo nascitur.

Gloria et honor Deo Usquequaque altiasimo, Una Patri, Filioque, Inclyto Paraclito, Cui laus est, et potestas Per immensa stecula. Amen.

And lastly, let us tarn to the blessed Mother, for this is her day. Let us congratulate her upon the Resurrection of her divine Son, in the words of this devout sequence, taken from the anoient missals of the churches of Germany.

0 thrice holy sanctuary! beautified with the Blood of the Lamb of God! let earth, and sea, and heaven, venerate thee. How strange to call that a sepulchre, whence life was born!

Glory and honour be, for ever, to the most high God! To the Father, Son, and Holy Paraclete, one praise and power, for everlasting ages. Amen.

8BQUBNCE

Besurgenti tuo nato, Mater, plaude, qui prostrato

Begnat mortis principe ; Tuum virgo pone luctum, Jesum ventris tui f ructum

Bedivivum suscipe.

Morte prolis cruciata, Corde dure sauciata

Passionis gladio: Voce jubilationis, Jam de resurrectionis Jocundare gaudio. Crucifixum, qui surrexit De sepulchro teque vexit

Sua in palatia, Nobis placa, supplicamus A peccatis ut surgamus Ad ffiterna gaudia. Amen,

Give praise, 0 Mother, to thy risen Jesus, who reigns triumphant over the prince of death. Cease thy mourning: for Jesus, the Fruit of thy womb, is restored to life, and visits thee.

His death was thy cross; his Passion, the sword that cruelly pierced thy Heart: but now, sing a hymn of joy, and be glad, because of his Besurrection.

He was crucified; but now he is risen from the tomb, and has taken thee to his heavenly court : pray to him for us, we beseech thee, that we may rise from our sins to everlasting joy. Amen,

QUASIMODO OR LOW SUNDAY

THE OCTAVE OF THE PA8CH

Our neophytes closed the Octave of the Resurrection yesterday. They were before us in receiving the admirable mystery; their solemnity would finish earlier than ours. This, then, is the eighth day for us who kept the Pasoh on the Sunday, and did not anticipate it on the vigil. It reminds us of all the

Slory and joy of that Feast of feasts, which united tie whole of Christendom in one common feeling of triumph. It is the day of light, which takes the place of the Jewish Sabbath. Henceforth, the first day of the week is to be kept holy. Twice has the Son of God honoured it with the manifestation of His almighty power. The Pasoh, therefore, is always to be celebrated on the Sunday; and thus, every Sunday becomes a sort of Paschal Feast, as we have already explained in the Mystery of Easter. *

Our risen Jesus gave an additional proof that He wished the Sunday to be, henoeforth, the privileged day. He reserved the second visit He intended to pay to all His disciples for this the eighth day since His Resurrection. During the previous days, He has left Thomas a prey to doubt ; but, to-day He shows Himself to this Apostle, as well as to the others, and obliges him, by irresistible evidence, to lay aside his incredulity. Thus does our Saviour again honour the Sunday. The Holy Ghost will come down from heaven upon this same day of the week, making it the commencement of the Christian Church: Penteoost will oomplete the glory of this favoured day.

PASCHAL TIKE

Jesus' apparition to the eleven, and the victory He gains over the inoredulous Thomas, — these are the special subjects the Church brings before us to-cbw. ny this apparition, whioh is the seventh since His Resurrection, our Saviour wins the perfect faith of His disoiples. It is impossible not to recognize God, in the patience, the majesty, and the oharity of Him who shows Himself to them. Here again, our human thoughts are disconcerted ; we \should have thought this delay excessive; it would have seemed to us, that our Lord ought to have, at once, either removed the sinful doubt from Thomas's mind, or punished him for his disbelief. But no: Jesus is infinite wisdom, and infinite goodness. In His wisdom, He makes this tardy acknowledgement of Thomas beoome a new argument of the truth of the Resurrection ; in His goodness, He brings the heart of the inoredulous disoiple to repentance, humility, and love, yea, to a fervent and solemn retractation of all his disbelief. We will not here attempt to describe this admirable scene, whioh holy Church is about to bring before us. We will seleot, for our to-day's instruction, the important lesson given by Jesus to His disoiple, and through him to us all. It is the leading instruction of the Sunday, the Ootave of the Pasoh, and it behoves us not to pass it by, for, more than any other, it tells us the leading characteristic of a Christian, shows us the cause of our being so listless in God's service, and points out to us the remedy for our spiritual ailments.

Jesus says to Thomas: * Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed 1 ' Suoh is the great truth, spoken by the lips of the God-Man: it is a most important oounsel, given, not only to Thomas, but to all who would serve God and secure their salvation. What is it that Jesus asks of His disoiple ? Has Hq not heard him make profession that now, at last, he firmly believes ? After all, was there any great fault in Thomas's insisting on having experimental evidence before believing in so extraordinary a miracle as the Resurreotion ? Was he obliged to trust to the testimony of Peter and the others, under penalty of offending his divine Master ? Did he not evince his prudenoe, by withholding his assent until he had additional proofs of the truth of what his brethren told him? Yes, Thomas was .a oircumspeot and

Erudent man ,and one that was slow to believe what e had heard ; he was worthy to be taken as a model by those Christians, who reason and sit in judgement upon matters of faith. And yet, listen to the reproach made him by Jesus. It is merciful, and withal so severe! Jesus has so far condescended to the weakness of His disciple, as to accept the condition, on whioh alone he declares that he will believe : now that the disoiple stands trembling before his risen Lord, and exclaims, in the earnestness of faith: ' My Lord ! and my God ! ' oh ! see how Jesus chides him ! This stubbornness, this incredulity, deserves a punishment : the punishment is, to have these words said to him : * Thomas ! thou hast believed, because thou hast seen ! 9

Then, was Thomas obliged to believe«.before having seen? Yes, undoubtedly. Not only Thomas, but all the Apostles were in duty bound to believe the Resurrection of Jesus, even before He showed Himself to them. Had they not lived three years with Him ? Had they not seen Him prove Himself to be the Messias and the Son of God by the most undeniable miracles ? Had he not foretold them that He would rise again on the third day ? As to the humiliations and cruelties of His Passion, had He not told them, a short time previous to it, that He was to be seized by the Jews in Jerusalem, and be delivered to

PASCHAL TIKE the Gentiles P that He was to be soourged, spit upon, and put to death? 1

After all this, they ought to have believed in His triumphant Resurrection, the very first moment they heard of His Body having disappeared. As soon as John had entered the sepulohre, and seen the winding-sheet, he at onoe oeased to doubt ; he believed. But it is seldom that man is so honest as this ; he hesitates, and God must make still further advanoes, if He would have us give our faith ! Jesus condescended even to this: He made further advanoes. He showed Himself to Magdalene and her companions, who were not inoredulous, but only carried away by natural feeling, though the feeling was one of love for their Master. When the Apostles heard their account of what had happened, they treated them as women whose imagination had got the better of their judgement. Jesus had to come in person: He showed Himself to these obstinate men, whose pride made them forget all that He had said and done, sufficient indeed to make them believe in His Resurrection. Yes, it was pride, for faith has no other obstaole than this. If man were humble, he would have faith enough to move mountains.

To return to our Apostle. Thomas had heard Magdalene, and he despised her testimony ; he had heard Peter, and he objected to his authority ; he had heard the rest of his fellow- Apostles and the two disciples of Emmaus, and no, he would not give up his own opinion. How many there are among us, who are like him in this ! We never think of doubting what is told us by a truthful and disinterested witness, unless the subjeot touch upon the supernatural; and then, we have a hundred difficulties. It is one of the sad consequences left in us

1 St. Luke, xviii. 32, 33. by original sin. Like Thomas, we would see the thing ourselves: and that alone is enough to keep us from the fulness of the truth. We comfort ourselves with the reflection that, after all, we are disciples of Christ ; as did Thomas, who kept in union with his brother- Apostles, only he shared not their happiness. He saw their happiness, but he considered it to be a weakness of mind, and was glad that he was free from it !

How like this is to our modern rationalistic Catholic ! He believes, but it is because his reason almost forces him to believe ; he believes with his mind, rather than from his heart. His faith is a scientific deduction, and not a generous longing after God and supernatural truth. Hence, how cold and powerless is thjs faith ! how cramped and ashamed ! how afraid of believing too much! Unlike the generous unstinted faith of the saints, it is satisfied with fragments of truth, with what the Scripture terms diminished truths. 1 It seems ashamed of itself. It speaks in a whisper, lest it should be criticized ; and when it does venture to make itself heard, it adopts a phraseology, which may take off the sound of the divine. As to those miracles which it wishes had never taken place, and whioh it would have advised God not to work, they are a forbidden subject. The very mention of a miracle, particularly if it have happened in our own times, puts it into a state of nervousness. The lives of the Saints, their heroic virtues, their sublime sacrifices, — it has a repugnanoe to the whole thing ! It talks gravely about those who are not of the true religion being unjustly dealt with by the Churoh in Catholic countries ; it asserts that the same liberty ought to be granted to error as to truth ; it has very serious doubts whether the world has been

• Ps. xi, 2.

*MCH. TIKI. X. z

8S8 a ?reat loser by the secularization of society.

Now, it was for the instruction of persons of this olass, that our Lord spoke those words to Thomas : i Blessed are they who have not seen, and have believed.' Thomas sinned in not having the readi? ness of mind to believe. Like him, we also are in danger of sinning, unless our faith have a certain expansiveness, which makes us see everything with the eye of faith, and gives our faith that progress which God recompenses with a superabundance of light and joy. Yes, having onoe become members of the Church, it is our duty to look upon all things from a supernatural point of view. There is no danger of going too far, for we have the teachings of an infallible authority to guide us. 'The just man liveth by faith.' 1 faith is bis daily bread. His mere natural life becomes transformed for good and all, if only he be faithful to his Baptism. Oould we suppose, that the Church, after all her instructions to her neophytes, and after all those sacred rites of their Baptism which are so expressive of the supernatural life, would be satisfied to see them straightway adopt that dangerous system, which drives faith into a nook of the heart and understanding and conduct, leaving all the rest to natural principles or instinct P No, it oould not be so. Let us, therefore, imitate St. Thomas in his confession, and acknowledge that, hitherto, our faith has not been perfect. Let us go to our Jesus, and say to Him: 'Thou art my Lord and my God ! But, alas ! I have many times thought and acted as though Thou wert my Lord and my God in some things, and not in others. Hence* forth, I will believe without seeing ; for I would be of the number of those, whom Thou callest blessed ! 9

This Sunday, commonly called with us, Low Sun-

1 Rom. i, 17. day, has two names assigned to it in the Liturgy : Quasimodo, from the first word of the Introit ; and Sunday in albis (or, more explicitly, in albis depositis,) because on this day the neophytes assisted at the Ohuroh servioes afctired in their ordinary dress. In the Middle- Ages, it was called Close-Pasch, no doubt in allusion to its being the last day of the Easter Octave. Such is the solemnity of this Sunday, that not only is it of a Double rite, but no Feast, however great, can ever be kept upon it.

At Borne, the Station is in the basilica of Saint Pancratius, on the Aurelian Way. Anoient writers have not mentioned the reason of this Ohuroh being ohosen for to-day's assembly of the faithful. It may, perhaps, have been on aocount of the Saint's being only fourteen years old when put to death: a circumstance which gave the young Martyr a sort of right to have the neophytes round him, now that they were returning to their every day life.

The Introit repeats those beautiful words of Saint Peter, whioh were addressed, in yesterday's Epistle, to the newly baptized. They are like new-born babes, lovely in their sweet simplicity, and eager to drink from the breasts of their dear mother, the Ohuroh, the spiritual milk of faith, — that faith which will make them strong and loyal.

Quasi modo geniti infan- As new born babes, alle- tes, alleluia: rationabiles, luia: desire the rational milk sine dolo lac concupiscite. without guile. Allleluia, alle-

Jdleluia, alleluia, alleluia. luia, alleluia.

Ps. Exsultate Deo adju- P*. Rejoice to God our tori nostro: jubilate Deo helper: sing aloud to the God

Jacob. of Jacob.

MASS

INTROIT f. Gloria Patri. modo.

Quasi t . Glory, &c. As new-born,

&c.

On this the last day of the great Octave, the Churoh, in her Collect, bids farewell to the glorious solemnities that have so gladdened us, and asks our Lord to grant that our lives and action* may ever reflect the holy influence of our Pasch.

COLLECT

Praesta, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus: ut qui paschalia festa peregimus: haec, te largiente, moribus et vita teneamus. Per Domi-

Grant, we beseech thee, O almighty God, that we, who have celebrated the Paschal solemnity, may, by the assistance of thy divine grace, ever make the effects thereof manifest in our lives and actions. Through, &c.

EPISTLE

Lectio Epistolae beati Joannis Apostoli. I. Cap. V. Charissimi, omne, quod natum est ex Deo, vincit mundum: et haec est victoria, quae vincit mundum, fides nostra. Quis est, qui vincit mundum, nisi qui credit, quoniam Jesus est Filius Dei? Hie est qui venit per aquamet sanguinem, Jesus Christus: non in aqua solum, sed in aqua et sanguine. Et spiritus est, qui testificatur, quoniam Christus est Veritas. Quoniam tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in cobIo :' Pater, Verbum et Spiritus Sanctus: et hi tres unum sunt. Et tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in terra; Spi-

Lesson of the Epistle of Saint John the Apostle. /. Ch. 7. Dearly beloved: Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the spirit which testifieth, that Christ is the truth. And there are three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. And there are three that give testimony on earth; ritus et aqua et sanguis: et the spirit, the water, and the hi tres unum sunt. Si testi- blood, and these three are one. monium hominum accipi- If we receive the testimony of mus, testimonium Dei ma- men, the testimony of God is jus est: quoniam hoc est greater. For this is the testi- testimonium Dei quod ma- mony of God which is greater, jus est, quoniam testificatus because he hath testified of his est de Filio suo. Qui credit Son. He that believeth in the in Filium Dei, habet testi- Son of God, hath the testimony monium Dei in se. of God in himself.

The Apostle St. John here tells us the merit and power of faith: it is, says he, a victory ', whioh oonquers the world, both the world outside, and the world within us. It is not difficult to understand why this passage from St. John's Epistles should have been seleoted for to-day's Liturgy: it is on aooount of its being so muoh in keeping with the Gospel appointed for this Sunday, in whioh our Lord passes suoh eulogy upon faith. If, as the Apostle here assures us, they overcome the world who believe in Christ, that is not sterling faith, whioh allows itself to be intimidated by the world. Let us be proud of our faith, esteeming ourselves happy that we are but little children when there is question of receiving a divine truth ; and let us not be ashamed of our eager readiness to admit the testimony of God. This testimony will make itself heard in our hearts, in proportion to our willingness to hear it. The moment John saw the winding-bands which had shrouded the Body of his Master, he made an act of faith ; Thomas, who had stronger testimony than John, (for he had the word of the Apostles, assuring him that they had seen their risen Lord,) refused to believe: he had not overcome the world and its reasonings, because he had not faith.

The two Alleluia- Versicles are formed of two texts alluding to the Resurrection. The second speaks of the soeae whioh took place on this day, in the oenaole,

PASCHAL TIMB

Alleluia, alleluia. f. In die reaurrectionis me©, dicit Dominus, prsecedam vos in Galilssam. Alleluia. f. Post dies octo, januis clausis, stetit Jesus in medio discipulorum suorum, et dixit: Pax vobis. Alleluia.

Alleluia, alleluia. f. On the day of my Resurrection, saith the Lord, I will go before you into Galilee. Alleluia. f. After eight days, the doors being shut, Jesus stood in the midst of his disciples, and said: Peace be with you. Alleluia.

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem Cap. XX In illo tempore: Quum aero esset die illo, una sabbatorum, et fores essent claus®, ubi erant discipuli congregati propter metum JudaBOrum: venit Jesus, et stetit in medio, et dixit eis: Pax vobis. Et cum hoc dixisset, ostendit eis manus et latus. Gavisi sunt ergo discipuli, viso Domino. Dixit ergo eis iterum: Pax vobis. Sicut misit me Pater, et ego mitto vos. Hsec cum dixisset, insufflavit et dixit eis: Accipite Spiritum Sanctum; quorum remiseritis peccata, remittuntur eis: et quorum retinueritis, retenta sunt. Thomas autem unus ex duodecim, qui dicitur Didymus, non erat cum eis quando venit Jesus. Dixerunt ergo ei alii discipuli: Vidimus Dominum. Hie autem dixit eis; Nisi videro

The sequel of the holy Gospel according to John Ch. XX At that time: When it was late that same day, being the first day of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you. And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when low Sunday: mass in manibus ejus fixuram clavorum, et mittam digitum meum in locum clavorum, ei mittam manum meam in latus ejus, non credam. Et post dies ooto, iterum erant diseipuli ejus intus: et Thomas cum eis. Yenit Jesus januis clausis, et stetit in. medio, et dixit: Pax vobis. Deinde dicit Thorn®: Infer digitum tuum hue, et vide manus meas, et after manum tuam, et mitte in latus meum: et noli esse incredulus, sed fidelis. Respondit Thomas, et dixit ei: Dominus meus, et Deus meus. Dixit ei Jesus: Quia vidisti me, Thoma, credidisti: beati qui non viderunt et crediderunt. Multa quidem et alia signa fecit Jesus in conspectu discipulorum suorum, quae non sunt scripta in libro hoc. Usee autem scripta sunt, ut credatis, quia Jesus est Christus Fi- Uub Dei: et ut credentes, vitam habeatis in nomine ejus.

Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side,I will not believe. And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said : Peace be to you. Then he said to Thomas: Put in thy fingers hither, and see my hands, and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God! Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed. Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing you may have life in his name.

We have fcaid enough about St. Thomas' incredulity; let us now admire his faith. His fault has taught us to examine and condemn our own want of f aith ; let us learn from his repentance how to become true believers. Our Lord, who had chosen him as one of the pillars of His Church, has been obliged to treat him with an exceptional familiarity : Thomas avails himself of Jesus' permission, puts his finger into the sacred wound, and immediately he sees the sinfulness of his past incredulity. He would make atonement, by a solemn act of faith, for the sin he has committed in priding himself on being wise and discreet: he cries out, and with all the fervour of faith: My Lord and my God ! Observe, he not only says that Jesus is his Lord, his Master, the same who chose him as one of His disciples: this would not have been faith, for there is no faith where we can see and touch. Had Thomas believed what his brother- Apostles had told him, he would have had faith in the Resurrection ; but now he sees, he has experimental knowledge of the great fact ; and yet, as our Lord says of him, he has faith. In what ? In this, that his Master is God. He sees but the Humanity of Jesus, and he at once confesses Him to be God. From what is visible, his soul, now generous and repentant, rises to the invisible: ' Thou art my God !' Now, 0 Thomas ! thou art full of faith ! The Church proposes thee to us, on thy Feast, as an example of faith. The confession thou didst make on this day is worthy to be oompared with that which Peter made, when he said: ' Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God ! ' 1 By this profession, which neither flesh nor blood had revealed to him, Peter merited to be made the Rock whereon Christ built His Church: thine did more than compensate thy former disbelief ; it gave thee, for the time, a superiority over the rest of the Apostles, who, so far at least, were more taken up with the visible glory, than with the invisible Divinity, of their risen Lord.

The Offertory gives us another text of the Gospel, relative to the Resurrection.

*St. Matth. xvi, 16,

OFFERTORY

Angelus Domini descendit de coelo, et dixit mulieribus: Quern quaeritis, surrexit sicut dixit. Alleluia.

An Angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and said to the women: He whom ye seek is risen, as he said, alleluia.

In the Seoret, the Church expresses the holy enthusiasm wherewith the Paschal mystery fills her; she prays, that this joy may lead her to the never-ending one of the eternal Easter.

SECRET

Suscipe munera, Domine, quaesumus, exsultantis Ecclesiae: et cui causam tanti gaudii pra&stitisti, perpetuae f ructum concede lsetitiae. Per Dominum.

Receive, we beseech thee, 0 Lord, the offerings of thy joyful Church: and as thou hast given occasion to this great joy, grant she may receive the fruits of that joy, which will never end. Through, etc.

While giving the Bread of heaven to her neophytes and other children, the Church sings in her Communion- Antiphon, the words spoken by Jesus to Thomas. This Apostle was permitted to touch our Lord's sacred wounds ; we, by the holy Eucharist, are brought into still closer intimaoy with this same Jesus: but, that we may derive the profit intended by such condescension, we must have a faith lively and generous, like that which He exacted from His Apostle.

COMMUNION

Mitte manum tuam et cognosce loca clavorum, alleluia: et noli esse incredu- alleluia: lus, sed fidelis. Alleluia, lous,

Put forth thy hand, and mark the place of the nails, and be not incredubut believe. Alleluia, alleluia. •alleluia.

The Church oonoludes the prayers of her Sacrifice, by asking, that the divine mystery, institute to be

PASCHAL TIKI a support to our weakness, may give us untiring perseverance.

P06T00MMTTKI0K

QuaBsumus, Donrine Deni noster: ut sacrosancta mysteria, quae pro reparationis nostra munimine contuliiti, et prosens nobis remedium esse facias et futurum. Per Dominum.

Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord our God, that the sacred mysteries thou hast given us to preserve the grace of our redemption, may be our present and future remedy. Through, &c.

VESPERS

When the feast of the Annunciation is deferred till after Easter, it is kept on the Monday following Low Sunday : its First Vespers are now sung, and a commemoration only is made of the Sunday, at the end of the Offioe. We have given these below, page 350. Other years, the Vespers are those of Paschal Time, which will be found in page 91. antiphon of the Magnificat.

Ant. Poet diesocto, januis clausis, ingressus Dominus, dixit eis: Fax vobia. Alleluia, alleluia.

OREMUS

Praesta, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus: ut qui paschalia festa peregimus: hsBc, te largiente, moribus et vita teneamus. Per Dominum.

Ant. After eight days, the doors being shut, the Lord entering, said: Peace be to you. Alleluia, alleluia.

LET US PRAY

Grant, we beseech thee, 0 almighty God, that we who have celebrated the Paschal solemnity, may, by the assistance of thy divine grace, ever make the effects thereof manifest in our lives and actions. Through, &c.

As an appropriate prayer, wherewith to close the day, we offer to our readers the following beautiful one, wherein the Gothic Church of Spain celebrates the mystery of the eighth day, — the Octave of Easter.

Ingeniti (xenitoria genite Fili, qui in eo nobis diei hujus octavi renovas cultum, in quo te diacipulorum aapectibus hodie probuisti palpandum. Nam licet hie dies sit prior prae ceteris conditus, octavus post septem efficitur revolutus, quo ipse sicut admirabiliter e sepulchro surrexisti a mortuis, ita ad discipulos ineestimabiliter intrasti januis obseratis. Initium videlicet Paschae ac finem exornans congruis sacramentis, cum et resurrectio tua custodibus terrorem incuteret, et manifestatio discipulorum corda dubia confortaret. Quaesumus ergo, ut nos his sacramentis imbutos fides qua te credimus post istud sseculum tibi repraesentet illaesos. Nullum nobis de te scrupulum dubitationis errorisque, aut otium pariat, aut quaesitio incauta enutriat. Serva in nomine tuo quos redemisti sanguine pretioso. Contemplandum te nostris sensibus praebe: nostrumque cor dignatus ingredere. Esto semper in medio nostri qui hodie pacem nuntians discipulorum in medio astitisti. Quique in ejs insufflasti Spiritum

0 Son begotten of the unbegotten Father! thou again invitest us to honour this eighth day, on which thou didst permit thy disciples to see and touch thee. The Sunday, though made before the other days, becomes the eighth by following the seven preceding it. It was on this day that thou didst rise from the tomb and death ; it was on this same thou enteredst where thy disciples were assembled, and, the doors being shut, didst honour them by thine inestimable visit. Thus didst thou adorn, with a mystery well suited to each, both the beginning and the close of the Pasch ; for thy Resurrection struck terror into the soldiers that guarded the tomb, and thy apparition confirmed the doubting hearts of thy disciples. We, therefore, who possess the knowledge of all these mysteries, beseech thee to grant, that the faith whereby we believe, may present us before thee, after this life, free from sin. May neither sloth engender, nor indiscreet prying foster, any misgiving of doubt or error concerning thee. Preserve in thy holy name them thou hast redeemed by thy precious blood. Let our souls contemplate thee, an<J

PASCHAL TIMB

Tito, nobis largire ejusdem vouchsafe to enter into our Spiritus consolationem. hearts. 0 thou, that, on this day, didst appear in the midst of thy disciples and greet them with peace, abide ever with us. Thou didst breathe upon them the Spirit of life; grant us the consolation of the same Holy Spirit.

Onoe more let us listen to the devout Adam of Saint- Viotor. His sequenoes were great favourites with our Gatholio forefathers of the Middle Ages. The triumph of our Redeemer over death was a subjeot whioh this great liturgical poet has often treated in a most masterly way.

SEQUENCE

Mundi renovatio Nova parit gaudia; Resurgenti Domino Conresurgunt omnia. Elementa serviunt, Et auctoris sentiunt Quanta sit potentia.

Ignis volat mobilis, Et aer volubilis: Fluit aqua labilis, Terra manet stabilis: Alta petunt levia, Centrum tenent gravia, Renovantur omnia.

Cesium fit serenius, Et mare tranquillius; Spirat aura levius, Vallis nostra floruit. Revirescunt arida, Recalescunt frigida, Postquam ver intepuit.

Gelu mortis sojvitur,

The world's renovation creates new joy. All creatures rise together with their Lord. The elements obey him, and feel their Creator's mighty power.

Fire is impetuous in its flight; air is swift; water is flowing; earth is firm; light things tend aloft, and those that are heavy seek their centre: but all are now renewed.

Heaven is more serene, the sea more tranquil, the winds breathe softer. Our valley is filled with flowers ; and now that gentle Spring is come, the dry things have put on green again, and the cold a genial warmth.

The frost of death |s thawed,

LOW

Princeps mundi tollitur, Et ejus destruitur In nobis imperium; Dum tenere voluit In quo nihil habuit, Jns amisit proprium.

Vita mortem superat; Homo jam recuperet Quod prius amiserat, Paradisi gaudium: Viam prebet f acilem, Cherubim versatilem Amovendo gladium.

Christus coelos reserat, Et captivos liberat, Quos culpa ligaverat Sub mortis interitu. Pro tanta victoria Patri, Proli gloria Sit cum Sancto Spiritu! Amen.

The prince of this world is made captive, and has no longer power over us: by striving to take Him over whom he had no claim, he lost his own.

Life conquers death; man now regains what he had lost, — the joys of heaven; the Angel sheathes his twoedged sword, and leaves the passage free.

Jesus opens heaven, and liberates them whom sin had made captives of death. For this great victory, be glory to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.