Thursday of the Second Week after Easter

The Apostles and holy women are not the only ones to enjoy the presence of our Risen Jesus : a countless people of the Just made perfect claim and have the happiness of seeing and reverencing the sacred humanity of this their beloved King. The magnificence of the Resurrection has caused us somewhat to forget those venerable Captives of Limbo, with whom the soul of our Redeemer spent the hours that elapsed between his Death and Resurrection. They were the friends of God, and were awaiting in Abraham* 8 bosom, (as the Scripture expresses it,) the dawning of light eternal. From the hour of None (3 o'clock) of the great Friday till the day-break of Sunday, the soul of our Emmanuel abode with these holy prisoners, who were thus put in possession of infinite happiness. But when the hour of his triumph came how was the Conqueror of Death to leave behind him these souls whom he had enfranchised by his Death and Resurrection ? At the moment fixed by the eternal decree, Jesus' Soul passes from Linabo to the Sepulchre, and is re-united to his Body ; but he is accompanied by a jubilant choir of other souls — the souls of the long-imprisoned Saints.

On the day of the Ascension, they will form his court, and rise together with him ; but Heaven's gate is not yet open, and they must needs wait for these forty days to pass, during which our Redeemer will organise his Church. They are invisible to the eyes of men, but they dwell in the space above this lowly earth, where once they passed their days, and merited an eternal recompense. Adam again sees the land which he had tilled in the sweat of his brow ; Abel is in admiration at the power of the divine Blood, which has sued for mercy, whereas his prayed but for vengeance Noe looks upon this globe, and finds it covered with an immense multitude of men, all of whom are descendants of his three sons; Abraham, the father of believers, Isaac also, and Jacob, hail the happy moment when is to be fulfilled the promise which was made to them, that all generations should be blessed in Him who was to be born of their race ; Moses recognises his people, in whose midst, the Messias, (whom he had announced, and who is greater than he,8) has found so few followers and so many enemies ; Job, who represents the elect among the Gentiles, is filled with joy at seeing his Redeemer living* in whom he had hoped in all his trials ; David, fired with holy enthusiasm, is preparing canticles for heaven, grander far than those he has left us, to be sung in praise of the Incarnate God, who has espoused our human nature; Isaias and the other Prophets behold the literal fulfilment of all they had foretold; in a word, this countless army of Saints, formed from the elect of all times and countries, is grieved at finding the earth a slave to the worship of false gods ; they beseech our Lord, with all the earnestness of prayer, that he would hasten the time for the preaching of the Gospel, which is to rouse from their sleep them that are seated in the shadow of death.

1 Heb. xii. 24. »St. John, i. 45. 3 Heb. iii. 3. 4 Job, xix. 25.

As the elect, when they rise from their graves, on the last day, will ascend through the air to meet Christ as eagles who gather together, wheresoever the body may be ; so now, these holy souls cluster around their divine Deliverer. He is their attraction ; the seeing him, the speaking with him, is truly a heaven on earth to them. J esus indulges these Blessed of his Father, who are soon to possess the Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world;* he allows them to follow and accompany him ; and thus does he beguile the days which are to be spent before that glorious one of his triumphant Ascension.

What must not have been the happiness of the faithful and chaste Joseph in being thus near his adopted Son, — his Creator ? with what affection must he not have looked upon his virginal Spouse, who has been made, at the Foot of the Cross, the Mother of men ! Who could describe the delight wherewith Anne and Joachim gaze upon their Daughter, the august Mother whom all generations shall call "Blessed"? And John, the Precursor, — how must he not have exulted at seeing Her, at whose voice he was sanctified in his Mothers womb, and who has given to the world the Lamb that taketh all sin away ! How affectionately must not these ransomed souls have looked upon the Apostles, those future conquerors of the world, who are now being prepared for the combat by their Divine Master ! It is through them that the earth once brought to the knowledge of the true God, will be ever sending up elect ones to heaven until time shall give place to eternity.

Let us, to-day, honour these hidden but august witnesses of what God's mercy is preparing for the world's salvation. We shall soon see them ascending to

• I. Thess. iv. 16. 2 St. Mattb. xxiv. 28. sibid. xxv. 34. • St. Luke, i. 48. heaven, of which they will take possession in the name of mankind, that has heen redeemed by Christ. Let us not forget how, on their way from Limbo to Heaven, they rested with Jesus for forty days on this earth of ours, where they themselves had once lived and merited an eternal crown. Their visit brought a blessing with it ; and their departure was the signal for us to follow them ; — it opened the way to the blissful Home, which is one day to be ours !

The following Sequence, taken from the Cluny Missal of 1523, is appropriate to the reflections we have just been making.

SEQUENCE.

Sing the mourning hymns, O holy choir, mourning, but full of hope.

Prome casta Concio cantica, Organa subnectens Hypodorica.

Sing now thy canticles to the Divine King, who has broken down the gates of hell.

Kegi claustra Deo tartarea Rumpenti, decanta Nunc symphonia.

He conquers Death, and rising from the Tomb, brings festive joy to the world.

The cursed regions of hell wonder at the strange event.

Morte qui victa Eesurgens, gaudia Mundo gestat colenda.

They gaze on him who enters; he is Eternal Life, and they see his power.

Hanc insolita Mirantes perdita Cocyti con fin i a,

Spectant fortia Intrante illo Vita beata.

The mighty host of demons tremble with fear,

Terrore perculsa, Tremescit daemonum Plebs valida.

And howl, and weep, asking each other, who this may be that dares to break the massive bolts ) ■

Dant suspiria Fletuum alta : Eepagula

Suis sic audax fregerit, irantur nunc fortia.

Sic ad supera

Redit cum turma

Gloriosa,

Et timida Refovet discipulorum cor- da. Praecelsa

Hujus tropbaea

Admirantes,

Flagitarous nunc

Voce decliva. Virginum inter agmina,

Mereamur pretiosa

Colere ut pascha : Galilaea

In qua sacrata

Prae fulgore contueri

Lucis exordia. Alleluia.

Tis thus our Lord returns to earth, surrounded by a glorious troop ; and hastens to console the timid hearts of his Disciples.

Let us who celebrate his noble victory, beseech him in humble prayer,

That we may be found worthy to celebrate the great Pasch, in the choir of Virgins.

And in that Galilee above, sanctified by light, to see the Source of Light. Amen.

FEIDAY

OF THE SECOND WEEK AFTER EASTER. f. In thy resurrection, O f. In resurrectione tua

I$r. Let heaven and earth Coeli et terra laetentur, rejoice, alleluia. alleluia.

Let us, to-day, turn to another subject. Let us think upon that unfortunate Jerusalem, which, a few days since, re-echoed with the blasphemous cry : Away with him / Away with him ! Crucify him ! Is the City impressed by the great events that hav$ taken place in her midst ? Is the report still afloat of the Sepulchre's being found empty ? Have Jesus' enemies succeeded in tranquillising the public mind by their lying scheme ? They have summoned the soldiers who were set to guard the Tomb, and have bribed them to say that they neglected their duty, that they fell asleep, and that the Disciples came in the meanwhile, and stole away their Master's corpse. As to the punishment due to this infraction of military discipline, the soldiers are told that they need be under no apprehension, inasmuch as they are assured that every excuse shall be made to the Governor in case of need.

Such is the final effort made by the Synagogue for making the world forget the name of Jesus of Nazareth ! She would make out that he was a mere contemptible impostor, who deserved the ignominious

Christ, alleluia.

Christe, alleluia.

1 St. Matth. xxviii. 12-14. end he came to, and will now be execrated for the posthumous attempt at a Resurrection ! And yet, in a few years hence, the name of Jesus will be known and loved far beyond the walls of Jerusalem, or the territory of Judea : — it will be held in blessing in the furthermost parts of the earth. Let a hundred years pass, and the adorers of this Jesus will be found in every country. After three centuries, paganism will own itself beaten ; the idols will roll in the dust ; the majesty of the Caesars will humble itself before the Cross. And thou, O blind and obstinate Jew ! wilt have it, that He, whom thou didst blaspheme and crucify, is not risen, although he be now the King of the earth, — the loved Monarch of a boundless empire! Read thy heaven-given prophecies, which thou bast handed down to us. Do they not tell thee, that the Messias is to be despised, — reputed with the wicked, and treated as one of them ? But do they not likewise tell thee, that his Sepulchre shall be glorious P For all other men the grave puts an end to their name and their glory ; whereas with Jesus, his Sepulchre is the trophy of his victory; we proclaim him to be the Messias, the King of ages, the Son of God, because by his own death he conquered Death.

But Jerusalem is carnal-minded; and the humble Nazarene has not flattered her pride. His miracles were undeniable ; the wisdom and authority of his words surpassed everything that had ever been heard ; his goodness and compassion even exceed the miseries he is come to allay : — but Israel has seen nothing, heard nothing, understood nothing; and now, he remembers nothing. Alas! his fate is sealed, and it is himself that has sealed it. Five centuries before this, Daniel had thus prophesied : The people that shall deny him (Christ), shall not be his? Let them, therefore, that would escape the

1 Is. liii. 12. 2 Ibid. xi. 10. » Dan. ix. 26. most terrible chastisement ever sent upon man, lose no time in recognising the Risen Jesus as the Messias.

A heavy atmosphere broods over the deicide City. Her people have said : Let his Blood be upon us and upon our children ! — so indeed it is : it hangs like a storm-cloud of vengeance over Jerusalem, and, forty years hence, will send forth its thunderbolts of slaughter, fire, destruction, and a desolation which shall continue even to the end. Impostors shall rise tip, giving themselves out as the Messias. Jerusalem knows that the time for the fulfilment of the Prophecies is come; and hence the credulity of her people in siding with these Pretenders. Seditions are the consequence of this fanaticism. At length, Rome is obliged to interfere. She sends her Legions; and having drowned the rebellion with a deluge ot blood, she banishes Israel from his country, making him a Cain-like wanderer on the face of the earth.

Why do not these unhappy Jews acknowledge, as the Messias, this Jesus whom they have crucified ? Why still expect a fulfilment, which has been so evidently accomplished ? Why pass by, with sullen unrepentance, this empty Sepulchre which is ever protesting against them ? Have they not clamoured for the shedding of innocent Blood ? They have but to confess this crime, — this fruit of their pride, — and they will be pardoned. But if they persist in defending what they have done, there is no hope for them : — their chastisement will be blindness of heart, they will walk on in darkness even to the abyss, and hell will be their eternity. Bethphage and Mount Olivet are still echoing with the cry of Hosanna to the Son of David ! O Israel ! thou hast yet time ! repeat this acclamation of thy loyalty ! The hours are passing swiftly by ; the Pentecost Solemnity will

1 Dan. ix. 27. sood be upon us. On that day, the Law of the Son of David is to be promulgated, and the Law of Moses will be abrogated, for its work is done and its figures are turned into realities. On that day thou wilt feel two peoples within thy womb :x one, — weak in number, but destined to conquer all nations by leading them to the true God, — will humbly and lovingly acknowledge for their King, this Crucified and Risen Son of David ; the other, proud and haughty, will obstinately blaspheme its Messias, and will become, by its ingratitude, the type of voluntary hardness of heart. It denies, even to this day, the Resurrection of its victim ; but the chastisement which is to lie upon its to the end of time, proves that he who punishes, is God, — the God of truth, whose anathemas are infallible;

Let us honour the Resurrection of our divine Messias, by offering him this Easter Sequence of the ancient Missals of Saint Gall's.

SEQUENCE.

Magni regis novam In cruce victoriam,

Magnificet confessio At que pulchritudo

Let our most beautiful praise magnify

The new victory of the great King on the Cross.

Qua evacuatum Est peccati veteris Chirograph um,

In qua triumphatus Est mortis principatus,

On the Cross was conquered the empire of death ;

On the Cross was made void the hand-writing of the sin that was of old ;

Qua paschalis Agni Immolatur victima Pro ovili,

On the Cross was sacrificed the Paschal Lamb for the flock ;

On the Cross was the wine-press trodden by him that came from Edom and Bosra.

1 Gen. xxv. 23.

FRIDAY, 2ND WEEK

It is the antidote that cures the sting of the serpent's wound.

By the Cross is the world brought back into God's favour ; it was, in Adam, sold by a tree, and by a tree is now redeemed.

By the Cross, the last made of creatures is associated with the Morning Stars, and repairs heaven's losses.

O Cross ! thou Tree of Life, that bearest the Life and Ransom of the world, — thou art the staff, bearing upon thee the Cluster of Grapes from the vineyards of Engaddi.

Christ is our Peace, who taketh enmities away, and giveth peace to them that are afar off, and to them that are nigh.

O mighty Cross ! thou drawest the whole world to thyself, and, with thy two arms, embracest all mankind.

O lofty Cross ! thou penetratest into the depths below, and raisest to heaven the captives thou loosest.

On thee, Christ offered the Temple of his Flesh,— which had been built in the number of days expressed by the four Greek letters composing Adam's name — he offered it that it might be destroyed; but he raised it up again in three days, that he might save the four quarters of the world.

O Lamb of the Sovereign Father ! that, by the Cross, takest away the sins of the world ! grant, that by our growth in faith, hope, and

Cujus antidoturn Serpentini vulneris San at morsum.

Per crucem Deo Reconciliatur mundus : Per lignum nunc redemptus,

Per lignum in Adam venditus.

Per crucem Astris Sociatur matutinis, Factura novissima, Hestaurans cceli dispendia.

Crux vitas lignum. Vitam mundi portans Atque pretium, Tu vectis es botri Nati in vineis Engaddi.

Christus pax nostra Inimicitias solvens lis qui erant prope - Dans pacem, Et his qui a longe.

O virtus crucis, Mundum attrabis, Amplexando tuis Hinc inde brachiis.

O excelsa crux, Ima perforans, Vinctos, quos absolvis, Ad summa erigis.

Christus carnis templum Hac dierum summa construe turn, Quam tetragrammaton Adam graece colligit, In te dissolvendum obtulit Sed, ut mundum Salvet quadrifidum, Kesedificat post triduum.

Agne Patris sum mi, Cruce tollens crimiua mundi,

Da, ut in augmento Cbaritatis, h'dei, spei,

Crucis sacrosanctee valeamus,

Cum Sanctis omnibus, Dimensiones comprehendere,

Et proximis condolentes, Carnem macerantes, Grucis almae bajulos Tua traba post vestigia.

Quo hie tuti et inderanes, Ibi ad tribunal, judex, tuum Simus sanctae Crucis persignaculum,

Annuntiantesin gentibus, Quia regnavit a ligno Deus. Amen. charity, we may be able to comprehend, with all the Saints, the measure of the Holy Cross ;

That having compassion on our neighbours, and mortifying our flesh, we may carry the dear Cross, and be drawn by thee to walk in thy footsteps.

Thus safe and protected in this life, grant, O Divine Judge, that, by the sign of the holy Cross, we may be so, when standing before thy tribunal,

And may proclaim aloud to all nations, "That the Lord hath reigned from the Wood." Amen,

SATURDAY

OF THE SECOND WEEK AFTER EASTER.

"jfr. In thy resurrection, O f. In resurrectione tua, hrist, alleluia. Christe, alleluia.

R?. Let heaven and earth I^. Cceli et terra lsetentur,

This being Saturday, let us once more think of Mary, and of the joy she feels at the Resurrection of her Son. She had been his companion in his Sufferings ; there was not one that she had not endured, and suffered as far as a mere creature could suffer: so, too, there is not a single glory or gladness of the Resurrection, in which she is not now made to participate. It was meet, that She, to whom God haa granted the grace and merit of sharing in the work of the Redemption, should take her part in the prerogatives which belong to her Jesus, now that he is Risen. Her soul is raised to a higher state of perfection ; grace loads her with new favours ; her actions and sentiments become more than ever heavenly.

She was the first to receive a visit from Jesus after his Resurrection, — the first, consequently, to receive from him his own New Life. Can we be astonished at her receiving it, when we remember, that every Christian, who, being purified by his v having compassionated with Jesus in his Passion, unites himself, afterwards, with holy Church, in the sublime mystery of the Pasch, — becomes a sharer in the Life of his Risen Lord ? This transformation, rejoice, alleluia. which, in us, is weak, and often, alas ! of short duration, was perfect in Mary, for her high vocation and her incomparable fidelity deserved that it should be so; of her, then, far more truly than of us, it may be said, that she was indeed risen in her Jesus. •

The thought of these forty days, during which Mary still possesses her Divine Son on this earth, reminds us of those other forty of Bethlehem, when we paid our affectionate homage to the young Virgin- Mother, who fed her divine Babe at her Breast ; we heard the Angels singing their Gloria, we saw the Shepherds and the Magi; all was exquisite sweetness. What mainly impressed us then, was the humility of our Emmanuel ; we recognised him as the Lamb, that had come to take away the sins of the world; there was nothing that betokened the Mighty God. What changes have happened since that dear time ! What sorrows have pierced Mary's heart before her reaching this blissful season of Paschal joy ! The Sword foretold by Simeon is now, indeed, sheathed, yea, broken for ever, — but oh ! how sharp and cruel have been its thrusts ! Well may Mary now say with the Psalmist : According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts, 0 Lord, have given joy to my soul/1 The Lamb, the gentle little Lamb, has become the Lion of the tribe of Juda ; and Mary, the Mother of the Babe of Bethlehem, is equally the Mother of the glorious Conqueror.

With what delight does he not show the glories of his victories to his Mother ! His work is done, and now he is the beautiful crowned King pf Ages ; yes, this is He whom she held for nine months within her womb, whom she fed at her breast, and who, for all eternity, will honour her as his Mother. He honours her during these his last Forty Days on earth, with every possible mark of affection; he satisfies her 1 Ps. xciii. 19. maternal love by frequently visiting her. How admirable must not these interviews be between such a Son and Mother ! How delightedly must not Mary look upon her Jesus now ? the same dear one, it is true, but oh ! so changed from what he was a few days ago ! That face, so familiar to Mary, beams with a light which is new even to her. The Wounds that remain upon his Hands, Feet, and Side, dart forth a brightness which effaces every recollection of sadness. But how shall we speak of the joy, wherewith Jesus gazes upon Mary, his Immaculate Mother, — his Companion in the work of man's salvation, — the Creature, who is more perfect and more worthy of love than all other creatures put together ? Who could describe the conversations of such a Son with such a Mother, during these days preceding his Ascension, when another long separation is to follow ? Eternity will tell us what they were ; but, even now, if we love the Son and the Mother, we can imagine some little of what passed between them. J esus would offer to Mary some compensation for the prolongation of her stay on earth, which is required of her by her ministry as Mother of men ; more privileged than was heretofore Martha's sister, she hears his every word, and feeds on its sweetness in an ecstasy of love. O happy hours, to be followed by long years of absence, flow slowly by 1 Give this Blessed Mother time to satiate her love with the sight and caresses of this dearest and most beautiful of the sons of men ! — 0 Mary ! by these hours of joy, which repaid thee for those long bitter ones of thy Jesus' Passion, pray to him for us, that he permit ua to feel and relish his presenoe in our hearts during this our exile, wherein we are absent from him} Thus shall we persevere in our devoted service until the arrival of that blissful moment, when we are to

IL Cor.v. 6. be united with him in heaven, never again to be separated from him.

Let us offer to the Blessed Mother this beautiful Sequence, wherewith the Churches of Germany used formerly to celebrate her Seven Joys, and of which the Resurrection was one of the grandest.

SEQUENCE.

Virgo templum Trinitatis, Deus summae bonitatis

Et misericordiae, Qui tnse humilitatis Lt dulcorem suavitatis

Vidit et fragrant ias, De te nasci nuntiatur, Cum per angelum mandatur

Tibi salua gratiae ; Modum qnseris, demonstrating

Dum consentis, incarnatur Confestim rex gloriaa. Per hoc gaudium precamur,

Ut hunc regem raereamur

Habere propitium, Et ab eo protegamur, Protecti recipiamur

In terra viventium. Do secundo gratularis, Quod tu solem stella paris,

Velut luna radium ; Pariendo non gravaris, Virgo manes, non mutaris

Propter puerperium. Sicut flos propter odorem Suum non perdit decorem,

Cum odor emittitur ; Sic nec propter creatorem Virginitatis candorem

Tu perdis, cum nascitur. O Maria, Mater pia, Esto nobis recta via

Apud tuum filium,

O Virgin ! Temple of tho Trinity ! the God of all goodness and mercy, being pleased with the loveliness of thy humility, meekness, and purity, is announced as having to be born of thee. The message is brought thee by the Angel, who hails thee Full of Grace. Thou askest how? and thou art told. Thou consentest: and the King of glory instantly becomes incarnate in thy womb.

We beseech thee by this Joy, that we may deserve to receive mercy from this King, be protected by him, and, thus protected, be admitted into the land of the living.

Thy second Joy is that thou, the Star, givest birth to the Sun, as the Moon emits its ray. This birth injures thee not ; thou remainest a Virgin as before. As a flower loses not its beauty by sending forth its fragrance ; so neither losest thou the bloom of thy Virginity by giving birth to thy Creator.

O Mary, kind Mother! be to us the way that leads to thy Son ; and, by thy second Joy,

SATURDAY, 2ND WE graciously intercede for us, that we be converted from our

A star tells thee of thy third J oy. Thou seest a star resting over^ thy Child, the Magi adoring him, and offering their varied gifts. The star expresses Unity ; three Kings, Trinity : the gold signifies purity of soul ; the myrrh, chastity of body ; the incense, adoration.

O Mary, Star of the Sea ! pray for us, that we may be cleansed from our sins, enriched with virtue, and united with thee in the happiness and bliss of the heavenly Country.

The fourth Joy, O holy Virgin ! was given thee, when Jesus rose from the Tomb, on the third day. By this Mystery, faith is strengthened, hope restored, and death put to flight ; and thou, O full of Grace, hadst thy share in effecting these wonders. The enemy is conquered : he is im-

Srisoned, and loses his power, [an, who had been made captive, is set free, and raised from earth to heaven above.

Do thou, therefore, O Mother of our Creator 1 pray hourly for us, that, by this Joy, we may be associated with the choirs of the heavenly citizens, after this life's labours are over.

Thou receivedst thy fifth Joy, O Mary I when thou wast present at thy Son's Ascension into heaven. Then pasoh: time ii.

Atque pro tua gratia Repelle nostra vitia

Per secundum gaudium. De tertio gratulari Stella monet, quam morari

Vides super filio Cum a magis adorari Ipsum, cernis et ditari,

Munere tam vario. Stella monet unitatem Tresque regis trinitatem

In dicto sacrificio ; Aurum mentis puritatem, Myrrha carnis castitatem,

Thus est adoratio. O Maria, Stella mundi, A peccatis simus mundi

Per te, Virgo Maria, Et virtutibus fcecundi, Laeti tecum et jocundi,

Laetemur in patria. Quartum, Virgo, tibi datur,

Cum a morte suscitatur

Christ us die tertia. Per hoc fides roboratar, Spes redit et mors f ugatur

Per te, plena gratia ; Hostis victus captivatur

Amissa potentia ; Homo captus liberatur, Et ab humo sublevatur

Sursum ad coelestia.

Ergo mater creatoriss Funde preces cunctis horis,

Ut per istud gaudium, Post cursum hujus laboris, Beatis jungamur choris

Supernorum civium.

Quintum, Virgo, recepisti, Ascendentem dum vidisti

Filium in gloria. Tunc aperte cognovisti

I

146 PASCt

Quod tu mater exstitisti,

Cujus eras filia. In ascensu demonstrator Via, per quam ascendatur

Ad co3li palatia ; Ergo surgat et sequatur Istam viam, qui moratur

In mundi miseria. Per hoc gaudium roga- mus,

Ne subjici valeamus

Daemonis imperio ; Sed ad coelos ascendamus, Ubi semper gaudeamus, Tecum et cum filio. Sextum gaudium ostendit,

De supernis qui descendit In Unguis Paraclitus,

Dum confirmat et defendit,

Replet, mundat et accendit

Apostolos penitus, Ignis in linguis est datus, Ut per ignem sit sanatus

Homo linguis perditus, Et per ignem emendatus Qui fuerat maculatus

Per peccatum primitus. Per hoc gaudium beatum, Ora, Virgo, tuum natum,

Ut in hoc exilio Nostrum deleat reatum, Ne sit in nobis peccatum

In magno judicio.

Ad septimum invitavit, Cum de mundo te vocavit,

Christus ad ccelestia, Super thronos exaltavit, Exaltatam honoravit

Speciali gratia. Sic honor tibi prsestatur, Qui nemini reservatur

In ccelesti curia ; Nec virtu tibus ditatur, Nisi cui per te datur, iL TIME. didst thou clearly know, that He, whose Mother thou wast, was thy Creator. His Ascension shows us the path, whereby we are to ascend to heaven. Let us, then, who dwell in this miserable world, arise, and follow this path.

We beseeeh thee, by this Joy, to pray that we may never be wade subject to Satan's power ; but that we ascend to heaven, where, with thee and thy Son, we may rejoice for all eternity.

The sixth Joy was when the Holy Ghost descended, in the form of fiery tongues, from t heaven , strengthening,def ending, filling, cleansing, and inflaming tne Apostles. The tire was given in tongues, that man, who owed his perdition to a tongue, might be saved by such fire ; and that he who, at the beginning, had been defiled by sin, might, by fire, be purified.

We pray thee, O Virgin ! by this holy Joy, — intercede for us to thy Son, that he pardon us our sins, now in this our exile, lest there be found guilt upon us at the great judgment.

Jesus invited thee to the seventh Joy, when he called thee out of this world to heaven, placed thee on thy throne, and honoured thee with special favours. Thus is honour given to thee, such as none of the blessed in heaven enjoy ; nor can any mortal attain to the perfection of virtue, unless, by thine interces-

SATURDAY, 2ND WE won, he receive the safeguard of virtue.

O Virgin Mother of Mercy ! give us to feel the proofs of thy loving intercession, which ■will preserve us from sin, and lead us to eternal joys, in the company of the Blessed.

O Virgin most pure! we beseech thee, by these thy Seven Joys, pray that we may be purified from our sins ; and, being made fruitful in good works, lead us, O Fruitful Mother, to the blissful joys of heaven. Amen.

Virtutum custodia.

Virgo, mater pietatis, Sentiamus bonitatis Tuse beneficia ; Et nos serves a peccatis, Et perducas cum beatis Ad seterna gaudia. O Maria totamunda, A peccatis nos emunda

Per hsec septem gaudia Et fcecunda nos fcecunda, Et due tecum ad jocunda Paradisi gaudia. Amen.