Fourth Sunday after Easter

f. In thy resurrection, O % In resurrectione tua, Christ, alleluia. Christe, alleluia.

19. Let heaven and earth Rr. Cceli et terra l»tentur, rejoice, alleluia. alleluia.

Our Jesus has organised his Church, and confided to his Apostles the sacred deposit of the truths which are to form the object of our faith. We must now follow him in another work, of equal importance to the world, and to which he gives his divine attention during these forty days : it is the institution of the - Sacraments. It is not enough that we believe ; we must, moreover, be made just, that is, we must bear upon us the likeness of God's holiness; we must receive, we must have incorporated within us, that great fruit of the Redemption which is called Grace ; that thus being made living members of our divine Head, we may be made joint-heirs with him of the Kingdom of heaven. Now, it is by means of the Sacraments, that Jesus is to produce in us this wondrous work of our justification ; he applies to us the merits of his Incarnation and Sacrifice, but he applies them by certain means, which he himself, in his power and wisdom, has instituted.

Being the sovereign Master of his own gifts, he can select what means he pleases whereby to convey Grace to us ; all we have to do, is to conform to his wishes. Thus, each of the Sacraments is a law ; so that, it is in vain that we hope for a Sacrament to produce its •effects, unless we fulfil the conditions specified by our

Redeemer. And here, at once, we cannot but admire that infinite goodness, which has so mercifully blended two such widely distinct operations in one and the same act, — namely, on the one side, the humble submission of man, and, on the other, the munificent generosity of God.

We were showing, a few days back, how the Church, though a spiritual society, is also visible and exterior, because man, for whose sake the Church was formed, is a being composed of body and soul- When instituting the Sacraments, our Lord assigned to each an essential rite; and this rite is outward and sensible. He made the Flesh, which he had united to his Divine Person, become the instrument of our salvation by his Passion and Death on the Cross ; he redeemed us by shedding his Blood for us : — so is it in the Sacraments ; he follows the same mysterious plan, taking physical things as his auxiliaries in effecting the work of our justification. He raises them to a supernatural state, and makes them the faithful and all-powerful conductors of his grace, even to the most intimate depths of our soul. It is the continuation of the mystery of the Incarnation, the object of which is, — to raise us, by visible things, to the knowledge of things invisible. Thus is broken the pride of Satan ; he despised man because he isnot purely a spirit, but is spirit and matter unitedly ; and he refused to pay adoration to the Word made

Moreover, the Sacraments, being visible signs, are an additional bond of union between the members of the Church : we say additional, because these members have the two other strong links of union, — submission to Peter and to the Pastors sent by him and profession of the spe faith. The Holy Ghost tells us, in the Sacred Volume, that a threefold cord, is not easily broken. Now, we have such a one ; and

1 Eccles. iv. 12.

Flesh. it keeps us in the glorious unity of the Church : — Hierarchy, Dogma, and Sacraments, all contribute to make us One Body. Everywhere, from north to south, and from east to west, the Sacraments testify to the fraternity that exists amongst us ; by them, we know each other, no matter in what part of the globe we may be, and by the same we are known by heretics and infidels. These divine Sacraments are the same in every country, how much soever the liturgical formulae of their administration may differ; they are the same in the graces they produce, they are the same in the signs whereby grace is produced, in a word, they are the same in all the essentials.

Our Risen Jesus would have the Sacraments be Seven. As, at the beginning he stamped the Creation of the visible orld with this sacred number, — giving six days to work and one to rest, — so, too, would he mark the great spiritual creation. He tells us, in the Old Testament, that Wisdom (that is, himself, — for he is the Eternal Wisdom of the Father,) will build to himself a Howe, which is the Church ; and he adds, that he will make it rest on seven pillars. He gives us a type of this same Church in the Tabernacle built by Moses, and he orders a superb Candlestick, to be provided for the giving light, by day and night, to the holy place ; but there were to be seven branches to the Candlestick, and on each branch were to be graven flowers and fruits. When he r ises his beloved Disciple to heaven, he shows himself to him surrounded by seven candlesticks, and holding seven stars in his right hand. He appears to him as a Lamb, bearing seven horns, (which are the symbol of strength,) and having seven eyes, (which signify his infinite wisdom). Near him lies a Book, in which is written the future of the

1 Prov. ix. 1. 3 Apoc. i. 12, 16.

2 Exod. xxv. 37.

*lbid. v.6. world ; the Book is sealed with seven seals, and none but the Lamb is able to loose them. The Disciple sees seven Spirits, burning like lamps, before the throne of God, ready to do his biddings, and carry his word to the extremities of the earth.

Turning our eyes to the kingdom of Satan, we see him mimicking God's work, and setting up a seven of his own. Seven capital and deadly sins are the instruments whereby he makes man his slave ; and our Saviour tells us, that when Satan has been defeated, and would regain a soul, he brings with him seven of the wickedest spirits of hell. We read in the Gospel, that Jesus drove seven devils out of Mary Magdalene. When God's anger bursts upon the world, immediately before the coming of the dread Judge, he will announce the approach of his chastisements by seven trumpets, sounded by seven Angels ;a and seven other Angels will then pour out upon the guilty earth seven vials filled with the wrath of God.

We, therefore, who are resolved to make sure our election ; who desire to possess the grace of our Risen Jesus in this life, and to enjoy his vision in the next; oh ! let us reverence and love this merciful Seven-fold, these admirable Sacraments! Under this sacred number, he has included all the varied riches of his grace. There is not a want or necessity, either of souls individually, or of society at large, for which our Redeemer has not provided by these seven sources of regeneration and life. He calls us from death to life by Baptism and Penance ; he strengthens us in that supernatural life by Confirmation, the Eucharist, and Extreme Unction ; he secures to his Church both Ministry and increase by Holy Orders and Matrimony. seven Sacraments supply

1 Apoc. v. 1, 5. . *76W. iv. 5.

• 11>id. viii. 2. ♦ifctf.xvi. 1.

FOUKTH SUNDAY AFTER EAST Ell. £83 everything needed ; take one away, and you destroy the harmony. The Churches of the East, — though severed, now for long ages, from Catholic unity, — retain all seven ; and when Protestantism broke the sacred number, it showed in this, as in all its other pretended reformations, that it was estranging itself

.from the spirit of the Christian Religion. No: the doctrine of the Sacraments is one that cannot be denied, without denying the true Faith. If we would be members of God's Church, we must receive this doctrine as coming from Him, who has a right to insist on our humble submission to his every word. It is to the soul which thus believes, that the Sacraments appear in all their divir e beauty and power: we understand, because we believe, Gredite, et intelligetis ! It is the fulfilment of the text from Isaias, as rendered by theSeptuagint: Unless ye believe, ye shaU not understand P

Let us confine our considerations, for to-day, to

. the first of the Sacraments, — Baptism. It is during Paschal Time that we have it brought before us in all its glory. We remember how, on holy Saturday, it filled the hearts of the Catechumens with joy, giving them a right to heaven. But the great Sacrament had had its preparations. On the feast of the Epiphany, we adored our Emmanuel as we * beheld him descending into the river Jordan, and, by this contact with his sacred Body, communicating to the element of Water the power of purifying men's souls from sin. The Holy Ghost, in the form of a dove, rested on Jesus' head, and, by his divine influence, gave fecundity to the life-giving element. The voice of the Eternal Father was heard in a cloud announcing hit* adoption of all such as should receive Baptism; he adopted them in Jesus, his eternally well-beloved Son.

1 Is. vtt. ».

During his sojourn on earth, our Redeemer thus explained the mystery of Baptism to Nicodemus, who was a ruler among the Jews, and a master in Israel : Unless a man be born again of Water and the Holy Ghost, he ca not enter into the Kingdom of God. Here, as in so many other instances, he foretells what he intends to do at a future time ; he . prepares us for the mystery, by telling us, that, as our first birth was not pure, he is preparing a second for us ; that this secon 1 birth will be holy, and that Water is to be the instrument of so great a grace.

But after his Resurrection, our Emmanuel openly announced his having given to Water the power of producing the sublime adoption to which mankind was invited by the Eternal Father. Speaking to his Apostles, he thus gives them the fundamental law of the^ Kingdom he had c >me from heaven to establish : Going, teach ye all na ions : baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost This is the master-gift bestowed on the world by its Redeemer: — salvation by Water and the invocation of the blessed Trinity ; for he adds : He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved, What a revelation was here ! It told us of the infinite mercy, wherewith our Creator loved us : it was the inauguration of the Sacraments by the announcement of the first of the Seven,— of that one, which, * according to the expression of the Holy Fathers, is the Gate to the rest.

Let us love this august mystery of Baptism, to which we are indebted for the life of our souls, and for the indelible charac er which makes us members of our divine Head, Jesus. The holy King of France, St. Louis, who was baptised in the humble village of Poissy, loved to sign hi.nself "Louis of Poissy." He looked upon the baptismal font as the mother who

1 St John, iii. 5. » St Matth. xxviii. 19. 3 St Mark, xvi. 16. had given him a life incomparably superior to that which made him the son of an earthly monarch : — she gave him to be the child of Qod, and heir to the kingdom of Heaven. We should imitate this saintly King.

But observe the exceeding considerateness of our Risen Jesus, when he instituted this the most indispensable of the Sacraments. He chose for its matter the commonest that could be, and the most easily to be had. Bread, Wine and Oil are not so plentiful as Water, which is to be found in every place; God made it thus plentiful, that when the appointed time came, the fount of regeneration might be wibhin everyone's reach.

In his other Sacraments, our Saviour would have Priests alone to be the ministers : not so with Baptism, Any one of the Faithful, whatever may be his or her condition, may administer Baptism. Nay more; an Infidel can, by Water and the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, confer upon others the Baptismal Grace, which he or she themselves do not possess, provided only that they really intend to do what holy Church does, when she administers the sacrament of Baptism.

Nor is this all. An unbaptised man or woman may be dying, and no one near them to administer this Sacrament ; they are on the brink of eternity, and there is no hand nigh fchem to pour the Water of regeneration upon them ; — our Saviour has lovingly provided for this necessity. Let this man or woman believe in Baptism; let them desire it in all the sincerity of their souls; let them entertain sentiments of compunction and love, such as are required of an adult when receiving Baptism ;— they are Baptised in desire, and heaven is open to them.

But what if it be a child, that has not come to the use of reason ? Our Saviour's words are plain : He that beUeveth and is baptised, shall be saved. How, then, can this child be saved i the guilt of original sin is upon it, and it is incapable of making an act of faith ? Fear not : the power of holy Baptism extends even so far as this. The faith of the Church will be imputed to this Child, which the Church is about to adopt as her own : let Water be but poured on the Child, in the name of the three Divine Persons, — and it is a Christian for ever. Baptised in the faith of the Church, this Child now possesses, (and, as we say, personally,) Faith, Hope and Charity; the sacramental Water has achieved this wondrous work. If the little innocent die, it goes straight to heaven.

These, O Jesus! are the admirable effects of the first of thy Sacraments. How truly does the Apostle say of thee, that thou wiliest all men to be saved I1 If this thy will be in some without its fulfilment, so that some children die without Baptism, it is because of the consequences which sin produces in the parents, and which thy J ustice is not bound to prevent. And yet, how frequently does not thy mercy intervene, and procure the grace of Regeneration for children who, naturally, would have been excluded ! Thus, the water of Baptism has been poured upon countless Babes, who were dying in the arms of their pagan parents, and the Angels received these little ones into their choirs. Knowing this, dear Saviour, we are forced to exclaim with the Psalmist : Let us that live bless the Lord /2

In the Greek Church, the fourth Sunday after Easter is called the Sunday of the Samaritan, because there is then read the passage of the Gospel, which relates the conversion of this woman.

The Roman Church begins, in her Night Office of this Sunday, the Canonical Epistles ; and continues them till Pentecost Sunday.

1. Tlni. ii. 4. 1 Ps. cxiii. IS.

MASS.

In the Introit, the Church makes use of one of the finest canticles of the Koyal Prophet, in order to celebrate the wonderful graces bestowed upon her by her Divine Spouse; she also rejoices at the thought that the Gentiles have been called to the knowledge of God, to justification and salvation.

Sing to the Lord a new canticle, alleluia : because the Lord hath done wonderful things, alleluia : he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Fs. His right hand, and his holy arm hath saved us. f. Glory, &c. Sing, dec*

Cantate Domino canticum novum, alleluia : quia mirabilia fecit Dominus, alleluia : ante conspectum gentium revelavit justitiam suam. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Ps. Salvavit sibi dextera ejus : et brachium sanctum eju. f. Gloria PatrL Cantate.

Laden with the blessings of God, who, by his divine Sacraments, has made them to be one people, the Faithful should not be satisfied with observing the commandments, — they should love them ; they should also long after the Heaven that is promised them. The Church prays, in the Collect, that her children may receive the grace to do all this.

COLLECT.

Deus, qui fidelium unius efficis voluntatis : populis tuis id amare quod praecipis, id desiderare quod promittis ; ut inter ibi nostra fixa sint corda, ubi

0 God, who makest the menfaithful to be of one mind : tes grant that thy people may love da what thou commandest, and desire what thou promisest : that, amidst the uncertainties mundanaa varietates of this world, we may place vera sunt Dominum. gaudia. Per our affections where there are true joys. Through, <fcc.

To this are added two of the Collects given in page 154.

EPISTLE.

Lectio Epistolse beati J acobi ApostolL Gap. L Charissimi, omne datum optimum, et omne donum perf ectum desursum est, descendens a Fatre luminum, apud quern non est transmutatio nec vicissitudinis obumbratio. Yoluntarie enim genuit nos verbo veritatis, ut sinius iuitium ali-

?[Uod creaturaa ejus. Scitis, ratres mei dilectissimL Sit autem omuis homo velox ad audiendum: tardus autem ad loquendum, et tardus ad iram. Ira enim viri, justitiam Dei non operatur. Propter quod abjicientes omnem immunditiam, et abundantiam malitise, in mansuetudine suscipite insitum verbum, quod potest 8alvare animas vestras.

Lesson of the Epistle of Saint James the Apostle. Ch. I.

Dearly beloved: Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of fights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration. For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creatures. Tou know, my dearest brethren . And let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak, and slow to anger. For the anger of man worketh not the justice of God. Wherefore casting away all uncleanness and abundance of naughtiness, with meekness receive the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

The favours bestowed upon the Christian people proceed from the goodness of our Heavenly Father. He is the source of everything in the order of nature; and if, in the order of grace, we are become his Children, it is because he sent us his Consubstantial Word, — the Word of Truth, — whereby, by means of Baptism, we were made Children of God. Hence, we ought to imitate, as far as our weakness will permit, the divine calm of our Father who is in heaven ; we ought to avoid that state of passionate excitement, which savours of a terrestrial life, whereas ours should be of the heaven whither God calls us. The Apostle bids us receive, with meekne, the Word, which m kes us what we are. He tells us, that this Word is a germ of salvation grafted into our souls: only let us put no obstacle to its growth, and we shall be saved.

In the first Alleluia- Versicle, our Risen Jesus extols, in the words of the Royal Psalmist, the power of his Father, who gave him the victory of his Resurrection. In the second, we ourselves proclaim the praise of the immortal life of our divine Master; we proclaim it in the words of St. Paul.

Alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia.

% The right hand of the "ft. Dextera Domini fecit

Lord hath displayed power : virtutem : dextera Domini the right hand of the Lord exaltavit me. hath raised me up.

Alleluia. Alleluia.

J. Christ rising from the f. Christus resurgens ex dead, dieth now no more : mortuis, jam non moritur : death shall no longer have mors illi ultra non domina- dominion over him, alleluia. bitur, alleluia.

Sequel of the holy Gospel according to J ohn. Gh.XVL

At that time : Jesus said to his disciples : I go to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me : Whither goest thoul But because I nave spoken these things to you, sorrow hath filled your heart. But I tell you the truth : it is expedient to you that I go :

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem. Gap. XVI.

In illo tempore: Dixit Jesus discipulis suis : Vado ad eum qui misit me : et nemo ex vobis interrogat me, Quo vadis 1 Sed quia hsec locutus sum vobis, tristitia implevit cor vestrum. Sed ego veritatem dico vobis : Expedit vobis ut ego vadam : si enim non abiero, Paraclitus non veniet ad vos : si autem abiero, mittam eum ad vos. Et cum venerit ille, arguet mundum de peccato, et de justitia, et de j udicio. De peccato quidem, quia non crediderunt in me : 3e justitia vero, quia ad Fatrem vado, et jam non videbitis me: de j udicio autem, quia princeps hujus mundi jam judicatus est. Adhuc multa habeo vobis dicere : sed not potestis portare modo. Cum autem venerit ille Spiritus veritatis, docebit vos omnem veritatem : non enim loquetur a semetipso : sed quaecuinque uudiet loquetur, et qu» ventura sunt annuntiabit vobis. Ille me clarificabit : quia de meo accipiet et annuntiabit vobis. for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you ; but if Iigo, I will send him to you. And when he is come, he will convince the world of sin, and of justice, and of judgment. Of sin : because they believed not in me. And of justice : because I go to the Father; and you shall see me no longer. And of judgment : because the prince of this world is already judged. I have yet many things to say to you : but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself: but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak : and the things that are to come he shall show you. He shall glorify me : because he shall receive of mine, and shall show it you.

The Apostles were sad at hearing Jesus say to them : I go. Are not we so, too ? we, who, thanks to the sacred Liturgy, have been in such close company with him, ever since the day of his Birth at Bethlehem. Yet a few days, and he is to ascend into heaven, and our Year is to lose the charm it possessed of following, day by day, the actions and words of our Emmanuel. Still, he would have us moderate our sadness. He tells us, that, in his stead, the Paraclete, the Comforter, is about to descend upon the earth, and abide with us to the end of time, in order that he may give us light and strength. Let us make good use of these last hours with our Jesus : we shall soon have to be preparing for the Divine Guest, who is to take his place.

By these words, which were spoken shortly before his passion, our Saviour does more than tell us of the coming of the Holy Ghost ; he also shows us, how terrible this coming will be to them that have rejected the Messias. His words are unusually mysterious : let us listen to the explanation given of them by St. Augustine, the Doctor of Doctors. — When the Holy Ghost is come, says our Lord, he will convince the world of Sin, because they believed not in me. How great must, indeed, be the responsibility of them, that have been witnesses of Jesus' wonderful works, and yet will not receive his teaching ! Jerusalem will be told that the Holy Ghost has come down upon the Disciples ; and she will receive the news with the same indifference as she did the miracles which proved Jesus to be her Messias. The coming of the Holy Ghost will serve as a sort of signal of the destruction of the Deicide City. »"* sus adds: The Paraclete ivill convince the world of . .«8ti<ce, because I go to the Father ; and ye shall see me no longer. The Apostles, and they that believe their word, shall be just and holy by faith : they will believe in Him that is gone to the Father, — in Him whom they are to see no longer in this world. Jerusalem, on the contrary, will remember him only to blaspheme him : the holiness, the faith, the justice of them that shall believe, will be her condemnation, and the Holy Ghost will leave her to her fate. Jesus continues : The Paraclete will convince the world of Judgment, because the prince of this world is already judged. They that follow not Christ Jesus, follow Satan : he is their prince, but his judgment is already pronounced. The Holy Ghost warns the followers of the world, that their leader is already in eternal torments. Let them reflect well upon this; for, as St. Augustine observes, " the pride of man " has no right to reckon upon indulgence ; let it but " think of the hell into which even the angels were ° cast because they were proud."1

In Joannem, Tract, xcv.

In the Offertory, the Christian makes use of the Psalmist's words, to celebrate the favours bestowed by God upon his soul. He invites the whole earth to join him in his gratitude, and he does well ; for the favours received by this Christian are offered to the whole of mankind ; Jesus has invited all men to share by means of the Sacraments, in the graces of the Redemption.

Jubilate Deo uni versa Sing to the Lord all the terra, psalmum dicite no- earth, sing a psalm to his mini ejus : venite et audite, name : come and hear, and I et narrabo vobis, omnes qui will relate to you, all you who timetis Deum, quanta fecit fear God, what great things

Dominus animae meae, al- the Lord hath done for my leluia. soul, alleluia.

Holy Church delights on the contemplation of divine truth, so profusely communicated to her by our Risen Lord ; she prays, in the following Prayer, that her children may lead such good lives in this world, as to merit the eternal enjoyment of the God of all truth.

Deus, qui nos per hujus O God, who mad est us par- sacrificii veneranda com- takers of the one Supreme mercia, unius summae divi- Divinity, by the frequent cele- nitatis participes effecisti : bration and participation of praesta quaesumus ; ut sicut this holy sacrifice : grant, we tuam cognoscimus verita- beseech thee, that as we know tern, sic earn dignis moribus thy truth, so we may live up assequamur. Per Dominum. to it by a worthy conduct of

To this are added two of the Secrets given in page 159.

OFFERTORY.

SECRET. life. Through, &c.

FOUKTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER.

The Communion- Anthem repeats the mysterious words of the Gospel, which we have already explained ; they remind us, that the coming of the Holy Ghost may be, either a reward, or a punishment, according

When the Comforter, the Cum venerit Paraclitus,

Spirit of truth, shall come, he Spiritus veritatis, ille ar- will convince the world of sin, guet niundum de Deccato, and of justice, and of judg- et de justitia, et de judicio. ment. Alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whilst giving thanks for the divine mystery just received, the Church, in the Postcommunion, teaches us that the Eucharist has the power of cleansing us from our sins, and preserving us from the dangers to which we are exposed.

Help us, O Lord, our God, Adesto nobis, Domine that our sins may be forgiven, Deus noster : ut per hsec and that we may be delivered quae fideliter sumpsimus, et from all dangers by the sacra- pnrgemur a vitiis, et a peri- ment, which we have received culis omnibus eruamur. Per with faith. Through, <kc. Dominum.

To this are added two of the Postcommunions given in page 151.

The Psalms, Hymn and Versicle are given in pages 99-105. antiphon OF the Magnificat

Ant. I go to him that sent Ant. Vado ad euuv qui me: but, because 1 have spoken misit me : sed quia haeo Jopasch: time. ii. T

COMMUNION.

POSTCOMMUNION.

VESPERS.

274 pasch cutus sum vobis, tristitia implevit cor vestrum, alleluia.

OREMUS.

Deus, qui fidelium mentes unius efficis voluntatis : da populis tuis id amare quod praecipis, id desiderare quod promittis ; ut inter mundanas varietates ibi nostra fixa sint corda, ubi vera sunt gaudia. Per Dominum. lL TIME these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart, alleluia.

LET US PRAY.

O God, who makest the Faithful to be of one mind, grant that thy people may love what thou commandest, and, desire what thou promisest: that, amidst the uncertainties of this world, we may place our aftections where there are true joys. Through, <Sac.

We will close the day with the following fine Preface given in the ancient Gothic Missal, which was published by Dom Mabillon, and was formerly used in many of the Churches of Gaul.

Dignum et justum est ; aequum et salutare est : nos tibi hie et ubique semper gratias agere, Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeteme Deus. Sed in hac die Resurrectionis Domini nostri Jesu Christi Filii tui gratulatio major exsultat in cordibus nostris. Hie est enim dies, in quo nobis exorta est perpetuae causa laetitiae. Hie est dies resurrectionis humanae, et vitas natalis aeternae. Hie est dies, in quo satiati sumus mane misericordia tua : quo nobis ille Benedictus, qui venit in nomine Domini, Deus noster inluxit nobis. Hie enim Dominus noster

It is meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should, here and in all places, give thanks to thee, O Holy Lord, Almighty Father, Eternal God : but, on this day of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, thy Son, a greater gladness is excited within our hearts. For this is the Day, on which there sprang up unto* us the cause of perpetual joy. This is the Day of man's resurrection, the birth-day of life everlasting. This is the Day, on which we were filled, in the morning, with thy mercy ; the Day on which he who cometh in the name of the Lord, the Blessed One, our God, shone upon us. For this our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, fulfilling the nrophecies in their appointed time, visited us after two days, and rose again on the third. This is the Day enriched with bo great a blessing, that it is celebrated with joy by the whole of mankind ; for the death of all men was put to death on the Cross of Christ, and the life of all men had its resurrection in his Resurrection.

Jesus Christus Filius tuus adimplens Prophetias temporibus prsestitutis visitavit nos post biduum, die tertia resurrexit. Hie est enim dies tanti muneris benedictione signatus : qui hodierna festivitate gaudentibus in toto or be mortalibus frequentatur. Quia omnium mors perempta est in cruce Christi ; etm Resurrectione ejus omnium vita surrexit.