Sunday Within the Octave of the Ascension

nos orphanos; sed mitte orphans, but send upon us promissum Patris in nos, the Spirit of truth, promised

Spiritum veritatis, alleluia, by the Father, alleluia.

Jesus has ascended into heaven. His Divinity had never been absent ; but, by the Ascension, His Humanity was also enthroned there, and crowned with the brightest diadem of glory. This is another phase of the mystery we are now solemnizing. Besides a triumph, the Asoension gave to the saored Humanity a place on the very throne of the eternal Word, to whom it was united in unity of Person. From this throne, it is to receive the adoration of men and of angels. At the name of Jesus, Son of Man, and Son of God, — of Jesus who is seated at the right hand of the Father almighty, — ' Every knee shall bend, in heaven, on earth and in hell.' 1

Give ear, 0 ye inhabitants of earth ! This is the Man Jesus, who heretofore was a little Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes ; who went through Judea and Galilee, not having where to lay His head ; who was bound by the sacrilegious hands of his enemies, was soourged, crowned with thorns, nailed to a cross;

1 Philipp. ii. 10, who, whilst men thus trampled Him, as a worm, beneath their feet, submitted His will to that of His Father, accepted the chalice of suffering, and, that He might make amends to the divine glory, shed His Blood for the redemption of you sinners. This Man Jesus, child of Adam through Mary the immaculate, is the master-piece of God's omnipotence. He is ' the most beautiful of the sons of men' ; J the angels love to fix their gaze upon Him; 2 the blessed Trinity is well-pleased with Him ; the gifts of grace bestowed on Him surpass all that men and angels together have ever received. But He came to suffer, and suffer for you ; and though He might have redeemed you at a much lower price, yet would He generously overpay your debts by a superabundance of humiliation and suffering. "What reward shall be given to Him ? The apostle tells us in these words: 4 He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross; for which cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name, which is above all names.' 3

Tou, then, who compassionate with Him in the suffering whereby He wrought your redemption ; you who devoutly follow Him in the stages of His sacred Passion; now raise up your heads, and look up to the highest heaven ! Behold this Jesus ' crowned with glory and honour because He suffered death' ! 4 See how the Father has magnified Him in return for His having * emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant,' though in His other nature, He was equal with God. 5 His crown of thorns is replaced by a crown of precious stones. 6 The cross that was laid on His shoulders is now the ensign of His power. 7 The wounds made by the nails and the spear are now like

1 Pb. xliv. 3. 3 Philipp, ii. 8, 9. 5 Philipp. ii. 6,7.

• 1 S*. Pet. i 21.

4 Heb. ii. 9. 7 Is. ix. 6,

6 P 8 . xx. 4, five bright sans that light up all heaven. Glory, then, be to the justice of the Father, who has dealt thus with His Son ! Let us rejoice at seeing the Man of sottows 1 become now the King of glory; and let us, with all the transport of our souls, repeat the hosanna wherewith the angels welcomed Him into heaven.

Nor must we suppose that the Son of Man now that He is seated on the throne of His Divinity, is inactive in His glorious rest. No ; the sovereignty bestowed upon Him by the Father, is an active one. First of all, He is appointed Judge of the living and of the dead, 2 before whose judgement-seat we must all stand. 3 No sooner shall our soul have quitted the body, than she shall be presented before this tribunal, and receive from the lips of the Son of Man the sentence she will have deserved. 0 J esus ! by the glory Thou didst receive on the day of Thine Ascension, have mercy on us at that moment whereon depends eternity.

But the judgeship of our Lord Jesus Christ is not to be confined to this silent exercise of His sovereign power. The angels, who appeared to the apostles after His Ascension, told us that He is to come again upon the earth ; that He is to descend through the clouds, as He ascended ; and that then shall be^ the last judgement, at which the whole human race is to be present! Throned on a cloud, and surrounded by the angelic host, the Son of Man will show Himself to mankind, and this time with all majesty. Men shall see Him whom they pierced ; 4 the imprints of those wounds, which will give additional beauty to His sacred Body, will be an objeot of terror to the wicked, while to the good they will be a source of unspeakable consolation. The shepherd, seated on His ethereal throne, will separate the goats from the i T fl n;i q 3 Rom. xiv. 10.

<Zach.xii.lO, sheep. His voice, after so many ages of silence, will make itself once more heard upon this earth: He will speak to impenitent sinners, condemning them to eternal torments ; He will speak to the just, calling them to approach Him, and ascend, body and soul, into the region of everlasting bliss.

Meanwhile, He exercises over all nations the royal power, which He received, as Man, on the day of His Ascension. He redeemed us all by His Blood ; we are therefore His people, and He is our King. He is, and He calls Himself, 6 King of kings and Lord of lords.' 1 The kings of the earth reign not either by their own prowess, or by the boasted social compact ; they lawfully reign by Christ alone. Peoples and nations are not their own masters ; they belong to Christ and are His subjects. His law requires no sanction from man ; it is above all human laws, and should be their guide and controller. 6 Why have the nations raged, and the people devised vain things ? The kings of the earth stood up and the princes met together, against the Lord and against His Christ. They said: Let us break their bonds asunder, and let us cast away their yoke from us.' 2 How vain all these efforts! For, as the apostle says, 'He must reign, until He hath put all His enemies under His feet/ 3 that is, until His second coming, when the pride of man and satan's power shall both be at an end.

Thus, then, the Son of Man, crowned at His Ascension, must reign over the world to the end of time. But it will be objected: ' How can He be said to reign in these our times, when kings and emperors and presidents acknowledge that their authority comes from the people ; and when the people themselves, carried away with the ideas of self-government and liberty and independence, have lost all idea of au-

1 Apoc. xix. 16. 2 Ps. ii. 1-3, 3 X Cor. xv, 25.

FASQH Tina. jij. £

PASCHAL TIMB thorityP' And yet, He reigns; He reigns in His justice, since men refused to be guided by His olemenoy. They expunged His law from their statutes; they gave the rights of citizenship to error and blasphemy: then did He deliver them up, both people and rulers, to their own follies and lies. Authority and power have become ephemeral: and as they scorn to receive the oonseoration of the Church, the hand that holds them to-day, may be empty to-morrow. Then anarohy, then a new ruler, and then a fresh revolution. This will be the future, as it is the present, history of nations, until they once more acknowledge Jesus as their King, and resume the constitution of the ages of faith: * It is Christ that conquers ! it is Christ that reigns! it is Christ that commands! May Christ preserve His people from all evil ! '

On this Thy coronation-day, receive our devoted homage, 0 Jesus, our King, our Lord, our Judge ! By our sins, we were the cause of Thy humiliations and sufferings ; so much the more fervently, then, do we unite with the acclamations made to Thee by the angels when the royal diadem was placed on Thy head by the eternal Father. As yet, we but faintly see Thy grandeur ; but the holy Spirit, whom Thou art about to send upon us, will teach us more and more of Thy sovereign power, for we are, and wish to be eternally, Thy humble and faithful subjects !

In the middle-ages, the Sunday within the octave of the Ascension was called the Sunday of roses, because it was the custom to strew the pavement of the churches with roses, as a homage to Christ who ascended to heaven when earth was in the season of flowers. How well the Christians of those times appreciated the harmony that God has set between the world of grace and that of nature ! The feast of the ^scension ? when consi4ered in its ojaief ohara<?t©ristic ?

is one of gladness and jubilation, and spring's loveliest days are made for its celebration. Our forefathers had the spirit of the Church ; they forgot, for a moment, the sadness of poor earth at losing her Emmanuel, and they remembered how He said to His apostles: 'If ye loved Me, ye would be glad, beoause I go to the Father ! ' 1 Let us do in like manner ; let us offer to Jesus the roses wherewith He has beautified our earth: their beauty and fragrance should make us think of Him who made them, of Him who calls Himself the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys. 2 He loved to be called Jesus of Nazareth ; for Nazareth means a flower ; and the symbol would tell us what a oharm and sweetness there is in Him whom we serve and love as our God.

MASS

The Introit, which is taken from the Book of Psalms, expresses the longings of the Church to behold her Spouse, who has fled far from her. The faithful soul is possessed with the same desire ; she unites in the prayer of our holy mother, and says to Jesus : • Oh ! hearken to the wish of my heart, and show me Thy divine face ! '

INTROIT

Exaudi, Domine, vocem meam, qua clamavi ad te, alleluia. Tibi dixit cor meum: Quaesivi vultum tuum, vultum tuum Domine requiram : ne avertas f aciem tuam a me. Alleluia, alleluia.

P«. Dominus illuminatio mea, et salus mea: quern

1 gt. John ? xiv. 28 t

Hear, 0 Lord, my voice, with which I have cried out to thee, alleluia. My heart hath said to thee: I have sought thy face! I will seek thy face, 0 Lord: turn not thy face from me. Alleluia, alleluia.

Ps. The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall

2 Cant. ii. }, timebo? f. Gloria Patri. I fear? f . Glory &c. Hear, Exaudi. &c.

The Church, in the Colleot, teaches us to ask of G-od that good will, which will render us worthy of seeing our Jesus, by making us zealous in the service of His divine Majesty.

COLLECT

Omnipotens sempiterne 0 Dens, fac nos tibi semper et devotam gerere voluntatem, et majestati tuae sincero corde servire. Per Dominum. almighty and eternal God, inspire thy servants with true devotion, and grant that we may serve thy divine Majesty with sincere hearts, Through, &c.

A commemoration of the Ascension is added, by the Collect, page 176.

Lectio Epistolae beati Petri Apostoli. / Cap. iv. Charissimi, estote prudentes, et vigilate in orationibus. Ante omnia autem, mutuam in vobismetipsis charitatem continuam habentes: quia caritas operit multitudinem peccatorum. Hospitales invicem sine murmuratione. Unusquisque, sicut accepit gratiam, in alterutrum illam administrantes, sicut bonidispensatores multiformis gratise Dei. Si quis loquitur, quasi sermones Dei: si quis ministrat, tamquam ex virtute, quam administrat Deus: ut in omnj-

Lesson of the Epistle of Saint Peter the Apostle. I Ch. iv. Dearly beloved: Be prudent, and watch in prayers. But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins. Using hospitality one towards another, without murmuring. As every man hath received grace, ministering the same one to another: as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the words of God. If any man minister, let him do it as of the power which God administereth; that in all things Go<J bus honorificetur Deus per may be honoured through Je- Jesum Christum Dominum sus Christ our Lord, nostrum.

The prince of the apostles, who presided over the holy assembly that awaited in the cenacle the descent of the divine Spirit, here addresses us, who are in expectation of the same great gift, and reoommends us to practise fraternal charity. This virtue, says he, covereth a multitude of sins; could we make any better preparation for receiving the Holy Ghost? This raraclete is ooming that He may unite all men into one family ; let us, then, put an end to all our dissensions, and prove ourselves to be members of the brotherhood established by the preaching of the Gospel. During these days of our preparing to receive the promised Comforter, the apostle bids us be prudent and watch in prayers. Let us follow his instruction ; we must show our prudence by excluding everything that might be an obstacle to the Holy Ghost's entering our hearts ; and as to prayer, it is the means which will open our hearts to Him, that He may make them His own for ever.

The first of the two Alleluia- versicles is taken from the Psalms*and celebrates the majesty of Jesus upon His royal throne ; the second is formed of the words of this same Saviour, promising us that He will return at the end of the world, when He comes to gather together His elect.

Alleluia, alleluia. f \ Regnavit Dominus super omnes gentes: Deus sedet super sedem sanctam suam.

Alleluia.

~f. Non vos relinquam orphanos: vado et venio ad vos, et gaudebit cor vestrum. Alleluia.

Alleluia, alleluia. f. The Lord hath reigned over all nations: God sitteth upon his holy throne.

Alleluia.

1^. I will not leave you orphans: I go, and I come to you, and your heart shall rejoice. Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem. Cap. xv., xvi.

In illo tempore: dixit Jesus discipulis suis: cum venerit Paraclitus, quern ego mittam vobis a Patre, Spiritum veritatis, qui a Patre procedit, ille testimonium perhibebit de me: et vos testimonium perhibebitis, quia ab initio mecum estis. Hsec locutus sum vobis, ut non scandalizemini. Absque synagogis facient vos: sed venit hora ut omnis, qui interficit vos, arbitretur obsequium se praestare Deo. Et ha3C facient vobis, quia non noverunt Patrem, neque me. Sed hsec locutus sum vobis: ut, cum venerit hora eorum, reminiscamini quia ego dixi vobis.

Sequel of the holy Gospel according to John. Ch. xv., xvi.

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: when the Paraclete cometh, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, he shall give testimony of me; and you shall give testimony, because you are with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized. They will put you out of the synagogues ; yea the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth a service to God. And these things will they do to you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things I have told you; that when the hour shall come, you may remember that I told you of them.

Here we have our Jesus telling us the effects, which the coming of the Holy Ghost will produce in our souls. These words were first addressed to the apostles, at the last Supper. He told them that the Paraclete would give testimony of Him, that is, would instruct them upon His Divinity, and teach them to be faithful to Him, even so as to lay down their lives for Him. A few moments before His Ascension, Jesus again spoke to them concerning the Paraclete, and called Him * the power from on nigh.' 1 Severe

1 St. Luke, xxiv. 49. trials were awaiting these apostles ; they would have to resist unto blood. 1 Who would be their support P For, of themselves, they were but weak men. The Holy Ghost, who was to abide with them. By Him they would conquer, and the Gospel would be preached to all nations. Now, this Spirit of the Father and of the Son is about to descend upon us ; and what is the object of His visit, bat that of arming us for the combat, and strengthening us against the attacks of our enemies ? As soon as this holy season of Easter is over, and we no longer have the celebration of its mysteries to enlighten and cheer us, we shall find ourselves at the old work of battling with the three enemies: the devil, who is angered by the graces we have received ; the world, to which we must unfortunately return; and our passions, whioh, after this oalm, will again awaken, and molest us. If we be * endued with the power from on high', we shall have nothing to fear. Let us, therefore, ardently desire to receive Him ; let us prepare Him a worthy reoeption ; let us use every endeavour to make Him abide with us ; and we shall gain the victory, as did the apostles.

The Offertory gives us the words of the psalmist, describing the glories of Jesus' Ascension. Holy Churoh wishes to impress the thought of this triumph well upon us, that our hearts may be fixed on the dear oountry, where our Jesus awaits us.

OFFERTORY

Ascendit Deus in jubila- God ascended in triumph, tione: et Dominus in voce and the Lord at the sound of tubae, alleluia. the trumpet, alleluia.

While offering to God the bread and wine, whioh are soon to be changed into the Body and Blood of

1 Heb. xii, 4.

Christ, the Church, in the Secret, prays that we maj not only be made pure by our contact with these divine mysteries, but may also receive the vigour and energy which are so indispensably needed by every Christian.

Sacrificia nos, Domine, sacriimmaculata purificent: et fices mentibus nostris supernae invigorate gratiae dent vigorem. Per Dominum.

May these unspotted purify us 0 Lord, and our souls with heavenly grace. Through, &c.

A commemoration is then made of the Ascension, by the Secret of the feast, given on page 182. The Preface is that of the Ascension, page 182.' The Communion-anthem is formed of the words addressed by Jesus to His eternal Father, after having instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, at the last .Supper. They show us what His wishes are in

Pater, cum essem cum Father, when I was with eis, ego servabam eos quos them, I kept those whom thou dedisti mihi, alleluia: nunc gavest me, alleluia: now I re- autem ad te venio: non ro- turn to thee: I do not pray go ut tollas eos de mundo, that thou mayst take them out sed ut serves eos a malo. of the world, but that thou

Alleluia, alleluia. wouldst keep them from evil.

Thanksgiving is the Christian's first duty after receiving, in holy Communion, the Body and Blood of Christ. The Church, which appreciates so much more perfectly than we can ever do the greatness of the favour thus bestowed on us, prays, in her Postcommunion, that we may ever be giving thanks to our divine benefaotor.

SECRET our regard.

COMMUNION

Alleluia, alleluia.

POSTCOMMUNION

Repleti, Domine, mune- Grant, we beseech thee, 0 ribus sacris: da quassumus; Lord, that we may be always ut in gratiarum semper thankful for the sacred gifts, actione maneamus. Per with which we have been

Dominum. filled. Through &c.

ANTIPHON OP

Hsec locutus sum vobis, ut quum venerit hora eorum, reminiscamini, quia ego dixi vobis, alleluia.

OREMUS

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, fac nos tibi semper et devotam gerere voluntatem, et majestati tuae sincero corde servire. Per Dominum. the Magnificat

These things I have told you, that when the hour shall come, ye may remember that I told you, alleluia.

LET US PRAY

0 almighty and eternal God, inspire thy servants with true devotion, and grant that we may serve thy divine Majesty with sincere hearts. Through, &c.

Let us offer to our triumphant Jesus the following beautiful hymn, which is used by the Church at the Matins of the feast of the Ascension, and during the ootave. It forcibly expresses the mystery, and shows us how fervently we ought to celebrate it.

HYMN

Sterne rex altissime, Redemptor et fidelium, Cui mors perempta detulit Summae triumphum glorias.

Ascendis orbes siderum, Quo te vocabat coelitus

0 eternal and sovereign King, and Redeemer of the faithful! thy victory over death won for thee a triumph of highest glory.

Thou ascendest above the starry world, there to exercise

2A8CKAL TIME

Collate, non humanitus, Rerum potestas omnium.

Ut trina rerum machina Coelestium, terrestrium Et inferorum condita, Flectat genu jam subdita.

Tremunt videntes angeli Versam vicem mortalium: Peccat caro, mundat caro, Regnat Deus Dei caro.

Sis ipse nostrum gaudium, Manens Olympo praemium, Mundi regis qui f abricam, Mundana vincens gaudia.

Hinc te precantes quaesumus,

Ignosce oulpis omnibus, Et corda sursum subleva Ad te superna gratia.

Ut cum repente coeperis Clarere nube judicis, Poenas repellas debitas, Reddas coronas perditas.

Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui victor in cesium redis, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. Amen. thy supreme power over all creatures,— a power conferred by heaven, not by man.

Now the triple kingdom of heaven, earth, and hell, is subject to thee; and all things in them bow the knee in homage to thy power.

The angels gaze with wonder on the change wrought in mankind: it was flesh that sinned, and now Flesh taketh all sin away, and the God that reigns is the God made Flesh.

Be thou our joy, who awaitest us to be our reward in heaven. Thou art the ruler of this world; our joy that surpasses all earthly joys.

Therefore do we beseech thee, in humble prayer, that thou pardon all our sins, and, by thy heavenly grace, lift up our hearts to the things that are above.

That when thou appearest suddenly on a bright cloud as our judge, thou mayst forgive us the punishment we deserve, and restore to us the crown we had lost.

Glory be to thee, 0 Jesus, who ascendest in triumph to heaven I and to the Father, and to the Spirit of love, for everlasting ages. Amen.

We may close the day with this prayer, taken from the Mozarabio breviary.

PRAYER

Balvator noster, et Domi- 0 Jesus, our Saviour and sttNDA* Within the Octave o* tub ascension 219 ne, qui ascendens in coelos, Lord! who when ascending into intuentium clarificatus ap- heaven, didst deign to show thy parere dignatus es oculis: glory to them that gazed upon dum ita ut ascenderas, ven- thee, promising them, that as turum ad judicium polli- thou ascendest, so wouldst thou ceris: fac nos hodiernaB As- come to the judgment; grant censionis tuae festum pura that we may welcome, with

^ cordium devotione susci- true devotion of heart, this pere: ut ita in te semper day's feast of thine Ascension: ad melius vita nostra ascen- that thus our lives, by continu- dendo proficiat, qualiter ad ally ascending to what is more judicium venientem incon- holy, may so advance in thy fusibili contuitu te semper service, as that our eyes may visionis aspiciat. Amen. look upon thee with a confid- ing look, when thou comest to judge us. Amen.