Whit Monday

raolete Spirit, these messengers of the good tidings. They will soon be followed by the disoiples of the oenaole, who, after using in vain every means that zeal could devise for the conversion of the proud and ungrateful Jerusalem, will turn to the Gentiles/

So that, of the Jewish nation a very small minority has acknowledged the Son of David as the heir of the Father of the family; the body of the people has rebelled against Him, and is running headlong to destruction. By what name are we to call their crime ? The Protomartyr St. Stephen, speaking to these unworthy children of Abraham, says: c 0 stiffnecked and uncircumoized in heart and ears! ye always resist the Holy Ghost ! ' 1 Resistance, then, to the Spirit of God is their crime ; and the apostles, finding the favoured people determined to refuse the truth, turn to them that are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. 2 These are the Gentiles; and upon them the apostles are henceforward to lavish the torrents of grace, which Jesus has merited for mankind by His sacrifice on the cross.

These messengers of the word of life oarry the treasure to pagan lands. Every opposition in man's power is made against them, but they triumph over all. The holy Spirit gives efficacy to His own indwelling within them ; He acts Himself on the souls of their hearers ; and rapid is the 6pread of faith in Jesus. A Christian oolony is soon formed at Antioch, then at Rome, and then at Alexandria. The tongue of fire runs through the world, beyond even the farthest limits of the Roman empire, which, as the prophets had foretold, was to serve as an instrument for establishing the kingdom of Christ. India, China, Ethiopia, and a hundred other distant countries, hear the word of the heralds of the Gospel of peace.

1 Acts, yii. 61. * St, Luke, i. 79 ,

But they have another testimony, besides their word, to give to Jesus, their King: they owe Him the testimony of their blood, and they give it. The fire that was enkindled within them on the day of Penteoost, consumes them in the holocaust of martyrdom.

And yet, observe the power and fruitf ulness of the holy Spirit! To these first apostles He raises up successors, in whom He continues His influence and work. So«will it be to the end of time ; for Jesus is to be acknowledged as Lord and Saviour by all generations, and the Holy Ghost has been sent into the world in order to effect this.

The prinoe of this world, the old serpent, 1 makes use of the most violent means for staying the conquests of these messengers of the holy Spirit. He has had Peter crucified, and Paul beheaded: he spared not one of the glorious chieftains. They are gone, and yet his defeat is terrible to his pride. The mystery of Pentecost has created a new people ; the seed sown by the apostles has produced an immense harvest. Nero's persecution has swept away the Jewish leaders of the Christian host ; but they had done their grand work, they had established the Church among the Gentiles. We sang their triumph in our yesterday's Introit: « The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole earth! Alleluia! 2 ' Towards the close of the first oentury, Domitian finds Christians even in the imperial family ; he makes them martyrs. Trajan, Adrian, Antoninus, Marcus Aurelius, all are jealous of the growing power of Jesus of Nazareth; they persecute His flock, and yet they see it multiply. Their master, the prince of this world, gives them political influence and philosophy; but the Holy Ghost brings both to nought, and the truth spreads through the universe. Other emperors, such as Seve-

1 Apoc. xii. 9, * Wisfl. i. 7. rus, Deoius, Gallus, Valerian, and Maximian, with the sterner course of oruelty unrefined by sophistry, order a universal massaore of the Christians, for the empire is filled with them. And when this, too, fails, satan brings all his power to bear in the last persecution, which is decreed by Dioclesian and his fellow- CaBsars. It is to be the extermination of the Christian name. It deluges the empire with the blood of martyrs ; but the victory is for the Church, and her enemies die, despairing and baffled.

How magnificent, 0 holy Spirit, is Thy triumph ! How divine is this kingdom of Jesus, which Thou thus foundest in spite of human folly and malice, or of satan's power, strong as it then was upon the earth ! Thou infusest into millions of souls the love of a religion which demands the most heroic sacrifices from its followers. Thou answerest the specious objections of man's reason by the eloquence of miracles: and hearts, that once were slaves to conoupisoence and pride, are inflamed by Thee with such a love of Jesus, that they cheerfully suffer every torture, yea and death itself, for His dear sake !

Then was fulfilled the promise made by our Saviour to His disciples : ' When they shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what to speak, for it shall be given to you, in that hour, what to speak ; for it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you.' 1 We have a proof of it in the ' Acts of the martyrs', where we read their simple and sublime answers, when questioned by their persecutors, and this frequently in the midst of the most excruciating torments. It is the word of the Spirit, combating and conquering the world. The bystanders would frequently exclaim: ' Great is the God of the Christians ! ' At times, the executioners,

1 St. Mattb, x. 19, 20. incited by the heavenly eloquenoe of the viotims they were torturing, cried out that they too would be disciples of suoh a God. We are told by authors who lived in those times, that the arena of martyrdom was the forum of faith, and that the blood and testimony of the martyrs was the seed of Christians.

For three centuries did these prodigies of the holy Spirit continue, and then the victory was oomplete. Jesus was acknowledged as the King and Saviour of the world, as the Teaoher and Eedeemer of mankind ; satan was driven from the kingdom he had usurped ; and idolatry was either abolished by the faith in the one true God, or they that still kept it up were looked upon as ignorant and depraved beings. Now, this viotory — which was gained first over the Roman empire, and since then over so many other infidel nations — is the work of the Holy Ghost. The miraculous manner of its accomplishment, is one of the chief arguments whereon our faith rests. We have not seen or heard Jesus ; and* yet we confess Him to be our God, because of the evident testimony given of Him by the Spirit whom He sent to us. May all creatures, then, give glory, thanks, and love to this holy Paraclete, who has thus put us in possession of the salvation brought us by our Emmanuel !

MASS

The Station for to-day is in the basilica of Saint Peter ad vincula. This church, which is also oalled, after the name of the empress who built it, the basilica of Eudoxia, possesses the preoious relic of the chains (vincula) wherewith St. Peter was bound at Jerusalem by order of Herod, and at Rome by order of Nero. The faithful would be reminded, on being assembled in this church ? of the fortitude wherewith^

WHIT MONDAY I MASS the apostles were endowed by the Holy Ghost, on the day of Pentecost. Peter was bound with chains, because he laboured in the servioe of his divine Master; he felt it an honour to be thus fettered. He that once trembled at being questioned about Jesus by a woman, rejoices, now that he has received the gift of the Holy Ghost, at being loaded with chains for Jesus' sate. The prince of this world thought he might enohain the word of God ; but no, this word is free, even under the shackles forged by a Nero.

The Introit is taken from the Psalms, and is an allusion to the newly baptized, who are present at the holy Saorifioe, vested in their white garments. After their Baptism, they were fed with the fat of wheat, the Bread of life. They received honey out of the rock: the rock is Christ, as St. Paul tells us, 1 and Christ permitted Simon, the son of Jonas, to share with Him the honour ; He made him the rock, when He said to him: Thou art Peter ! "Would we have a proof of Simon's staunch fidelity to his Master? Look at these chains! Now, the same holy Spirit who manned Peter for the oombat, is now resting on the neophytes of Penteoost.

INTROIT

Cibavit eos ex adipe fru- He fed them with the fat menti, alleluia ; et de petra of wheat, alleluia ; and filled melle saturavit eos. Alle- them with honey out of the luia, alleluia. rock. Alleluia, alleluia.

Ps. Exsultate Deo adju- Ps. Eejoice in God, our tori nostro: jubilate Deo helper ; sing aloud to the God

Jacob, f. Gloria Patri. of Jacob. f. Glory, &c.

Cibavit* He fed them, &c.

In the Oolleot, holy Churoh oommemorates the

1 J Co r . 4, descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles ; and whilst thanking God for the gift of faith, which He has bestowed on the newly baptized, she beseeches Him to bless them with that peace which our risen Jesus gave His disciples.

COLLECT

Deus, qui apostolis tuis 0 sanctum dedisti Spiritum: concede plebi tuae pise petitionis effectnm ; ut quibus dedisti fidem largiaris et pacem. Per Dominum.

God, who didst give the Holy Ghost to thine apostles, hear the prayers of thy people, that they may enjoy a happy peace, who, by thy grace, have received the gift of faith.

Through, &c.

EPISTLE

Lectio Actuum Apostolorum.

Cap. x.

In diebus illis: Aperiens Petrus os suum dixit: Viri fratres, nobis praecepit Dominus praedicare populo, et testificari quia ipse est, qui constitutus est a Deo judex vivorum et mortuorum. Huic omnes prophetae testimonium perhibent, remissionem peccatorum accipere per nomen ejus omnes qui credunt in eum. Adhuc loquente Petro verba haec, cecidit Spiritus sanctus super omnes qui audiebant verbum. Et obstupuerunt ex circumcisione fideles qui venerant cum Petro: quia et in nationes gratia Spiritus sancti effusa est. Audiebant enim illos loquentes linguis, et ma-

Lesson from the Acts of the Apostles.

Ch. x.

In those days: Peter opening his mouth, said: Brethren, the Lord commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who was appointed by God to be judge of the living and of the dead. To him all the prophets give testimony, that by his name all receive remission of sins, who believe in him. While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word. And the faithful of the circumcision, who came with Peter, were astonished, for that the grace of ttye Holy Ghost was poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they heard them speaking with tongues, and magnifying God,

WHIT MONDAY! MASS gnificantes Deum. Tunc Then Peter answered: Can respondit Petrus: Numquid any man forbid water, that aquam quis prohibere po- these should not be baptized, test, ut non baptizentur hi, who have received the Holy qui Spiritum sanctum acce- Ghost as well as we? And perunt sicut et nos? Et jus- he commanded them to be sit eos baptizari in nomine baptized in the name of the

Domini Jesu Christi. Lord Jesus Christ.

This passage from the Acts of the Apostles, read on such a day as this, and in such a place, is most appropriate. Peter, the vicar of Christ, is accompanied by some Jews, who have been converted to the Christian faith. In their presence, several Gentiles, who have been touched by grace, on hearing Peter preaching profess themselves believers in Jesus, the Son of God: the moment has come for the apostle to throw the Church open to the Gentile world. Knowing that the Jewish converts would be tempted to jealousy, he appeals to the prophets. What say these prophets ? That all without distinction, who shall believe in Jesus, shall receive forgiveness of their sins in His name. While Peter is thus arguing with his audience, the Holy Ghost removes every objection, by falling, as He did at Pentecost, on these humble and believing Gentiles. As soon as the Jewish converts perceive the miracle, they are astonished, and exclaim: ' What ! is the grace of the Holy Ghost poured out on the Gentiles also?' Peter replies: * Who dares to refuse Baptism to these men, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?' And without waiting for an answer, he gives the order, as head of the Church, that Baptism be immediately conferred upon these privileged catechumens.

Nothing, then, could be more appropriate than this passage of sacred Scripture, read in Rome, the oentre of the Gentile world, in a basilica dedicated to St f Peter ? and in the presence of the newly bap- tized, who had so reoently received the gifts of the Holy Ghost. We, also, have our lesson to learn from this Epistle: we must fervently thank our heavenly Father for having vouchsafed to call our ancestors to the true faith, and make us also partakers of the graces of the Holy Ghost.

Alleluia, alleluia.

"jL Loquebantur variis Unguis apostoli magnalia Dei.

Alleluia, alleluia. f. The apostles spoke in divers tongues, the wondrous works of God.

Here all kneel.

Alleluia. f. Veni, sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium : et tui amoris in eis ignem accende.

Alleluia. f. Come, 0 holy Spirit! fill the hearts of thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of thy love.

Then follows the Sequence, Veni> sancte Spiritus ; page 305.

GOSPEL

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Joannem. Cap. iii. In illo tempore: Dixit Jesus Nicodemo: Sic Deus dilexit mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret: ut omnis qui credit in eum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam seternam. Non enim misit Deus Filium suum in mundum, ut judicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum. Qui credit in eum, non judicatur: qui autem non credit, jam judicatus est: quia non credit in nomine unigeniti

Sequel of the holy Gospel according to John. Ch. iii.

At that time, Jesus said to Nicodemus: God so loved the world, as to give his only-begotten Son ; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life ever- " lasting. For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only-begotten by Google

WHIT MONDAY: MASS

Filii Dei. Hoc est autem Son of God. And this is the judicium: quia lux venit judgment: because the light in mundum, et dilexerunt is come into the world, and homines magis tenebras men loved darkness rather quam lucem: erant enim than the light: for their works eorum mala opera. Omnis were evil. For every one that enim qui male agit, odit doth evil hateth the light, and lucem, et non venit ad lu- cometh not to the light, that cem, ut non arguantur opera his works may not be reproved, ejus: qui autem facit veri- But he that doth truth, cometh tatem, venit ad lucem, ut to the light, that his works manifestentur opera ejus, may be made manifest, be- quia in Deo sunt facta. cause they are done in God.

The Holy Ghost creates faith within our souls, and by faith we obtain life everlasting ; for faith is not the intellect's assent to a proposition logically demonstrated, but a Virtue which proceeds from the will vivified by grace. Nowadays, faith is rare. Pride of intellect is at its height, and docility to the Church's teachings is far from being general. A man calls himself a Christian and a Catholic, and yet he has his own views upon certain subjeots, which he would very reluctantly give up, were they to be condemned by the only authority on earth which has power to guide us in what we are to hold or reject in matters pertaining to faith. He reads dangerous, sometimes even bad, books, without thinking of inquiring if the laws of the Church forbid such books. His religious instruction has been of a very meagre kind, and he seems to wish it to remain so, for he takes no pains to come to a solid and perfect knowledge of his religion ; the result is, that his mind is filled with the fashionable prejudices of the world he lives in, and, on more than one point, he may depend upon his having imbibed heretical notions. He is looked upon as a Catholic; he satisfies the exterior obligations of his religion, either because of his early training, or beoause the rest of his family do so, or because he feels more satisfied to do than to omit them: and yet — how sad it is to say it ! — he is not a Catholic, for his faith is gone.

Faith is the first link that unites us to God ; for, as the apostle says, he that oometh to God, must believe. 1 It brings us to God, and keeps us there. Our Saviour here tells us that he who belkveth is not judged: and the reason is, that he, whose faith is what our Gospel implies it to be, does not only assent to a doctrine, but he embraoes it with his whole heart and mind ; he believes it, because he wishes to love what he believes. Faith works, and is perfected, by oharity ; but it is itself a foretaste of charity. Therefore does our Lord promise salvation to him that believeth. This faith meets with obstacles, because of our fallen nature. As we have just been told, light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light. In this our age, darkness is prevalent. Even false lights are seen to rise up, and mislead thousands. We repeat it: faith — that faith which brings us to God and saves us from His judgments — is now rare. 0 divine Spirit! deliver us from the darkness of the times in which our lot has been cast. Humble the pride of our minds. Save us from that false religious liberty, which is one of the idols of our generation, and which keeps men from the true faith. We wish to love, and possess, and keep up within us, the glorious light: we wish to merit, by the docility and ohild-like simplicity of our faith, to enjoy the full oloudless vision of this divine light in heaven.

The Offertory is taken from one of the sublimest of the psalms. It speaks of the tempest, which heralded the coming of the holy Spirit ; and of the fountains of the living waters of Baptism, which sprang up and covered the earth with spiritual verdure, l Heb. xi. 6. whit Monday : mass

OFFERTORY

Intonuit de coelo Dominus, et Altissimus dedit vocem suam: et apparuerunt fontes aquarum, alleluia.

The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High gave forth his voice: then the fountains of waters appeared, alleluia.

In the Secret the Church prays that, by the operation of the holy Spirit, our hearts, as well as the sacred elements on the altar, may be an offering well pleasing to God.

SECRET

Propitius, Domine quaesumus, haec dona sanctifica: seech et hostiae spiritalis oblatione suscepta, nosmetipsos tibi perfice munus asternum. Per Dominum.

Mercifully sanctify, we bethee, OLord, these off erings; and having accepted the oblation of our spiritual victim, make us also an offering pleasing to thee. Through

&c.

The Preface is given page 310.

The Communion-anthem is formed of the words spoken by Jesus to His disciples, wherein He explains to them the ministry which the Holy Ghost has come to fulfil: He will provide for the teaching of the truths which Jesus has revealed.

COMMUNION

Spiritus sanctus docebit vos , alleluia : quaecumque dixero vobis. Alleluia, alle-

The Holy Ghost shall teach you, alleluia, whatever I shall say to you. Alleluia, alleluia, luia.

In the Postcommunion, the Church prays for us all, but in a special manner for her dear neophytes. They have just been receiving the sacred mysteries ; but their virtue and constancy will soon be put to the test: Satan, the world, and persecution, await them. The holy mother asks of God that He would have pity on these tender plants, and shelter them under the cover of His fostering care. frASCHAL Tnbi

Adesto, quaesumus Domine, populo tuo : et quern mysteriis coelestibus imbuisti, ab hostium furore defende. Per Domi num.

POSTCOMMUNION Help, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy people, and defend from the fury of their enemies those whom thou hast fed with thy sacred mysteries. Through

&c.

VESPERS

They are the same as yesterday's page 311, with the exoeption of the Magnificat antiphon and the Prayer.

ANTIPHON OF THE MAGNIFICAT

If anyone love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him, alleluia.

The Prayer is the Collect of the Mass, given above, page 346.

The Armenian Church gives us, for the Monday within the octave, the following beautiful hymn, wherein is celebrated the mission of the Holy Ghost.

HYMN

( Canon secundce diet)

Si quis diligit me, sermonem meumservabit: et Pater mens diliget eum, et ad eum veniemus, et mansionem apud eum f aciemus, alleluia.

Idem ac similis Patri et Filio, Spiritus tu non facte, et coexistens, procedens a Patre inscrutabiliter, accipiens a Filio inenarrabiliter, in coanaculum hodie descendisti, spiritu gratise tuae potasti : pota nos quoque per misericordiam calice sapientiae. .

0 uncreated Spirit ! one and the same and coexisting with the Father and the Son ; who proceedest inscrutably from the Father, and receivest of the Son ineffably ; thou this day descendedst into the cenacle, and gavest the disciples to drink of the spirit of grace. Oh ! give us also in thy mercy, to drink of the chalice of wisdom.

Exstantium Creator effectorum, qui ferebaris super aquas, pariter in aquis lavacri concessi nobis a tibi coexistente, blandiris amore columbsB instar, homines generasDeiformes: potanos quoque per misericordiam calice sapientiae.

• Magister supernorum intellectualium, ac imorum horum sensibilium; qui prophetas das de pastoribus, et apostolos de piscatoribus, evangelistas publicanos, praedicatores verbi tui peraecutores: pota nos quoque per misericordiam calice sapiential

Formidabilis venti instar, horrisono vehementi sonitu, apparuisti in coenaculo, Spiritus tu, choro duodecim, qui a te baptizati, velut aurum igne purgati sunt, expurga a nobis caliginem peccati, et indue nos lumine glorias.

Amor ex amore te amorem misit, sibi membra sua junxit, Ecclesiam suam quam aedificavit, septem columnis tuis firmavit, oeconomos in ea posuit apostolos septem charismatibus tuis exornatos: expurga a nobis caliginem peccati, et indue nos lumine gloriae.

PA80H TIMS. III.

O Creator of all things, who movedst over the waters! thou, in- the form of a Dove, lovingly broodest over the water of the font given to us by him who is Grod together with thee; and thus thou givest birth to a race of God-like men. Oh! give us also, in thy mercy, to drink of the chalice of wisdom.

0 Master of the heavenly spirits, and of us men who live on earth; who turnest shepherds into prophets, and fishermen into apostles, and publicans into evangelists, and persecutors into preachers of thy word; oh! give us also, in thy mercy, to drink of the chalice of wisdom.

O divine Spirit, who, as a mighty wind, whose rushing sound fills men with fear, appearedst in the cenacle to the choir of the twelve apostles, baptizing them with fire, as gold is cleansed of its dross; oh! drive from us the darkness of sin, and clothe us with the light of glory.

He that is love, out of love for man, sent thee that art love; by thee he united his members (that is, his Church), to himself ; he, by thee, built this Church, and set it upon seven pillars, and entrusted her to the stewardship of the apostles, who were adorned with thy seven gifts; oh! drive from us the darkness of sin, and clothe us with the light of glory.

3A

The following sequence was composed in the eleventh century, by the pious and learned Hildebert, bishop of Le Mans, and afterwards archbishop of Tours. It will show us what an enlightened appreciation of the mystery of the Holy Ghost was possessed by the Christians of the ages of faith, and how fervently they oelebrated it.

SEQUENCE

Spiritus sancte, Pie Paraclite, Amor Patris et Filii, Nexus Gignentis et Geniti.

Utriusque bonitas et charitas,

Et amborum essenti® puritas;

Benignitas, suavitas,

Jocunditas. Vinculum nectens Deum homini, Yirtus adunans Hominem Numini.

Tibi soli digno coli Cum Patre Filioque Jugis cultus, Honor multus Sit semper Procedenti ab utroque.

Tu mitis et hilaris,

Amabilis, laudabilis,

Vanitatis mundator,

Munditiae amator.

Vox suavis exsulum

Moarentium, Melodia civium

Gaudentium* Istis solamen, Ne desperent de te,

Istis juvamen,

O holy Spirit! merciful Paraclete!

Love of the Father and Son! Link of the Begetting and the Begotten!

Their goodness and charity: the purity of their essence; benignity, sweetness, joy!

The bond that joinest God to man; the power that unitest man to God!

To thee, who, with the Father and the Son, art alone worthy of adoration; to thee that proceedest from both, be worship and honour for ever!

Thou art gentle and joyous, worthy of love and praise. Thou cleansest the soul from vanity. Thou art the lover of purity.

Thou art music to them who mourn in exile; thou art the melody of them that are in joy.

To the former thou art a comforter, lest they should despair of thy help; to the

$6b

Ut suspirent ad te.

Consolator pionim, Inspirator bonorum, Consiliator moestorum,

Purificator errorum, Eruditor ignotorum, Declarator perplexornm.

Debilem erigens, Devium colligens, Errantem corrigens, Sustines labantem. Promoves conantem, Perficis amantem.

Perfectum educis De lacu f aecis, Et miseriae.

Deducis per semitam Pacis et laetitias: Inducis sub nube In aulam sapientiae.

Fundamentum sanctitatis, Alimentum castitatis, Ornamentum lenitatis, Lenimentum paupertatis, Supplementum largitatis, Munimentum probitatis.

Miserorum ref ugium, Captivorum suffragium.

Ulis aptissimus, Istis promptissimus.

Spiritus veritatis, Nodus fraternitatis, Ab eodem missus A quo et promissus. Tu crederis

Omnium judex, Qui crederis Omnium opif ex. latter, a helper, that they may long to behold thee.

The consoler of the pious, the inspirer of the good, the counsellor of the afflicted!

The remover of errors, the teacher of the ignorant, the solver of doubts!

Thou supportest the weak, guidest the wanderer, bringest back him that is astray, holdest him that is falling, encouragest him that strives, perfectest him that loves.

'Twas thou that broughtest from the pit of corruption and misery him that is now perfect.

'Tis thou that leadest him through the path of peace and joy, and admittest him, under the cloud (of faith), into the sanctuary of wisdom.

Thou art the foundation of sanctity, the nourishment of chastity, the beauty of meekness, the solace of poverty, the treasury of munificence, the bulwark of honesty.

Thou art the refuge of the miserable, and the deliverer of captives;

To the first, most seasonable ; to the second, most prompt.

Thou art the Spirit of truth, and the bond of brotherly love. He that sent thee, is the same that gave us the promise.

We believe thee to be the Judge of all men, as we believe thee to be their Creator.

PASCHAL Tttf £

Honestans bene meritos PraBmio, Onustans immeritos Supplicio.

Spiras ubi vis Et quando vis; Doces quos vis Et quantum vis.

Imples et instruis Certos in dubiis, Firmas in subitis, Begis in licitis.

Tu ordo decorans Omnia,

Decor ordinans et ornans Omnia,

Dicta, facta, cogitata, Dicta veritate, Facta honestate, Cogitata puritate. Donum bonum, Bonum perfectum, Dans intellectum, Dans et affectum. Dirigens rectum, Formans affectum, Firmans provectum, Et ad portas Paradisi Coronans dilectum. Amen.

Thou givest reward to them that merit it; thou inflictest chastisement on them that have no merit.

Thou breathest where and when thou wilt; thou teachest whom thou wilt, and as much as thou wilt.

Thou givest light and knowledge to thy faithful servants when in doubt; thou strengthenest them when taken unawares; thou guidest them when doing what is right.

Thou art order that beautifiest all things; thou art beauty, that ordainest all things, said, done, or thought; giving truth to what is said, honesty to what is done, purity to what is thought.

Thou art the good and perfect Gift, giving both understanding and love.

Thou guidest man to truth, thou f ormest his love. Thou confirmest him in good, and, having made him deserving of thy love, thou crownest him at heaven's gate. Amen.

THE GIFT OF GODLINESS

The gift of the fear of God is intended as a oure for our pride ; the gift of godliness is infused into our souls by the Holy Ghost, in order that we may resist self-love, whioh is one of the passions of our fallen nature, and the second hindranoe to our union with God. The heart of a Christian is not made to be either cold or indifferent ; it must be affectionate and devoted ; otherwise, it oan never attain the perfection for which God, who is love, has graciously oreated it.

The Holy Ghost, therefore, puts the gift of godliness into the soul, by inspiring her with a filial affection for her Creator. 'You have received', says the apostle, 'the Spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we ory to our God, Abba ! Father ! ' 1 This disposition makes the soul alive to whatsoever regards God's honour. It enables man to nourish within him a sorrow for his sins, in consideration of the divine mercy which has borne with and forgiven him, and of the sufferings and death of his Redeemer. It makes him thirst for God's glory to be ever spreading; he would, if he could, bring all his fellow-creatures to adore this God; he feels most keenly every insult that is offered to so dear a King. His greatest joy is to see others growing in their love and devotedness in the service of the sovereign Good. He is filled with filial submission to his heavenly Father, whose every will he is most ready to do, cheerfully resigned to whatsoever He may appoint.

His faith is unhesitating and fervent. Affectionately docile to the Church, he is always in the disposition of mind to abandon his most cherished ideas the moment he discovers them to be, in any way, out of harmony with her teaching or practice ; for he has an instinctive horror of novelties and insubordination.

This devotedness to God, which results from the gift of godliness, and unites the soul to her Creator by filial love, makes her love all God's creatures, inasmuch as they are the work of His hands, and belong to Him.

The blessed in heaven hold the first place in the fraternal affection of suoh a Christian, He has 9

1 Rom. vift.

PASCHAL TTMB most tender love for the holy Mother of God, and is zealous for her honour ; he venerates the saints ; he is a warm admirer of the courage of the martyrs, and of the heroic actions of the servants of God; he delights in reading of their miracles, and has a devotion to their sacred relics.

But his love is not limited to the citizens of heaven ; it is extended also to his fellow-creatures here on earth, for the gift of godliness makes him find Jesus in them. He is kind to every one, without exception. He forgives injuries, bears with the imperfections of others, and, where an excuse is possible for his neighbour, he makes it. He has compassion on the poor, and is attentive to the sick. His whole oonduct is the index of a sterling warm-heartedness, that weeps with them that weep, and rejoices with them that rejoice.

All this is found in those, who use Thy gift of godliness, 0 holy Spirit ! By infusing it into our souls, Thou enablest us to withstand the workings of our self-love, which would corrupt the heart ; Thou preservest us from that odious indifference to every one around us, which dries up all feeling ; Thou drivest from us the sentiments of jealousy and hatred. Yes, godliness inspired us with a filial love for our Creator, that softened the heart ; and every creature of God became dear to us. 0 blessed Paraclete, grant that this gift may produce its rich fruits in us ! Never permit us to stifle it by the love of self. Our Jesus has told us that His heavenly Father maketh His sun to rise upon the good and bad: 1 He would have us take this divine generosity as our model: do Thou, therefore, foster within us that germ of devotedness, kindness, and sympathy, which we received from Thee on the day of our Baptism, when Thou first tookest possession of our souls !