Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Christmas Day—Afternoon of the Eve
Christmas Eve, with its own happy spirit, is drawing to its close. Already has the Church terminated all her Advent Offices, by the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice. In her maternal considerateness, she has permitted her children to break their Fast of preparation for the great Feast, by taking their meal at midday. While refreshing […]
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Christmas Eve
“At length,” says St. Peter Damian in his Sermon for this holy Eve, “at length we have got from the stormy sea in to the tranquil port; hitherto it was the promise; now it is the prize; hitherto labor, now rest; hitherto despair, now hope; hitherto the way, now our home. The heralds of the […]
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Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Prope est jam Dominus; venite, adoremus. The Lord is now nigh; come, let us adore. How sweet and peaceful is thy entrance into this world, O Jesus! Thy voice is not heard giving its commands; and thy hands, the hands of a yet unborn babe, seem too weak to break the reed, so frail that […]
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Monday, December 23, 2013
Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Prope est jam Dominus; venite, adoremus. The Lord is now nigh; come, let us adore. It is thus thou raisest us up from our abject lowliness, O Eternal Son of the Father! It is thus thou consolest us under the fear we so justly feel by reason of our sins. Thou sayest to us: Israel, […]
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Seventh Antiphon
The Church sings this Antiphon in today’s Lauds: Ant. Ecce completa sunt omnia quæ dicta sunt per Angelum, de Virgine Maria. Ant. Lo! all things are accomplished that were said by the Angel, of the Virgin Mary. SEVENTH ANTIPHON O Emmanuel, Rex et Legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et salvator earum; veni ad salvandum nos, Domine […]
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Sunday, December 22, 2013
Fourth Sunday of Advent
(If this Sunday fall on the 24th of December, it is omitted that year; and in its place is said the Office of Christmas Eve, which is given here) We have now entered into the week which immediately precedes the Birth of the Messias. That long-desired Coming might be even tomorrow; and at furthest, that […]
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Sixth Antiphon
SIXTH ANTIPHON O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, Lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum; veni, et salva hominem quem de limo formasti. O King of nations, and their Desired One, and the Corner-Stone that makest both one; come and save man whom thou formedst out of slime. O King of Nations! thou art approaching still […]
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Saturday, December 21, 2013
Saturday in Ember Week
The Lessons from the Prophet Isaias are interrupted today also; and a Homily on the Gospel of the Mass is read in their place. As this Gospel is repeated in the Mass of the fourth Sunday of Advent, which is tomorrow, we will, for the present, omit it, and be satisfied with mentioning the reason […]
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Saint Thomas, Apostle
The Church announces to us today, in her Office of Lauds, these solemn words: Nolite timere: quinta enim die veniet ad vos Dominus noster. Fear not: for on the fifth day, our Lord will come to you. This is the last Feast the Church keeps before the great one of the Nativity of her Lord […]
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Fifth Antiphon
FIFTH ANTIPHON O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justiæ; veni et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis. O Orient! splendor of eternal light, and Sun of Justice! come and enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. O Jesus, divine Sun! thou art coming to snatch us from eternal […]
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