hall; it is in heaven, that the Man-God abides, now that he has quitted our earth, where he has left his disciples deprived of the Bridegroom,' and having to pass a certain period of time in the field of penance. Capharnaum signifies the field of penance and of consolation, which penance brings with it. Such was this earth intended to be, when Man was driven from Eden; such was the consolation, to which, during this life, the sinner was to aspire; and, because of his having sought after other consolations, -because of his having pretended at turning this field of penance into a new paradise, the world is now to be destroyed. Man has exchanged the lifegiving delights of Eden for the pleasures which kill the soul, and ruin the body, and draw down the divine vengeance. There is a remedy for all this, and only one, it is the zeal of the pastors, and the prayers of that portion of Christ's flock, which has withstood the torrent of universal corruption. But it is of the utmost importance, that, on this point, the Faithful and their Pastors should lay aside all personal considerations, and thoroughly enter into the spirit which animates the Church herself. Though treated with the most revolting ingratitude, and injustice, and calumny, and treachery of every sort,-this Mother of mankind forgets all these her own wrongs, and thinks only of the true prosperity and salvation of the very countries which despise her." She is well aware that the time is at hand when God will make justice triumphant; and yet, she goes on struggling, as Jacob did, with God, until there come the dawn of that terrible day, foretold by David and the sibyl. At the thought of the pool of fire," whose 1 St. Matth. ix. 15. 3 Gen. xxxii. 24-28. VOL. XI. 4 The sequence Dies 5 Apoc. xxi. 8. 2 G hellish vapours are already seeming to infest our atmosphere, and into which are to be plunged her rebellious children,-she looks almost as though she forgot the approach of the eternal nuptials, and had lost her vehement longings as a Bride. One would say, that she thinks of nothing but of her being a Mother; and, as such, she keeps on praying as she has always been doing,-only more fervently than ever, that the end may be deferred,-pro mora finis. That we may fulfil her wishes, let us, as Tertullian says, “assemble together in one body, that we may, "so to speak, offer armed force to God by our prayers. "God loves such violence as that." But, that our prayer may have power of that kind, it must be inspired by a faith which is thorough, and proof against every difficulty. As it is our faith which overcometh the world, so it is, likewise, our faith which triumphs over God, even in cases which seem beyond all ĥuman hope. Let us do as our Mother does, and think of the danger incurred by those countless men, who madly play on the brink of the precipice, into which, when they fall, they fall for ever. It is quite true they are inexcusable; it was only last Sunday, that they were reminded of the weeping, and gnashing of teeth, in the exterior darkness, which they will undergo who despise the call to the King's marriage-feast :“ -but, they are our brethren, and we should not be so quietly resigned at seeing them lose their souls. Let us hope against all hope. Our Lord, who knew, with certainty, that obstinate sinners would be lost,—did he, on that account, hesitate to shed all his Blood for them ? It is our ambition to unite ourselves to him, by the closest possible resemblance; let us, then, be resolved 1 TERTULL. Apol. xxxix. 3 1 St. John, v. 4. to imitate in that also, were occasion to serve us; at all events, let us pray, and without ceasing, for the Church's and our enemies, so long as we are not assured of their being lost. It is here, that nothing is useless, nothing is thrown away; for, come what may, God is greatly honoured by our faith, and by the earnestness of our charity. Only, let us be careful not to merit the reproach uttered by our Redeemer against the limping' faith of the fellow-townsmen of the Ruler of Capharnaum. We know, that our Jesus has no need to come down from heaven to earth, in order to give efficiency to the commands of his gracious will. If he deign to multiply signs and wonders around us, we will rejoice at them, because of our brethren who are weak of faith, we will make them an occasion for exalting his holy name,but, we will lovingly assure him, that our soul had no need of new proofs of his power, in order to believe in him! The Jewish people, whilst enduring its well-merited captivity, and straying along the river-banks of Babylon, has grown repentant, and, in our Offertory, joins our Mother the Church, in singing the admirable hundred and thirty-sixth Psalm;-there never was such a song of exile. OFFERTORY. Upon the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept, when we remembered thee, O Sion ! Super flumina Babylonis illic sedimus, et flevimus, dum recordaremur tui, Sion. The whole power of the God, who, with a word, cures both soul and body, resides in the Mysteries which are about to be celebrated on our Altar here. Let us, in the Secret, beseech him, that their effects may tell on our hearts. 1 Heb. xii. 13. SECRET. Cœlestem nobis præbeant hæc mysteria, quæsumus Domine, medicinam: et vitia nostri cordis expurgent. Per Dominum. May these mysteries, O Lord, we beseech thee, procure us a heavenly remedy, and cleanse away the vices of our hearts. Through, etc. The other Secrets, as in page 135. The word spoken of in the Communion-Anthem, as having raised man up from the abyss of his misery, is that of the Gospel, which calls mankind, saying: Come to the marriage! But, although deified by his participation, here below, in the Mystery of faith, -man aspires to the perfect and eternal Union, which is to be in the mid-day of glory. COMMUNION. Memento verbi tui servo tuo, Domine, in quo mihi spem dedisti: hæc me consolata est in humilitate mea. Remember, O Lord, thy word to thy servant, and by which thou gavest me hope: this hath comforted me in my distress. A persevering fidelity in observing God's commandments is the best preparation a christian can make for approaching to the holy Table, as the Postcommunion tells us. POSTCOMMUNION. Ut sacris, Domine, reddamur digni muneribus: fac nos, quæsumus, tuis semper obedire mandatis. Per Dominum. That we may be worthy of thy sacred gifts, O Lord, grant, we beseech thee, that we may always obey thy commandments. Through, etc. The other Postcommunions, as in page 137. VESPERS. The Psalms, Capitulum, Hymn and Versicle, as above, pages 74-84. 'St. Matth. xxii. 4. |