More precious than anything brought from the ends of the earth

On the eve of the great Feast of Corpus Christi, and recalling the blessed memories associated with the church of Corpus Christi, the Rev HD and EC (R.I.P.), I post the Lesson from today's Mass as a tribute.

Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat.

Lectio
Prov 31:10-31

Mulíerem fortem quis invéniet? Procul et de últimis fínibus prétium eius. Confídit in ea cor viri sui, et spóliis non indigébit. Reddet ei bonum, et non malum, ómnibus diébus vitæ suæ. Quæsívit lanam et linum, et operáta est consílio mánuum suárum. Facta est quasi navis institóris, de longe portans panem suum. Et de nocte surréxit, dedítque prædam domésticis suis, et cibária ancíllis suis. Considerávit agrum, et emit eum: de fructu mánuum suárum plantávit víneam. Accínxit fortitúdine lumbos suos, et roborávit bráchium suum. Gustávit, et vidit, quia bona est negotiátio eius: non exstinguétur in nocte lucérna eius. Manum suam misit ad fórtia, et dígiti eius apprehénderent fusum. Manum suam apéruit ínopi, et palmas suas exténdit ad páuperem. Non timébit dómui suæ a frigóribus nivis: omnes enim doméstici eius vestíti sunt duplícibus. Stragulátam vestem fecit sibi: byssus et púrpura induméntum eius. Nóbilis in portis vir eius, quando séderit cum senatóribus terræ. Síndonem fecit et véndidit, et cíngulum tradidit Chananǽo. Fortitúdo et decor induméntum eius, et ridébit in die novíssimo. Os suum apéruit sapiéntiæ, et lex cleméntiæ in lingua eius. Considerávit sémitas domus suæ, et panem otiósa non comédit. Surrexérunt fílii eius, et beatíssimam prædicavérunt: vir eius, et laudávit eam. Multæ fíliæ congregavérunt divítias, tu supergréssa es univérsas. Fallax grátia, et vana est pulchritúdo: mulier timens Dóminum, ipsa laudábitur. Date ei de fructu mánuum suárum, et laudent eam in portis ópera eius.

R. Deo grátias.

Lesson
Lesson from the book of Proverbs
Prov 31:10-31

[10] Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. [11] The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. [12] She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. [13] She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands. [14] She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar. [15] And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens. [16] She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. [17] She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm. [18] She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. [19] She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. [20] She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor. [21] She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments. [22] She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering. [23] Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land. [24] She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite. [25] Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.[26] She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. [27] She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle. [28] Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her. [29] Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all. [30] Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. [31] Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.

R. Thanks be to God.

Miserere mei, Domine.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Feast of the Most Holy Trinity

The Baptism of Christ.J-J Tissot

For much of my adult life, I have never ceased to be amazed at the number of times it is possible to discern groupings of three, whether in the real or spiritual domains of experience. It is a fascinating experiment to develop a personal list of these triplets, trios, and trichotomies. Here are a few to start you off:

Mum, Dad, Baby
Beginning, Middle, End
Length, Breadth, Height
Solid, Liquid, Gas
Animal, Vegetable, Mineral
Past, Present, Future
Adjective, Comparative, Superlative
Persons (grammar): 1st, 2nd & 3rd
Masculine, Feminine, Neuter
Birth, Marriage, Death

There are perhaps some who would dismiss this as a trivial pursuit. They might be surprised to learn the origin of the very word "trivia". The Complete OED gives us its etymology:

Latin ( < tri- , tri- comb. form + via way), a place where three ways meet.

The "Trivium" was for a thousand years the foundational course for higher learning throughout Christendom. Comprising grammar, rhetoric and dialectics, it taught students how to think and prepared them for the "Quadrivium", on completion of which they would be awarded their title of Master. Although nowadays something of a formality, the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge still award their Master's Degrees in the seventh year after matriculation.

"Trivia" aside, I am convinced that the universal presence of the three-in-one pattern points ineluctably to the Creator of the universe. It is the finger-print of the Divine Creator of all things visible and invisible. The Spirit of God who moved over the waters at the Creation is also known as digitus paternae dexterae, finger of God's right hand.

Philos-Sophia website. 

By way of illustration of the pattern, I am including a series of diagrams below which are modelled on the "Cosmic Icon".

I discovered this icon in the extraordinary work of Wolfgang Smith, mathematician, physicist, classical philosopher and student of ancient sapiential writings of the East. I cannot rate too highly his unique intellectual achievements and his remarkable spiritual insights. For those who wish to discover his work, please visit the Philos-Sophia website.






The Macrocosm

The Corporeal Domain is the world of whole objects whose being is perceptible to me through their qualities and my senses. The objects really exist in space and time. Physicists operate in the Physical Domain and measure the quantities  of the "particles" and/or "waves"  whose actualisation from potential into whole entities produces corporeal objects. The Physical Domain is subject to time but not to space. Causation within this domain is said to be "horizontal".
The Spiritual Domain in this model is non-corporeal and non-physical, existing  aeviternally, beyond space and time, producing effects outside its domain by "vertical causation".




The Microcosm

Man, according to this argument, is  a microcosm manifesting a tripartite or trichotomous aspect to his being like the macrocosm. He is composed of body, soul and spirit. All seem to agree that man has a body and a soul. Now, plants and animals have souls too, in the sense of a life-principle. But man has certain faculties quite absent from plants and animals, such as his power of reason. Some argue that these faculties are super-added to a man who, accordingly, has a body, a soul (life-principle) and a spirit. Others argue the faculties are super-added to man's soul so that it becomes a rational soul. According to them, man's being is dichotomous rather than trichotomous. There is not space in this post to develop this issue further.



The Human Soul

I heard the priest this morning in his sermon on the Trinity refer to the three faculties of the human soul. This recalled the questions in the Catechism of my childhood:

29. Is there any likeness to the Blessed Trinity in your soul?

There is this likeness to the Blessed Trinity in my soul: that as in one God there are three Persons, so in my one soul there are three powers.

30. Which are the three powers of your soul?

The three powers of my soul are my memory, my understanding, and my will.


The Triune God

God the Father, despite the arguments between the East and the West over "Filioque", is recognised by both as the aeviternal point of origin; God the Son (Logos, Verbum, reason, understanding) is eternally begotten from the Father; God the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father as His point of origin but, from a different perspective, is breathed into aeviternal being by the mutual love between the Father and the Son. In this sense He "proceeds from the Father and the Son."





The Incarnation

In space and time, the Word was made flesh;  descendit de coelis -He descended from Heaven. He entered the corporeal world (the circumference in the icon) and, as man, He was subject to space and time.
God the Father - Memory (the Ancient of Days)
Jesus Christ - Logos
The Holy Ghost - Will / Love







 Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui dedísti fámulis tuis in confessióne veræ fídei, ætérnæ Trinitátis glóriam agnóscere, et in poténtia maiestátis adoráre Unitátem: quǽsumus; ut, eiúsdem fídei firmitáte, ab ómnibus semper muniámur advérsis.
Almighty, eternal God, You Who have given Your servants, in the confession of the true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of that majesty to adore its unity, grant, we beseech You, that in the firmness of this faith we may ever be protected from all harm. [From today's Collect]

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

In médio Israël ego sum

[25] But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way.
cum autem dormirent homines, venit inimicus ejus, et superseminavit zizania in medio tritici, et abiit.[Matt 13]

We have ignored the Lord's injunction to "watch and pray." Whilst we slept, the enemy infiltrated the Church and sowed poisonous cockle. The infiltration has become an infestation from the top to the bottom.

We are besieged on all sides, and can hardly escape the danger of our enemy. And seeing that judgment is begone at the house of God, what hope is there left (if we fall) that the rest shall stand!
The fort is betrayed even of them that should have defended it. [From St John Fisher's reply to Bishops Stokesley, Gardiner and Tunstal, who were sent to the Tower by Thomas Cromwell to persuade Fisher to submit to the King Henry]

Here are some excerpts from today's Mass (Feria Sexta Quattuor Temporum Pentecostes ~ Dies Octavæ I. classis)

Introit

Ps 70:1-2
In te, Dómine, sperávi, non confúndar in ætérnum: in iustítia tua líbera me et éripe me.
In You, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame, in Your justice rescue me, and deliver me.

Collect
Orémus.
Da, quǽsumus, Ecclésiæ tuæ, miséricors Deus: ut, Sancto Spíritu congregáta, hostíli nullátenus incursióne turbétur.

Let us pray.
Grant to Your Church, we beseech You, almighty God, that, united by the Holy Spirit, she may in no way be harmed by any assault of the enemy.

Lesson
Ioël 2:23-24; 2:26-27

.. et non confundátur pópulus me us in sempitérnum. Et sciétis, quia in médio Israël ego sum: et ego Dóminus, Deus vester, et non est ámplius: et non confundétur pópulus me us in ætérnum: ait Dóminus omnípotens.
....My people shall nevermore be put to shame. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel; I am the Lord, your God, and there is no other; My people shall nevermore be put to shame, says the Lord almighty.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Pentecost: Veni, Sancte Spíritus, Come O Holy Spirit

The Sequence from today's Mass, is posted below in Latin with notes and an English translation.

Baronius Missal (Editio Typica 1962)

Veni, Sancte Spíritus,
et emítte cǽlitus
lucis tuæ rádium.
caelĭtus (coel-), adv. caelum. From heaven 

Holy Spirit! Lord of light!
From Thy clear celestial height,
Thy pure, beaming radiance give:

Veni, pater páuperum;
veni, dator múnerum;
veni, lumen córdium.

Come, Thou, Father of the poor!
Come, with treasures which endure!
Come, Thou light of all that live!

Consolátor óptime,
dulcis hospes ánimæ,
dulce refrigérium.
hospĕs, ĭtis m. Host, sojourner, visitor, guest, friend 

Thou of all consolers best,
Visiting the troubled breast,
Dost refreshing peace bestow:

Baronius Missal (Editio Typica 1962)

In labóre réquies,
in æstu tempéries,
in fletu solácium.
requiēs, ētis or ēī, f.: repose, rest, 3.393; respite, 4.433; support, comfort,
aestus , ūs, m.: glowing heat; summer; a boiling; a billowy motion; waves of flame, flames, wave, surge; tide, sea, flood; tide (of feeling), agitation,
tempĕrĭes, ēi, f. tempero, a due mingling, mixture, or tempering
flētus, ūs, m.: a weeping; tears
sōlācium, iī, n.: a soothing; solace, consolation

Thou in toil art comfort sweet;
Pleasant coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.

O lux beatíssima,
reple cordis íntima
tuórum fidélium.

Light immortal! Light divine!
Visit Thou these hearts of Thine,
And our inmost being fill.

Sine tuo númine
nihil est in hómine,
nihil est innóxium.
nūmen, inis, n.: a command; will; espec. the divine will or purpose

If Thou take Thy grace away,
Nothing pure in man will stay;
All his good is turn’d to ill.

Lava quod est sórdidum,
riga quod est áridum,
sana quod est sáucium.
rigō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to moisten, wet, bedew,
saucius , a, um: (adj.), wounded

Heal our wounds - our strength renew;
On our dryness pour Thy dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:

Flecte quod est rígidum,
fove quod est frígidum,
rege quod est dévium.
foveō, fōvī, fōtus, 2, a.: to keep warm; (fig.), foster, protect, cherish; soothe
dē-vĭus, a, um, adj. via, lying off the high-road; out of the way, devious

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.

Da tuis fidélibus,
in te confidéntibus,
sacrum septenárium.

Thou, on those who evermore
Thee confess and Thee adore,
In Thy sevenfold gifts descend.

Da virtútis méritum,
da salútis éxitum,
da perénne gáudium.
Amen. Allelúia.

Give them comfort when they die;
Give them life with Thee on high;
Give them joys which never end.
Amen. Alleluia.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Stabat Mater Speciosa

Stabat Mater Dolorosa is a very well-known hymn and has been set to music by numerous composers. A sister hymn is almost equally ancient but is less well-known. The text of Stabat Mater Speciosa is reproduced below with notes on the Latin vocabulary.

Liszt wrote a beautiful setting for this work which you may find here.






Stabat mater speciosa (with English and French subtitles). F. Liszt, Christus, S. 3 (1862-66)

J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum

STABAT Mater speciosa[1]
iuxta faenum[2] gaudiosa,
dum iacebat parvulus.
[1]  spĕcĭōsus, a, um, adj.(visually) attractive, beautiful;
[2] faenum or fēnum ī, n hay:

BY, the crib wherein reposing,
with His eyes in slumber closing,
lay serene her Infant-boy


Cuius animam gaudentem
laetabundam[1] et ferventem
pertransivit iubilus.[2] 
[1] laetābundus, a, um, adj. id., greatly rejoicing, full of joy, joyful
[2] cf jūbĭlum, i, n.,a wild cry, shout, shepherd's song:

Stood the beauteous Mother feeling
bliss that could not bear concealing,
so her face o'erflowed with joy.

J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum

O quam laeta et beata
fuit illa immaculata,
mater Unigeniti!

Oh, the rapture naught could smother
of that most Immaculate Mother
of the sole-begotten One;


Quae gaudebat et ridebat,[1]
exultabat, cum videbat
nati partum[2] inclyti.[3]
[1]  rīdeō, rīsī, rīsus, 2, n. and a.: to laugh or smile,
[2]  partus , ūs, m.: a bringing forth; birth,
[3]  inclutus , a, um: (adj.), famous, glorious, renowned

When with laughing heart exulting,
she beheld her hopes resulting
In the great birth of her Son.

J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum

Quisquam est, qui non gauderet,
Christi matrem si videret
in tanto solatio?[1]
[1] sōlācĭum (sōlāt-), ii, n. solor, a soothing, assuaging; a comfort, relief, consolation, solace

Who would not with gratulation
see the happy consolation
of Christ's Mother undefiled?


Quis non posset collaetari,[1]
Christi Matrem contemplari
ludentem cum Filio?
[1] collaetari [LL] , to rejoice with or together.

Who would not be glad surveying
Christ's dear Mother bending, praying,
playing with her heavenly Child

Pro peccatis suae gentis
Christum vidit cum iumentis[1]
et algori subditum.[2]
[1] jūmentum, i, n. a beast used for drawing or carrying, draught-cattle,
[2] algor ōris, m algeo, cold, chilliness:

For a sinful world's salvation,
Christ her Son's humiliation
She beheld and brooded o'er;

J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum

Vidit suum dulcem Natum
vagientem,[1]  adoratum,
vili[2] deversorio.[3]
[1]  vāgĭo, īvi or ĭi, 4, v. n. to cry, to wail, to mewl.
[2] vīlis, e: (adj.), of small value; cheap, worthless, insignificant, base, inferior
[3] dēversōrium (dēvors-, dīvers-) ī, n  deversor, an inn, lodging-house:
vīlis, e: (adj.), of small value; cheap, worthless, insignificant, base, inferior

Saw Him weak, a child, a stranger,
yet before Him in the manger
kings lie prostrate and adore.

Nato, Christo in praesepe[1] 
caeli cives canunt[2] laete
cum immenso gaudio.
[1] praesepe, ~es, ~ium [CL] , stall for animals b receptacle for fodder;
[2] canō, cecinī, 3, n. and a.: to make musical and rhythmical sounds with voice or instrument; to make melody, play, or sing,

O'er that lowly manger winging,
joyful hosts from heaven were singing
canticles of holy praise;

Stabat, senex cum puella
non cum verbo nec loquela[1] 
stupescentes[2] cordibus.
[1] loquēla, ae, f.: a talking; speech; a word
[2] stŭpesco, ĕre, v. inch. n. [stupeo], to grow astonished, become amazed

While the old man and the maiden,
speaking naught, with hearts o'erladen,
pondered on God's wondrous ways.

Eia,[1]  Mater, fons amoris
me sentire vim[1]  ardoris
fac, ut tecum sentiam.
[1]  ēiă (in MSS. also hēiă), interj. εἴα. An expression of joy or of pleased surprise.
[2] vīs, vīs, pl., vīrēs, vīrium: strength, force;

Fount of love, forever flowing,
with a burning ardor glowing,
make me, Mother, feel like thee;

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
in amatum Christum Deum
ut sibi complaceam.[1]  
[1]  com-plăcĕo, plăcŭi and plăcĭtus sum, 2, v. n. (except in Col., only ante- and postclass.).To be pleasing at the same time, to please also

Let my heart, with graces gifted
all on fire, to Christ be lifted,
and by Him accepted be.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,
prone[1]  introducas plagas[2] 
cordi fixas valide.[3] 
[1] prone [CL] , eagerly, willingly.
[2] plāga, ae, f. cf. plango, = πληγή, a blow, stroke, wound, stripe
[3] valide, strongly, vehemently, mightily, exceedingly 

Holy Mother, deign to bless me,
with His sacred Wounds impress me,
let them in my heart abide;

Tui Nati caelo lapsi,[1] 
iam dignati faeno nasci,[2] 
poenas mecum divide.
[1]  lāpsus (feminine lāpsa, neuter lāpsum); participle, slipped, glided, fallen
[2] nāscī present active infinitive of nāscor

Since He came, thy Son, the Holy,
to a birth-place, ah, so lowly,
all His pains with me divide.

Fac me vere congaudere,
Iesulino cohaerere,[1] 
donec ego vixero.
[1] cohaerēre [CL] , to cohere, stick together. b to stick to, cleave to;

Make me with true joy delighted,
to Child-Jesus be united
while my days of life endure;

In me sistat[1]  ardor tui,
puerino fac me frui [2] 
dum sum in exilio.
[1] sistō, stitī, status, 3, a. and n.: to cause to stand, put, set, place
[2] frui: fruor , frūctus and fruitus sum, 3, dep. n.: to enjoy, w. abl.

While an exile here sojourning,
make my heart like thine be burning
with a love divine and pure.]

[Spotless Maid and sinless Woman,
make us feel a fire in common,
make my heart's long longing sure.]

Virgo virginum praeclara,
mihi iam non sis amara,
fac me parvum rapere.

Virgin of all virgins highest,
prayer to thee thou ne'er denyest,
let me bear thy sweet Child too.

Fac, ut pulchrum infantem portem,
qui nascendo vicit mortem,
volens vitam tradere.

Let me bear Him in my bosom,
Lord of life, and never lose Him,
since His birth doth death subdue.

Fac me tecum satiari,
Nato me inebriari,
stantem in tripudio.[1] 
[1] trĭpŭdĭum, ii, n. acc. a measured stamping, a leaping, jumping, dancing in relig. solemnities, a solemn religious dance:

Let me show forth how immense is
the effect on all my senses
of an union so divine.

[All who in the crib revere Him,
like the shepherds watching near Him,
will attend Him through the night,]

Inflammatus et accensus,[1] 
obstupescit omnis sensus[2] 
tali me commercio.[3]
[1] accensus, a, um. a Part. of accendo, kindled.
[2] obstipēscō, stipuī (stupuī), 3, inc. n.: to become stupefied; to be astonished, amazed
[3] commercium , iī, n., friendship, fellowship

By thy powerful prayers protected,
grant, O Queen, that His elected
may behold heaven's moving light.

Fac, me Nato custodiri,
verbo Dei praemuniri
conservari gratia.
[1] prae-mūniō īvī, ītus, īre,to fortify

Make me by His birth be guarded,
by God's holy word be warded,
by His grace till all is done;

Quando corpus morietur,
fac, ut animae donetur
tui nati gloria. Amen.

When my body lies obstructed,
make my soul to be conducted,
to the vision of thy Son. Amen.

From Latin Hymns, March, 1894. Translation by Denis Florence MacCarthy. Reproduced by courtesy of Michael Martin's magnificent site: Treasury of Latin Prayers. 

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

The Ascension

The Ascension. J-J Tissot

This Feast brings to an end the series of posts on the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, published on the sister website: The Life of Christ Our Lord.

From today's Mass:

Introitus
Acta 1:11.

Viri Galilǽi, quid admirámini aspiciéntes in cœlum? allelúia: quemádmodum vidístis eum ascendéntem in cœlum, ita véniet, allelúia, allelúia, allelúia.

Ps 46:2
Omnes gentes, pláudite mánibus: iubiláte Deo in voce exsultatiónis.
V. Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R. Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
Viri Galilǽi, quid admirámini aspiciéntes in cœlum? allelúia: quemádmodum vidístis eum ascendéntem in cœlum, ita véniet, allelúia, allelúia, allelúia.

Introit
Acts 1:11
Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? alleluia: This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going into heaven, alleluia, allleuia, alleluia
Ps 46:2
O clap your hands, all ye nations: shout unto God with the voice of joy,
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? alleluia: This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going into heaven, alleluia, allleuia, alleluia

Oratio

V. Dóminus vobíscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

Orémus.

Concéde, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus: ut, qui hodiérna die Unigénitum tuum, Redemptórem nostrum, ad cœlos ascendísse crédimus; ipsi quoque mente in cœléstibus habitémus.

Collect
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thine Only-Begotten Son our Saviour to have this day ascended into the heavens, so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with Him continually dwell.


Lectio
Léctio Actuum Apostólorum.
Act 1:1-11

Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven?

Primum quidem sermónem feci de ómnibus, o Theóphile, quæ cœpit Iesus facere et docére usque in diem, qua, præcípiens Apóstolis per Spíritum Sanctum, quos elégit, assúmptus est: quibus et prǽbuit seípsum vivum post passiónem suam in multas arguméntis, per dies quadragínta appárens eis et loquens de regno Dei. Et convéscens, præcépit eis, ab Ierosólymis ne discéderent, sed exspectárent promissiónem Patris, quam audístis -inquit - per os meum: quia Ioánnes quidem baptizávit aqua, vos autem baptizabímini Spíritu Sancto non post multos hos dies. Igitur qui convénerant, interrogábant eum, dicéntes: Dómine, si in témpore hoc restítues regnum Israël? Dixit autem eis: Non est vestrum nosse témpora vel moménta, quæ Pater pósuit in sua potestáte: sed accipiétis virtútem superveniéntis Spíritus Sancti in vos, et éritis mihi testes in Ierúsalem et in omni Iudǽa et Samaría et usque ad últimum terræ. Et cum hæc dixísset, vidéntibus illis, elevátus est, et nubes suscépit eum ab óculis eórum. Cumque intuerétur in cœlum eúntem illum, ecce, duo viri astitérunt iuxta illos in véstibus albis, qui et dixérunt: Viri Galilǽi, quid statis aspiciéntes in cœlum? Hic Iesus, qui assúmptus est a vobis in cœlum, sic véniet, quemádmodum vidístis eum eúntem in cœlum.
R. Deo grátias.

Lesson

Lesson from the Acts of Apostles
Acts 1:1-11

The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the Apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up: To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His Passion by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the Kingdom of God. And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard - saith he - by My mouth; For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. They therefore who were come together asked him, saying: Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? But He said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments which the Father hath put in his own power: but you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. And when He had said these things, while they looked on, He was raised up: and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments, who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going into heaven.
R. Thanks be to God

Alleluia
Allelúia, allelúia.

Ps 46:6.
Ascéndit Deus in iubilatióne, et Dóminus in voce tubæ. Allelúia.
Ps 67:18-19.
V. Dóminus in Sina in sancto, ascéndens in altum, captívam duxit captivitátem. Allelúia.

Alleluia
Allelúja, allelúja.

Ps 46:6

God is ascended with jubilee, and the Lord with the sound of trumpet. Allelúja.

Ps 67:18-19

The Lord is in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive. Allelúja.

Sequéntia +︎ sancti Evangélii secúndum Marcum.
R. Glória tibi, Dómine.

Marc 16:14-20

In illo témpore: Recumbéntibus úndecim discípulis, appáruit illis Iesus: et exprobrávit incredulitátem eórum et durítiam cordis: quia iis, qui víderant eum resurrexísse, non credidérunt. Et dixit eis: Eúntes in mundum univérsum, prædicáte Evangélium omni creatúræ. Qui credíderit et baptizátus fúerit, salvus erit: qui vero non credíderit, condemnábitur. Signa autem eos, qui credíderint, hæc sequéntur: In nómine meo dæmónia eiícient: linguis loquantur novis: serpentes tollent: et si mortíferum quid bíberint, non eis nocébit: super ægros manus impónent, et bene habébunt. Et Dóminus quidem Iesus, postquam locútus est eis, assúmptus est in cœlum, et sedet a dextris Dei. Illi autem profécti, prædicavérunt ubíque, Dómino cooperánte et sermónem confirmánte, sequéntibus signis.

Continuation ✠ of the Holy Gospel according to Mark
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

Mark 16:14-20

At length he appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen him after he was risen again. And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God. But they going forth preached everywhere, the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.
R. Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Communio

Ps 67:33-34

Psállite Dómino, qui ascéndit super cœlos cœlórum ad Oriéntem, allelúia.

Communion
Ps 67:33-34

Sing ye to the Lord, who mounteth above the heaven of heavens to the East, alleluia.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

If a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer

The Lesson from today's Mass prompted echoes of a previous post from two years ago.

First, the text taken from St James's epistle


Lectio
Léctio Epístolæ beáti Iacóbi Apóstoli
Ias 1:22-27

Caríssimi: Estóte factóres verbi, et non auditóres tantum: falléntes vosmetípsos. Quia si quis audítor est verbi et non factor: hic comparábitur viro consideránti vultum nativitátis suæ in spéculo: considerávit enim se et ábiit, et statim oblítus est, qualis fúerit. Qui autem perspéxerit in legem perfectam libertátis et permánserit in ea, non audítor obliviósus factus, sed factor óperis: hic beátus in facto suo erit. Si quis autem putat se religiósum esse, non refrénans linguam suam, sed sedúcens cor suum, huius vana est relígio. Relígio munda et immaculáta apud Deum et Patrem hæc est: Visitáre pupíllos et viduas in tribulatióne eórum, et immaculátum se custodíre ab hoc sǽculo.

R. Deo grátias.


Lesson
Lesson from the letter of St James the Apostle
Jas 1:22-27

Dearly beloved: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if a man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass. For he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was. But he that hath looked into the perfect law of liberty, and hath continued therein, not becoming a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; this man shall be blessed in his deed. And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation: and to keep one's self unspotted from this world.

R. Thanks be to God.


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Next, a copy of the post from the 2nd of May 2018 (published on the BloorBooks site):

 '...and great was the fall thereof'

'...great was the fall thereof'

This is one page from an exercise book in which K proved herself to be an adept and diligent student of her Faith, at only five years of age (1985)

Our theme of words continues with K's illustrations of a story Our Lord told in his Sermon on the Mount:

[24] Every one that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened  to a wise man that built his house upon a rock, [25]And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock.[26] And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, [27] And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. [Matthew 7]

How tragic for all concerned that so many of us have followed the example of the foolish man in Verse 26.  'Great was the fall thereof'. Indeed.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam