Posted by We have kept for the end of this volume the five following Sundays, in order not to interrupt the order of the Feasts, which are kept during the forty days of Christmastide; as also, because the variation of Easter Sunday necessitates, almost every year, a different arrangement from that in which they stand in the Missal. Septuagesima often comes in January, and the Feast of the Purification is occasionally later than Quinquagesima Sunday. We were obliged to provide for these changes, and simplify them for the Faithful, by adopting our present plan.
It also happens, that the 3rd and 4th Sundays after the Epiphany, (even in years when they could be kept,) have to be omitted, owing to the occurrence of a Double feast: and feasts of this class are frequent (During the last fifteen days of January. In this case, the Church simply makes a commemoration of the occurring Sunday, at the Collect, Secret, and Post-communion; and the Gospel of the Sunday is read in place of St. John’s, at the end of Mass.
The Sundays of Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima, take precedence of Double feasts; and, as we have already noticed, the Purification itself is deferred till the following day, if it fall on any of these three Sundays.
INTROIT
| Adorate Deum omnes Angeli ejus: audivit et laetata est Sion: et exsultaverunt filiae Judae. Ps. Dominus regnavit; exsultet terra, laetentur insulae multae. V. Gloria Patri. Adorate. | Adore God, all ye his Angels: Sion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Juda rejoiced. Ps. The Lord hath reigned let the earth rejoice, let many islands be glad. V. Glory, &c. Adore. |
COLLECT
| Deus, qui nos in tantis periculis constitutos, pro humana scis fragilitate non posse subsistere: da nobis salutem mentis et corporis ut ea quae pro peccatis nostris patimur, te adjuvante, vincamus. Per Dominum. | O God, who knowest that through human frailty, we are not able to subsist amidst such great dangers, grant us health of soul and body, that whatsoever things we suffer because of our sins, we may overcome them by thine assistance. Through, &c. |
Then are added the Collects special to the season of Christmas, in honour of our Lady, against the Persecutors of the Church, or, for the Pope; as given for the Third Sunday after Epiphany.
EPISTLE
| Lectio Epistolae beati Pauli Apostoli ad Romanos.Cap. XIII.Fratres, nemini quidquam debeatis, nisi ut invicem diligatis: qui enim diligit proximum, legem implevit. Nam: Non adulterabis; Non occides; Non furaberis; Non falsum testimonium dices; Non concupisces, et si quod est aliud mandatum, in hoc verbo instauratur: Diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum. Delectio proximi malum non operatur. Plenitudo ergo legis est dilectio. | Lesson of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans.Ch. XIII.Brethren, owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law. For, Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not covet: and if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this word: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The love of our neighbour worketh no evil. Love, therefore, is the fulfilling of the law. |
During this holy season, when the very Son of God is giving so great a proof of his love for man, whose nature he has assumed – the Church is continually exhorting the Faithful, in the words of the Apostle, to practise charity towards each other. The Emmanuel comes to us as our Lawgiver: now, he has resumed his whole Law in the precept of Love; he is come, in order to unite what sin had divided. Let us comply with his divine intentions, and accomplish, with earnestness, the Law he has imposed upon us.
GRADUAL
| Timebunt gentes Nomen tuum, Domine, et omnes reges terrae gloriam tuam. V. Quoniam aedificavit Dominus Sion, et videbitur in majestate sua.Alleluia, alleluia. V. Dominus regnavit: exsultet terra, laetentur insulae multae. Alleluia. | The Gentiles shall fear thy Name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. V. For the Lord hath built up Sion, and he shall be seen in his glory.Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord hath reigned: the earth rejoice: let all islands be glad. Alleluia. |
GOSPEL
| Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Matthaeum.Cap. VIII.In illo tempore, ascendente Jesu in naviculam, secuti sunt eum discipuli ejus. Et ecce motus magnus factus est in mari, ita ut navicula operiretur fluctibus; ipse vero dormiebat. Et accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus, et suscitaverunt eum dicentes: Domine, salva nos, perimus. Et dicit eis Jesus: Quid timidi estis, modice fideli? Tunc surgens, imperavit ventis et mari, et facta est tranquillitas magna. Porro homines mirati sunt, dicentes: Qualis est hic, quia venti et mare obediunt ei? | Sequel of the holy Gospel according to MatthewCh. VIII.At that time, when Jesus entered into the boat his disciples followed him; and behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves; but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awakened him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish. And Jesus saith to them: Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up, he commanded the winds and the sea, and there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him? |
Let us adore the power of our Emmanuel, who is come to calm the tempest, which threatened the human race with death. In the midst of their danger, the successive generations of men, had cried out: Lord! save us; we perish. When the fulness of time had come, he awoke from his rest; he had but to command, and the power of our enemies was destroyed. The malice of the devils, the darkness of idolatry, the corruption of paganism – all yielded. Nation after nation was converted to Jesus. They had said, when in their misery and blindness: “Who is this Jesus, whom no power can resist?” – and then, they embraced his Law. This power of Jesus to break down every obstacle – and that, too, at the very time when men were disquieted at his apparent slumbering – has often shown itself in the past ages of the Church. How many times has he not chosen that period for saving the world, which seemed the least likely for rescue! The same happens in the life of each one among us. Oftentimes, we are tossed to and fro by violent temptations; it would seem as though the billows must sink us; and yet our will is firmly anchored to our God! And what is all this, if not Jesus sleeping in the heaving bark – nay, protecting us by this his sleeping? And if our cry for help at length awaken him, it is only to proclaim his own and our victory; for he has already conquered, and we have conquered in Him.
OFFERTORY
| Mirabantur omnes de his verbis quae procedebant de ore Dei. | All wondered at the words that came from the mouth of God. |
SECRET
| Munera tua nos, Deus, a delectationibus terrenis expediant, et coelestibus semper instaurent alimentis. Per Dominum. | Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that the offering of this sacrifice may always cleanse our frailty from all evil, and be a protection to us. Through, etc. |
To this are added the other Secrets, as given as given for the Third Sunday after Epiphany.
The Preface is that of the Blessed Trinity, as given for the Third Sunday after Epiphany.
COMMUNION
| Dextera Domini fecit virtutem, dextera Domine exaltavit me: non moriar, sed vivam, et narrabo opera Domini. | The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength, the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me: I shall not die, but live, and shall declare the works of the Lord. |
POSTCOMMUNION
| Concede, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus; ut hujus sacrificii munus oblatum, fragilitatem nostram ab omni malo purget semper et muniat. Per Dominum. | May thy gifts, which we have partaken of, O God, detach us from all earthly pleasures, and ever refresh and strengthen us with heavenly food. Through, etc. |
Then are added the other Postcommunions, as given for the Third Sunday after Epiphany.
VESPERS
The Psalms, Antiphons, Capitulum, Hymn, and Versicle, are given above: Vespers for Sundays and feasts during Christmas.
ANTIPHON OF THE MAGNIFICAT.
| Ant. Domino, salva nos, perimus: impera, et fac Deus tranquillitatem. | Ant. Save us, O Lord, we perish: command, O God, and make the sea calm. |
| Oremus. Deus qui nos in tantis periculis constitutos, pro humana scis fragilitate non posse subsistere: da nobis salutem mentis et corporis ut ea quae pro peccatis nostris patimur, te adjuvante vincamus. Per Dominum. | Let us pray. O God, who knowest that through human frailty, we are not able to subsist amidst so many dangers, grant us health of soul and body; that whatsoever we suffer for our sins, we may overcome by thy assistance. Through, &c. |
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This text is taken from The Liturgical Year, authored by Dom Prosper Gueranger (1841-1875)