Mozarabic Monday II

Place yourself at Toledo: in the cathedral’s Mozarabic Rite chapel the faithful, silent, stand; silently, at this penitential season, the priest and his ministers advance to God’s altar; still without speaking, the priest bows awhile in prayer, then ascends the altar steps, kisses it, and goes to stand at his seat, where at length he first opens his mouth and salutes the congregation.  All attend to the readings that now begin.  A lector reads out the first lessson at the lectern; after he finishes, another takes his place.  The Old Testament lessons ended, the choir chants; a third lector reads the Epistle.  Next the deacon, with cerifers and thurifer, proceeds to the lectern to read the Gospel, first saluting the people (who stand in reverence), then censing the sacred volume.  The deacon having ended, then the priest having preached, again the choir sings God’s praises.  Next would come the offering of the Sacrifice…

But let us at the least unite ourselves to the Mass at Toledo by some participation in the Service of the Word, before in prayer making a spiritual communion as our devotion suggests.

******

Monday in the second week of Lent

Feria II in secunda hebdomada Quadragesimæ 

Sapiential Lesson: Proverbs 16,16-32

Historical Lection: Genesis 42,3-25

Psallendum: Psalm 37,16-17a.18

Apostle: James 3,1-13

Gospel: St John 3,22-36

Laudes: Psalm 135,1-2a 

The Lord be ever with you. R/. And with thy spirit.

A Lesson from the Book of Proverbs. R/. Thanks be to God.

Son:

Get wisdom, because it is better than gold: and purchase prudence, for it is more precious than silver. The path of the just departeth from evils: he that keepeth his soul keepeth his way. Pride goeth before destruction: and the spirit is lifted up before a fall. It is better to be humbled with the meek, than to divide spoils with the proud. The learned in word shall find good things: and he that trusteth in the Lord is blessed. The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and he that is sweet in words shall attain to greater things. Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it: the instruction of fools is foolishness. The heart of the wise shall instruct his mouth: and shall add grace to his lips. Well ordered words are as a honeycomb: sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. There is a way that seemeth to a man right: and the ends thereof lead to death. The soul of him that laboureth, laboureth for himself, because his mouth hath obliged him to it. The wicked man diggeth evil, and in his lips is a burning fire. A perverse man stirreth up quarrels: and one full of words separateth princes. An unjust man allureth his friend: and leadeth him into a way that is not good. He that with fixed eyes deviseth wicked things, biting his lips, bringeth: evil to pass. Old age is a crown of dignity, when it is found in the ways of justice. The patient man is better than the valiant: and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh cities.

R/. Amen.

A Lesson from the Book of Genesis. R/. Thanks be to God.

In those days:

the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in Egypt: whilst Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brethren: Lest perhaps he take any harm in the journey. And they entered into the land of Egypt with others that went to buy. For the famine was in the land of Chanaan. And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and corn was sold by his direction to the people. And when his brethren had bowed down to him, and he knew them, he spoke as it were to strangers somewhat roughly, asking them: Whence came you? They answered: From the land of Chanaan, to buy necessaries of life. And though he knew his brethren, he was not known by them. And remembering the dreams, which formerly he had dreamed, he said to them: You are spies. You are come to view the weaker parts of the land. But they said: It is not so, my lord, but thy servants are come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man: we are come as peaceable men, neither do thy servants go about any evil. And he answered them: It is otherwise: you are come to consider the unfenced parts of this land. But they said: We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Chanaan: the youngest is with our father, the other is not living. He saith: This is it that I said: You are spies. I shall now presently try what you are: by the health of Pharao you shall not depart hence, until your youngest brother come. Send one of you to fetch him: and you shall be in prison, till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies. So he put them in prison three days. And the third day he brought them out of prison, and said: Do as I have said, and you shall live: for I fear God. If you be peaceable men, let one of your brethren be bound in prison: and go ye your ways and carry the corn that you have bought, unto your houses. And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may find your words to be true, and you may not die. They did as he had said. And they talked one to another: We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this affliction come upon us. And Ruben one of them, said: Did not I say to you: Do not sin against the boy: and you would not hear me? Behold his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by an interpreter. And he turned himself away a little while, and wept: and returning he spoke to them. And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he commanded his servants to fill their sacks with wheat, and to put every man's money again in their sacks, and to give them besides provisions for the way: and they did so.

R/. Amen.

R/. For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped: thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God. * Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me.

V/. For I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me. * Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me.

The Epistle of the Apostle James to the Twelve Tribes. R/. Thanks be to God.

Be ye not many masters, my brethren, knowing that you receive the greater judgment. For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. He is able also with a bridle to lead about the whole body. For if we put bits into the mouths of horses, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also ships, whereas they are great, and are driven by strong winds, yet are they turned about with a small helm, whithersoever the force of the governor willeth. Even so the tongue is indeed a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how small a fire kindleth a great wood. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is placed among our members, which defileth the whole body, and inflameth the wheel of our nativity, being set on fire by hell. For every nature of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of the rest, is tamed, and hath been tamed, by the nature of man: but the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison. By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth, out of the same hole, sweet and bitter water? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear grapes; or the vine, figs? So neither can the salt water yield sweet. Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew, by a good conversation, his work in the meekness of wisdom.

R/. Amen.

The Lord be ever with you. R/. And with thy spirit.

The beginning of the Holy Gospel according to John. R/. Glory to Thee, O Lord.

At that time:

Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea: and there he abode with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Ennon near Salim; because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. And there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews concerning purification: and they came to John, and said to him: Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou gavest testimony, behold he baptizeth, and all men come to him. John answered, and said: A man cannot receive any thing, unless it be given him from heaven. You yourselves do bear me witness, that I said, I am not Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above, is above all. He that is of the earth, of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaketh. He that cometh from heaven, is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth: and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God: for God doth not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loveth the Son: and he hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

R/. Amen.

Praise the Lord, for he is good: * For his mercy endureth for ever. 

V/. Praise ye the God of gods: * For his mercy endureth for ever.