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.
******
Saturday in the first week of Lent
Sabbatum in prima hebdomada Quadragesimæ
Sapiential Lesson: Ecclesiasticus 29,18-29
Historical Lection: Genesis 33,1-20
Psallendum: Psalm 34,23.19a.20
Apostle: James 2,21-26
Gospel: St John 3,16-21
Laudes: Psalm 112,1-2
The Lord be ever with you. R/. And with thy spirit.
A Lesson from the Book of Ecclesiasticus. R/. Thanks be to God.
Son:
A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, will leave him to himself. Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given his life for thee. The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety. A sinner attributeth to himself the goods of his surety: and he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him that delivered him. A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost all shame, he shall forsake him. Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea. It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about, and they have wandered in strange countries. A sinner that transgresseth the commandment of the Lord, shall fall into an evil suretyship: and he that undertaketh many things, shall fall into judgment. Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not. The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame. Better is the poor man's fare under a roof of boards, than sumptuous cheer abroad in another man's house. Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt not hear the reproach of going abroad.
A good man is surety for his neighbour: and he that hath lost shame, will leave him to himself. Forget not the kindness of thy surety: for he hath given his life for thee. The sinner and the unclean fleeth from his surety. A sinner attributeth to himself the goods of his surety: and he that is of an unthankful mind will leave him that delivered him. A man is surety for his neighbour: and when he hath lost all shame, he shall forsake him. Evil suretyship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea. It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about, and they have wandered in strange countries. A sinner that transgresseth the commandment of the Lord, shall fall into an evil suretyship: and he that undertaketh many things, shall fall into judgment. Recover thy neighbour according to thy power, and take heed to thyself that thou fall not. The chief thing for man's life is water and bread, and clothing, and a house to cover shame. Better is the poor man's fare under a roof of boards, than sumptuous cheer abroad in another man's house. Be contented with little instead of much, and thou shalt not hear the reproach of going abroad.
R/. Amen.
A Lesson from the Book of Genesis. R/. Thanks be to God.
In those days:
Jacob lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming, and with him four hundred men: and he divided the children of Lia, and of Rachel, and of the two handmaids: and he put both the handmaids and their children foremost: and Lia and her children in the second place: and Rachel and Joseph last. And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times until his brother came near. Then Esau ran to meet his brother, and embraced him: and clasping him fast about the neck, and kissing him, wept. And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their children, and said: What mean these? And do they belong to thee? He answered: They are the children which God hath given to me thy servant. Then the handmaids and their children came near, and bowed themselves. Lia also with her children came near, and bowed down in like manner, and last of all Joseph and Rachel bowed down. And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favour before my lord. But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for thyself. And Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have found favour in thy eyes, receive a little present at my hands: for I have seen thy face, as if I should have seen the countenance of God: be gracious to me, and take the blessing, which I have brought thee, and which God hath given me, who giveth all things. He took it with much ado at his brother's earnest pressing him, and said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in thy journey. And Jacob said: My lord, thou knowest that I have with me tender children, and sheep, and kine with young: which if I should cause to be overdriven, in one day all the flocks will die. May it please my lord to go before his servant: and I will follow softly after him, as I shall see my children to be able, until I come to my lord in Seir. Esau answered: I beseech thee, that some of the people at least, who are with me, may stay to accompany thee in the way. And he said: There is no necessity: I want nothing else but only to find favour, my lord, in thy sight. So Esau returned, that day, the way that he came, to Seir. And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth, that is, Tents. And he passed over to Salem, a city of the Sichemites, which is in the land of Chanaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria: and he dwelt by the town: and he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched his tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem for a hundred lambs. And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel.
Jacob lifting up his eyes, saw Esau coming, and with him four hundred men: and he divided the children of Lia, and of Rachel, and of the two handmaids: and he put both the handmaids and their children foremost: and Lia and her children in the second place: and Rachel and Joseph last. And he went forward and bowed down with his face to the ground seven times until his brother came near. Then Esau ran to meet his brother, and embraced him: and clasping him fast about the neck, and kissing him, wept. And lifting up his eyes, he saw the women and their children, and said: What mean these? And do they belong to thee? He answered: They are the children which God hath given to me thy servant. Then the handmaids and their children came near, and bowed themselves. Lia also with her children came near, and bowed down in like manner, and last of all Joseph and Rachel bowed down. And Esau said: What are the droves that I met? He answered: That I might find favour before my lord. But he said: I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for thyself. And Jacob said: Do not so I beseech thee, but if I have found favour in thy eyes, receive a little present at my hands: for I have seen thy face, as if I should have seen the countenance of God: be gracious to me, and take the blessing, which I have brought thee, and which God hath given me, who giveth all things. He took it with much ado at his brother's earnest pressing him, and said: Let us go on together, and I will accompany thee in thy journey. And Jacob said: My lord, thou knowest that I have with me tender children, and sheep, and kine with young: which if I should cause to be overdriven, in one day all the flocks will die. May it please my lord to go before his servant: and I will follow softly after him, as I shall see my children to be able, until I come to my lord in Seir. Esau answered: I beseech thee, that some of the people at least, who are with me, may stay to accompany thee in the way. And he said: There is no necessity: I want nothing else but only to find favour, my lord, in thy sight. So Esau returned, that day, the way that he came, to Seir. And Jacob came to Socoth: where having built a house, and pitched tents, he called the name of the place Socoth, that is, Tents. And he passed over to Salem, a city of the Sichemites, which is in the land of Chanaan, after he returned from Mesopotamia of Syria: and he dwelt by the town: and he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched his tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem for a hundred lambs. And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel.
R/. Amen.
Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: my God, and my Lord, * To my cause.
V/. Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: for they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile. * To my cause.
The Epistle of the Apostle James to the Twelve Tribes. R/. Thanks be to God.
Dearly beloved:
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God. Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only? And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending them out another way? For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead.
R/. Amen.
The Lord be ever with you. R/. And with thy spirit.
A Lesson from the Holy Gospel according to John. R/. Glory to Thee, O Lord.
At that time: Jesus said to Nicodemus:
For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil. For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved. But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God.
R/. Amen.
Praise the Lord, ye children: * Praise ye the name of the Lord.
V/. Blessed be the name of the Lord, from henceforth now and for ever. * Praise ye the name of the Lord.
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