Mozarabic Thursday - 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.

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Thursday in the second week of Lent

Feria V in secunda hebdomada Quadragesimæ

Sapiential Lesson: Proverbs 28,6-13

Historical Lesson: Exodus 5,1-23

Psallendum: Psalm 120,1-2

Apostle: James 5,1-6

Gospel: St John 5,19a.39-6,2

Laudes: Psalm 68,31-32

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

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

Son:

Better is the poor man walking in his simplicity, than the rich in crooked ways. He that keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that feedeth gluttons, shameth his father. He that heapeth together riches by usury and loan, gathereth them for him that will be bountiful to the poor. He that turneth away his ears from hearing the law, his prayer shall be as abomination. He that deceiveth the just in a wicked way, shall fall in his own destruction: and the upright shall possess his goods. The rich man seemeth to himself wise: but the poor man that is prudent shall search him out. In the joy of the just there is great glory: when the wicked reign, men are ruined. He that hideth his sins, shall not prosper: but he that shall confess, and forsake them, shall obtain mercy.

R/. Amen.

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

In those days:

Moses and Aaron went in, and said to Pharao: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Let my people go that they may sacrifice to me in the desert. But he answered: Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. And they said: The God of the Hebrews hath called us, to go three days' journey into the wilderness and to sacrifice to the Lord our God: lest a pestilence or the sword fall upon us. The king of Egypt said to them: Why do you Moses and Aaron draw off the people from their works? Get you gone to your burdens. And Pharao said: The people of the land is numerous: you see that the multitude is increased: how much more if you give them rest from their works? Therefore he commanded the same day the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying: You shall give straw no more to the people to make brick, as before: but let them go and gather straw. And you shall lay upon them the task of bricks, which they did before, neither shall you diminish any thing thereof: for they are idle, and therefore they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let them be oppressed, with works, and let them fulfill them: that they may not regard lying words. And the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: Thus saith Pharao, I allow you no straw: go, and gather it where you can find it: neither shall any thing of your work be diminished. And the people was scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather straw. And the overseers of the works pressed them, saying: Fulfill your work every day as before you were wont to do when straw was given you. And they that were over the works of the children of Israel were scourged by Pharao's taskmasters, saying: Why have you not made up the task of bricks both yesterday and today as before? And the officers of the children of Israel came, and cried out to Pharao, saying: Why dealest thou so with thy servants? Straw is not given us, and bricks are required of us as before: behold we thy servants are beaten with whips, and thy people is unjustly dealt withal. And he said: You are idle, and therefore you say: Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. Go therefore, and work: straw shall not be given you, and you shall deliver the accustomed number of bricks. And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in evil case, because it was said to them: There shall not a whit be diminished of the bricks for every day. And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood over against them as they came out from Pharao: and they said to them: The Lord see and judge, because you have made our savour to stink before Pharao and his servants, and you have given him a sword to kill us. And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou sent me? For since the time that I went in to Pharao to speak in thy name, he hath afflicted thy people: and thou hast not delivered them.

R/. Amen.

R/. I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, * From whence help shall come to me.

V/. My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. * From whence help shall come to me.

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

Dearly beloved:

Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted: and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered: and the rust of them shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have stored up to yourselves wrath against the last days. Behold the hire of the labourers, who have reaped down your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, crieth: and the cry of them hath entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have feasted upon earth: and in riotousness you have nourished your hearts, in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the Just One, and he resisted you not.

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 answered, and said to them:

Search the scriptures, for you think in them to have life everlasting; and the same are they that give testimony of me. And you will not come to me that you may have life. I receive glory not from men. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. I am come in the name of my Father, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive glory one from another: and the glory which is from God alone, you do not seek? Think not that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one that accuseth you, Moses, in whom you trust. For if you did believe Moses, you would perhaps believe me also; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words? After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

R/. Amen.

I will praise the name of God with a canticle: * And I will magnify him with praise.

V/. And it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth horns and hoofs. * And I will magnify him with praise.