Back to the Rosary

Fr Ronan Murphy, an Irish priest on sabbatical from his parish in the US, came along on the Christus Rex pilgrimage this year, and on Friday gave us a most powerful sermon on the Rosary.  It made me resolve to return to saying the Rosary every day, something about which I have been most embarrassingly slack for too long.  So far, I have kept this resolution, and hope to maintain it.

Gentle reader, have you said the Rosary lately?

Low Mass – Votive of the Passion

As the Friday High Mass on pilgrimage had been a Votive of the Holy Cross, I suggested to Fr Rowe, when he readied himself to offer his Low Mass in the Christus Rex mobile chapel, that perhaps a Votive of the Five Wounds would be a suitable variant; but – most annoyingly – even a search of the Missæ pro aliquibus locis in the only available Missal failed to turn it up: so we settled for a Votive of the Passion (from which the Votive of the Five Wounds varies only in its orations in any case).  I was privileged to be Father's server, and took the opportunity to memorialize the occasion thanks to my iPhone's camera...

The Introit

The Gospel

The Secret

The Canon

After the Consecration

The Pre-Communion Prayers

The Last Gospel

The orations of the Votive Mass of the Passion are particularly mediæval in feel:

Lord Jesu Christ, who didst descend from the heavens to earth from the bosom of the Father, and shed thy precious Blood in remission of our sins: humbly we pray thee, that at the Day of Judgement, at thy right hand we may deserve to hear: Come, ye blessed: Who with the same Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen. 

May the sacrifice offered unto thee, O Lord, by the interceding Passion of thy Onlybegotten Son, ever quicken and defend us: Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen. 

Lord Jesu Christ, Son of the living God, who at the sixth hour didst ascend the gibbet of the Cross for the redemption of the world, and shed thy precious blood in remission of our sins: we humbly pray thee, that, after our death, thou grant us joyfully to enter the gates of paradise: Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

It is interesting how the thoughts of the Collect are repeated in the Postcommunion; He Who came down from heaven, from the bosom of the Father, to redeem the world went up upon the infamous gibbet, there to shed His Blood, that great price of our salvation, that costly offering of His life which alone purchased the forgiveness of our sins; He we pray, that after death we may enter into the courts of the Lord with rejoicing, hearing on the Day of Doom that most joyful voice, Come, ye blessed. 

Fr Hunwicke points out that this Mass was very popular in late mediæval England, to the extent that Cranmer reused this phraseology at the conclusion of the intercession before the prayer of consecration in his 1549 recasting of the Mass: 

...that, at the day of the generall resurreccion, we and all they which bee of the misticall body of thy sonne, may altogether be set on his right hand, and heare that his most ioyfull voyce: Come unto me, O ye that be blessed of my father, and possesse the kingdom, whiche is prepared for you from the begynning of the worlde...

Pilgrimage Photos

Just to whet the appetite: here are three shots from the Christus Rex Pilgrimage.

About to depart from the Cathedral in Ballarat, at about 7:30 am Friday morning:

Mass on Friday, in St Augustine's, Cresswell:

Mass on Monday morning, in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo:

Back from Christus Rex

As always, I return refreshed and recharged from the annual Christus Rex Pilgrimage: what camaraderie, what singing, what chanting, what prayers, what sermons, what High Masses – yes, and what tiredness, what early mornings, what aching feet...  (Note to self: next year, take Thursday off work as well, so I get to Ballarat a good deal earlier than half nine at night!)

It was particularly pleasant to meet up with my old friend and erstwhile parish priest, Fr Rowe; and it was a deeply felt honour for me that he had me serve his private Masses on the three days of the pilgrimage (which provided an additional benefit, since it entailed remaining behind during one leg of  each day's march, and afterward being driven to the head of the pilgrim column that had moved off in the mean time, shaving several kilometres off the trek each day).

There is more, much more, to say about the pilgrimage, but I will sign off for now with a humorous note: another priest, after saying his private Mass on the Friday, revealed that he had forgotten the Christian name of the new Bishop of Ballarat (in whose diocese we were), and in desperation made dog-Latin of his surname – saying "Birdo" in the Canon!

Off on Pilgrimage

Thanks be that the Christus Rex Pilgrimage here in Australia is a great deal easier than the Paris to Chartres Pilgrimage!  I depart on Thursday evening for Ballarat via Melbourne, in order to be ready to begin at the Cathedral in Ballarat at 6:30 am on Friday... God willing, matters conclude in Bendigo with High Mass on Sunday afternoon; then we celebrate that evening, and depart the next morning (after Mass and brunch). I return home on Monday evening.

Last night, our little schola met as usual for practice, followed by Compline and Benediction: but, very appropriately, we interposed a Procession within the church, singing Christus vincit, that marvellous litanic prayer of petition and praise, which by coincidence, or rather, by Providence, is just such as we sing while on the Christus Rex Pilgrimage. Viva Christo Rey!

Victory... Our Faith

Unfortunately, in recent times the drift from God and from the spiritual and supernatural view of life has seriously weakened this country. It is true that a rise in church membership has been reported during the past few years, but in the light of other evidence, one is forced to question how significant such mere statistics may be. One looks in vain for any corresponding increase of religion's beneficial influence upon the nation's life. Indeed, the trend in public and private morality has been downward; there is an alarming disregard in practice for God's teaching and for God's law. 

Is there any need to instance the growing evils in family life, the lustful self-indulgence which leads from birth prevention and divorce, from broken homes to the broken lives of youthful delinquents? Need we adduce in evidence the appalling circulation of indecent literature, and the low moral level of so much of the public entertainment in these days?

...

At its best, our civilization was the fine flowering of the Christian Faith. Now that the West has fallen from its former greatness, let us recognize that it is because so many have fallen away from the Faith, or have denatured it by dilution and compromise. 

We have fallen down before idols of flesh and of gold. It is not the True Faith which has failed us; it is we who have failed the Faith. A weak and vacillating Christianity, a partial, truncated Christianity, paying lip service to God and to the Spirit, but devoted in practice to man and matter, can never triumph in the battle with total, determined materialism.

— extracts from the 1954 Annual Statement of the Bishops of the United States.

While looking for something else, I came across this long-forgotten pamphlet, entitled Victory... Our Faith... 'The Battle Is Joined'... Enemy is Atheistic Materialism. The American bishops of sixty years ago had not yet been emasculated and completely befuddled by nonsense (one wishes they had not wasted so much time abroad in the years then still to come); they recognized the profound danger to souls of what is diametrically opposed to our Holy Faith: "...atheistic materialism,... Godless humanism... is [if not denial, then ignorance] of God... and His law... an excessive preoccupation with creatures... [which] reveals itself as secularism in politics and government, as avarice in business and in the professions, and as paganism in the personal lives and relations of all too many men and women."

They reëcho the words of the Didache about the Two Ways, that most ancient form of Christian catechesis:

The way of matter and of the flesh is the way of death; the way of God and of the spirit is the way of life. If we would have life, we must renew and reaffirm our Faith in God and in His Christ; we must cling again to that Christian moral code... 

... In the sign of the Cross, Christ conquers the paganism which had enslaved mankind... Jesus Christ restored meaning and purpose and love to human life; He warmed and illumined our life where before it had been cold and dark. He rescued man from the wild wandering and the black despair of the atheistic materialism of that day. In this day of the new paganism, we Christians can again triumph in the sign of the same Cross of Christ. 

Christ is the Prophet and the Teacher, in Whose doctrines are the truths which inspire and satisfy... Christ is the Priest, the Mediator. His is the great Atonement. By His Sacrifice, we are redeemed from our sins. ... And Christ is King, the Lord... He is the Lawgiver, laying down the code of conduct that binds the consciences of men. He is the Judge, merciful and just, Who rewards the good and punishes the evil. He is the Ruler... From Him alone do earthly magistrates receive their power of governance. ... Worship and obedience, order and discipline... - these He exacts... but in return He gives... His Father's love and His Father's home, rich largess of grace and abiding peace of soul. ... 

This is why we repeat without ceasing that God and His Christ afford the answer to all our problems, and provide the solution to all our difficulties. Those who have never known the Christian religion, or who have not known it in its fulness as taught by the Catholic Church [even within the Church*], should turn to it now, and examine its credentials. It is the answer to their quest.

*If only we taught the Faith, not presented a weak, pathetic travesty of it that acts only as a vaccine against belief. If only the Church here were not so smug and unconcerned about its failures over the past two generations to pass on the Faith, pretending that all shall be well, while matters have reached the point at which the real teachings of the Church appear strange and even alien to ill-instructed Catholics. I must repeat those terrible words of self-accusation that the American bishops uttered sixty-odd years ago: 

It is not the True Faith which has failed us; it is we who have failed the Faith. A weak and vacillating Christianity, a partial, truncated Christianity, paying lip service to God and to the Spirit, but devoted in practice to man and matter [i.e. obsessed with prating of social justice, while knowing too little of either to avoid falling into simplistic, materialist traps], can never triumph in the battle with total, determined materialism.

Alas, this is all too accurate a picture of the Australian Church today, which is far further down that road of indifferentism and practical apostasy, fallen asleep without even realizing it, afflicted with sloth and accidie, that revulsion at holy things which is the special curse of those who grow bored and impatient with their religion. So often the Church here brings to mind that horrifying sentence of Our Lord passed on Laodicea, one of the complacent churches of Asia Minor back in the days of the writing of the Apocalypse: I would you were either hot or cold; but since you are so tepid and lukewarm – I will vomit you out of My mouth. (Rev. iii. 15-16) Lord, have mercy!

Domine, salva nos, perimus. 

Credo, Domine, adjuva incredulitatem meam.

Domine, adauge nobis fidem.

Lord, save us, we are perishing.

I believe, Lord, help my unbelief.

Lord, increase our faith.

The Australian Ordinariate Grows

Latest news from the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross:

Please pray for WARREN WADE to be ordained priest by the Most Rev David Walker, Bishop of Broken Bay, by letters dimissory from the Very Rev Harry Entwistle, at 7:30 on Wednesday December 12th in Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Waitara, NSW.

He will be the eighth priest and ninth cleric of the nascent Ordinariate.

According to records of the TAC's Anglican Catholic Church of Australia, Warren Wade is their priest for the parish of St Mary the Virgin, which currently meets in North Turramurra, one of the northern suburbs of Sydney (and thus within the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay).

Furthermore, an Ordinariate group is forming in north-east Victoria, around Benalla. My great-aunt and great-uncle live there, so I'm delighted to here of this (though the former is a lapsed and the latter a still-practising Presbyterian, making them probably none too interested in this themselves). 

John of St Augustine, Opera Omnia

Excluding juvenilia, that notable last flower of scholasticism, John of St Augustine, O. Dorm., is chiefly remembered for his great works (published in an omnibus English translation by Chapman in 1923). Minor and incomplete treatises aside (remembering that many, alas, of his letters have perished), his major books number six.  There has been much interest in the spirituality (not to say sentiment) of these Catholic, traditional and yet somehow freshly novel productions, particularly among a certain coterie of admirers, for well over a century now; and up-to-date editions (not to mention popular adaptations for lesser minds) are legion. Behold the spirituality and scholarship of his Order! Its charism is indeed a sweet savour of Christ spreading everywhere for the health and healing of souls (II Cor. ii, 14ff) – certainly within the Church.

First, both rationally, and, as critical scholarship suggests, chronologically, among his writings must be listed that philosophical work on being, Being and the classes of potential beings which could be created ex nihilo – famously excluding logical impossibilities – entituled (in its eventual English garb), Ens and Ensibility. This star among the Canons Regular of the Dormition (an Order particularly devoted to the most abstruse philosophical and theological investigations, as an aid to their peculiar charism) excelled himself in this tract, although curiously it proved quite lucid when rendered into our mother tongue.

It must be remarked upon that his was indeed a late flowering, since, following the scholastic tradition as a bloom out of season, a rose in the winter of nominalism and its bitter fruits of heresy, he wrote from the vantage point of a most retiring Order (like Denys the Carthusian, who preceded John by not too many decades), and did in fact live to endure the cruel times Providence permitted at the outbreak of the Reformation; this explains what might otherwise appear too prescient a work, his polemical denunciation of rebellious would-be reformers, Pride and Private Judgement.  The power of this work still seizes the hearts of such as take it up to-day, despite the apparent outdatedness of the topic (and within the tome lie some amusingly candid portraits none too flattering of the secular clergy, that institution all too often a provoker of heresy and schism).

Having fulsomely confuted nascent Protestantism, John turned to wholesomely and attractively present the doctrine once delivered to the Saints, that deposit of Faith preserved whole and entire in Holy Church and in her alone, as not merely a preservative against folly but a rallying call to all to believe and so live in the light of grace: thus he penned its sister work, called simply Propaganda in Latin; although, since that word has unfortunate connotations in English, Chapman's edition gives it instead under the less offensive name Persuasion. Having fallen away from her first love, the Christian soul of Europe must strive to win back "him whom her soul loves" (Cant. iii, 1-4) – thus the pious Canon illustrates the tragedy and drama of that hour, so dark for Christendom, but issuing (after his death) in a glorious and triumphant Counter-Reformation, which in his farsightedness he predicts and imagines, portraying it after the mode of a mystical marriage between the Lord and his spotless Bride.  (Bridal mysticism is a recurrent theme in this writer's œuvre.)

Eager students of liturgical minutiæ, however, will instead be far the more interested (though perhaps they, too, ought examine themselves according to that work on private judgement earlier mentioned, lest in picking out motes they forget any beams afflicting their own arch eyes) in his curious, otherwise rare, and most insightful work, Northern Hanging Aumbries, in which our Dormitionist scholar reveals a prodigious learning about the most recherché aspects of Teutonic and other Northern European arrangements for the safekeeping the Eucharistic species (and also the holy oils) in Gothic chancels and Dark Age fanes long past. 

Those who long for heaven (yet walk toward it backward), sighing for Eden's joys forever closed by the Fall, locked behind that fiery sword which turneth every way (Gen iii, 24), yet unmindful of that most wicked Serpent who ever tempts those who think to serve the Lord and advance to meet him, ought carefully read, mark, learn and consider the doctrine so aptly and marvellous contrived to fit within the deceptively slim covers of his meditation on human life, sin, and redemption, Man's Feared Past, product of his last years' contemplation (and delivered to the world by the labours of his brothers in holy religion after his death). But perhaps his other posthumously issued work, a three-volume treatise on the Virgin, simply titled Mary, is best to turn to first. It certainly illustrates the character, estate and life of that Lady with great freedom and originality: a good (if overlong) read.

It is entirely risible, not to say disrespectful, even sinful, to list to those who insinuate his works ever included occult knowledge among their topics: hence, references to any of his books as delating upon vampires, zombies, sea monsters and worse must be regarded as mere mockery unfitting the memory of so great a writer, and belonging to the realm of trashy popular fiction only. For the same reason, the rash speculations of moderns concerning alleged gender issues associated with his memory (alluding to baseless misrepresentations of some aspects of his biography, which to be honest is scarcely well-known owing to the paucity of surviving documentation) are beneath contempt, and shall be passed over in that silence recommended by the Apostle in Ephesians v, 3. 

Instead, those curious may benefit from the various documentaries available about his life and works: what a blessing the media are.

Brisbane Ordinariate Ordinations!

It seems strange, but a quick search of the Brisbane Archdiocesan website, and then a google or two, has failed to turn up any mention – other than reportage of the announcement of the date and venue some months ago – of the ordination of several incoming Anglicans for the Ordinariate this Thursday just past, the Feast of St Luke.

However, all is well, the happy event has indeed taken place, there has been no unforeseen delay: I finally found this mention in the weekly bulletin of St Stephen's Cathedral:

Thank you to everyone who assisted in any way with the Ordinations on Thursday evening. Your assistance was very much appreciated.

The bulletin also included this pleasant reflection, which I assume the author will be happy enough for me to quote in extenso:

Witnesses to Christ

I always get a certain thrill out of attending an ordination. Not only do they remind me of my own ordination, but they remind all of us that we are called to offer our lives in service of the Church and the Gospel. For me, an ordination stands as a pertinent reminder that the Church is not primarily about the past, but is in fact about the present and the future.

On Thursday night, as many of you would be aware, we celebrated the ordinations of Lyall Cowell and Tony Iball to the Priesthood and Stephen Hill to the deaconate. All ordinations are a significant moment in the life of the church; however these ordinations had an extra significance. These men were being ordained to minister to the newly instituted “Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross,” which is often referred to as, “the Anglican Ordinariate”. This ordinariate was created by the Holy Father as a vehicle to allow some Anglican communities to enter into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

In his homily on Thursday night, Archbishop Mark Coleridge made a very important point. While we can get caught up with a lot of “church speak” and perhaps even find the various complexities of the church’s structure bewildering at times, the purpose behind Thursday’s ordinations is remarkably simple. These men, like all ordained ministers and indeed the whole church, are called to witness to Christ. That is to say, they are called to look upon Christ with the eyes of faith, to hear his voice and to experience his power, and then to testify to the truth of what they have experienced. While members of the Ordinariate may speak in an accent which is new to the Catholic Church, the message is the same, Jesus Christ risen and active in our world.

The church does not speak with one homogeneous voice, with a single monotonous expression. Rather, it speaks with the rich sounds of many voices. All of us, in a certain sense, speak this message of Christ with a different accent. We each bring something unique, from our own perceptions and experience of Christ. The challenge for each of us is to add our own voices to the “great cloud of witnesses” which is the church.

Please keep [Deacon] Stephen, [and Fathers] Lyall and Tony in your prayers as they begin this new chapter in their lives as witnesses to Christ.

Fr Michael Grace

In any case, here is the Collect of St Luke, in two forms from the Anglican Patrimony, to pray for blessings on all involved, and all others:

Almighty God, who calledst inspire Luke the physician, whose praise is in the Gospel, to be an Evangelist, and Physician of the soul; May it please thee, that, by the wholesome medicines of the doctrines delivered by him, all the diseases of our souls may be healed; through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (1662 BCP) 

Almighty God, who didst inspire thy servant Luke the physician to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of thy Son: Graciously continue in thy Church the like love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of thy Name; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (Book of Divine Worship)

Propers for Bl John Henry Newman

The Feast of Blessed John Henry Newman.

9^th October.

[The following Propers are derived from the 2012 Ordo of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham; mutatis mutandis, one assumes they apply also to the other Ordinariates; and to their friends, pro pia devotione. The Ordo proposes Psalms 21 and 92 as optional additional psalms at Morning Prayer, but that seems to make that Hour too long, so I have – completely without authority – moved them to Evening Prayer, which otherwise seemed to have too short a quantity of psalmody. Similarly, the Ordo gave the citation for the New Testament Lesson at Evening Prayer as Romans 8:28-30, but that seemed a ridiculously short passage, so I assumed it was a misprint for 8:18-30...]

At Morning Prayer.

Proper Psalms.

Psalm 63. 1-9. Deus, Deus meus.

O

 GOD, thou art my God; * early will I seek thee.

2 My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh also longeth after thee, * in a barren and dry land where no water is.

3 Thus have I looked for thee in the sanctuary, * that I might behold thy power and glory.

4 For thy loving-kindness is better than the life itself: * my lips shall praise thee.

5 As long as I live will I magnify thee in this manner, * and lift up my hands in thy Name.

6 My soul shall be satisfied, even as it were with marrow and fatness, * when my mouth praiseth thee with joyful lips.

7 Have I not remembered thee in my bed, * and thought upon thee when I was waking?

8 Because thou hast been my helper; * therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

9 My soul hangeth upon thee; * thy right hand hath upholden me.

Psalm 148. Laudate Dominum.

O

 PRAISE the Lord from the heavens: * praise him in the heights.

2 Praise him, all ye angels of his: * praise him, all his host.

3 Praise him, sun and moon: * praise him, all ye stars and light.

4 Praise him, all ye heavens, * and ye waters that are above the heavens.

5 Let them praise the Name of the Lord: * for he spake the word, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.

6 He hath made them fast for ever and ever: * he hath given them a law which shall not be broken.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, * ye dragons and all deeps;

8 Fire and hail, snow and vapours, * wind and storm, fulfilling his word;

9 Mountains and all hills; * fruitful trees and all cedars;

10 Beasts and all cattle; * creeping things and flying fowls;

11 Kings of the earth, and all peoples; * princes, and all judges of the world;

12 Young men and maidens, old men and children, praise the Name of the Lord: * for his Name only is excellent, and his praise above heaven and earth.

13 He shall exalt the horn of his people: all his saints shall praise him; * even the children of Israel, even the people that serveth him.

Psalm 149. Cantate Domino.

O

 SING unto the Lord a new song; * let the congregation of saints praise him.

2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him, * and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.

3 Let them praise his Name in the dance: * let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.

4 For the Lord hath pleasure in his people, * and helpeth the meek-hearted.

5 Let the saints be joyful with glory; * let them rejoice in their beds.

6 Let the praises of God be in their mouth; * and a two-edged sword in their hands;

7 To be avenged of the nations, * and to rebuke the peoples;

8 To bind their kings in chains, * and their nobles with links of iron;

9 To execute judgment upon them; as it is written, * Such honour have all his saints.

Psalm 150. Laudate Dominum.

O

 PRAISE God in his sanctuary: * praise him in the firmament of his power.

2 Praise him in his noble acts: * praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3 Praise him in the sound of the trumpet: * praise him upon the lute and harp.

4 Praise him in the timbrels and dances: * praise him upon the strings and pipe.

5 Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals: * praise him upon the loud cymbals.

6 Let every thing that hath breath * praise the Lord.

The First Lesson.

Here beginneth the fifth chapter of the Book of Wisdom. [5. 1-16.]

T

HEN the righteous man will stand with great confidence in the presence of those who have afflicted him, and those who make light of his labours. When they see him, they will be shaken with dreadful fear, and they will be amazed at his unexpected salvation. They will speak to one another in repentance, and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say, “This is the man whom we once held in derision and made a byword of reproach – we fools! We thought that his life was madness and that his end was without honour. Why has he been numbered among the sons of God? And why is his lot among the saints? So it was we who strayed from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness did not shine on us, and the sun did not rise upon us. We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction, and we journeyed through trackless deserts, but the way of the Lord we have not known. What has our arrogance profited us? And what good has our boasted wealth brought us? All those things have vanished like a shadow, and like a rumour that passes by; like a ship that sails through the billowy water, and when it has passed no trace can be found, nor track of its keel in the waves; or as, when a bird flies through the air, no evidence of its passage is found; the light air, lashed by the beat of its pinions and pierced by the force of its rushing flight, is traversed by the movement of its wings, and afterward no sign of its coming is found there; or as, when an arrow is shot at a target, the air, thus divided, comes together at once, so that no one knows its pathway. So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be, and we had no sign of virtue to show, but were consumed in our wickedness.” Because the hope of the ungodly man is like chaff carried by the wind, and like a light hoarfrost driven away by a storm; it is dispersed like smoke before the wind, and it passes like the remembrance of a guest who stays but a day. But the righteous live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord; the Most High takes care of them. Therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord, because with his right hand he will cover them, and with his arm he will shield them.

Here endeth the First Lesson.

The Second Lesson.

Here beginneth the third chapter of the Epistle of St Paul the Apostle to the Colossians. [3. 1-17.]

I

F then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Here endeth the Second Lesson.

The Collect.

O

 GOD, who didst bestow upon thy priest, Blessed John Henry Newman, the grace to follow thy kindly light and find peace in thy Church; graciously grant that, through his intercession and example, we may be led out of shadows and images into the fullness of thy truth; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

At Evening Prayer.

Proper Psalms.

Psalm 15. Domine, quis habitabit?

L

ORD, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? * or who shall rest upon thy holy hill?

2 Even he that leadeth an uncorrupt life, * and doeth the thing which is right, and speaketh the truth from his heart.

3 He that hath used no deceit in his tongue, nor done evil to his neighbour, * and hath not slandered his neighbour.

4 He that setteth not by himself, but is lowly in his own eyes, * and maketh much of them that fear the Lord.

5 He that sweareth unto his neighbour, and disappointeth him not, * though it were to his own hindrance.

6 He that hath not given his money upon usury, * nor taken reward against the innocent.

7 Whoso doeth these things * shall never fall.

Psalm 21. 1-7, 13. Domine, in virtute tua.

T

HE King shall rejoice in thy strength, O Lord; * exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation.

2 Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, * and hast not denied him the request of his lips.

3 For thou shalt meet him with the blessings of goodness, * and shalt set a crown of pure gold upon his head.

4 He asked life of thee; and thou gavest him a long life, * even for ever and ever.

5 His honour is great in thy salvation; * glory and great worship shalt thou lay upon him.

6 For thou shalt give him everlasting felicity, * and make him glad with the joy of thy countenance.

7 And why? because the King putteth his trust in the Lord; * and in the mercy of the Most Highest he shall not miscarry.

13 Be thou exalted, Lord, in thine own strength; * so will we sing, and praise thy power.

Psalm 92. Bonum est confiteri.

I

T is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, * and to sing praises unto thy Name, O Most Highest;

2 To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning, * and of thy truth in the night season;

3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute; * upon a loud instrument, and upon the harp.

4 For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy works; * and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of thy hands.

5 O Lord, how glorious are thy works! * thy thoughts are very deep.

6 An unwise man doth not well consider this, * and a fool doth not understand it.

7 When the ungodly are green as the grass, and when all the workers of wickedness do flourish, * then shall they be destroyed for ever; but thou, Lord, art the Most Highest for evermore.

8 For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, lo, thine enemies shall perish; * and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.

9 But my horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn; * for I am anointed with fresh oil.

10 Mine eye also shall see his lust of mine enemies, * and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that arise up against me.

11 The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree, * and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Lebanon.

12 Such as are planted in the house of the Lord, * shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.

13 They also shall bring forth more fruit in their age, * and shall be fat and well-liking;

14 That they may show how true the Lord my strength is, * and that there is no unrighteousness in him.

Psalm 112. Beatus vir.

B

LESSED is the man that feareth the Lord; * he hath great delight in his commandments.

2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth; * the generation of the faithful shall be blessed.

3 Riches and plenteousness shall be in his house; * and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4 Unto the godly there ariseth up light in the darkness; * he is merciful, loving, and righteous.

5 A good man is merciful, and lendeth; * and will guide his words with discretion.

6 For he shall never be moved: * and the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.

7 He will not be afraid of any evil tidings; * for his heart standeth fast, and believeth in the Lord.

8 His heart is stablished, and will not shrink, * until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9 He hath dispersed abroad, and given to the poor. * and his righteousness remaineth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

10 The ungodly shall see it, and it shall grieve him; * he shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away; the desire of the ungodly shall perish.

The First Lesson.

Here beginneth the seventh verse of the second chapter of the Book of Ecclesiasticus. [2. 7-11.]

Y

OU who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; and turn not aside, lest you fall. You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not fail; you who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for everlasting joy and mercy. Consider the ancient generations and see: who ever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who ever persevered in the fear of the Lord and was forsaken? Or who ever called upon him and was overlooked? For the Lord is compassionate and merciful; he forgives sins and saves in time of affliction.

or

Here beginneth the eighth chapter of the Book of Proverbs. [8. 1-11.]

Does not wisdom call, does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, in the paths she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the sons of men. O simple ones, learn prudence; O foolish men, pay attention. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right; for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. They are all straight to him who understands and right to those who find knowledge. Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”

Here endeth the First Lesson.

The Second Lesson.

Here beginneth the eighteenth verse of the eighth chapter of the Epistle of St Paul the Apostle to the Romans. [8. 18-28.]

I

 CONSIDER that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Here endeth the Second Lesson.

The Collect.

O

 GOD, who didst bestow upon thy priest, Blessed John Henry Newman, the grace to follow thy kindly light and find peace in thy Church; graciously grant that, through his intercession and example, we may be led out of shadows and images into the fullness of thy truth; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.