Occurring Scripture for the Hour of Matins
Week of Trinity Sunday
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Trinity SundayLesson i
A reading from the Book of Isaias
Isaias 6:1-4In the year that king Ozias died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and elevated: and his train filled the temple. Upon it stood the seraphim: the one had six wings, and the other had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And they cried one to another, and said: "Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God of hosts, all the earth is full of his glory." And the lintels of the doors were moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Lesson ii
Isaias 6:5-8And I said: "Woe is me, because I have held my peace; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people that hath unclean lips, and I have seen with my eyes the King the Lord of hosts." And one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a live coal, which he had taken with the tongs off the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said: "Behold this hath touched thy lips, and thy iniquities shall be taken away, and thy sin shall be cleansed." And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send? and who shall go for Us?" And I said: "Lo, here am I, send me."
Lesson iii
Isaias 6:9-12And He said: "Go, and thou shall say to this people: 'Hearing, hear, and understand not: and see the vision, and know it not.' Blind the heart of this people, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes: lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and I heal them." And I said: "How long, O Lord?" And He said: "Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land shall be left desolate. And the Lord shall remove men far away, and she shall be multiplied that was left in the midst of the earth."
Lesson iv
From the Book on the Faith, to Peter by Saint Fulgentius, Bishop
Found in the Works of Augustine, Tome IIIThe Faith which the holy Patriarchs and Prophets received from God before His Son was made Flesh, the Faith which the holy Apostles heard from the Lord Himself when Present in the Flesh, the Faith which the same Apostles learned by the teaching of the Holy Ghost not only to preach by word of mouth, but also to leave behind them in their writings for the healthful instruction of all that should come after, that Faith teaches that the Trinity, that is to say, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, is but one God. But we could not truly call the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost a Trinity, if One and the Selfsame Person were named Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Lesson v
Nor if as the Being of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost is One Being, so were there but One Person, then were it untrue to say that God is a Trinity. On the other hand, if, as the Persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are distinguished One from Another by that which is proper to Each, so were They diverse by difference of nature, then were it untrue to say that God is one. But since concerning the nature of the One True God, Who is a Trinity, it is the Truth to say that God is one, and the Truth to say that God is a Trinity, therefore the True God is a Trinity in Persons, and a Unity in nature.
Lesson vi
Through this Oneness of nature All That the Father is is in the Son and the Holy Ghost, All That the Son is is in the Father and the Holy Ghost, and All That the Holy Ghost is is in the Father and the Son. Of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, None is without Other, None is before Other, None is Greater than Other, None is Mightier than Other. The Father, as touching the One Divine Nature, is neither before nor greater than the Son and the Holy Ghost neither is it possible that the Eternity and Infinity of the Son, whether as before or greater, should be before or greater than the Eternity and Infinity of the Spirit.
Lesson vii
The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matthew 28:18-20At that time Jesus said unto His disciples: "All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth. Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.
An Homily of Saint Gregory of Nazianzen ("The Theologian"), Patriarch
Treatise on the Faith.There is no Catholic unaware that the Father is a True Father, the Son a True Son, and the Holy Ghost a True Holy Ghost, even as the Lord Himself said unto His Apostles " Go ye and baptize all nations in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." This is that Perfect Trinity Who is but one being, and of Whom therefore we testify that His Substance is one. For we make no division in God, as divisions are made in bodies, but we testify, that, according to the power of the Divine Nature, Which exists not in matter, the Persons named have a real existence, and that God is one.
Lesson viii
We do not say, as some have dreamt, that the Begetting of the Son of God is an outgrowing from one part to another part; neither do we say that He is the Word in the sense of a mere sound uttered by a voice, but we do believe that these three Names and the Persons meant by them are all of only One Being, One Majesty, and One Power. And therefore we testify that God is One, because this One-ness of His Majesty forbids that we should use the plural form of speech and say, "Gods."
Lesson ix
It is Catholic language to say, " Father and Son," but we cannot and must not say that the Father and the Son are two gods. And that, not because the Son of God is not by Himself God yea, He is True God of True God but because we know that the Son of God is not from elsewhere, but from the One Father Himself, and therefore we say that God is ONE. This is the doctrine which Prophets and Apostles have delivered this is the doctrine which the Lord Himself taught when He said, "I and the Father are One" (John 10:30), that is, He meant, as pertaining to the one Divine Being, but as pertaining to Persons, We are distinct.
Collect:
Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given to Thy servants grace in the confession of the true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of Thy majesty to worship the Unity; grant that by steadfastness in the same faith we may evermore be defended from all adversities. Through our Lord....
Collect (of the First Sunday after Pentecost):
O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in Thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do nothing without Thee, grant us the help of Thy grace, that in fulfilling Thy commandments, we may please Thee both in will and deed. Through our Lord.
If the First Sunday after Pentecost is to be commemorated with a lesson,
lessons viii and ix above are concatenated and what is given below becomes lesson ix
The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Luke 6:36-42
At that time: Jesus said unto His disciples: "Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you shall give to others, it shall be given to you again." And he spoke also to them a parable: "Can the blind lead the blind? do they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one shall be perfect, if he be as his master." And why do you see the mote in your brother's eye: but the beam that is in thy own eye you consider not? Or how can you say to your brother: "Brother, let me pull the mote out of thine eye," when you yourself cannot sees the beam in your own eye? Hypocrite, cast first the beam out of thy own eye; and then shall thou see clearly to take out the mote from thy brother's eye.
An Homily of Saint Augustine, Bishop
Sermon XV on Matthew,
"Words of the Lord"There are two works of mercy which free us, and which the Lord Himself has briefly named in the Gospel: "Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; give, and it shall be given unto you." "Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven" such is the promise of pardon. " Give, and it shall be given unto you" such is the promise of favor. Concerning forgiveness, thou have trespasses which thou would like to have forgiven, and those who have trespassed against thee, whom thou cannot forgive. Concerning favor, there are beggars that beg from thee, and thou are a beggar to God. When we pray, we are all beggars to God, standing at the door of the Great Householder, yes, falling down on our knees, and beseeching Him to give us somewhat and that somewhat is God Himself. What does a beggar ask of thee but bread. And what do thou ask of God but that Christ Who said "I am the Living Bread Which came down from heaven?" If ye will be forgiven, forgive ye. If ye will be pardoned, pardon ye. If ye will receive, "give, and it shall be given unto you."
Lesson i
A reading from the first book of Kings
1 Kings 1:1-3There was a man of Ramathaim-sophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elcana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliu, the son of Thohu, the son of Suph, an Ephraimite: And he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other Phenenna. Phenenna had children: but Anna had no children. And this man went up out of his city upon the appointed days, to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Silo. And there the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were priests of the Lord.
Lesson ii
1 Kings 1:4-8Now the day came, and Elcana offered sacrifice, and gave to Phenenna his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions: But to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb. Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that the Lord had shut up her womb: And thus she did every year, when the time returned that they went up to the temple of the Lord: and thus she provoked her: but Anna wept, and did not eat. Then Elcana her husband said to her: "Anna, why do you weep? and why do you not eat? And why do you afflict your heart? Am not I better to you than ten children?"
Lesson iii
1 Kings 1: 9-11So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo: And Heli the priest sitting upon a stool, before the door of the temple of the Lord: As Anna had her heart full of grief, she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears, And she made a vow, saying: "O Lord, of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."
Lesson i
A reading from the first book of Kings
1 Kings 1:12-18And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli observed her mouth. Now Anna spoke in her heart, and only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard at all. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk, And said to her: "How long will thou, be drunk? digest a little the wine, of which thou hast taken too much." Anna answering, said: "Not so, my lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. Count not thy handmaid for one of the daughters of Belial: for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken till now." Then Heli said to her: Go in peace: and may the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of Him. And she said: Would to God thy handmaid may find grace in thy eyes.
Lesson ii
1 Kings1:18-22So the woman went on her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more changed. And they rose in the morning, and worshipped before the Lord: and they returned, and came into their house at Ramatha. And Elcana knew Anna his wife: and the Lord remembered her. And it came to pass when the time was come about, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord. And Elcana her husband went up, and all his house, to offer to the Lord the solemn sacrifice, and his vow. But Anna went not up: for she said to her husband: I will not go till the child be weaned, and till I may carry him, that he may appear before the Lord, and may abide always there.
Lesson iii
1 Kings1:23-28And Elcana her husband said to her: "Do what seems good to thee, and stay till thou wean him: and I pray that the Lord may fulfill his word." So the woman stayed at home, and gave her son suck, till she weaned him. And after she had weaned him, she carried him with her, with three calves, and three bushels of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. Now the child was as yet very young: And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli. And Anna said: "I beseech thee, my lord, as thy soul lives, my lord: I am that woman who stood before thee here praying to the Lord. For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him. Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there.
Lesson i
A reading from the first book of Kings
1 Kings 2:12-14Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial, not knowing the Lord, nor the office of the priests to the people: but whosoever had offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest came, while the flesh was in boiling, with a flesh hook of three teeth in his hand, And thrust it into the kettle, or into the caldron, or into the pot, or into the pan: and all that the flesh hook brought up, the priest took to himself. Thus did they to all Israel that came to Silo.
Lesson ii
1 Kings 2:15-17Also before they burnt the fat, the servant of the priest came, and said to the man that sacrificed: Give me flesh to boil for the priest: for I will not take of thee sodden flesh, but raw. And he that sacrificed said to him: Let the fat first be burnt today according to the custom, and then take as much as thy soul desires. But he answered and said to him: Not so: but thou shall give it me now, or else I will take it by force. Wherefore the sin of the young men was exceeding great before the Lord: because they withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord.
Lesson iii
1 Kings 2:18-21But Samuel ministered before the face of the Lord: being a child girded with a linen ephod. And his mother made him a little coat, which she brought to him on the appointed days, when she went up with her husband, to offer the solemn sacrifice. And Heli blessed Elcana and his wife: and he said to him: "The Lord give thee seed of this woman, for the loan thou hast lent to the Lord." And they went to their own home. And the Lord visited Anna, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters: and the child Samuel became great before the Lord.
Thursday
CORPUS CHRISTILesson i
A reading from the first letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
1 Corinthians 11:20-22When you come therefore together into one place, it is not now to eat the Lord's supper. For every one takes before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk. What, have you not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise you the church of God; and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not.
Lesson ii
1 Corinthians11:23-26For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread. And giving thanks, broke, and said: "Take ye, and eat: this is My body, which shall be delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of Me. In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of Me. For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall show the death of the Lord, until He come.
Lesson iii
1 Corinthians11:27-32Therefore whoever eats this bread, or drinks the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice. For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you, and many sleep. But if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But whilst we are judged, we are chastised by the Lord, that we be not condemned with this world.
Lesson iv
Opusculum lvii of the Sermons of St Thomas AquinasThe immeasurable benefits, which the goodness of God has bestowed on Christian people, have conferred on them also a dignity beyond all price. “For what nation is there so great, who has gods so nigh unto them, as the Lord, our God, is” unto us? The Only-begotten Son of God, being pleased to make us “partakers of the Divine nature,” took our nature upon Him, being Himself made Man that He might make men gods. And all, as much of ours as He took, He applied to our salvation. On the Altar of the Cross He offered up His Body to God the Father as a sacrifice for our reconciliation He shed His Blood as the price whereby He redeemed us from wretchedness and bondage, and the washing whereby He cleansed us from all sin. And for a noble and abiding memorial of that so great work of His goodness, He has left His faithful ones the same true Body for Meat, and the same true Blood for Drink, to be fed upon under the appearance of bread and wine.
Lesson v
How precious a thing then, how marvelous, how health-giving, how furnished with all dainties, is the Supper of the Lord! Can anything be more precious than His Supper? Therein there is put before us for meat, not, as of old time, the flesh of bulls and of goats, but Christ Himself, our true God. Can anything be more marvelous than this Sacrament? Therein it comes to pass that bread and wine are bread and wine no more, but in their stead there is the Body and the Blood of Christ; that is to say, of Christ Himself, Perfect God and Perfect Man, Christ Himself is there, under the appearance of a little bread and wine. His faithful ones eat Him, but He is not broken; nay, when the Sacramental sign is divided, in each particle there remains the whole Christ Himself. In this sacrament the accidental features remain even in the absence of their subject. For here, when that which is really received is not seen, but is visible in something else, faith enters in. It is faith which saves the senses from being deceived by appearances.
Lesson vi
Can anything be more health-giving than this Sacrament? By It are sins forgiven, strength renewed, and the soul fed upon the abundance of spiritual gifts. This Supper is offered up in the Church both for the living and dead that all may share in Its treasures. Can anything be more furnished with dainties than this Sacrament? The glorious sweetness thereof is of a truth such that no man can fully tell it. Therein ghostly comfort is sucked from its very well - head. Therein a memorial is made of that exceeding great love which Christ showed in time of His sufferings. It was in order that the boundless goodness of His great love might be driven home into the hearts of His faithful ones, that when He had celebrated the Passover with His disciples, and the Supper was ended, the Lord ”Jesus, knowing that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end,” and instituted this Sacrament—this Sacrament, the everlasting “showing forth of His death until He comes again,” this Sacrament, the embodied fulfillment of all the ancient types and figures, this Sacrament, the greatest miracle which He ever wrought, and the one mighty joy of them that now have sorrow, till He shall come again, and their heart shall rejoice, and their joy no man can take from them
Lesson vii
The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John
John 6:56-59At that time: Jesus said unto the multitudes of the Jews: "For My flesh is meat indeed: and My blood is drink indeed. He that eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent Me, and I live by the Father; so he that eats of Me, the same also shall live by Me. This is the Bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eats this Bread, shall live for ever.
An Homily of Saint Augustine, Bishop
Tract XXVI on JohnBy use of meat and drink men would be hopeful that "they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more" (Apocalypse 7:16; Isaias 49:10), and yet there is but one Meat and one Drink, Which works in them that feed thereon that "this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:53), namely communion with that general assembly and Church of God's holy children, who are "kept in perfect peace" (c.f Isaias 26:3), and are "all one" (John 17:11), fully and utterly. And therefore it is, as men of God before our time have taken it, that our Lord Jesus Christ has set before us His Body and His Blood in the likeness of things which, from being many, are reduced into one. In one loaf are many grains of corn, and one cup of wine the juice of many grapes. And now He gives us to know how that which He spoke comes to pass, and how indeed "this Man can give us His Flesh to eat," and His Blood to drink (John 6: 53).
Lesson viii
"He that eats My Flesh, and drinks My Blood, dwells in Me, and I in him" To dwell in Christ, therefore, and to have Him dwelling in us, is to "eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup" (1 Corinthians 11:28), and he who dwells not in Christ, and in whom Christ dwells not, without all doubt does not spiritually eat His Flesh nor drink His Blood, although he do carnally and visibly press the Sacrament with his teeth but, contrariwise, he "eats and drinks damnation to himself," because he dares to draw nigh filthy to that secret and holy thing of Christ, to Which none draws nigh worthily, save he who is pure, even he who is of them concerning whom it is said: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Lesson ix
"As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father, so he that eats of Me, even he shall live by Me." This is as though He said: "The Father hath sent Me into the world" (John 10:36), and I have emptied Myself [and taken upon Me the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man], (Philippians 2:7,8). I have My life from the Father, as One That is greater than I (John 14:28). He that eats of Me, even he, by thereby taking part in Me, shall live by Me. It is as having humbled Myself (cf. Phillipians 2:8) that I live by the Father, but he that eats of Me, him will I raise up (cf. John 6:55), and so he shall live by Me. It is said "I live by the Father" that is to say, He is of the Father, not the Father of Him, and yet not so, but that the Father and the Son are co-equal together. Also it is said "So he that eats of Me, even he shall live by Me," whereby He shows the gracious work towards His people of Him Who is the "one Mediator between God and man" (1 Timothy 2:5), and not that He Who is eaten and he who eats of Him are co-equal together.
Let us pray.
O God, under a marvelous Sacrament you have left us the memorial of thy Passion; grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within us the fruit of thy Redemption. Who live and reign.Lesson i
From the first book of Kings
1 Kings 2:27-29And there came a man of God to Heli, and said to him: Thus said the Lord: "Did I not plainly appear to thy father's house, when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharao? And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to go up to my altar, and burn incense to Me, and to wear the ephod before Me: and I gave to thy father's house of all the sacrifices of the children of Israel. Why have you kicked away My victims, and My gifts which I commanded to be offered in the temple: and thou have honored thy sons rather than Me, to eat the first-fruits of every sacrifice of my people Israel?"
Lesson ii
1 Kings 2:30-33Thus said the Lord the God of Israel: "I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father should minister in my sight, for ever. But now," said the Lord: "Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify: but they that despise me, shall be despised. Behold the days come: and I will cut off thy arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house. And thou shalt see thy rival in the temple, in all the prosperity of Israel, and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. However I will not altogether take away a man of thee from My altar: but that thy eyes may faint and thy soul be spent: and a great part of thy house shall die when they come to man's estate."
Lesson iii
1 Kings 2:34-36"And this shall be a sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees: In one day they shall both of them die. And I will raise Me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to My heart, and My soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before My anointed. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall remain in thy house, shall come that he may be prayed for, and shall offer a piece of silver, and a roll of bread, and shall say: 'Put me, I beseech thee, to somewhat of the priestly office, that I may eat a morsel of bread.'"
If the Octave of Corpus Christi is observed:
Lesson iv
From the Sermons of Saint Thomas Aquinas
Opusculum lviiIt serves well therefore to the edifying of the faithful to make memorial of the institution of this health-giving and so wonderful a Sacrament, that we may worship the unspeakable way by the which the Divine Presence in-dwells in this Sacrament, Which we see, and may praise the power of God whereby in this Sacrament are wrought so many wonders, yes, and also give God some of those thanks which we owe unto Him for this so health-giving gift of His loving-kindness. It is true that on the Day of the Supper of the Lord, on which day we know it to have been that He ordained this Sacrament, at the solemn celebration of the Mass, the memory of the instituting thereof is more particularly mentioned, but all the rest of the Services on that day deal chiefly with Christ's Suffering, to the worshipping of Whom the Church does at that season give all Her mind.
Lesson v
But, that the congregation of Christ's faithful people might celebrate with an whole Festal Office all to itself the institution of this so great Sacrament, Urban IV, Bishop of Rome, being touched with love toward this same Sacrament, has made a godly ordinance that the memory of Its institution should be celebrated by all the faithful upon the Fifth Day of the week, next after the Octave of Pentecost. From one end of the year to the other we use this Sacrament to our souls' health, and we more particularly celebrate the institution thereof at that season wherein the Holy Ghost taught the hearts of the disciples to acknowledge the mysteries thereof, for then it was, as we read, that "they continued steadfastly in [the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in] breaking of Bread, [and in prayers"] (cf. Acts 2:42).
Lesson vi
And, moreover, to the end that on the aforementioned Thursday, and its Octave, the memory of this health-giving Institution might be the more honorably celebrated, and the Feast thereby be held in more excellent worship, the above named Bishop of Rome, after the manner of the gifts which in cathedral churches are given to such as come to the singing or saying of the canonical hours by night and day, has out of his Apostolic bounty granted spiritual rewards to all who are personally present in the church at the diverse canonical hours during all this Festival, thereby to stir up the faithful to come to the keeping of this great Feast in greater eagerness and numbers.
Lesson vii
The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John
John 6:56-59At that time Jesus said unto the multitudes of the Jews My Flesh is meat indeed and My Blood is drink indeed. He that eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eats Me, the same shall also live by Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eats this bread, shall live for ever
An Homily of Saint Augustine, Bishop
Tract XXVII on John.We have heard from the Gospel the words of the Lord which follow [those that formed the subject of my] earlier discourse. To your ears and understandings we owe a discourse on these also, and to-day it becomes very well, for it is upon that Body of the Lord, Which He professed Himself that He "will give for the life of the world" (John 6:52), " that a man may eat thereof and not die" (John 6:50). He has made manifest how He gives, and What is His Gift, where He said: "He that eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood, dwells in Me and I in him." The sign to show whether a man has or has not eaten that Flesh and drunk that Blood, is whether or not he dwells in Christ and Christ in him, whether or not he is a guest of Christ and Christ of his, whether or not he so cleaves to Christ, that Christ be not parted from him.
Lesson viii
This has He taught, and warned us, by words of deep meaning, to be in His Body as members whose Head He is, eating His Flesh, and cleaving always to His Oneness. "Many of His disciples when they had heard this.. went back, and walked no more with Him" (John 6:67), for they understood not by Flesh any flesh other than such as they themselves were made of. The Apostle said, and very true it is, "to carnally minded is death" (cf. Romans 8:6). Where He said: "Whoso eats My Flesh has eternal life," we must not understand this His Flesh carnally, whom it is written "Many of His disciples " (not His enemies) "when they heard this, said This is an hard saying who can hear it?" (John 6:61)
Lesson ix
If His disciples took His words for an hard saying, how did His enemies take them? And, nevertheless, thus it behooved to speak them, even if all men were not to understand them. A Divine mystery ought to make us thoughtful, not to repel us and yet, when the Lord Jesus Christ spoke thus in mystery, many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him. They believed not that He was speaking of some great thing, and darkly announcing in these hath eternal understand this as did they of "Many of His words a bounty. They understood but as they pleased, even after the manner of men, that Jesus was able, that Jesus meant, to give that Flesh wherewith the Word is clothed in, as it were, in slices, to them that believe on Him. And they said "This is an hard saying who can hear it?"
Let us pray.
O God, under a marvelous Sacrament you have left us the memorial of thy Passion; grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within us the fruit of thy Redemption. Who live and reign.Lesson i
A reading from the first book of Kings
1 Kings 3:1-7Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no manifest vision. And it came to pass one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, that he could not see: Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: "Here am I." And he ran to Heli and said: "Here am I: for thou did call me." He said: "I did not call: go back and sleep." And he went and slept. And the Lord called Samuel again. And Samuel arose and went to Heli, and said: "Here am I: for thou called me." He answered: "I did not call thee, my son: return and sleep." Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.
Lesson ii
1 Kings 3:8-12And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli. 9 And said: "Here am I: for thou didst call me." Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: "Go, and sleep: and if he shall call thee any more, thou shall say: 'Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears.'" So Samuel went and slept in his place. And the Lord came and stood: and he called, as he had called the other times: "Samuel, Samuel." And Samuel said: "Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears. And the Lord said to Samuel: "Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears shall tingle. In that day I will raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an end."
Lesson iii
1 Kings 3:15-20And Samuel slept till morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to tell the vision to Heli. Then Heli called Samuel, and said: "Samuel, my son." And he answered: "Here am I." And he asked him: "What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me. May God do so and so to thee, and add so and so, if thou hide from me one word of all that were said to thee." So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide them from him. And he answered: "It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight." And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Bersabee, knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.
If the Octave of Corpus Christi is being observed:
Lesson iv
From the Sermons of Saint John Chrysostom, Patriarch
61st Homily to the people of Antioch.Dearly beloved brethren, it behooves us to learn the miracle of the Mysteries—what the Gift is, and why It was given, and what is the use thereof. "We, being many, are one body," said the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 10:17), and again "We are members of His Body, of His Flesh, and of His Bones" (Ephesians 5:30). Only the initiated will now understand what I say. That this union may take place, not by love only, but truly and indeed, we ought to mingle our own with His Flesh. And this is done by eating that Food Which He hath given unto us, desiring to manifest that exceeding great love which He bears for us. To this end He has mingled Himself with us, and infused His Body into our bodies, that we may be one together, as the limbs of a man and his head are all of one body. Such union do they long for that love much.
Lesson v
When we come back from that Table we ought to be like so many lions breathing fire, dreadful to the devil. Our thoughts ought to be concentrated on our Great Head and the love which He shows us. Many fathers and mothers there are who give their children to others to nurse, "but I," says the Lord to His children, "I am not so, but I feed you with My Own Flesh, and join Myself to you, desiring that you should all be sons of noble blood now, and giving you a noble hope of that which you shall be hereafter. I was content to become your Brother, I for your sakes have taken unto Me Flesh, and Blood, and that Flesh and Blood wherein I am become your Brother, the Same give I in turn unto you."
Lesson vi
Let us then, dearly beloved brethren, take good heed to ourselves, as the holders of such great mercies, and when any foul word springs to our lips, or we feel anger taking possession of us, or the sting of any other sinful passion, let us call to mind of What we have been counted worthy, and let that remembrance quiet the unruly motion. As often as we take that Body, as often as we taste that Blood, let us think how that we feed on Him Who is sitting on high, adored by Angels, at the right hand of the Eternal Power. Ah me, how many a way is open to us whereby we may be saved—He hath made us His, He hath given His Body to us, and we still are not turned away from evil.
Lesson vii
The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John
John 6:56-59At that time Jesus said unto the multitudes of the Jews My Flesh is meat indeed and My Blood is drink indeed. He that eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eats Me, the same shall also live by Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. He that eats this bread, shall live for ever
An Homily of Saint Augustine, Bishop
Tract XXVII on John.I have said, my brethren, that what the Lord has set before us, in eating of His Flesh and drinking of His Blood, is that we should dwell in Him, and He in us. We dwell in Him when we are His members, and He dwells in us when we are His temple. But the bond whereby we are made His members is unity, and what is the cause of unity but love? And love of God, whence is it? Ask the Apostle. "The love of God," said he, " is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5).
Lesson viii
So "it is the spirit that gives life" (John 6:64). It is the spirit that makes the limbs lively; nor is the life-giving power of the spirit spread through any limbs, other than those which remain in union with the body whose the spirit is. The spirit that thou have in thee, O man, and whereby thou art a man, does that spirit spread life through any limb cut off from thy flesh? By "spirit," I mean soul. The soul gives life to no limb but those which remain attached to the body. Cut one off, and the soul gives it life no more, for has been separated from the oneness of thy body.
Lesson ix
These things I say, that we may love oneness and dread division. In truth, there is nothing which a Christian ought so much to dread, as to be cut off from the Body of Christ. If he be cut off from the Body of Christ, he is no longer a member of Christ, and the Spirit of Christ no longer gives him life. "Now, if any man," says the Apostle, "have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Romans 8:9). "It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life" (John 6:64). "Spirit and life"—what means this? It is to be taken spiritually. Hast thou taken it spiritually? Then the words the Lord spoke, unto thee they are spirit and they are life. Hast thou taken it carnally? Then the words of the Lord are still indeed spirit and life, but not for thee.
Let us pray.
O God, under a marvelous Sacrament you have left us the
memorial of thy Passion; grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate the sacred
mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within us the fruit
of thy Redemption. Who live and reign.
