A corporal work of mercy.

A corporal work of mercy.
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Tuesday 10 December 2019

Octave of the Immaculate Conception continues


In the liturgical cycle of the Roman liturgy before the destruction which began in 1955, this time now after December 8 was known as the Octave of the Immaculate Conception. You can follow this link, http://divinumofficium.com/cgi-bin/horas/officium.pl# which is also on a tab above to find out more about today and the different versions of the Divine Office, not including the new deformed and debased, Liturgy of the Hours wherein Pope Montini even had the temerity to write, "In this new arrangement of the psalms a few of the psalms and verses that are somewhat harsh in tone have been omitted, especially because of the difficulties anticipated from their use in vernacular celebration."

Because Pope Giovanni Battisti Montini knew better than the King David, the Prophet and God himself.

Leaving you to research as you will, I do wish to post the Readings of the Third Nocturne from St. Bernard of Clariveaux on Mary as the new Eve. May they enrich your day.



Reading 7
From the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Luke 1:26-28
In that time the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And so on.

Homily by St. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux.
2nd on this text.
Rejoice, father Adam, and yet more thou mother Eve, ye that are the source of all, and the ruin of all, and the unhappy cause of their ruin before ye gave them birth. Be comforted both in your daughter, and such a daughter; but chiefly thou, O woman, of whom the first evil came, and who hast cast thy slur upon all women. The time is come for the slur to be taken away, and for the man to have nothing to say against the woman. At the first, when he unwisely began to make excuse, he scrupled not to throw the blame upon her, saying, The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. Wherefore, O Eve, betake thyself to Mary Mother, betake thyself to thy daughter let the daughter answer for the mother let her take away her mother's reproach; let her make up to her father for her mother's fault for if man be fallen by means of woman, it is by means of woman that he is raised up again.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.

R. A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse, a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed.
* O Mary, thy perfumes are a garden of delights.
V. Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled.
R. O Mary, thy perfumes are a garden of delights.

V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. She whose feast-day we are keeping, Mary, blessed Maid of Maidens, be our Advocate with God. Amen.

Reading 8
What didst thou say, O Adam? The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. These are wrathful words, by the which thou dost rather magnify than diminish thine offence. Nevertheless, Wisdom hath defeated thy malice. God asked thee that He might find in thee an occasion of pardon, but, in that He found it not, He hath sought and found it in the Treasure of His Own mercy. One woman answereth for another; the wise for the foolish; the lowly for the proud; for her that gave thee of the tree of death, another that giveth thee to taste of the tree of life; for her that brought thee the bitter food of sin, another that giveth thee of the sweet fruits of righteousness. Wherefore accuse the woman no more, but speak in thanksgiving, and say, Lord, the woman whom Thou hast given me, she hath given me of the tree of life, and I have eaten; and it is in my mouth sweeter than honey, for thereby hast Thou quickened me. (Ps. cxviii. 103, 93.) Behold, it was for this that the angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin, to the most worshipful of women, a woman more wonderful than all women, the restorer of them that went before, and the quickener of them that come after her.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.

R. My soul doth magnify the Lord;
* For He That is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name.
V. For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
R. For He That is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
R. For He That is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name.

V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May He that is the Angels' King to that high realm His people bring. Amen.

Reading 9
Has it not of this thy daughter, O Adam, that God spake when He said unto the serpent, I will put enmity between thee and the woman And if thou wilt still doubt that He speaketh of Mary, hear what followeth She shall bruise thy head. Who won this conquest but Mary? She brought to nought the whole wiles of Satan, whether for the pollution of her body or the injury of her soul. Was it not of her that Solomon spake, where he saith, Who shall find a virtuous woman? (Prov. xxxi. 10.) The wise man knew the weaknesses of women, how frail they are in body, and how changeable in mind. But he had read that God had promised that the enemy, who had prevailed by means of a woman, was by a woman to be overthrown, and he believed. But he wondered greatly, and said, Who shall find a virtuous woman? that is to say If our salvation, and the bringing back of that which is lost, and the final triumph over the enemy, is in the hand of a woman, it must needs be that a virtuous woman be found, meet to work in that matter
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to 


1 comment:

Stephen Lowe said...

Thank you ...the beauty of these readings is only surpassed by its significance to the church