EPISTLE. Rom. xv. 4. 13. Brethren: What things soever were written were written for our instruction that through patience and the comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of one mind one towards another, according to Jesus Christ; that with one mind and with one mouth you may glorify God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive one another, as Christ also hath received you to the honour of God. For I say that Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the Fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name." And again: he saith: "Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people." And again: "Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and magnify him all ye people." And again Isaiah saith: "There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope." Now the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, and in the power of the Holy Ghost.

GRAD. Ps. xlix.-He shall come in his comeliness and beauty from Sion; God will come visibly. V. Gather to him his saints, who have observed is covenant more than sacrifice. Alleluia, Alleluia.

V. I rejoiced at what was told me: we are to go up to the house of the Lord. Alleluia.

in

V. Lætatus sum in his quæ dicta sunt mihi domum Domini ibimus. Alleluia.

GOSPEL. Matt. xi. 2. 10.—At that time: When John had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples he said to him. Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another? And Jesus making answer, said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen.

The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me. And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitude, concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold, they that are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, I tell you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: “Behold, I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee." CREDO.

OFFERT. Thou wilt turn, O God, to us, and bring us to life, and thy people shall rejoice in thee. Shew us, O Lord, thy mercy, and grant us thy salvation.

SECRET. Be appeased, O Lord, we beseech thee, by our humble prayers and sacrifices; and although we can allege no deserts on our part, grant us thy protection. Thro'.

For the II. and III. Secrets, see p. 52.

COMM. Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high. and behold the joy that will come to thee from thy God.

P. COMM. Repleti.-Bein filled, O Lord, with this spiritual food, we humbly seech thee, to teach us, by partaking of this myste, to despise earthly things, and to love such as are teavenly.

For the II. and III. Postcommunions, see p. 52, 53

THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT.
INTROIT, Philip iv. and Ps. lxxxiv.

Audete in Domino

REJOICE in the Lord always, thai, 1 Gempter; iterum dico,

say, rejoice. Let your gaudete modestia vestra modesty be known to all nota sit omnibus homini

men: the Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God. Ps. O Lord thou hast blest thy land; thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. V. Glory. COLLECT.

bus: Dominus enim prope est: nihil soliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum. Ps. Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam, avertisti captivita tem Jacob. V. Gloria.

Aurem tuam.-Bend thine ear,

Lord, we beseech thee, to our prayers, and enlight en the darkness of our minds by the grace of thy visitation. Who livest.

For the other Collects, see p. 50.

EPISTLE. Philip. iv. 4. 7.-Brethren: Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, Rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all mer. The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God. which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

GRAD. Ps. lxxix.-Lord, who sittest on the Cherubim, exert thy power, and come. V. Thou, who rulest Israel, hearken; thou who leadest Joseph as a sheep. Alleluia, Alleluia.

V. Exert, O Lord, thy power, and come to save us. Alleluia.

V. Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni: ut salvos facias nos. leluia.

Al

GOSPEL. John i. 19. 28.--At that time: The Jews sent from Jerusalem Priests and Levites to John, to ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ. And they asked him: What then? Art thon Elias? And he said. I am not. Art thou a

prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord," as said the prophet Isaias. And they that were sent were of the pharisees. And they asked him and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptize, with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me; the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. These things were done in Bethania beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. CREDO.

OFFERT. Ps. lxxxiv.-Lord, thou hast blessed thy land thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people.

SECRET. May we always, O Lord, offer thee this sacrifice of our devotion, both to comply with the institution of these sacred mysteries, and wonderfully to procure ourselves that salvation which thou designest us. Thro'.

For the other Secrets, see p. 52.

COMM. Is. xxxv.—Say, be comforted, O ye fearful of heart, and fear not; behold our God will come and save us.

P. COMM. Imploramus.-We implore, O Lord, thy mercy, that these divine helps having cleansed us from sin, may prepare us for the ensuing solemnity. For the rest of the Postcommunions see pp. 52 and 53.

QUATUOR TEMPORA, OR EMBER-DAYS. HE Ember-days, (so called from our forefathers' fast

their eating nothing but cakes baked under the embers.) are the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of the first week of Lent, of Whitsun-week, of the third week in September, and of the third week in Advent. The spirit of the Church is, to engage her children at these stated times to pray, fast, and perform such other good works as may prevail with God to furnish his Church with good pastors; Saturday in Ember-week being the appointed day for ordaining and consecrating persons to the sacred ministry. We are likewise to beg God's blessing on the fruits of the earth, and give him thanks for those we have already received.

WEDNESDAY IN EMBER WEEK.

DROP

INTROIT. Is. xlv. Ps. xviii.

ROP down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Saviour. Ps. The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmanent declareth the work of his hands. V. Glory.

After Kyrie eleison is said, Let us pray.

Let us kneel down*.
R. Stand up again.

Flectamus genua.
R. Levate.

COLLECT. Præsta quæsumus.-Grant we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that the approaching solemnity of our redemption may afford us the succours of this present life, and heap on us the rewards of eternal happiness. Thro'.

1. LESSON. Is. ii. 2. 5.—In those days the prophe Isaiah said: In the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of

*At solemn Masses this is sung by the Deacon; when all kneel, till the Subdeacon, after a little pause, bids them stand up again to join with the Priest whilst he says the Collect.