Series 2 of Gospel Lessons for Abbots

The Office is entirely taken from the Common of a Confessor Not a Bishop, except for the Collect and the Lessons of the Third Nocturn, which are given here below.

Third Nocturn

Absolutio: A vínculis peccatórum nostrórum absólvat nos omnípotens et miséricors Dóminus.
R.  Amen.

Absolution:  May the Lord Almighty and merciful break the bonds of our sins and set us free.
R.  Amen.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 7: Evangélica léctio sit nobis salus et protéctio.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 7:  May the Gospel's holy lection be our safeguard and protection.
R.  Amen.

In illo témpore : Respóndens Jesus dixit : Confíteor tibi, Pater, Dómine cæli et terræ, quia abscondísti hæc a sapiéntibus et prudéntibus, et revelásti ea párvulis.  Et réliqua.

At that time : Jesus answered and said : I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.  And so on, and that which followeth.

Veníte ad me, omnes qui laborátis.  Quare enim omnes laborámus, nisi quia sumus hómines mortáles, frágiles, infírmi, lútea vasa portántes, quæ fáciunt ínvicem angústias?  Sed, si angustiántur vasa carnis, dilaténtur spátia caritátis.  Quid ergo dicit, Veníte ad me, omnes qui laborátis, nisi ut non laborétis?  Dénique promíssio ejus in promptu est ; quóniam laborántes vocávit, quærent forte qua mercéde vocáti sunt.  Et ego vos, inquit, refíciam.  Tóllite jugum meum super vos, et díscite a me, non mundum fabricáre, non cuncta visibília et invisibília creáre, non in ipso mundo mirabília fácere et mórtuos suscitáre ; sed, Quóniam mitis sum et húmilis corde.

Come unto me, all ye that labour.  And wherefore labour we all, but because we are frail, sickly, mortal men, burdened with earthen vessels which distress us?  But if these fleshly vessels be distressful, let the open expanse of love be free and wide.  Come unto me, all ye that labour.  And why?  That we may labour no more.  His promise is an instant promise, for he calleth such as are labouring.  Perchance they will ask him what shall be their reward?  And I, saith he, will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.  And he doth not say, Learn of me how to make the world; or how to create all things visíbile and invisible ; or even how to work wonders on earth, and raise the dead.  Rather, he saith, Learn of me for this reason; because I am meek and humble of heart.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Iste est, qui ante Deum magnas virtútes operátus est, et de omni corde suo laudávit Dóminum : * Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum.
V.  Ecce homo sine queréla, verus Dei cultor, ábstinens se ab omni ópere malo, et pérmanens in innocéntia sua.
R.  Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum.

R.  This is he who wrought mighty deeds and valiant in the sight of God, and all the earth is filled with his doctrine : * May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people.
V.  Behold a man without blame, a worshipper of God in truth, keeping himself clean from every evil work, and abiding still in his innocency.
R.  May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 8:  Cujus (vel Quorum) festum cólimus, ipse (vel ipsi) intercédat (vel intercédant) pro nobis ad Dóminum.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 8:  May he [or they] whose feast day we are keeping, be our Advocate(s) with God.
R.  Amen.

Magnus esse vis?  a mínimo íncipe.  Cógitas magnam fábricam constrúere celsitúdinis?  de fundaménto prius cógita humilitátis.  Et quantam quisque vult et dispónit superimpónere molem ædifícii, quanto erit majus ædifícium, tanto áltius fodit fundaméntum.  Et fábrica quidem cum constrúitur, in supérna consúrgit ; qui autem fodit fundaméntum, ad ima deprímitur.  Ergo et fábrica ante celsitúdinem humiliátur, et fastígium post humiliatiónem erígitur.

Wilt thou be great?  Begin by being little.  Dost thou think to raise up a lofty building?  Think first how lowly and deep the foundation must be.  For the greater soever, and the more massive, the building is planned to be, so much the deeper must the foundation be placed.  When the structure is finished, it towereth heavenward.  But he that laid the foundation, first went down very low into the earth.  The building must therefore be low before it is high.  Yea, it can be crowned with its lofty roof only because it had a beginning deep downward.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Sint lumbi vestri præcíncti, et lucérnæ ardéntes in mánibus vestris: * Et vos símiles homínibus exspectántibus dóminum suum, quando revertátur a núptiis.
V.  Vigiláte ergo, quia nescítis qua hora Dóminus vester ventúrus sit.
R.  Et vos símiles homínibus exspectántibus dóminum suum, quando revertátur a núptiis.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Et vos símiles homínibus exspectántibus dóminum suum, quando revertátur a núptiis.

R.  Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning: * And be ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding.
V.  Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
R.  And be ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  And be ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding.

If Lesson ix is to be taken from an occurring Feast or Sunday, it is given in its proper place, as announced in the Ordo.

Alternate Ninth Lesson

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 9: Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 9: May the King of Angels give us fellowship with all the citizens of heaven.
R.  Amen.

Quod est fastígium construéndæ fábricæ, quam molímur?  quo perventúrum est cacúmen ædifícii?  Cito dico, usque ad conspéctum Dei.  Vidétis quam excélsum est, quanta res est conspícere Deum.  Qui desíderat, et quod dico et quod audit intélligit.  Promíttitur nobis conspéctus Dei, veri Dei, summi Dei.  Hoc enim bonum est, vidéntem vidére.  Nam, qui colunt falsos deos, fácile illos vident ; sed eos vident, qui óculos habent et non vident.  Nobis autem promíttitur vísio Dei vivéntis et vidéntis.

But what of the roof of this house on which we labour?  Whither do its spires rise?  I answer you at once, even to the very presence of God.  Ye see how high, how great a thing it is, to behold God.  He that will, understandeth what I say, and he heareth.  What is promised you is to see God, even very God himself, the Supreme.  Yea, and blessed is he that seeth him by whom he is seen.  Such as worship false gods see them easily, but they see only them who have eyes and see not.  But unto us it is promised that we shall see that God who liveth and seeth.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.