Confessor

Semidouble

Common

Matins

Lauds

COLLECT OF THE DAY

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

At Second Vespers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Ant:  Similábo eum viro sapiénti, qui ædificávit domum suam supra petram.

Ant:  I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock.

Oremus.
Deus, qui nos beáti Aléxii Confessóris tui ánnua  solemnitáte  lætíficas : concéde propítius ; ut, cujus natalítia cólimus, étiam actiónes imitémur.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who makest us glad with the yearly feast of blessed Aléxius, thy Confessor : mercifully grant, that, as we now observe his heavenly birthday, so we may follow him in all virtuous and godly living.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH

Sunday Compline
 

Matins

The first part of Matins is in the Ordinary

Invitatory and Hymn

First Nocturn

Second Nocturn

Third Nocturn
 

First Nocturn

The Lessons for the First Nocturn are taken from the occurrent Scripture.  If, however, they are to be taken from the Common, they are read from that of a Confessor not a Bishop, Series 1,  Beatus vir.

Scripture Lessons

Lessons from Common of Confessors
 

Second Nocturn

If this Feast be reduced to the rank of Simple, and Lesson IX of this Feast is to be said according to the Rubrics, the following Lesson IV is said alone.

Absolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

Absolution:  May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever.
R.  Amen.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

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

Benedíctio 4: Deus Pater omnípotens sit nobis propítius et clemens.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 4:  May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity.
R.  Amen.

Aléxius, Romanórum nobilíssimus, propter exímium Jesu Christi amórem prima nocte nuptiárum peculiári Dei mónitu relínquens intáctam sponsam, illústrium orbis terræ ecclesiárum peregrinatiónem suscépit.  Quibus in itinéribus cum ignótus septémdecim annos fuísset, aliquándo apud Edéssam, Syriæ urbem, per imáginem sanctíssimæ Maríæ Vírginis, ejus nómine divulgáto, inde navi discéssit.  Ad portum Románum appúlsus, a patre suo tamquam aliénus pauper hospítio accípitur ; apud quem, ómnibus incógnitus, cum decem et septem annos vixísset, relícto scripto sui nóminis, sánguinis, ac totíus vitæ cursus, migrávit in cælum, Innocéntio primo summo Pontífice.

Alexius was a member of one of the noblest Roman families.  Through his exceeding great love for Jesus Christ, he received a particular command from God to leave his bride untouched upon his wedding night, and to undertake a pilgrimage to the most famous churches of the world.  For seventeen years he remained occupied in these journeys and utterly unknown.  At the end of that time, his name was spoken from an image of the most holy Virgin Mary in the city of Edessa, in Syria, and when he found himself recognised he took ship from thence.  He landed at Porto near Rome, and fared to the house of his own father, who gave him shelter as a strange beggar.  He lived there unrecognised by any for seventeen years more, and then passed away to heaven, in the time of Pope Innocent I, leaving behind him a writing giving his name, family, and the story of his life.

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

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

R.  Honéstum fecit illum Dóminus, et custodívit eum ab inimícis, et a seductóribus tutávit illum : * Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.
V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas, et osténdit illi regnum Dei.
R.  Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.

R.  The Lord multiplied the fruit of his labours and defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait. * And gave him perpetual glory.
V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, and shewed him the kingdom of God.
R.  And gave him perpetual glory.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

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

Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal.
R.  Amen.

Deridétur justi simplícitas.  Hujus mundi sapiéntia est : cor machinatiónibus tégere, sensum verbis veláre : quæ falsa sunt, vera osténdere ; quæ vera sunt, falsa demonstráre.  Hæc nimírum prudéntia usu a juvénibus scitur, hæc a púeris prétio díscitur : hanc qui sciunt, céteros despiciéndo supérbiunt : hanc qui nésciunt, subjécti et tímidi in áliis mirántur ; quia ab eis hæc eádem duplicitátis iníquitas, nómine palliáta, dilígitur, dum mentis pervérsitas urbánitas vocátur.  Hæc sibi obsequéntibus præcépit honórum cúlmina quærere, adépta temporális glóriæ vanitáte gaudére, irrogáta ab áliis mala multiplícius réddere : cum vires súppetunt, nullis resisténtibus cédere ; cum virtútis possibílitas deest, quidquid explére per malítiam non valent, hoc in pacífica bonitáte simuláre.

The simplicity of the righteous is made a subject of derision.  The wisdom of this world hideth our true feelings by artifice, and useth language to conceal our thoughts ; this is the wisdom which demonstrateth the truth of falsehood, and sheweth the falsehood of the truth.  This kind of shrewdness the young acquire by practice, and children pay for the learning it.  Those who are good at this look down upon their neighbours ; those who are bad at it are humble and timid, and wonder at it in others ; they regard this astuteness too, wrong though it be, with wistful admiration, under softened epithets.  Unstraightforwardness is called good breeding.  The principles of the world teach those who entertain them, to try and rise to distinction, and when they have attained the bubble of glory which is so soon to pass away, to feel it sweet to have at their feet them on whom they may wreak rich revenge.  These principles teach a man, as long as he is strong enough, to try and attain his objects by cunning if we cannot get it by coercion.

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

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

R.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum : stolam glóriæ índuit eum, * Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.
V.  Induit eum Dóminus lorícam fídei, et ornávit eum.
R.  Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.

R.  The Lord loved him and adorned him; he clothed him with a robe of glory : * And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.
V.  The Lord hath put on him the breast-plate of faith, and hath adorned him.
R.  And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

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

Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love.
R.  Amen.

At contra, sapiéntia justórum est : nil per ostensiónem fíngere, sensum verbis aperíre, vera ut sunt dilígere, falsa devitáre ; bona gratis exhibére, mala libéntius toleráre quam fácere ; nullam injúriæ ultiónem quærere, pro veritáte contuméliam lucrum putáre.  Sed hæc justórum simplícitas deridétur ; quia ab hujus mundi sapiéntibus puritátis virtus fatúitas créditur.  Omne enim quod innocénter ágitur, ab eis procul dúbio stultum putátur ; et quidquid in ópere véritas ápprobat, carnáli sapiéntiæ fátuum sonat.  Quid namque stúltius vidétur mundo quam mentem verbis osténdere, nil cállida machinatióne simuláre, nullas injúriis contumélias réddere, pro maledicéntibus oráre, paupertátem quærere, posséssa relínquere, rapiénti non resístere, percutiénti álteram maxíllam præbére?

The wisdom of the righteous man is the contrary of all this.  They seek to avoid deception, to give their thoughts a clear expression in their words, to love the truth because it is the truth, to avoid falsehood, and rather to suffer than to inflict evil.  Such are they who seek not to avenge themselves for wrong, and deem it gain to be despised for the truth's sake.  This their simplicity is made a subject of derision, for such as are wise in this world believe the purity of their virtue to be simple foolery.  Whatsoever is done innocently, they consider without doubt stupid.  Such works as the truth approveth are idiotic, when tried by carnal standards of wisdom.  After all, what stupider thing is there in this world than to express our real thoughts in our words, to keep nothing quiet by skilful tact, to repay no injuries, to pray for them which curse us, to seek poverty, to give up property, to strive not with such as take from us, to turn the other cheek to the smiter?

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 homo perfécit ómnia quæ locútus est ei Deus, et dixit ad eum : Ingrédere in réquiem meam : * Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.
V.  Iste est, qui contémpsit vitam mundi, et pervénit ad cæléstia regna.
R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.

R.  This is he which did according to all that God commanded him ; and God said unto him : Enter thou into my rest : * For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
V.  This is he which despised his life in this world, and is come unto an everlasting kingdom.
R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.

After the conclusion of the Second Nocturn, the Third Nocturn is begun according to the current weekday, as given in the table below.

Third Nocturn

In the Third Nocturn, the Gospel Homily Ecce nos reliquimus is read from the Common of Abbots, Series 1.

Gospel Homily from Common of Abbots
 

Lauds

V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas.
R.  Et osténdit illi regnum Dei.

V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths.
R.  And shewed him the kingdom of God.

Ad Bened. Ant:  Euge, serve bone * et fidélis, quia in pauca fuísti fidélis, supra multa te constítuam, intra in gáudium Dómini tui.

Ant. on Bened:  Well done, good and faithful servant: * thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy Lord.

BENEDICTUS

Oremus.
Deus, qui nos beáti Aléxii Confessóris tui ánnua  solemnitáte  lætíficas : concéde propítius ; ut, cujus natalítia cólimus, étiam actiónes imitémur.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, who makest us glad with the yearly feast of blessed Alexius, thy Confessor : mercifully grant, that, as we now observe his heavenly birthday, so we may follow him in all virtuous and godly living.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Vespers of the following day.  Commemoration of the preceding day, and of Ss. Symphorosa and her seven Sons, Martyrs.