Matins

STAND

Absolutio: Exáudi, Dómine Jesu Christe, preces servórum tuórum, et miserére nobis : Qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivis et regnas in sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

Absolution:  Graciously hear, O Lord Jesu Christ, the prayers of thy servants, and have mercy upon us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, for ever and ever.
R.  Amen.

Benedíctio 1: Evangélica léctio sit nobis salus et protéctio.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 1:  May the Gospel's holy lection be our safeguard and protection.
R.  Amen.

In illo témpore : María stabat ad monuméntum foris, plorans.  Dum ergo fleret, inclinávit se, et prospéxit in monuméntum : et vídit duos Angelos in albis, sedéntes.  Et réliqua.

At that time : Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting,  And so on, and that which followeth.

María Magdaléne, quæ fúerat in civitáte peccátrix, amándo veritátem, lavit lácrimis máculas críminis : et vox Veritátis implétur, qua dícitur : Dimíssa sunt ei peccáta multa, quia diléxit multum.  Quæ enim prius frígida peccándo remánserat, póstmodum amándo fórtiter ardébat.  Nam postquam venit ad monuméntum, ibíque corpus Domínicum non invénit, sublátum crédidit, atque discípulis nuntiávit : qui veniéntes vidérunt, atque ita esse, ut múlier díxerat, credidérunt.  Et de eis prótinus scriptum est : Abiérunt ergo discípuli ad semetípsos :  ac deínde subjúngitur : María autem stabat ad monuméntum foris, plorans.

Mary Magdalene, the woman of the city who was a sinner, through love of the truth, washed away by her tears the befoulment of her sin ; and thereby the word of the Truth was fulfilled which he spake : Her sins, which are many, are forgiven : for she loved much.  She that had remained cold while she sinned, became burning when she loved.  And so Mary Magdalene, after that she had been to the sepulchre, and had not found there the body of the Lord (wherefrom she was led to believe that it had been taken away), went out and told his disciples ; and they came and saw, and thought it was even as she said.  So it is written : Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.  But of her it is said : Mary stood without, at the sepulchre, weeping.

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

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

R.  Tulérunt Dóminum meum, et néscio ubi posuérunt eum.  Dicunt ei Angeli : Múlier, quid ploras? surréxit sicut dixit : * Præcédet vos in Galilæam : ibi eum vidébitis, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Cum ergo fleret, inclinávit se, et prospéxit in monuméntum : et vidit duos Angelos in albis, sedéntes, qui dicunt ei.
R.  Præcédet vos in Galilæam : ibi eum vidébitis, allelúja, allelúja.

R.  They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him : but the Angels say unto her : Woman, why weepest thou? he is risen, as he said : *  He goeth before you into Galilee ; there shall ye see him, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  And as she wept she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre, and saw two Angels in white which said unto her.
R.  He goeth before you into Galilee ; there shall ye see him, alleluia, alleluia.

Benedíctio 2: Divínum auxílium máneat semper nobíscum.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 2: May help divine be with us all, for ever abiding.
R.  Amen.

Qua in re pensándum est, hujus mulíeris mentem quanta vis amóris accénderat, quæ a monuménto Dómini, étiam discípulis recedéntibus, non recedébat.  Exquirébat quem non invénerat : flebat inquiréndo, et amóris sui igne succénsa, ejus, quem ablátum crédidit, ardébat desidério.  Unde cóntigit, ut eum sola tunc vidéret, quæ remánserat ut quæreret : quia nimírum virtus boni óperis, perseverántia est : et voce Veritátis dícitur : Qui autem perseveráverit usque in finem, hic salvus erit.

In connection with this matter, we ought to ponder on this, namely, the great store of love which was in that woman's heart.  For she, when even his disciples were gone away, could not tear herself from the grave of the Lord.  She sought him whom she had not found there, and as she sought, she wept.  And the fire of love in her heart yearned after him, who (as she believed) had been taken away.  And so it came to pass that she, who had lingered to seek him, was the only one who then saw him.  For the backbone of a good work is endurance, and the voice of the Truth itself hath said : He that endureth to the end shall be saved.

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

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

R.  Congratulámini mihi, omnes qui dilígitis Dóminum, quia quem quærébam, appáruit mihi : * Et dum flerem ad monuméntum, vidi Dóminum, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Recedéntibus discípulis, non recedébam, et amóris ejus igne succénsa, ardébam desidério.
R.  Et dum flerem ad monuméntum, vidi Dóminum, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Et dum flerem ad monuméntum, vidi Dóminum, allelúja, allelúja.

R.  Rejoice with me, all ye who love the Lord, because he for whom I sought hath appeared unto me : * Yea, while I was weeping at the tomb I beheld the Lord, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  The disciples departed but I departed not ; for I was a-kindle with his love, and enflamed with the desire of beholding him.
R.  Yea, while I was weeping at the tomb I beheld the Lord, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  Yea, while I was weeping at the tomb I beheld the Lord, alleluia, alleluia.

Benedíctio 3: Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 3: May the King of Angels give us fellowship with all the citizens of heaven.
R.  Amen.

María ergo cum fleret, inclinávit se, et prospéxit in monuméntum.  Certe jam monuméntum vácuum víderat, jam sublátum Dóminum nuntiáverat : quid est, quod se íterum inclínat, íterum vidére desíderat?  Sed amánti semel aspexísse non súfficit : quia vis amóris intentiónem multíplicat inquisitiónis.  Quæsívit ergo prius, et mínime invénit : perseverávit ut quæreret, unde et cóntigit, ut inveníret : actúmque est, ut desidéria diláta créscerent, et crescéntia cáperent quod inveníssent.

As Mary wept there, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre.  It was but a little while since she had seen that the sepulchre was empty, and had declared that the Lord was taken away.  Why then should she stoop down and look in again?  It was because she loved him so well, that one look was not enough ; the energy of her affection constrained her to search again and again.  She began by searching and not finding ; but she endured in her search, and behold, it came to pass that she found.  And this was done that our own longings for Christ's presence might be taught to expand ; and that we might know how, that as they expand, they will meet with him to whom they aspire.

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

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