Matins

STAND

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.

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 : Una sábbati María Magdaléne venit mane, cum adhuc ténebræ essent, ad monuméntum.  Et réliqua.

At that time : On the First Day of the week, cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre.  And so on, and that which followeth.

Léctio sancti Evangélii, quam modo, fratres, audístis, valde in superfície histórica est apérta : sed ejus nobis sunt mystéria sub brevitáte requirénda.  María Magdaléne, cum adhuc ténebræ essent, venit ad monuméntum.  Juxta históriam notátur hora : juxta intelléctum vero mysticum, requiréntis signátur intelligéntia.  María étenim auctórem ómnium, quem in carne víderat mórtuum, quærébat in monuménto ; et quia hunc mínime invénit, furátum crédidit.  Adhuc ergo erant ténebræ, cum venit ad monuméntum.  Cucúrrit cítius, discípulis nuntiávit : sed illi præ céteris cucurrérunt, qui præ céteris amavérunt, vidélicet Petrus et Joánnes.

Dearly beloved brethren, the portion of the Holy Gospel which hath just now been read in your ears, is exceeding simple on the face of it, which is its historical sense ; but the mystic sense, which underlieth that other, requíreth from us a little searching.  Mary Magdalene came unto the Sepulchre when it was yet dark.  The historic sense telleth us what was the hour of the day ; the mystic sense, the state of her understanding who sought.  Mary Magdalene sought for him, by whom all things were made, and whom she had seen die, as concerning the flesh ; she sought for him, I say, in the grave, and finding him not, she believed that he had been stolen away.  Yea, it was yet dark, when she came unto the sepulchre.  Then she ran and told the disciples, but they who had loved him most, namely Peter and John, did outrun the others.

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

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

R.  Christus resúrgens ex mórtuis, jam non móritur, mors illi ultra non dominábitur : quod enim mórtuus est peccáto, mórtuus est semel : * Quod autem vivit, vivit Deo, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Mórtuus est semel propter delícta nostra, et resurréxit propter justificatiónem nostram.
R.  Quod autem vivit, vivit Deo, allelúja, allelúja.

R.  Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more ; death hath no more dominion over him : for in that he died, he died unto sin once : *  But in that he liveth, he liveth unto God, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  He died once for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
R.  But in that he liveth, he liveth unto God, 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.

Currébant autem duo simul : sed Joánnes præcucúrrit cítius Petro.  Venit prior ad monuméntum, et íngredi non præsúmpsit.  Venit ergo postérior Petrus, et intrávit.  Quid, fratres, quid cursus signíficat?  Numquid hæc tam subtílis Evangelístæ descríptio a mystériis vacáre credénda est?  Mínime.  Neque enim se Joánnes et præísse, et non intrásse díceret, si in ipsa sui trepidatióne mystérium defuísse credidísset.  Quid ergo per Joánnem, nisi synagóga : quid per Petrum, nisi Ecclésia designátur?

So they ran both together, but John did outrun Peter, and came first to the Sepulchre, but yet took he not upon himself to go in first.  Then cometh Peter following him, and went in.  What, my brethren, what did the racing of these Apostles signify?  Can we believe that the description given by the deepest of the Evangelists is without a mystic interpretation?  By no means.  John had never told how that he did outrun Peter, and yet went not into the Sepulchre, if he had not believed that his hesitation veiled some mystery.  What signifieth John but the Synagogue? or Peter, but the Church?

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

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

R.  Isti sunt agni novélli, qui annuntiavérunt, allelúja : modo venérunt ad fontes, * Repléti sunt claritáte, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  In conspéctu Agni amícti sunt stolis albis, et palmæ in mánibus eórum.
R.  Repléti sunt claritáte, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Repléti sunt claritáte, allelúja, allelúja.

R.  Behold the firstlings of the flock, the lambs new-born who have proclaimed, alleluia : they came but just now unto the well : * They are all of a glistering whiteness, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  In the presence of the Lamb they are clothed with white robes, and hold palms in their hands.
R.  They are all of a glistering whiteness, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  They are all of a glistering whiteness, 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.

Nec mirum esse videátur, quod per juniórem synagóga, per seniórem vero Ecclésia signári perhibétur : quia etsi ad Dei cultum prior est synagóga, quam Ecclésia Géntium, ad usum tamen sæculi prior est multitúdo Géntium, quam synagóga, Paulo attestánte, qui ait : Quia non prius quod spiritále est, sed quod animále.  Per seniórem ergo Petrum significátur Ecclésia Géntium : per juniórem vero Joánnem synagóga Judæórum.  Currunt ambo simul : quia ab ortus sui témpore usque ad occásum, pari et commúni via, etsi non pari et commúni sensu, Gentílitas cum synagóga cucúrrit.  Venit synagóga prior ad monuméntum, sed mínime intrávit : quia legis quidem mandáta percépit, prophetías de incarnatióne ac passióne Domínica audívit, sed crédere in mórtuum nóluit.

Neither must ye take it as strange that the elder Apostle should represent the Church, and younger the Synagogue : for although the Synagogue was first to worship God, yet the herd of Gentiles is in the world older than the Synagogue, as witnesseth Paul where he saith : That was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural.  By Peter, then, who was the elder, is signified the Church of the Gentiles ; and by John, who was the younger, the Synagogue of the Jews.  They run both of them together, for from the time of her birth until now (and so will it be until the end), the Church of the Gentiles hath run in a parallel road and manywise a common road with the Synagogue, albeit not with equal understandings.  The Synagogue came first to the Sepulchre, but she hath not yet entered in ; for, though she hath received the commandments of the law, and hath heard the Prophets tell of the Incarnation and Passion of the Lord, she will not believe in him who died for her.

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

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