Ember Friday in Lent

Station at the Twelve Holy Apostles

Matins

Lauds

Vespers

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Oremus.
Esto, Dómine, propítius plebi tuæ : et, quam tibi facis esse devótam, benígno réfove miserátus auxílio.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
We beseech thee, O Lord, mercifully to have compassion on thy people : that they, which by thee are enabled to serve thee in all godliness, may ever be comforted by thy gracious and ready help.  Through.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Matins

In illo témpore : Erat dies festus Judæórum, et ascéndit Jesus Jerosólymam.  Et réliqua.

At that time : There was a feast of the Jews : and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  And so on, and that which followeth.

Videámus quid volúerit significáre in illo uno, quem étiam ipse servans unitátis mystérium, de tot languéntibus unum sanáre dignátus est.  Invénit in annis ejus númerum quemquam languóris : trigínta et octo annos habébat in infirmitáte.  Hic númerus quómodo magis ad languórem pertíneat, quam ad sanitátem, paulo diligéntius exponéndum est.  Inténtos vos volo : áderit Dóminus, ut cóngrue loquar, et sufficiénter audiátis.  Quadragenárius númerus sacrátus nobis in quadam perfectióne commendátur ; notum esse árbitror caritáti vestræ : testántur sæpíssime divínæ Scriptúræ : jejúnium hoc número consecrátum esse, bene nostis.  Nam et Móyses quadragínta diébus jejunávit, et Elías tótidem : et ipse Dóminus noster et Salvátor Jesus Christus hunc jejúnii númerum implévit.  Per Móysen significátur Lex, per Elíam significántur Prophétæ, per Dóminum significátur Evangélium.  Ideo in illo monte tres apparuérunt, ubi se discípulis osténdit in claritáte vultus et vestis suæ : appáruit enim médius inter Móysen et Elíam, tamquam Evangélium testimónium habéret a Lege et Prophétis.

At that time, out of a great multitude of impotent folk, the Lord healed only one, namely, a certain man which had suffered from his infirmity for thirty and eight years.  By this healing of one, the mystery of unity is suggested, a oneness complete and whole in all its parts.  Let us then, take the number thirty and eight as a symbol of incompleteness and impotence.  And the reason why this number seemeth an appropriate symbol of weakness, and not of perfect health, will be the subject of a few well-considered remarks.  Wherefore I bespeak your close attention.  And may the Lord himself be present, that I may fittingly speak, and that ye may profitably listen.  Note, That the number thirty and eight lacketh two of being forty.  Now it is well known to you, beloved, from your reading of divine writings, which so often witness to it, that the number forty is set apart, and brought to our attention, as an indication of various kinds of perfection or completion.  For example, the idea of a perfect and complete fast is represented under this number : for Moses fasted forty days ; Elias did the same ; and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ himself fulfilled a like number in his own holy fast.  As soon as we hear these three mentioned together, we think of certain things for which they stand : Moses for the Law, Elias for the Prophets, Christ for the Gospel ; even as on the Mount of the Transfiguration, these three appeared together, when he shewed himself to his disciples, with his countenance shining as the sun, and his raiment white and glistering.  At which time he stood between Moses and Elias, thus putting us in mind that the Gospel hath testimony, as it were, on the one hand from the Law, and on the other from the Prophets.

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

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

On Feastdays having an Office of Nine Lessons during Lent, the Te Deum is said after the conclusion of the Ninth Lesson.

R.  Emendémus in mélius, quæ ignoránter peccávimus : ne súbito præoccupáti die mortis, quærámus spátium pœniténtiæ, et inveníre non possímus : * Atténde, Dómine, et miserére, quia peccávimus tibi.
V. Adjuva nos, Deus, salutáris noster, et propter honórem nóminis tui, Dómine, líbera nos.
R.  Atténde, Dómine, et miserére, quia peccávimus tibi.

R.  Let us amend the sins that in our ignorance we have committed : lest the day of death come upon us suddenly, and we find no place for repentance, though we seek it. *  Hear, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against thee.
V.  Help us, O God of our salvation : for the glory of thy Name deliver us, O Lord.
R.  Hear, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned against thee.

Sive ergo in Lege, sive in Prophétis, sive in Evangélio, quadragenárius númerus nobis in jejúnio commendátur.  Jejúnium autem magnum et generále est, abstinére ab iniquitátibus et illícitis voluptátibus sæculi, quod est perféctum jejúnium : Ut abnegántes impietátem et sæculáres cupiditátes, temperánter et juste et pie vivámus in hoc sæculo.  Huic jejúnio quam mercédem addit Apóstolus?  Séquitur et dicit : Exspectántes illam beátam spem, et manifestatiónem glóriæ beáti Dei et Salvatóris nostri Jesu Christi.  In hoc ergo sæculo quasi quadragésimam abstinéntiæ celebrámus, cum bene vívimus, cum ab iniquitátibus et ab illícitis voluptátibus abstinémus : sed quia hæc abstinéntia sine mercéde non erit, exspectámus beátam illam spem, et revelatiónem glóriæ magni Dei et Salvatóris nostri Jesu Christi.  In illa spe, cum fúerit de spe facta res, acceptúri sumus mercédem denárium.  Ipsa enim merces rédditur operáriis in vínea laborántibus, secúndum Evangélium, quod vos credo reminísci : neque enim ómnia commemoránda sunt tamquam rúdibus et imperítis.  Denárius ergo, qui accépit nomen a número decem, rédditur, et conjúnctus quadragenário fit quinquagenárius : unde cum labóre celebrámus.  Quadragésimam ante Pascha ; cum lætítia vero, tamquam accépta mercéde, Quinquagésimam post Pascha.

Now as we have remarked, whether it be in the Law or in the Prophets or in the Gospel, the number forty is recommended to us in the matter of fasting.  But remember that fasting, in its large and general import, is this : to abstain from wickedness and forbidden pleasures.  Yea, this is the perfect fast, as saith the Apostle : That denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.  After such a fast, what reward of feast doth the Apostle add?  He goeth on and saith : Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Therefore, our pilgrimage in this world, if we live aright, and abstain from wickedness and forbidden pleasures, becometh like unto that perfection of fasting which is represented by the Lenten course of forty days.  But because such a life-long Lent will not fail of its Easter reward, we look for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.  When that hope is realized, then indeed by virtue thereof we shall receive every man his promised wage of a penny.  For every workman toiling in the vineyard will receive his wages, as saith the Gospel, which I am sure ye have not forgotten, and which same I need not quote at length, as if ye were ignorant or untaught.  Now the penny which the workmen received is in the original Greek a coin of indefinite value, except that it doth indicate the numeral ten.  Add this reward of ten unto the forty of our service in fasting, and it becometh fifty.  And so it is that we toil in fasting during the forty days of Lent before Easter, and then, by way of our reward, we keep holiday for the fifty days of Eastertide.

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

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

R.  Derelínquat ímpius viam suam, et vir iníquus cogitatiónes suas, et revertátur ad Dóminum, et miserébitur ejus : * Quia benígnus et miséricors est, et præstábilis super malítia Dóminus Deus noster.
V.  Non vult Dóminus mortem peccatóris, sed ut convertátur et vivat.
R.  Quia benígnus et miséricors est, et præstábilis super malítia Dóminus Deus noster.

R.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him : * For the Lord our God is gracious and merciful, and repenteth him of the evil.
V.  The Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but it pleasureth him if the wicked turn from his way and live.
R.  For the Lord our God is gracious and merciful, and repenteth him of the evil.

Mementóte quod proposúerim númerum trigintaócto annórum in illo lánguido.  Volo expónere, quare númerus ille trigésimus et octávus, languóris sit pótius quam sanitátis.  Ergo, ut dicébam, cáritas implet Legem : ad plenitúdinem Legis in ómnibus opéribus pértinet quadragenárius númerus.  In caritáte autem duo præcépta nobis commendántur : Díliges Dóminum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et ex tota ánima tua, et ex tota mente tua : et díliges próximum tuum sicut teípsum.  In his duóbus præcéptis tota Lex pendet, et Prophétæ.  Mérito et illa vídua omnes facultátes suas, duo minúta misit in dona Dei : mérito et pro illo lánguido a latrónibus sauciáto stabulárius duos nummos accépit, unde sanarétur : mérito apud Samaritános bíduum fecit Jesus, ut eos caritáte firmáret.  Binário ergo isto número cum áliquid boni significátur, máxime bipertíta cáritas commendátur.  Si ergo quadragenárius númerus habet perfectiónem Legis, et Lex non implétur nisi in gémino præcépto caritátis : quid miráris, quia languébat, qui ad quadragínta, duo minus habébat?

Bear in mind how I remarked on the thirty and eight years of impotence in the infirm man.  I had a desire to explain wherein the number, thirty and eight, seemed to me to be proper rather to weakness than to health.  Now, as we know, love is the fulfilling of the law ; and, as I way saying, this number forty pertaineth to perfection, and therefore can be taken as a symbol of the fulfilling of the law in all its works.  But in charity two precepts are set before us : Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind ; this is the first and great commandment ; and the second is like unto it : Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ; on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.  A good augury of this is that widow who cast all her living, to wit, two mites, into the treasury of God.  Another on is that of the innkeeper who received two pence wherewith to care for him that had fallen amongst the thieves and was wounded.  And Jesus himself abode for two days amongst the Samaritans that he might establish them in charity.  So it is that by this number two there is represented the double duty of charity.  Wherefore, if the fulfilment of the law be represented by the number forty, and if the law is not to be fulfilled except by the twin precepts of love, marvel not that I take the number of the infirm man's years of impotence, thirty and eight, as a symbol of weakness ; that is to say, he lacked two of forty, just as those who lack charity continue in impotence.

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

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

R.  Paradísi portas apéruit nobis jejúnii tempus : suscipiámus illud orántes, et deprecántes : * Ut in die resurrectiónis cum Dómino gloriémur.
V.  In ómnibus exhibeámus nosmetípsos sicut Dei minístros in multa patiéntia.
R.  Ut in die resurrectiónis cum Dómino gloriémur.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Ut in die resurrectiónis cum Dómino gloriémur.

R.  The fast of Lent openeth for us the gates of paradise ; let us enter therein with prayer and supplication : * That in the Day of the Resurrection we may rejoice with the Lord.
V.  In all things let us approve ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience.
R.  That in the Day of the Resurrection we may rejoice with the Lord.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  That in the Day of the Resurrection we may rejoice with the Lord.

The Office of Matins ends after the Third Respond.  The Te Deum is not said, and Lauds normally follows immediately, beginning with the Opening Versicles.  Otherwise, the Conclusion of Matins is read, according to the Rubrics.

Conclusion of Matins
 

Lauds

Ad Bened. Ant:  Angelus Dómini * descendébat de cælo, et movebátur aqua, et sanabátur unus.

Ant. on Bened:  An Angel of the Lord * went down from heaven, and troubled the waters ; and whosoever first did step therein was made whole.

BENEDICTUS

THE BENEDICTUS

Ferial Preces

Oremus.
Esto, Dómine, propítius plebi tuæ : et, quam tibi facis esse devótam, benígno réfove miserátus auxílio.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
We beseech thee, O Lord, mercifully to have compassion on thy people : that they, which by thee are enabled to serve thee in all godliness, may ever be comforted by thy gracious and ready help.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS if it is said

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Vespers

V.  God shall give his Angels charge over thee.
R.  To keep thee in all thy ways.

Ad Magnif. Ant:  Qui me sanum fecit, * ille mihi præcépit : Tolle grabátum tuum, et ámbula in pace.

Ant. on Magnif:  He that made me whole, * the same said unto me: Take up thy bed, and go in peace.

MAGNIFICAT

THE MAGNIFICAT

Ferial Preces

Oremus.
Exáudi nos, miséricors Deus : et méntibus nostris grátiæ tuæ lumen osténde.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Most merciful God, we beseech thee graciously to incline thine ear unto these our prayers : and to shew forth in our hearts the bright beams of thy grace.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS if it is said

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH