Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent

Station at St. Sixtus

Matins

Lauds

Vespers

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Oremus.
Præsta nobis, quæsumus, Dómine : ut salutáribus jejúniis erudíti, a nóxiis quoque vítiis abstinéntes, propitiatiónem tuam facílius impetrémus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord : that we being taught by abstinence in the way of salvation, may in such wise learn to refrain ourselves from all vices that may hurt the soul, that we may readily obtain the pardon of thy loving-kindness.  Through.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH

Matins

In illo témpore : Accessérunt ad Jesum ab Jerosólymis scribæ et pharisæi, dicéntes : Quare discípuli tui transgrediúntur traditiónem seniórum?  Et réliqua.

At that time : There came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying : Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?  And so on, and that which followeth.

Mira pharisæórum scribarúmque stultítia.  Dei Fílium árguunt, quare hóminum traditiónes et præcépta non servet : Non enim lavant manus suas, cum panem mandúcant.  Manus, id est ópera, non córporis útique, sed ánimæ lavándæ sunt, ut fiat in illis verbum Dei.  Ipse autem respóndens ait illis : Quare et vos transgredímini mandátum Dei propter traditiónem vestram?  Falsam calúmniam vera responsióne confútat.  Cum, inquit, vos propter traditiónem hóminum præcépta Dómini negligátis : quare discípulos meos arguéndos putátis, quod seniórum jussa parvipéndant, ut Dei scita custódiant?

Wondrous stupidity of the scribes and Pharisees!  They rebuke the Son of God because he doth not observe the traditions and commandments of men, saying of his disciples : They wash not their hands when they eat bread.  It behoveth us to cleanse, not the hands of the body, but the hands of the soul, namely, our works, that the word of God may be fulfilled in them.  But he answered and said unto them : Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your Tradition?  Thus he meeteth here their false accusation by a true.  It is as if he had said : Ye who pass over the commandments of God, in order to keep to the traditions of men, ought not to rebuke my disciples, because they deem the Tradition of the elders of little moment in comparison with the doing of what they know to be the will of God.

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.  Mérito hæc pátimur, quia peccávimus in fratrem nostrum, vidéntes angústias ánimæ ejus, dum deprecarétur nos, et non audívimus : * Idcirco venit super nos tribulátio.
V.  Dixit Ruben frátribus suis : Numquid non dixi vobis, Nolíte peccáre in púerum ; et non audístis me?
R.  Idcírco venit super nos tribulátio.

R.  We indeed suffer justly, for verily we be guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear ; * Therefore is this distress come upon us.
V.  And Reuben made answer : Spake I not unto you, saying, do not sin against the child? and ye would not hear.
R.  Therefore is this distress come upon us.

Nam Deus dixit : Honóra patrem et matrem ; et, Qui maledíxerit patri, vel matri, morte moriátur.  Vos autem dícitis : Quicúmque díxerit patri, vel matri : Munus quodcúmque est ex me, tibi próderit : et non honorificábit patrem suum, aut matrem suam.  Honor in Scriptúris non tantum in salutatiónibus et offíciis deferéndis, quantum in eleemósynis, ac múnerum oblatióne sentítur.  Honóra, inquit Apóstolus, víduas, quæ vere víduæ sunt.  Hic honor donum intellígitur.  Et in álio loco : Presbyteri dúplici honóre honorándi sunt, máxime qui labórant in verbo et doctrína Dei.  Et per hoc mandátum jubémur bovi trituránti os non cláudere : et dignus sit operárius mercéde sua.

For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and thy mother : and, He that curseth his father or mother, let him die the death.  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother : It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me : and honour not his father of his mother, he shall be free.  The word Honour is used in Scripture, not so much in the sense of rendering courtesies and services, as in that of giving alms and gifts.  Honour widows, saith the Apostle, which are widows indeed.  And here honour signifieth support.  So again, Let the presbyters that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the Word and doctrine ; for the Scripture saith : Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn : and : The labourer is worthy of his hire.

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

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

R.  Dixit Ruben frátribus suis : Numquid non dixi vobis, Nolíte peccáre in púerum, et non audístis me? * En sanguis ejus exquíritur.
V.  Mérito hæc pátimur, quia peccávimus in fratrem nostrum, vidéntes angústias ánimæ ejus, dum deprecarétur nos, et non audívimus.
R.  En sanguis ejus exquíritur.

R.  Reuben said unto his brethren, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child? and ye would not hear. * Therefore behold also his blood is required.
V.  We indeed suffer justly, for verily we be guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear.
R.  Therefore behold also his blood is required.

Præcéperat Dóminus, vel imbecillitátes, vel ætátes, vel penúrias paréntum consíderans, ut fílii honorárent, étiam in vitæ necessáriis ministrándis, paréntes suos.  Hanc providentíssimam Dei legem voléntes scribæ et pharisæi subvértere, ut impietátem sub nómine pietátis indúcerent, docuérunt péssimos fílios, ut si quis ea, quæ paréntibus offerénda sunt, Deo vovére volúerit, qui verus est pater, oblátio Dómini præponátur paréntum munéribus : vel certe ipsi paréntes, quæ Deo consecráta cernébant, ne sacrilégii crimen incúrrerent, declinántes, egestáte conficiebántur.  Atque ita fiébat, ut oblátio liberórum sub occasióne templi et Dei, in sacerdótum lucra céderet.

The Lord, being mindful of the helplessness or old age or poverty of parents, gave commandment that children are to honour them by ministering to their necessities.  The scribes and Pharisees scrupled not to make of none effect this prudent law, and to encourage ungodliness under the form of godliness.  For they taught, for the benefit of unnatural children, that if any were to vow unto God (who is our true Father in heaven) the wherewithal of support to his parents, the duty of discharging his debt to his heavenly Father ought to come before that which he owed to his earthly father ; or, at least, that parents in such case incurred the guilt of sacrilege by taking for themselves what they knew had been made a gift to God.  And so parents were left unsuccoured, and the offerings of such children, under pretence of being given to God and his temple, became the gain of the priests.

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

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

R.  Lamentabátur Jacob de duóbus fíliis suis : Heu me, dolens sum de Joseph pérdito, et tristis nimis de Bénjamin ducto pro alimóniis : * Precor cæléstem Regem, ut me doléntem nímium fáciat eos cérnere.
V.  Prostérnens se Jacob veheménter cum lácrimis pronus in terram, et adórans ait.
R.  Precor cæléstem Regem, ut me doléntem nímium fáciat eos cérnere.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Precor cæléstem Regem, ut me doléntem nímium fáciat eos cérnere.

R.  Jacob lamented concerning his two sons : Me have ye bereaved, for Joseph is not, and Benjamin is taken away. * I will pray the King of Heaven that I who so deeply sorrow may once again behold them.
V.  Casting himself with tears upon the ground, and worshipping, Jacob said.
R.  I will pray the King of Heaven that I who so deeply sorrow may once again behold them.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  I will pray the King of Heaven that I who so deeply sorrow may once again behold them.

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:  Audíte et intellígite * traditiónes, quas Dóminus dedit nobis.

Ant. on Bened:  Hearken and understand ye * the traditions which the Lord hath given us.

BENEDICTUS

THE BENEDICTUS

Ferial Preces

Oremus.
Præsta nobis, quæsumus, Dómine : ut salutáribus jejúniis erudíti, a nóxiis quoque vítiis abstinéntes, propitiatiónem tuam facílius impetrémus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord : that we being taught by abstinence in the way of salvation, may in such wise learn to refrain ourselves from all vices that may hurt the soul, that we may readily obtain the pardon of thy loving-kindness.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS if it is said

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Vespers

Ad Magnif. Ant:  Non lotis mánibus * manducáre, non coínquinat hóminem.

Ant. on Magnif:  To eat with unwashen hands * defileth not a man.

MAGNIFICAT

THE MAGNIFICAT

Ferial Preces

Oremus.
Concéde, quæsumus, omnípotens Deus : ut, qui protectiónis tuæ grátiam quærimus, liberáti a malis ómnibus, secúra tibi mente serviámus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God : that we, who seek the grace of thy protection, may by thee be delivered from all evils, and serve thee with a quiet mind.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS if it is said

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH