Thursday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Station at Ss. Sylvester and Mark

Matins

Lauds

Vespers

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Oremus.
Præsta, quæsumus, omnípotens Deus : ut, quos jejúnia votíva castígant, ipsa quoque devótio sancta lætíficet ; ut, terrénis afféctibus mitigátis, facílius cæléstia capiámus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God : that we, duly mortifying the flesh by this our abstinence, may inwardly rejoice in holiness of spirit ; that being delivered from all earthly and carnal affections, we may speedily obtain thy heavenly promises.  Through.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Matins

In illo témpore : Ibat Jesus in civitátem, quæ vocátur Naim : et ibant cum eo discípulus ejus, et turba copiósa.  Et réliqua.

At that time : Jesus went into a city called Nain : and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.  And so on, and that which followeth.

Et hic locus ad utrámque redúndat grátiam ; et ut cito flecti divínam misericórdiam matris víduæ lamentatióne credámus, ejus præcípue, quæ únici fílii vel labóre, vel morte frangátur ; cui tamen víduæ gravitátis méritum exsequiárum turba concíliet : et ut hanc víduam populórum turba septam, plus vidéri esse quam féminam, quæ resurrectiónem únici et adolescéntis fílii suis lácrimis merúerit impetráre : eo quod sancta Ecclésia pópulum juniórem a pompa fúneris atque a suprémis sepúlcri, suárum révocet ad vitam contemplatióne lacrimárum : quæ flere prohibétur eum, cui resurréctio debebátur.

This passage runneth over with a double portion of grace, the one from the literal, the other from the mystical interpretation thereof.  From the former, we see how quickly the divine compassion was moved at the sorrow of this mother, who was a widow ; and not only that, but she was a widow broken down by both the sufferings and the death of her only son, and one also whose worthiness is borne witness to by this : Much people of the city was with her.  From a mystical interpretation, however, this widow, encompassed with a multitude, is something more than a poor woman whose tears won from the Lord the resurrection of the young man, her only son.  For she is a type of our holy Mother the Church, who calleth back many of her children to life from the very funeral procession of spiritual death, or even from the pomps which be the burial rites of sin.  For the Lord regardeth her tears, which same it is lawful for her to shed only for sinners, and not for them that will rise again.

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.  Locútus est Dóminus ad Móysen, dicens : Descénde in Ægyptum, et dic Pharaóni, * Ut dimíttat pópulum meum : indurátum est cor Pharaónis : non vult dimíttere pópulum meum, nisi in manu forti.
V.  Clamor filiórum Israël venit ad me, vidíque afflictiónem eórum : sed veni, mittam te ad Pharaónem.
R.  Ut dimíttat pópulum meum : indurátum est cor Pharaónis : non vult dimíttere pópulum meum, nisi in manu forti.

R.  The Lord commanded Moses : Go down now into Egypt, and say unto Pharaoh : * Let my people go : but Pharaoh doth harden his heart, and he will not let my people go, save he feel my mighty hand.
V.  Behold, the cry of the Children of Israel is come unto me, and I have seen their affliction.  Come therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, saying.
R.  Let my people go : but Pharaoh doth harden his heart, and he will not let my people go, save he feel my mighty hand.

Qui quidem mórtuus in lóculo materiálibus quátuor ad sepúlcrum ferebátur eleméntis, sed spem resurgéndi habébat, quia ferebátur in ligno.  Quod etsi nobis ante non próderat, tamen posteáquam Jesus id tétigit, profícere cœpit ad vitam : ut esset indício, salútem pópulo per crucis patíbulum refundéndam.  Audíto ígitur Dei verbo, stetérunt acérbi illi fúneris portitóres, qui corpus humánum letháli fluxu natúræ materiális urgébant.  Quid enim áliud, nisi quasi in quodam féretro, hoc est, suprémi fúneris instruménto, jacémus exánimes, cum vel ignis immódicæ cupiditátis exæstuat, vel frígidus humor exúndat, vel pigra quadam terréni córporis habitúdine vigor hebetátur animórum ; vel concréta noster spíritus labe, puræ lucis vácuus mentem alit?  Hi sunt nostri fúneris portitóres.

This man then being dead, was carried out on a bier to the grave by four bearers, even as the sinner is borne to destruction by the four elements whereof carnal things be composed.  But he had hope of rising again, for that whereon he was carried was of wood.  And wood, albeit of little profit to us before, is now become for us a means of life, since Jesus touched it, being thus a figure of the Tree of the Cross, wherefrom salvation floweth unto all people.  Wherefrom, when those grim bearers, who were hastening the body along the deadly course of carnal nature, heard the Word of God, they stood still.  And is not our case even as that of the widow's son when we lie, as it were, lifeless on the soul's death-bier, waiting for final burial underneath our sins?  Such we are if we be consumed by the fever of inordinate desire, or frozen by bodily sloth, or starved from sinful neglect of the bright food of the soul.  For these four hasten us on in the burial rites of sin.

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

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

R.  Stetit Móyses coram Pharaóne, et dixit : Hæc dicit Dóminus : * Dimítte pópulum meum, ut sacríficet mihi in desérto.
V.  Dóminus Deus Hebræórum misit me ad te, dicens.
R.  Dimítte pópulum meum, ut sacríficet mihi in desérto.

R.  Then stood Moses before Pharaoh and told him : Thus saith the Lord : * Let my people go, that they may sacrifice to me in the wilderness.
V.  The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee to say.
R.  Let my people go, that they may sacrifice to me in the wilderness.

Sed quamvis supréma mortis spem vitæ omnis aboléverint, et túmulo próxima córpora jáceant defunctórum : verbo tamen Dei jam mórtua resúrgunt cadávera : vox redit, rédditur fílius matri, revocátur a túmulo, erípitur a sepúlcro.  Quis iste est túmulus tuus, nisi mali mores?  Túmulus tuus perfídia est : sepúlcrum tuum guttur est.  Sepúlcrum enim patens, est guttur eórum, unde verba mórtua proferúntur.  Ab hoc sepúlcro te líberat Christus : ab hoc túmulo surges, si áudias verbum Dei.  Et si grave peccátum est, quod pœniténtiæ lácrimis ipse laváre non possis ; fleat pro te mater Ecclésia, quæ pro síngulis tamquam pro únicis fíliis vídua mater intérvenit.  Compátitur enim quodam spiritáli dolóre natúræ, cum suos líberos lethálibus vítiis ad mortem cernit urgéri.

But even at the last hour, when hope of life hath been utterly extinguished, and deadened souls are at the brink of the grave, by the Word of God the dead live again, yea, arise and speak.  Thus is the son restored to his mother, called back from the grave, snatched from the tomb.  What is the grave of the soul but a bad life?  Sinner, thy grave is faithlessness, and thy throat is an open sepulchre whence pestilential words come forth, as it is written : Their inward parts are very wickedness ; their throat is an open sepulchre.  But lo, Christ taketh thee from that sepulchre!  If only thou wilt hear the Word of God, thou shalt yet arise from that grave!  Yea, though thy sin be exceeding weighty, so that the tears of thine own sorrow cannot wash it away, let thy Mother the Church weep for thee, for she pleadeth for each one of her children, even as a widowed mother for her only son.  Her spiritual anguish is keen like the anguish of nature, when she seeth her children borne on to death by deadly sin.

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

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

R.  Cantémus Dómino : glorióse enim honorificátus est, equum et ascensórem projécit in mare : * Adjútor et protéctor factus est mihi Dóminus in salútem.
V.  Dóminus quasi vir pugnátor, Omnípotens nomen ejus.
R.  Adjútor et protéctor factus est mihi Dóminus in salútem.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Adjútor et protéctor factus est mihi Dóminus in salútem.

R.  Let us sing to the Lord : for he is gloriously triumphant ; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the Sea. * The Lord is my strength and my defender, for to me he is become salvation.
V.  For he, the Lord, is a mighty man of war, and mighty is his Name.
R.  The Lord is my strength and my defender, for to me he is become salvation.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  The Lord is my strength and my defender, for to me he is become salvation.

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:  Ibat Jesus * in civitátem, quæ vocátur Naim : et ecce defúnctus efferebátur fílius únicus matris suæ.

Ant. on Bened:  Jesus went * into a city called Nain, and behold there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother.

BENEDICTUS

THE BENEDICTUS

Ferial Preces

Oremus.
Præsta, quæsumus, omnípotens Deus : ut, quos jejúnia votíva castígant, ipsa quoque devótio sancta lætíficet ; ut, terrénis afféctibus mitigátis, facílius cæléstia capiámus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God : that we, duly mortifying the flesh by this our abstinence, may inwardly rejoice in holiness of spirit ; that being delivered from all earthly and carnal affections, we may speedily obtain thy heavenly promises.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS if it is said

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH
 

Vespers

Ad Magnif. Ant:  Prophéta magnus * surréxit in nobis, et quia Deus visitávit plebem suam.

Ant. on Magnif:  A great Prophet * is risen up among us, and God hath visited his people.

MAGNIFICAT

THE MAGNIFICAT

Ferial Preces

Oremus.
Pópuli tui, Deus, institútor et rector: peccáta, quibus impugnátur, expélle; ut semper tibi plácitus, et tuo munímine sit secúrus.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, the creator and governour of thy faithful people : we beseech thee, that thou wouldest drive far from us all the assaults of temptation ; that we, being ever found acceptable in thy sight, may by thee be defended from the fear of our enemies.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS if it is said

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH