Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Also known as Sitientes Saturday

Station at St. Nicholas in Carcere

Matins

Lauds

Vespers

COLLECT OF THE DAY

Oremus.
Fiat, Dómine, quæsumus, per grátiam tuam fructuósus nostræ devotiónis afféctus : quia tunc nobis próderunt suscépta jejúnia, si tuæ sint plácita pietáti.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, forasmuch as our fast in unprofitable unto us, unless it be acceptable unto thy loving-kindness : grant, we beseech thee, that the devout affection of our hearts may by thy grace be rendered abúndant in the fruit of all good works.  Through.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH

Matins

In illo témpore : Locútus est Jesus turbis Judæórum, dicens : Ego sum lux mundi : qui séquitur me, non ámbulat in ténebris, sed habébit lumen vitæ.  Et réliqua.

At that time : Jesus spake unto the multitude of the Jews, saying : I am the light of the world : he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.  And so on, and that which followeth.

Quod ait Dóminus : Ego sum lux mundi : clarum puto esse eis, qui habent óculos, unde hujus lucis partícipes fiant : qui autem non habent óculos, nisi in sola carne, mirántur quod dictum est a Dómino Jesu Christo : Ego sum lux mundi.  Et forte non desit qui dicat apud semetípsum : Numquid forte Dóminus Christus est sol iste, qui ortu et occásu péragit diem?  Non enim defuérunt hærétici, qui ista sensérunt.  Manichæi solem istum óculis cárneis visíbilem, expósitum et públicum non tantum homínibus, sed étiam pecóribus ad vidéndum, Christum Dóminum esse putavérunt.

I take it that these words of the Lord : I am the light of the world : are sufficiently clear to all men who have eyes wherewith to see that sort of light.  At the same time, such men as have no eyes except those which are in their bodies, wonder at these words of the Lord Jesus Christ : I am the light of the world.  Perchance there are some that say : Is the Lord Christ, then, the same sun that riseth and setteth every day?  Yea, and there have even been hereticks that affirmed this very thing.  The Manichaeans believed that that sun which we see with our bodily eyes, and to see which is plain and common to beasts as well as to men, was none other than the Lord Christ.

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.  Spléndida facta est fácies Móysi, dum respíceret in eum Dóminus : * Vidéntes senióres claritátem vultus ejus, admirántes timuérunt valde.
V.  Cumque descendísset de monte Sínai, portábat duas tábulas testimónii, ignórans quod cornúta esset fácies ejus ex consórtio sermónis Dei.
R.  Vidéntes senióres claritátem vultus ejus, admirántes timuérunt valde.

R.  The face of Moses shone, after that the Lord did look upon him : * And when the elders of the Children of Israel saw the glory of his face, they did marvel and were sore afraid.
V.  When he came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tables of the testimony in his hand, he wist not that the skin of his face shone, after that the Lord did talk with him.
R.  And when the elders of the Children of Israel saw the glory of his face, they did marvel and were sore afraid.

Sed cathólicæ Ecclésiæ recta fides ímprobat tale comméntum, et diabólicam doctrínam esse cognóscit : nec solum agnóscit credéndo, sed in quibus potest convíncit étiam disputándo.  Improbémus ítaque hujúsmodi errórem, quem sancta ab inítio anathematizávit Ecclésia.  Non arbitrémur Dóminum Jesum Christum hunc esse solem, quem vidémus oríri ab Oriénte, occídere in Occidénte : cujus cúrsui nox succédit, cujus rádii nube obumbrántur : qui certa de loco in locum motióne cómmigrat.  Non est hoc Dóminus Christus.  Non est Dóminus Christus sol factus, sed per quem sol factus est.  Omnia enim per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil.

But the right faith of the Catholic Church condemneth such an interpretation, and knoweth it to be a diabólical doctrine.  The Church not only knoweth what things to believe, but also how to use her belief in reasoning, so as to convince, if possible, those that be in error.  Let us disprove this falsehood, which holy Church from the very beginning hath anathematized.  God forbid that we should believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is this sun which seemeth to rise every day in the East, and set every day in the West ; whereupon, when we see it nor more, night cometh over us ; and whose rays are sometimes hidden by clouds ; and which moveth from place to place in a fixed course.  Surely, this same is not the Lord Christ.  For the Lord Christ is not that created sun, but rather he himself by whom the sun was created, as saith the Gospel : All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

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

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

R.  Ecce mitto Angelum meum, qui præcédat te, et custódiat semper : * Obsérva et audi vocem meam, et inimícus ero inimícis tuis, et affligéntes te afflígam : et præcédet te Angelus meus.
V.  Israël, si me audíeris, non erit in te deus recens, neque adorábis deum aliénum : ego enim Dóminus.
R.  Obsérva et audi vocem meam, et inimícus ero inimícis tuis, et affligéntes te afflígam : et præcédet te Angelus meus.

R.  Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way : * Beware of him, and obey his voice ; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries, for mine Angel shall go before thee.
V.  O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me, there shall no strange god be in thee ; neither shalt thou worship any other god : I am the Lord thy God.
R.  Beware of him, and obey his voice ; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries, for mine Angel shall go before thee.

Est ergo lux, quæ fecit hanc lucem.  Hanc amémus, hanc intellígere cupiámus, ipsam sitiámus, ut ad ipsam duce ipsa aliquándo veniámus : et in illa ita vivámus, ut numquam omníno moriámur.  Ista enim lux est, de qua prophetía olim præmíssa ita in Psalmo cécinit : Quóniam apud te est fons vitæ, et in lúmine tuo vidébimus lumen.  Advértite quid de tali luce antíquus sanctórum hóminum Dei sermo præmíserit.  Hómines, inquit, et juménta salvos fácies, Dómine : sicut multiplicáta est misericórdia tua, Deus.

He is therefore the light by whom the natural light was made.  Wherefore, let us love this true light, let us long to know this true light.  Let us thirst after the same, that being guided thereby, we may at length be led into light, and so live therein, that we may never die!  For he and none other, is that light, of whom prophecy in ancient times sang in the Psalms, saying : For with thee is the well of life, and in thy light shall we see light.  Mark ye what the Psalms of holy men of old time say of such a light : Thou, Lord, shalt save both man and beast : how excellent is thy mercy, O God!

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

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

R.  Atténdite, pópule meus, legem meam : * Inclináte aurem vestram in verba oris mei.
V.  Apériam in parábolis os meum : loquar propositiónes ab inítio sæculi.
R.  Inclináte aurem vestram in verba oris mei.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Inclináte aurem vestram in verba oris mei.

R.  Hear my law, O my people : * Incline your ears unto the words of my mouth.
V.  I will open my mouth in a parable ; I will declare hard sentences of old.
R.  Incline your ears unto the words of my mouth.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  Incline your ears unto the words of my mouth.

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

The Church of St. Nicholas in Carcere, Rome

Ad Bened. Ant:  Qui séquitur me, * non ámbulat in ténebris : sed habébit lumen vitæ, dicit Dóminus.

Ant. on Bened:  He that followeth me, * shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life, saith the Lord.

BENEDICTUS

THE BENEDICTUS

Ferial Preces

Oremus.
Fiat, Dómine, quæsumus, per grátiam tuam fructuósus nostræ devotiónis afféctus : quia tunc nobis próderunt suscépta jejúnia, si tuæ sint plácita pietáti.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
O God, forasmuch as our fast in unprofitable unto us, unless it be acceptable unto thy loving-kindness : grant, we beseech thee, that the devout affection of our hearts may by thy grace be rendered abundant in the fruit of all good works.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

SUFFRAGE OF ALL SAINTS if it is said

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH

Vespers

The first part of Vespers is in the Ordinary

Antiphons and Psalms from Saturday

STAND

Capitulum           Hebr. 9. 11.
Fratres : Christus assístens Póntifex futurórum bonórum, per ámplius et perféctius tabernáculum non manu factum, id est, non hujus creatiónis : neque per sánguinem hircórum aut vitulórum, sed per próprium sánguinem introívit semel in Sancta, ætérna redemptióne invénta.
R.  Deo grátias.

The Little Chapter        Heb. 9. 11.
Brethren : Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building ; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

Vexílla Regis pródeunt :
Fulget Crucis mystérium,
Qua vita mortem pértulit,
Et morte vitam prótulit.

Quæ, vulneráta lánceæ
Mucróne diro, críminum
Ut nos laváret sórdibus,
Manávit unda et sánguine.

Impléta sunt quæ cóncinit
David fidéli cármine,
Dicéndo natiónibus :
Regnávit a ligno Deus.

Arbor decóra et fúlgida,
Ornáta Regis púrpura,
Elécta digno stípite
Tam sancta membra tángere.

Beáta, cujus bráchiis
Prétium pepéndit sæculi,
Statéra facta córporis,
Tulítque prædam tártari.

Sequens stropha dicitur flexis genibus ; et ultima numquam mutatur.
O Crux, ave, spes única,
Hoc Passiónis témpore
Piis adáuge grátiam,
Reísque dele crímina.

Te, fons salútis, Trínitas,
Colláudet omnis spíritus :
Quibus Crucis victóriam
Largíris, adde præmium.  Amen.

The royal banners forward go:
The Cross shines forth in mystic glow,
Where he in flesh, our flesh who made,
Our sentence bore, our ransom paid :

Where deep for us the spear was dyed,
Life's torrent rushing from his side,
To wash us in that precious flood,
Where mingled Water flowed and Blood.

Fulfilled is all that David told
In true prophetic song of old:
Amidst the nations, God, saith he,
Hath reigned and triumphed from the Tree.

O Tree of beauty!  Tree of light!
O Tree with royal purple dight!
Elect on whose triumphal breast
Those holy limbs should find their rest :

On whose dear arms, so widely flung,
The weight of this world's ransom hung,
The price of humankind to pay,
And spoil the spoiler of his prey.

During this stanza all kneel, and the final stanza is never changed.
O Cross, our one reliance, hail!
This holy Passiontide avail
To give fresh merit to the saint
And pardon to the penitent.

To thee, eternal Three in One,
Let homage meet by all be done:
Whom by the Cross thou dost restore,
Preserve and govern evermore.  Amen.

Ad Magnif. Ant:  Ego sum * qui testimónium perhíbeo de meípso : et testimónium pérhibet de me, qui misit me, Pater.

Ant. on Magnif:  I am one * that bear witness of myself : and the Father that sent me, he also beareth witness of me.

MAGNIFICAT

THE MAGNIFICAT

Oremus.
Quæsumus, omnípotens Deus, famíliam tuam propítius réspice : ut, te largiénte, regátur in córpore ; et, te servánte, custodiátur in mente.  Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.
We beseech thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon thy people : that by thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul.  Through.

COMMEMORATIONS, if there be any

From this Vespers until Trinity Sunday inclusive, the Suffrage of All Saints is omitted, even on Feasts.

Today and thereafter until Wednesday in Holy Week inclusive the Responds at Compline and the Hours, in both Sunday and ferial Office, are said without the Gloria Patri, as in the Ordinary for Passiontide.

CLOSING VERSICLES AND THAT WHICH FOLLOWETH