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LESSON. Dan. xiv. 27 42.-In those days: The people of Babylon gathered together against the King, and said to him: Deliver up to us Daniel, who hath destroyed Bel, and killed the Dragon, otherwise we will destroy thee and thy house. And the king saw that they pressed upon him violently: and being constrained by necessity, he delivered Daniel to them. And they cast him into the den of lions, and he was there six days. And in the den there were seven lions, and they had given to them two carcases every day, and two sheep: but then they were not given unto them, to the intent that they might devour Daniel. Now there was in Judea a prophet called Habacuc, and he had boiled pottage, and had broken bread in a bowl; and was going into the field to carry it to the reapers. And the angel of the Lord said to Habacuc: Carry the dimer which thou hast, into Babylon to Daniel, who is in the lions' den. And Habacuc said: Lord, I never saw Babylon, nor do I know the den. And the angel of the Lord took him by the top of his head, and carried him by the hair of his head, and set him in Babylon over the den in the force of his spirit. And Habacuc cried, saying: 0 Daniel, thou servant of God, take the dinner that God hath sent thee. And Daniel said: Thou hast remembered me, O God, and thou hast not forsaken them that love thee. And Daniel arose and ate. And the angel of the Lord presently set Habacuc again in his own place. And upon the seventh day the king came to bewail Daniel : and he came to the den, and looked in, and behold Daniel was sitting in the midst of the lions. And the king cried out with a loud voice, saying: Great art thou, O Lord, the God of Daniel. And he drew him out of the lions den. But those that had been the cause of his destruction, he cast into the den, and they were devoured ima moment before him. Then the King said: Let all

the inhabitants of the whole earth fear the God of Daniel; for he is the Saviour, working signs and wonders in the earth; who hath delivered Daniel out of the lions' den.

GRAD. Ps. xlii.-Judge my cause, O Lord, and deliver me from the wicked and deceitful man. V. Send forth thy light and thy truth; for they have led me on, and brought me up to thy holy mount.

GOSPEL. John vii. 1. 13.-At that time: Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would not walk in Judea: because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews feast of tabernacles was at hand. And his brethren said to him: Depart from hence, and go into Judea; that thy disciples also may see thy works which thou dost. For there is no man that doth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly; If thou do these things manifest thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him. Then Jesus said to them: My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth: because I give testimony of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go you up to this festival day, but I go not up to this festival day; because my time is not accomplished. When he had said these things, he himself staid in Galilee. But after his brethren were gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. The Jews therefore sought him on the festival day, and said: Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the multitude concerning him. For some said: He is a good man. And others said: No, but he seduceth the people. Yet no man spoke openly of him, for fear of the Jews.

OFFERT. Ps. ix.-Let all, who know thy name, O Lord, hope in thee; for thou forsakest not those who seek thee. Sing to the Lord, who dwelleth in Sion, for he hath not forgot the prayer of the poor.

SECRET. The sacrifices we beg to be offered to thee, O Lord, are such tokens of temporal comfort, that we cannot despair of thy eternal promises. Thro'.

COMM. Ps. xxiv.-Deliver me, O God of Israel, from all my distress.

P. COMM. Da nobis.-Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that as we daily celebrate these divine mysteries, we may be made worthy of the rewards of heaven. Thro'.

Let us pray. Bow down your heads to God.

PRAYER. Da nobis.-Grant us, O Lord, we beseech thee, perseverance in thy service; that in our days thy faithful may increase both in number and goodness. Thro'.

WEDNESDAY.

INTROIT. Ps. xvii.—0 my deliverer from the angry Gentiles, thou wilt place me out of the reach of those that assault me: thou, O Lord, wilt rescue me from the unrighteous man. Ps. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength: the Lord is my support, my refuge, and my deliverer.

COLLECT. Sanctificato.—Enlighten, O God of mercy, the hearts of thy people by means of this holy fast; and since all our devotion is the effect of thy bounty, mercifully hear the petitions we make. Thro3.

LESSON. Lev. xix. 10. 19.-In those days: The Lord spake to Moses, saying: Speak to all the assembly of the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them. I am the Lord your God. You shall not steal. You shall not lie; neither shall any man deceive his neighbour. Thou shalt not swear falsely by my name, nor profane the name of thy God. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not calumniate thy neighbour, nor oppress him by violence. The wages of him that has been hired by thee, shall not abide with T

thee until the morning Thou shalt not speak evä of the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind: but thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, because I am the Lord. Thou shalt not do that which is unjust, nor judge unjustly. Respect not the person of the poor, nor honour the countenance of the mighty. But judge thy neighbour according to justice. Thou shalt not be a detracter nor a whisperer among the people. Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him. Seek uot revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens. Thou shalt love thy friend as thyself. I am the Lord. Keep ye my laws, for I am the Lord your God.

GRAD. Ps, xxix.-I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me. V. O Lord my God, I have cried to thee, and thou hast healed me. Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell, and thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit. *TRACT. Ps. cii.-Deal not, p. 117.

GOSPEL. John x. 22. 38.--At that time: It was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch, the Jews therefore came round about him, and said to him: How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense? if thou be the Christ tell us plainly. Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me: but you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me: and I give them eternal life; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand. That which my Father hath given me, is greater than all: and no man

can snatch them out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one. The Jews then took up stones to stone him. Jesus answered them: Many good works I have shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me? The Jews answered him: For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy: and because that thou being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them: Is it not written in your law: I said, you are Gods? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God was spoken, and the scripture cannot be broken; do you say of him, whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world: Thou blasphemest: because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do: though you will not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.

ÓFFERT. Ps. lviii.-Deliver me, from my enemies, O my God; and defend me, O Lord, from them that rise up against me.

SECRET. Grant, O merciful God, that we may offer thee, with a sincere heart, this sacrifice of propitiation and praise. Thro'.

COMM. Ps. xxv.-I will wash my hands with the innocent: and will compass thy altar, O Lord, that may hear the voice of thy praise: and publish all thy wonderful works.

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P. COMM. Culestis.-Having received thy heavenly gift, we humbly beseech thee, O Almighty God, that it may produce in us the effect of the sacrament, and procure our salvation. Thro'.

Let us pray. Bow down your heads to God.

PRAYER. Adesto.-Hear our prayers and entreaties, O Almighty God, and grant that those to whom thou givest hopes of thy mercy, may experience the effects of thy usual clemency. Thro'.

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