Gentiles: and they have known the grace of God that was given to me. V. The grace of God was not fruitless in me: but his grace always abideth in me. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. The great St. Paul was a chosen vessel, and truly worthy of honour: who also deserves to be seated on a twelfth throne. Alleluia. After Septuag. instead of the Alleluia and V. is said TRACT.-Thou, O holy Paul, the Apostle art a chosen vessel: thou art truly worthy of glory. V. Thou wast the preacher of truth and the doctor of the Gentiles in the faith and in the truth. V. By thee all nations have known the grace of God. V. Intercede for us to God who chose thee. GOSPEL. Matt. xix. as in Mass XV. p. 492. OFFERT. Ps. cxxxviii.To me, O God, thy friends are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened. SECRET.-Sanctify, &c. as p. 539. Of St. PETER, May the intercession, &c. ib. COMM.-Verily I say to you: that you who have forsaken all things and followed me, shall receive an hundred fold and obtain eternal life. P. COMM. Of St. PETER, May, &c. as on the 18th instant, p. 540. XXVI. St. POLYCARP, bp. m. All as in Mass II. p. 464, except EPISTLE. 1 John iii. 10. 16.-Most dearly beloved: Whosoever is not just, is not of God, nor he that loveth not his brother For this is the declaration, which you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one, and killed his brother. And wherefore did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked: and his brother's just. Wonder not, brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself. In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. GOSPEL. Matt. x. and P. COMM. Refecti, as in p. 469. XXVII. St. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, bp. c. All as in Mass XII. p. 485, except COLLECT. Ecclesiam.-May thy heavenly grace, we beseech thee, O Lord, enlarge the Church which thou hast been pleased to enlighten by the resplendent virtues and learning of blessed John thy Confesser and Bishop, Thro'. GRAD.-Behold a great Prelate, who in his days pleased God. V. There was none found like him in keeping the law of the Most High. Allel. Allel. V. Blessed is the man who suffereth temptation, for when he hath been tried he shall receive a crown of life. Alleluia. XXVIII. St. AGNES, v. m. a second time. INTROIT. Vultum tuum, p. 499. COLLECT. Deus, qui.-O God, who rejoicest us by the yearly solemnity of blessed Agnes, thy Virgin and Martyr; grant, we beseech thee, that we may imitate her life, to whose memory we pay this honour. Thro'. EPISTLE, Gradual and Tract, as in p. 500. p. OFFERT.-Grace is spread on thy lips, therefore hath God blessed thee for ever. SECRET.-May thy blessing, we beseech thee, O Lord, plentifully descend upon these our offerings, that through thy mercy they may both sanctify us 548 29th AND 31st JANUARY AND 1st FEBRUARY. and cause us to rejoice in the solemnity of thy martyrs. Thro'. COMM.-The kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls, who having found, one of great value, went and sold all his possessions and bought it. P. COMM. Sumpsimus.-Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the votive mysteries we have received on this annual solemnity, may both succour us in this temporal life, and procure for us that which will have no end. Thro'. XXIX. St. FRANCIS de SALES. All as in Mass X. * 482, except COLLECT. Deus, qui.-O God, who for the salvation of souls wast pleased that blessed Francis, thy Confessor and Bishop, should become all to all: mercifully grant, that, being plentifully enriched with the sweetness of thy charity, by following his directions, and by the help of his merits, we may obtain life everlasting. Thro'. XXX. St. PETER NOLASCUS, c All as in Mass XIV. p. 489, except COLLECT. Deus, qui. O God, who, in imitation of thy charity, didst inspire blessed Peter to institute a new order in the Church for the redemption of captives; grant, by his intercession, that being delivered from the slavery of sin, we may enjoy everlasting liberty in our heavenly country. Thro'. February I. St. IGNATIUS, bp. m. INTROIT, Gal. vi.-God forbid that I should glory save but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Ps. cxxxi. Remember David, O Lord, and all his meekness. V. Glory. COLL. SECR. and P. Comм. as in Mass I. p. 462. EPISTLE. Rom. viii. 35. 39.--Brethren: Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation? or distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword? (As it is written: "For thy sake we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.") But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. GRAD. Behold, as on January 27, p. 547. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. Gal. ii.-With Christ I am nailed to the cross: I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me. Alleluia. After Septuag. instead of Alleluia and V. is said the TRACT, Desiderium, p. 462. GOSPEL. John xii. as on St. Laurence, Aug. 10. OFFERT.-Thou hast crowned, as in p. 4.67. am to be COMM.-I am the wheat of Christ : ground by the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread. II. PURIFICATION of the B. V. MARY. HIS feast is kept, not only in remembrance of our Saviour's Presentation in the Temple forty days after his birth, (in compliance with the law of Moses, Lev. xii.) but also in commemoration of HIS BLESSED MOTHER'S PURIFYING HERSELF, by offering that sacrifice in the temple, which was prescribed by the same law. Its institution must be of an early date, since we find mention made of it in the 5th century. By the distribution of the blessed candles, the faithful are exhorted to be as piously disposed as holy SIMEON was when he took Christ in his arms, and prophesied that he should become the LIGHT of the Gen tiles and the GLORY of Israel. Let us therefore receive the candles from the hands of the Priest with a becoming piety, as an emblem of Christ, who is the light of our souls, and with him let us also offer up ourselves, as purified by his blood to his Eternal Father. At the BLESSING of the CANDLES. The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray. Domine sancte. HOLY Lord, Father Almighty and Eternal God, who didst create all things out of nothing, and by the labour of the bees following thy commands, hast brought this liquor to the perfection of wax; and who, on this day, didst accomplish the desire of the righteous Simeon, we humbly beseech thee, that by the invocation of thy most holy name, and by the intercession of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, whose festival we this day devoutly celebrate, and by the prayers of all thy saints, thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless and sanctify these candles, for the service of men, and for the good of their bodies and souls in all places; and that thou wouldst please mercifully to hear from thy holy temple, and from the throne of thy majesty, the prayers of this thy people, who desire to carry them in their hands with reverence, and with sacred hymns to praise thy name; and shew mercy to all that cry out unto thee, whom thou hast redeemed by the precious blood of thy beloved Son: who liveth. R. Amen. Let us pray. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus. ALMIGHTY and Eternal God, who on this day wast pleased that thy only Son should be presented in the temple, and be received into the arms of holy Simeon: we humbly beseech thy mercy to bless, sanctify, and give the light of thy heavenly benediction to these candles, which we thy servants desire to carry in honour of thy name: that by offering them to thee, our Lord God, we may be inflamed with the fire of thy sweet love, and made |