I. classis
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I am who I am * and my counsel is not with the ungodly, my will is in the law of God, alleluia.
Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, * nor sat in the chair of pestilence.
But his will is in the law of the Lord, * and on his law he shall meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, * which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season.
And his leaf shall not fall off: * and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.
Not so the wicked, not so: * but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.
Therefore the wicked shall not rise again in judgment: * nor sinners in the council of the just.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: * and the way of the wicked shall perish.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
I am who I am * and my counsel is not with the ungodly, my will is in the law of God, alleluia.
I asked my Father, * alleluia, and he gave me nations, alleluia, as inheritance, alleluia.
Why have the Gentiles raged, * and the people devised vain things?
The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes met together, * against the Lord and against his Christ.
Let us break their bonds asunder: * and let us cast away their yoke from us.
He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them: * and the Lord shall deride them.
Then shall he speak to them in his anger, * and trouble them in his rage.
But I am appointed king by him over Sion his holy mountain, * preaching his commandment.
The Lord hath said to me: * Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.
Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, * and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, * and shalt break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
And now, O ye kings, understand: * receive instruction, you that judge the earth.
Serve ye the Lord with fear: * and rejoice unto him with trembling.
Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, * and you perish from the just way.
When his wrath shall be kindled in a short time, * blessed are all they that trust in him.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
I asked my Father, * alleluia, and he gave me nations, alleluia, as inheritance, alleluia.
I have slept * and have taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me, alleluia, alleluia.
Why, O Lord, are they multiplied that afflict me? * many are they who rise up against me.
Many say to my soul: * There is no salvation for him in his God.
But thou, O Lord art my protector, * my glory, and the lifter up of my head.
I have cried to the Lord with my voice: * and he hath heard me from his holy hill.
I have slept and taken my rest: * and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me.
I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me: * arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.
For thou hast struck all them who are my adversaries without cause: * thou hast broken the teeth of sinners.
Salvation is of the Lord: * and thy blessing is upon thy people.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
I have slept * and have taken my rest: and I have risen up, because the Lord hath protected me, alleluia, alleluia.
Pater noster, qui es in cælis, sanctificétur nomen tuum: advéniat regnum tuum: fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidiánum da nobis hódie: et dimítte nobis débita nostra, sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris:
Evangélica léctio sit nobis salus et protéctio.
In illo témpore: Stetit Iesus in médio discipulórum, et dicit eis: Pax vobis: ego sum, nolíte timére. Et réliqua.
At that time: Now whilst they were speaking these things, Jesus stood in the midst of them, and saith to them: Peace be to you; it is I, fear not. And so forth.
Mirum, quo modo se natúra corpórea per impenetrábile corpus infúderit invisíbili áditu, visíbili conspéctu: tangi fácilis, diffícilis æstimári. Dénique conturbáti discípuli æstimábant se spíritum vidére. Et ídeo Dóminus, ut spéciem nobis resurrectiónis osténderet: Palpáte, inquit, et vidéte, quia spíritus carnem et ossa non habet, sicut me vidétis habére. Non ergo per incorpóream natúram, sed per resurrectiónis qualitátem, impérvia usu clausa penetrávit. Nam quod tángitur, corpus est: quod palpátur, corpus est.
We see here the marvelous nature of the Lord's glorified Body. It could enter unseen, and then become seen. It could easily be touched, but Its nature is hard to understand. The disciples were affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And therefore the Lord, that He might show us the evidence of His Resurrection, said: Handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have. Therefore it was not by being in a disembodied state, but by the peculiar qualities of the risen and glorified Body that He had passed through closed doors. (John xx. 19.) For that which is touched or handled is a body.
Divínum auxílium máneat semper nobíscum.
In córpore autem resurgémus. Seminátur enim corpus animále, surgit corpus spiritále: sed illud subtílius, hoc crássius, útpote adhuc terrénæ labis qualitáte concrétum. Nam quómodo non corpus, in quo manébant insígnia vúlnerum, vestígia cicatrícum, quæ Dóminus palpánda óbtulit? In quo non solum fidem firmat, sed étiam devotiónem ácuit, quod vúlnera suscépta pro nobis cælo inférre máluit, abolére nóluit: ut Deo Patri nostræ prétia libertátis osténderet. Talem sibi Pater ad déxteram locat, trophǽum nostræ salútis ampléctens: tales illic Mártyres nobis cicatrícis suæ coróna monstrávit.
We shall all rise again with our bodies. But it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. (1. Cox44.) The spiritual body is the finer, and the natural body is the grosser, besodden as yet by the corruption of earth. Was not That a real Body, wherein remained those marks of His Wounds, those holes of the nail-prints, which the Lord bade His disciples to handle? Hereby, also, He hath not only strengthened our faith, but also quickened our love, since we know that it has been His will to carry to heaven those Wounds which He bore for our sake, and wherewith He would not make away; but plainly showeth to His Eternal Father the price of our freedom. It is as marked with these Wounds and embracing the trophy of our salvation that the Father hath said to Him, Sit Thou at My right Hand: and it is, like Him, marked with their wounds, that He hath shown us that the Martyrs, whose Crown He is, are, and will be with Him there.
Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum.
Et quóniam sermo huc noster evásit, considerémus qua grátia secúndum Ioánnem credíderint Apóstoli, qui gavísi sunt; secúndum Lucam quasi incréduli redarguántur: ibi Spíritum Sanctum accéperint, hic sedére in civitáte iubeántur, quoadúsque induántur virtúte ex alto. Et vidétur mihi ille quasi Apóstolus maióra et altióra tetigísse, hic sequéntia et humánis próxima: hic histórico usus circúitu, ille compéndio: quia et de illo dubitári non potest, qui testimónium pérhibet de iis, quibus ipse intérfuit, et verum est testimónium eius: et ab hoc quoque, qui Evangelísta esse méruit, vel negligéntiæ, vel mendácii suspiciónem æquum est propulsári. Et ídeo verum putámus utrúmque, non sententiárum varietáte, nec personárum diversitáte distínctum. Nam etsi primo Lucas eos non credidísse dicat, póstea tamen credidísse demónstrat: et si prima considerémus, contrária sunt: si sequéntia, certum est conveníre.
And now, since our Lesson from Luke here faileth, let us have recourse to John, and consider how that, according to him, (xx. 20,) then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord, and received the grace of faith. According to Luke, He upbraided them with their unbelief, but according to John He said also, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Luke, not John, hath, Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. Indeed, to me it seemeth as though the one Evangelist had busied himself with the greater and higher matters, and the other with the narrative, and such things as are more human: the one with the course, the other with the essence, of history. For as it is impossible to doubt the word of him who testifieth of these things, (John xxi. 24,) and who saw these things, and concerning whom we know that his testimony is true, (xxi. 24,) so is it sinful to think of negligence or falsehood as attaching to the other, even Luke, who earned to himself to be an Evangelist, albeit he was not an Apostle, and therefore we hold that both are truthful, neither are they at variance one with the other, either in the difference of the words they use, or in the sacredness of their characters as Evangelists. For though Luke saith that at the first the Apostles believed not, yet he showeth that afterward they believed: and although, if we regard only the first fact, the Evangelists seem divergent one from the other, yet, when we consider what cometh afterward, we see that they are at one.
Orémus.
Deus, qui Ecclésiam tuam novo semper fœtu multíplicas: † concéde fámulis tuis; * ut sacraméntum vivéndo téneant, quod fide percepérunt.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: † qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, * per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
O God, Who art ever multiplying the Children of thy Church, grant unto the same thy servants that they may lead the rest of their lives according to this beginning wherein Thou hast given them faith to receive the Sacrament of the New Birth.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.