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: Una sábbati María Magdaléne venit mane, cum adhuc ténebræ essent, ad monuméntum. Et réliqua.
And on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalen cometh early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre. And so forth.
Léctio sancti Evangélii, quam modo, fratres, audístis, valde in superfície histórica est apérta: sed eius nobis sunt mystéria sub brevitáte requirénda. María Magdaléne, cum adhuc ténebræ essent, venit ad monuméntum. Iuxta históriam notátur hora: iuxta intelléctum vero mýsticum, requiréntis signátur intellegéntia. María étenim auctórem ómnium, quem in carne víderat mórtuum, quærébat in monuménto; et quia hunc mínime invénit, furátum crédidit. Adhuc ergo erant ténebræ, cum venit ad monuméntum. Cucúrrit cítius, discípulis nuntiávit: sed illi præ céteris cucurrérunt, qui præ céteris amavérunt, vidélicet Petrus et Ioánnes.
Dearly beloved brethren, the portion of the Holy Gospel which hath just now been read in your ears, is exceeding simple on the face of it, which is its historical sense; but the mystic sense, which underlieth that other, requireth from us a little searching. Mary Magdalene came unto the Sepulchre when it was yet dark. The historic sense telleth us what was the hour of day; the mystic sense, the state of her understanding who sought. Mary Magdalene sought for Him, by Whom all things were made, and Whom she had seen die, as concerning the flesh; she sought for Him, I say, in the grave, and finding Him not, she believed that He had been stolen away. Yea, it was yet dark, when she came unto the sepulchre. Then she ran and told the disciples, but they who had loved Him most, namely Peter and John, did outrun the others.
Divínum auxílium máneat semper nobíscum.
Currébant autem duo simul: sed Ioánnes præcucúrrit cítius Petro. Venit prior ad monuméntum, et íngredi non præsúmpsit. Venit ergo postérior Petrus, et intrávit. Quid, fratres, quid cursus signíficat? Numquid hæc tam subtílis Evangelístæ descríptio a mystériis vacáre credénda est? Mínime. Neque enim se Ioánnes et præísse, et non intrásse díceret, si in ipsa sui trepidatióne mystérium defuísse credidísset. Quid ergo per Ioánnem, nisi synagóga: quid per Petrum, nisi Ecclésia designátur?
So they ran both together, but John did outrun Peter, and came first to the Sepulchre, but yet took he not upon himself to go in first. Then cometh Peter following him, and went in. What, my brethren, what did the racing of these Apostles signify? Can we believe that the description given by the deepest of the Evangelists is without a mystic interpretation? By no means. John had never told how that he did outrun Peter, and yet went not into the Sepulchre, if he had not believed that his hesitation veiled some mystery. What signifieth John but the Synagogue? or Peter, but the Church?
Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum.
Nec mirum esse videátur, quod per iuniórem synagóga, per seniórem vero Ecclésia signári perhibétur: quia etsi ad Dei cultum prior est synagóga, quam Ecclésia géntium, ad usum tamen sǽculi prior est multitúdo géntium, quam synagóga, Paulo attestánte, qui ait: Quia non prius quod spiritále est, sed quod animále. Per seniórem ergo Petrum significátur Ecclésia géntium: per iuniórem vero Ioánnem synagóga Iudæórum. Currunt ambo simul: quia ab ortus sui témpore usque ad occásum, pari et commúni via, etsi non pari et commúni sensu, gentílitas cum synagóga cucúrrit. Venit synagóga prior ad monuméntum, sed mínime intrávit: quia legis quidem mandáta percépit, prophetías de incarnatióne ac passióne Domínica audívit, sed crédere in mórtuum nóluit.
Neither must ye take it as strange that the elder Apostle should represent the Church, and the younger the Synagogue: for although the Synagogue was first to worship God, yet the herd of Gentiles is in the world older than the Synagogue, as witnesseth Paul where he saith: That was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural. (i Cox46.) By Peter, then, who was the elder, is signified the Church of the Gentiles; and by John, who was the younger, the Synagogue of the Jews. They run both of them together, for from the time of her birth until now, and so will it be until the end, the Church of the Gentiles hath run in a parallel road and manywise a common road with the Synagogue, albeit not with equal understandings. The Synagogue came first to the Sepulchre, but she hath not yet entered in; for, though she hath received the commandments of the law, and hath heard the Prophets tell of the Incarnation and Passion of the Lord, she will not believe in Him Who died for her.
Orémus.
Concéde, quǽsumus; omnípotens Deus: † ut, qui festa paschália venerándo égimus, per hæc contíngere ad gáudia ætérna mereámur.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum: † qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, * per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum.
Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we who have kept worshipfully the Easter solemnities, may at last worthily pass from keeping Feasts unto thee here to the everlasting jubilation hereafter.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.