COMM, Luke xii. This is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the Lord placed over his family, to give them their measure of wheat in due sea son. P. COMM. Protegat. May the receiving of this sacrament, and the intercession of blessed N. the Abbot, protect us, O Lord; that we may both copy after the virtues of his life, and experience the help of his intercession. Thro'. MASS XVII. Loquebar of a Virgin and Martyr. I SPOKE of thy testimonies before kings, and I was not ashamed: I meditated also on thy commandments, which I loved exceedingly. Ps. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. V. Glory. COLLECT. Deus, qui. O God, who amongst other miracles of thy power, has bestowed the crown of martyrdom even on the weaker sex: mercifully grant, that we, who solemnize the festival of blessed N. thy Virgin and Martyr, may, by following her example, come to thee. Thro'. LESSON. Eccles. li. 1, 8. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, my king, and I will praise thee, O God, my Saviour. I will give glory to thy name for thou hast been a helper and protector to me, and hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that stood by, thou hast been my helper. And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy name, from the roaring lions, that were ready to deyour me. Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of afflictions, which compassed me about; from the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the fire I was not burnt. From the depth of the belly of hell, and XXX MASS XVII. LOQUEBAR OF A VIRGIN, &C. from an unclean tongue, and from lying words, from MASS XVIII. M with him to the n But at last came als Lord, open to us. I say to you, I kno because you know OFFERT. Ps. her retinue to the sented to thee with introduced into the SECRET. Re bring on the solem Martyr by whose ered. Thro'. COMM. Ps. C because they have will be employed tifications that I m P. COMM. we have received. the intercession of cause us to enjoy GRAD. Ps. xliv. Thou hast loved justice and hated iniquity. V. Therefore, God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee with joy. Alleluia. After Septuag. instead of Alleluia and V. is said TRACT. Ps. xliv. Čome, spouse of Christ, receive the crown which the Lord hath prepared for thee for ever: for whose love thou didst shed thy blood. V. Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore O God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. V. With thy comeliness and thy beauty set out, proceed pros perously and reign. GOSPEL. Matt. xxv. 1, 13. At that time: Jesus spoke to his disciples this parable: The kingdom of heaven shall be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish, and five wise. But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps. And the bridegroom tar ying, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our The wise answered, saying: lamps are gone out. Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, So you rather to them that sell, and buy for your selves. Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in MASS XVIII THE wicked but I have underst seen an end of al exceedingly broa Ps. Blessed a walk in the law COLLECT. Virgin and Mar who by the pur virtue, was alwa LESSON. E thou hast exalte and I have pray upon the Lord with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. But at last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered, saying: Amen, I say to you, I know you not. Watch ye, therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour. OFFERT. Ps. xliv. Virgins shall be brought in her retinue to the king; her relations shall be presented to thee with joy and gladness; they shall be introduced into the temple to the Lord the King. SECRET. Receive, O Lord, the offerings we bring on the solemnity of blessed N. thy Virgin and Martyr by whose intercession we hope to be deliv ered. Thro'. COMM. Ps. cxviii. Let the proud be ashamed, because they have done unjustly towards me, but I will be employed in thy commandments, in thy justifications that I may not be confounded. P. COMM. Auxilientur. May the mysteries we have received, O Lord, be a help to us, and, by the intercession of blessed N, thy Virgin and Martyr cause us to enjoy her continual protection. Thro'. MASS XVIII. Me expectaverunt, of the same. THE wicked have waited for me to destroy me; but I have understood thy testimonies, O Lord. I have seen an end of all perfection; thy commandment is exceedingly broad. Ps. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. V. Glory. COLLECT. Indulgentiam. Let blessed N. thy Virgin and Martyr, O Lord, sue for our pardon; who by the purity of her life, and profession of thy virtue, was always pleasing to thee. Thro'. LESSON. Eccles. li. 13, 17. O Lord, my God, thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth, and I have prayed for death to pass away. I called upon the Lord the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud, without help. I will praise thy name continually and will praise it with thanksgi ing, and my prayer was heard. And thou hast sar ed me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks and praise to thee, O Lord our God. GRAD: Ps. xlv. God will assist her with his favourable countenance; God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful; the Most High bath sanctified his own tabernacle. Alleluia. V. This is a wise Virgin, and one of the number of the pru dent. Alieivia. After Septuag. instead of Alleluia and V. is said GOSPEL. Matt. xiii. as in p. xxxviii. OFFERT. Ps. xliv. Grace is spread on thy lips, therefore hath God blessed thee for ever. SECRET. Mercifully receive, O Lord, the offer ings consecrated to thee, and by the merits of blessed N. the Virgin and Martyr, grant they may be to us a continual support. Thro'. COMM. Ps. cxviii. I have done judgment and justice, O Lord, let not the proud calumniate me; I have walked upright in the ways of thy command ments: I have hated all evil ways. P. COMM. Divini muneris. Being plentifully fed with thy divine gifts, we beseech, thee, O Lord our God, that by partaking of them through the intercession of blessed N. thy Virgin and Martyr, we may obtain eternal life. Thro'. MASS XIX * Loquebar, of many VV. and MM. p. xxxi, except All as in Mass. XVII. Martyrs N. and them as we oug all due humilit EPISTLE. SECRET. E on the offerings holy Virgins an hast bestowed teries, thou ma P. COMM thee, O Lord, Martyrs, to re ceive with our Martyrs N. and N. that though we cannot solemnize them as we ought, we may seek their prayers with all due humility. Thro'. EPISTLE. 1 Cor. vii. as in p. xxvii. SECRET. Look down, we beseech thee, O Lord, on the offerings laid on thy altar, on this feast of thy holy Virgins and Martyrs N. and N. that as thou hast bestowed glory on them so by the sacred mysteries, thou mayest grant us pardon Thro P. COMM Præsta nobis Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, by the intercession of thy Virgins and Martyrs, to receive with a pure mind what we re ceive with our mouths. Thro'. MASS XX. Dilexisti, of a Virgin only. INTROIT. Ps. xliv. THOU hast loved justice and hated iniquity: there. fore, God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness, above thy fellows. Ps. My heart hath uttered a good word: 1 speak my works to the King. V. Glory. COLLECT. Exaudi. Give ear to us, O God our Saviour, that as we celebrate with joy the solemnity of blessed N. thy Virgin, so we may improve in the affection of piety. Thro'. EPISTLE. 2 Cor. x. 15. xi. 1, 2. Brethren : Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord: for not he that commendeth himself, is approved; but he whom God commendeth. (Chap. xi.) Would to God you could bear with some little of my folly: but do bear with me. For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. GRAD. Ps. xliv. With thy comeliness and thy beauty set out, proceed prosperously and reign. V Because of truth and meekness, and justice, and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully. Alleluia, Alleluia. V. After her virgins shall be brought to |