AT THE SECOND VESPERS. Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you; for I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger and ye took Me in. MATT. XXV. "Intrante Christo Bethanicam domum." Lo, Christ hath gone to Bethany, There let us stand, and see the Lord. What doth the busy Martha seek? Hanging her locks, in holy fear, She opes the odorous 'nard, 'tis she O'er His blest head, and far and near, "Tis fragrant with her piety. Oh, let not whispering envy blame, For His approaching obsequies. Where o'er the earth, from clime to clime, So far shall bear recording time Then may we praise Him without blame The Father, Son, and Spirit's Name, The Son who came meek Mary's Guest, Who now in Him hath endless rest. THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. I have sworn once by My holiness, that I will not fail David. His seed shall endure for ever, and His seat is like as the sun before Me.-PSALM 1xxxix. "Mortale, cœlo tolle, genus, caput." MORTAL race, enwrapt in gloom Night's black horrors troop away, Now earth's teeming breast portends, Lo, from Jesse's root this hour, Heav'n's own dews shall on Him rest, Faith, chaste Fear, and holy Love, Ancient Time, from days of yore, And hath watch'd the opening door. Haste thou on, approaching morn, Praise the Triune God of all, ST. MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS. AT THE FIRST VESPERS. His throne was like the fiery flame; thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.-DAN. vii. "Christe qui sedes olympo." O CHRIST, who sit'st with God on high, In equal majesty, Where angels in Thy glory's blaze Do tremble as they gaze; Grant us unblamed to speak in song Of that celestial throng. One o'er the rest with shining sheen, In the victorious fight, And hurl'd him in black overthrow, Unto the deeps below. |