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℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May God the Father Omnipotent, be to us merciful and clement.
℟. Amen.
Reading 4
From the Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI
No effort on our part could have availed for the expiation of human sin, if the Son of God had not assumed human nature in order to redeem men from their sins. This truth the Saviour of mankind hath made known in the words of the Psalmist: Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me; in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure; then said I, Lo, I come. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: who his own self bare our sins in his body on the Tree; and blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which same was contrary to us, he took it out of the way, nailing it to his Cross: that we, being dead unto sins, should live unto righteousness. But although this plenteous redemption of Christ was more than sufficient to satisfy for all our offenses, nevertheless, (due to the wondrous dispensation of the divine Wisdom, whereby in our own flesh we may fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body’s sake, which is the Church,) we can, and in fact, we should, add our own acts of praise and satisfaction to those acts of praise and satisfaction which Christ, in the name of sinners, presented to God.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him,
* Yea, unto all such as call upon him faithfully.
℣. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering and of great goodness.
℟. Yea, unto all such as call upon him faithfully.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May Christ to all His people give, for ever in His sight to live.
℟. Amen.
Reading 5
However, we must always remember this, to wit: The expiatory value of our acts is dependent upon the Bloody Sacrifice of Christ; which same is presented bloodlessly on our altars, without pretermission. Note that in both the Unbloody and the Bloody Sacrifice, the Victim is one and the same. He that offered himself on the Cross is the very same that doth offer himself by means of our ministerial priesthood; the only difference being the manner in which the Sacrifice is made; for which reason there must needs be conjoined to the august Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist, and act of immolation from the priests and the faithful, whereby they offer up themselves, also, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice, acceptable unto God. With this in mind Saint Cyprian dared to affirm that the Sacrifice of the Lord is not complete so far as our sanctification is concerned until our personal offerings and sacrifices are brought into union with his passion. To which end we have been given apostolic admonition: That we should always bear about in the body of the dying of the Lord Jesus; and thereby, buried with him by Baptism unto death, not only can we crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, thus escaping the corruption that is in the world, through lust, but also thereby the life of Jesus can be made manifest in our bodies; and so, having been made partakers of Christ in his holy and eternal priesthood, we should offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent;
* Yea, thou hast revealed them unto babes.
℣. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.
℟. Yea, thou hast revealed them unto babes.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Spirit’s fire Divine in our hearts enkindled shine.
℟. Amen.
Reading 6
And note who they are that be partakers in the mysteries of such a priesthood, and in the duty of offering sacrifices and satisfaction to God; not only they who have been ordained as ministers of such sacrifices, to wit, to offer unto the divine Name in every place a pure offering, from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, but also all others who are Christians; which same by the Prince of the Apostles are called, and rightly so, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, who are to offer sacrifices for sin, not only for themselves but for all mankind, and this in much the same way as every priest and high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. All nations whom thou hast made shall come,
* And they shall worship thee, O Lord.
℣. Yea, they shall glorify thy Name, for thou art great, and doest wondrous things.
℟. And they shall worship thee, O Lord.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. And they shall worship thee, O Lord.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Gospel’s holy lection Be our safety and protection.
℟. Amen.
Reading 7
From the Holy Gospel according to John
John 19:31-37
At that time: The Jews, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath Day, for that Sabbath Day was an high day, besought Pilate that their legs might broken, and that they might be taken away. And so on, and that which followeth.
A Homily by St. Lawrence Justinian the Bishop
But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. Truly this is a great and unheard-of wonder, that from a lifeless body should gush out blood and water! And thereby we are constrained to believe that God willed to set forth the great mystery, namely, the oneness between Christ and the Church. Consider how aforetime a figure of this spiritual union was given us in the Scriptures, where we are told that, from the side of Adam as he slept, one of his ribs was taken, wherefrom was formed Eve, the mother of us all, which same is understood to be a type of the Church. For thereby the Holy Ghost signified that there was to be a true and spiritual Adam, fashioned by the same Paraclete, from whose side, while he slept on the Cross, the Church would be formed, a comely spouse radiant with youth, that is, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. If I be lifted up,
* I will draw all men unto me.
℣. This he said, signifying what death he should die.
℟. I will draw all men unto me.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. God’s most mighty strength alway be His people’s staff and stay.
℟. Amen.
Reading 8
For the blood and water are the Sacraments of the Church, whereby the whole body of the Church is washed and sanctified. Certain it is that in the laver of regenerating water, (which same was consecrated by the death of Christ,) the Church is cleansed from original sin. And not only is purification given thereby, but entrance to the heavenly kingdom is also made. Both these things are done at one and the same time, nor doth one avail for salvation without the other; for no one can take unto himself the inheritance of the blessedness which is to come without the Sacrament of Baptism and the remission of sins. This truth is confessed all the world over by holy Mother Church, and confirmed by manifold testimonies in the Word of God. Moreover, he too bare witness, who saw the water and blood flow forth from the side of Christ, and his testimony is true. Now this is John the Apostle and Evangelist who was loved with an exceeding great love by the Lord.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. Be ye therefore followers of God;
* And walk ye therefore in love.
℣. For Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us.
℟. And walk ye therefore in love.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. And walk ye therefore in love.
…Te Deum
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