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Above: Jesus Christ and Nicodemus by Matthias Stom (c. 1600 – after 1652)
From the Roman office.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Gospel’s holy lection Be our safety and protection.
℟. Amen.
Reading 1
Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John
John 3:16-21
At that time, Jesus said unto Nicodemus: God so loved the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And so on.
Homily by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
12th Tract on John
The Physician cometh that, as often as in him lieth, he may heal the sick man. He is his own destroyer who will not keep the commandments of the Physician. Into the world came the Saviour. Why is He called the Saviour of the world, but because He came “into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”? If thou willest not be saved through Him, thou wilt be condemned of thyself. And why say I that thou wilt be condemned? Because it is written: “He that believeth in Him is not condemned.” What then canst thou hope that He will say of “him that believeth not,” but that He will be condemned And indeed He doth say farther: “He that believeth not is condemned already.” He is condemned already, though the condemnation be not yet openly pronounced.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. Henceforth I call you not servants, but I have called you My friends, because ye have known all things, whatsoever I have done among you. Alleluia.
* Receive ye the Holy Ghost, Who is your Comforter within you; the Same is He Whom the Father will send unto you. Alleluia.
℣. Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
℟. Receive ye the Holy Ghost Who is your Comforter within you; the Same is He Whom the Father will send unto you. Alleluia.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. God’s most mighty strength alway be His people’s staff and stay.
℟. Amen.
Reading 2
He is condemned already, for “the Lord knoweth them that are His.” He knoweth them for whom is laid up the crown, and likewise them that are reserved unto the fire. His eye seeth in the field of the world the distinction of the wheat and of the straw, of the good corn and of the tares. “He that believeth not is condemned already.” And why? “Because he hath not believed in the Name of the Only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” “Because their deeds were evil,” but, my brethren, is there one man of whom God findeth that his works are good? No, not one. God findeth all works to be (in themselves) bad. How then do we hear that some there be who do truth, and come to the light? For these words come anon: “But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light.”
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
℟. The Holy Ghost, Which proceedeth from the Throne, entered unseen into the hearts of the Apostles, with a new token of sanctification, even
* That all manner of tongues should spring to their lips. Alleluia.
℣. The fire of God fell, not to burn them, but to enlighten them, and gave them gifts of grace.
℟. That all manner of tongues should spring to their lips. Alleluia.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. That all manner of tongues should spring to their lips. Alleluia.
℣. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May He that is the Angels’ King to that high realm His people bring.
℟. Amen.
Reading 3
But the Lord saith of such as these, who are condemned already, because they believe not in Him: “They loved darkness rather than light.” And here He maketh the great point of difference between such, and them that do the truth. There are many who have loved their sins; there are many who have confessed their sins and he that confessed and denounceth his sin, is working already with God. God denounceth thy sins, and if thou denounce them likewise, then dost thou join thyself with God in His act. The man and the sinner are two different things. God made the man, and the man made the sinner. Put away thy work, and God will save His. Thou art behoven to hate in thyself thine own work, and to love God’s work. When thine own works begin to displease thee, then is it that thou beginnest to do well, because thou denouncest thine own evil works. The first thing to do, if thou wouldest do good works, is to acknowledge thine evil ones.
℣. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
℟. Thanks be to God.
Te Deum