Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?
FIRST VESPERS
After the great solemnities of the movable cycle, and the Feast of
St. John the Baptist, none is more ancient, nor more universal in the Church,
than that of the two Princes of the Apostles. From the beginning, Rome
celebrated their triumph on the very day itself which saw them go up from earth
to heaven, June 29th. Her practice prevailed, at a very early date, over the
custom of several other countries, which put the Apostles' feast towards the
close of December. It was, no doubt, a fair thought which inspired the placing
of these Fathers of the Christian people in the cortège of Emmanuel at his entry
into this world. But, as we have already seen, to-day's teachings have intrinsically
an important preponderance in the economy of Christian dogma; they are the
completion of the whole Work of the Son of God; the cross of Peter fixes the
Church in her stability, and marks out for the Divine Spirit the immutable
centre of his operations. Rome, therefore, was well inspired when, leaving to
the Beloved Disciple the honor of presiding over his brethren at the Crib of
the Infant God, she maintained the solemn memory of the Princes of the Apostles
upon the day chosen by God himself to consummate their labours and to crown, at
once, both their life and the whole cycle of mysteries. Fully to-day, do the
heavens declare the glory of God, as David expresses it, to-day do they show us
the course of the Spouse completed on the eternal hills. Day unto day uttereth
speech, and night unto night revealeth the deep secret. From north and south of
the newSion, from either side of her stream, Peter and Paul waft one to other,
as a farewell song, as a sacred * Epithalamium, the good Word; sublime that echo,
sonorous its power, vocal still throughout the whole earth, and yet to resound
as long as the world lasts. These two torches of salvation blend their flames
above the palaces of ancient Rome; the passing darkness of their death, that
night of which the Psalmist sings, now concentrates light, for ever, in the
midst of the queen city. Beside the throne of the Bridegroom fixed for ever and
ever on yonder seven hills, the Gentile world, now become the Bride, is
resplendent in glory, all fair in that peerless purity which she derives from
their blood united as it is to that of the Son of God.
But seemly is it, not to
forget, on so great a day, those other messengers sent forth by the divine
householder, and who watered earth's highways with their sweat and with their
blood, the while they hastened the triumph and the gathering in of the guests
invited to the Marriage feast. To them is it due, if now the law of grace is
definitively promulgated throughout all nations, and if in every language and
upon every shore the good tidings have been sounded. Thus the festival of St.
Peter, completed by the more special memory of St. Paul his comrade in death,
has been from earliest times regarded as the festival likewise of the whole
Apostolic college. In those primitive times it seemed impossible to dream of
separating from their glorious leader any of those whom Our Lord had so
intimately joined together in the responsibility of one common work. But in
course of time, however, particular solemnities were successively consecrated
to each one of the Apostles, and so the feast of June 29th was more exclusively
attributed to the two Princes whose martyrdom rendered this day illustrious.
More than this; as we shall presently see, the Roman Church, thinking it
impossible fittingly to honor both of these on the same day, deferred till tomorrow her more explicit praises of the Doctor of the Gentiles.
Footnote - *epithalamium - a poem written specifically for the bride on the way to her marital
chamber.
The Liturgical Year – Dom Gueranger, O.S.B. Time after
Pentecost, Volume 3
 |
| Peter and John went up together into the Temple |
Peter
and John * went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer, being the
ninth hour.
The Lord said to my Lord: * Sit thou at my right hand:
Until I make thy enemies * thy footstool.
The Lord will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: *
rule thou in the midst of thy enemies.
With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the
brightness of the saints: * from the womb before the day star I begot thee.
The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: * Thou art a priest for
ever according to the order of Melchisedech.
The Lord at thy right hand * hath broken kings in the day of his
wrath.
He shall judge among nations, he shall fill ruins: * he shall crush
the heads in the land of many.
He shall drink of the torrent in the way: * therefore shall he lift
up the head.
Glory be
Novena
Prayer
Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, I choose you this day and forever to
be my special patrons and advocates, you blessed Saint Peter - Prince of the
Apostles, because you are the Rock upon the Almighty God has built His Holy
Church; you blessed Saint Paul, because you were fore chosen by God as vessel
of election and preacher of the truth to the whole world.
Obtain for me, I humbly pray you, lively Faith, firm Hope and
burning Love, complete detachment from myself, contempt of the world, patience in adversity, humility in
prosperity, attention in prayer, purity of diligence in fulfilling the duties
of my state of life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the Will of
God and perseverance in the Grace of God even unto death, so that by the means
of your intercession and your glorious merits, I might be able to overcome the
evil and I be made worthy of the Promises of Christ, enjoy His Presence and
love Him forever in time and eternity.
Our
Father
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom
come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily
bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against
us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Hail
Mary
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou
amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother
of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory
Be
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As
it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
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