THE THIRD SUNDAY
OF LENT
The holy Church gave us as the subject of our meditation for the first
Sunday of Lent, the temptation which our Lord Jesus Christ deigned to suffer in
the desert. Her object was to enlighten us with regard to our own temptations,
and teach us how to conquer them. Today, she wishes to complete her instruction
on the power and stratagems of our invisible enemies; and for this she reads to
us a passage from the Gospel of St. Luke. During Lent the Christian ought to repair
the past and provide for the future; but he can neither understand how it was
he fell, nor defend himself against a relapse, unless he have correct ideas as
to the nature of the dangers which have hitherto proved fatal, and which are
again threatening him. Hence, the ancient liturgists would have us consider it
as a proof of the maternal watchfulness of the Church, that she should have
again proposed such a subject to us. As we shall find, it is the basis of all today’s
instructions.
Assuredly we should be the
blindest and most unhappy of men if, surrounded as we are by enemies who unceasingly
seek to destroy us, and are so superior to us both in power and knowledge, we
were seldom or never to think of the existence of these wicked spirits. And
yet, such is really the case with in numerable Christians nowadays; for, truths
are decayed from among the children of men. So common, indeed, is this
heedlessness and forgetfulness of truth, which the holy Scriptures put before us
in almost every page, that it is no rare thing to meet with persons who
ridicule the idea of devils being permitted to be on this earth of ours! They call
it a prejudice, a popular superstition of the middle ages! Of course they deny
that it is a dogma of
faith. When they read the history of the Church or the lives of the saints,
they have their own way of explaining whatever is there related on this
subject. To hear them talk, one would suppose that they look upon satan as a
mere abstract idea to be taken as the personification of evil.
When they would account for
the origin of their own or others’ sins, they explain all by the evil inclination
of man’s heart, and by the bad use we make of our free will. They never think
of what we are taught by Christian doctrine: namely, that we are also
instigated to sin by a wicked being, whose power is as great as is the hatred
he bears us. And yet they know, they believe with a firm faith, that satan conversed
with our first parents, and persuaded them to commit sin, and showed himself to
them under the form of a serpent. They believe that this same satan dared to
tempt the Incarnate Son of God, and that he carried Him through the air, and
set Him first upon a pinnacle of the temple, and then upon a very high mountain.
Again, they read in the Gospel, and they believe, that one of the possessed
delivered by our Saviour was tormented by a whole legion of devils, who, upon
being driven out of the man, went, by Jesus’ permission, into a herd of swine,
and the whole herd ran violently into the sea of Genesareth and perished in the
waters. These and many other such like facts are believed, by the persons of
whom we speak, with all the earnestness of faith; yet, not withstanding, they
treat as a figure of speech, or a fiction, all they hear or read about the
existence, the actions, or the craft of these wicked spirits. Are such people
Christians, or have they lost their senses? One would scarcely have expected
that this species of incredulity could have found its way into an age like
this, when sacrilegious consultations of the devil have been, we might almost
say, fashionable. Means which were used in the days of paganism have been resorted
to for such consultations; and those who employed them seemed to forget, or
ignore, that they were committing what God in the old Law punished with death,
and what, for many centuries, was considered by all Christian nations as a
capital crime.
But if there be one season of
the year more than another in which the faithful ought to reflect upon what is
taught us both by faith and experience as to the existence and workings of the
wicked spirits, it is undoubtedly this of Lent, when it is our duty to consider
what have been the causes of our past sins, what are the spiritual dangers we
have to fear for the future, and what means we should have recourse to for
preventing a relapse. Let us, then, hearken to the holy Gospel. Firstly, we are
told that the devil had possessed a man, and that the effect produced by this
possession was dumbness. Our Saviour cast out the devil, and immediately the
dumb man spoke. So that, the being possessed by the devil is not only a fact
which testifies to God’s impenetrable justice; it is one which may produce
physical effects upon them that are thus tried or punished. The casting out of
the devil restores the use of speech to him that had been possessed. We say
nothing about the obstinate malice of Jesus’ enemies, who would have it that
His power over the devils came from His being in league with the prince of
devils: we would now merely show that the wicked spirits are sometimes
permitted to have power over the body, and would refute, by this passage from
the Gospel, the rationalism of certain Christians. Let these learn, then, that
the power of our spiritual enemies is an awful reality; and let them take heed
not to lay themselves open to their worst attacks, by persisting in the
disdainful haughtiness of their reason.
THIRD SUNDAY IN
LENT – MASS PROPERS
Station at St.
Lawrence without the Walls
Semi-Double /
Sunday of the First Class / Violet Vestments
INTROIT
Psalm 24: 15-16
Oculi mei semper ad Dóminum, quia ipse evéllet de láqueo pedes meos:
réspice in me, et miserére mei, quóniam únicus et pauper sum ego.
Psalm 24: 1-2
Ad te, Dómine, levávi ánimam meam: Deus meus, in te confído, non
erubéscam. V. Glória Patri.
My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for He shall pluck my feet out of the snare: look Thou upon me,
and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor. Ps. To Thee, O Lord, have I lifted
up my soul: in Thee, O my God, I put my trust, let me not be ashamed. V. Glory
be to the Father.
COLLECT
We beseech Thee, almighty God, regard the desires of Thy humble
servants, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy majesty to be our defense. Through
Jesus Christ thy Son.
Commemoration of St. Gabriel of
Our Lady of Sorrows
O God, Who taught blessed Gabriel to meditate continually on the sorrows
of Your most sweet Mother and Who, through her, exalted him by the glory of a
holy life and miracles; grant us through his intercession and example so to
share in the sorrows of Your Mother that her motherly protection may save us. Who
livest and reignest.
EPISTLE
The Lesson is
taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 5: 1-9
Brethren: Be ye followers of God, as most dear children: and walk in
love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath delivered Himself for us, an
oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. But fornication, and
all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as
becometh saints: or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to
no purpose: but rather giving of thanks. For know you this, and understand,
that no fornicator, or unclean or covetous person, which is a serving of idols,
hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you
with vain words: for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the
children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For you were
heretofore darkness: but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the
light: for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth.
GRADUAL
Psalm 9: 20, 4
Arise, O Lord, let no man be strengthened; let the nations be judged in
Thy sight. V. When my enemy shall be turned back, they shall be weakened and
perish before Thy face.
TRACT
Psalm 122: 1-3
To Thee have I lifted up my eyes, who dwellest in heaven. V. Behold as
the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters. V. And as the eyes of
the handmaid are on the hands of her mistress: so are our eyes unto the Lord
our God, until He have mercy on us. V. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on
us.
GOSPEL
The continuation
of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke.
Luke 11: 14-28
At that time Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb. And
when He had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke, and the multitudes were in
admiration at it. But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub,
the prince of devils. And others, tempting, asked of Him a sign from heaven.
But He, seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against
itself shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And if
Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you
say that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. Now if I cast out devils by
Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore, they shall be
your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils: doubtless the
kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his court,
those things are in peace which he possesseth. But if a stronger than he come
upon him and overcome him, he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted,
and will distribute his spoils. He that is not with Me is against Me: and he
that gathereth not with Me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a
man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest: and not finding, he
saith: I will return into my house whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it swept and
garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked
than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man
becomes worse than the first. And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a
certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him: Blessed is the
womb that bore Thee, and the paps that gave Thee suck. But He said: Yea,
rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.
OFFERTORY
Psalm 18: 9-12
The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts, and His judgments
are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb: for Thy servant keepeth them.
SECRET
May this offering, we beseech Thee, O Lord, cleanse away our sins,
sanctifying Thy servants in both soul and body for the celebration of this
sacrifice. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with
thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. R. Amen.
Commemoration of St. Gabriel of
Our Lady of Sorrows
O Lord, make us who offer You the saving sacrificial gifts in memory of
blessed Gabriel recall in a fitting way the sacrifice of Your death; and by the
merits of the sorrowing Virgin, may we receive abundantly the fruit of that
very sacrifice.
PREFACE FOR LENT
It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation, that we
should at all times and in all places give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord,
Father almighty and everlasting God. Who by the fasting of the body dost curb
our vices, elevate our minds and bestow virtue and reward; through Christ our
Lord. Through whom the angels praise Thy majesty, the dominions worship it, and
the powers stand in awe. The heavens and the heavenly hosts, with the blessed
seraphim join together in celebrating their joy. With these we pray Thee join
our voices also, while we say with lowly praise:
THE SANCTUS
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dóminus Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt cæli et
terra glória tua. Hosánna in excélsis. Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini.
Hosánna in excélsis.
COMMUNION
Psalm 83: 4-5
The sparrow hath found herself a house, and the turtle a nest, where she
may lay her young ones: Thy altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King, and my God:
blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, they shall praise Thee for ever and
ever.
POSTCOMMUNION
Mercifully absolve us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, from all guilt and
deliver us from all danger, whom Thou dost grant to partake of so great a
mystery. Through Jesus Christ.
Commemoration of St. Gabriel of
Our Lady of Sorrows
O Lord, graciously accept the thanks we offer You for the gifts we have
received on the feast of the blessed Gabriel, Your Confessor, through the hands
of blessed Mary, ever Virgin, of whom You took that flesh whose sweetness we
have been worthy to taste in this banquet of salvation.
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