WEDNESDAY IN EMBER WEEK.
Introit. Is. xlv. Rorate, cœli.

DROP down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Saviour. Ps. xviii. The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands. V. Glory.

After Kyrie eleison is said, Let us pray.

P. Flectamus genua. P. Let us kneel down. R. Levate. R. Stand up again. COLL. Grant, we beseech thee, O almighty God, that the approaching solemnity of our redemption may afford us the succours of this present life, and heap on us the rewards of eternal happiness. Through.

1. LESSON. Is. ii. 2. 5. In those days the prophet Isaias said: In the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go, and say: Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for the law shall come forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge the Gentiles, and rebuke many people; and they shall turn their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into sickles: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they be exercised any more to war. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord our God.

GRAD. Ps. xxiii. Lift up your gates, O you princes; and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates, and the King of Glory shall enter in. Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord, or who

shall stand in his holy place? The innocent in hands, and clean of heart.

The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.

COLL. Make haste, we beseech thee, O Lord, and delay not; but grant us the assistance of thy heavenly grace; that they who trust in thy goodness, may be relieved by the comfort of thy coming. Who livest.

Here are said the other Collects, as directed, page 87.

II. LESSON.. Is. vii. 10. 15. In those days: The Lord spoke unto Achaz, saying: Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God, either unto the depth of hell, or unto the height above. And Achaz said: I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord, And he said: Hear ye, therefore, O house of David; is it a small thing for you to be griev ous to men, that you are grievous to my God also. Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to refuse the evil, and to choose the good.

GRAD. Ps. cxliv. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him; to all that call upon him in truth. V. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy

name.

GOSPEL. Luke i. 26. 38. At that time: The angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel, being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt

conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren; because no word shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.

OFFERT. Is. XXXV. Take courage, and now fear not; for behold our God will do justice; he will come himself, and will save us.

SECRET. Let our fasts, we beseech thee, O Lord, be acceptable to thee, that by atoning for our sins, they may both make us worthy of thy grace, and bring us to the everlasting effects of thy promises. Through.

COMM. Is. vii. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bring forth a son; and his name shall be called Emmanuel.

P. COMM. Being filled, O Lord, by the participation of thy saving mysteries, we humbly beseech thee, that as we rejoice in the taste thereof, we may be renewed by their effects. Through.

98

FRIDAY IN EMBER WEEK.

Introit. Ps. cxviii. Prope es.

THOU art near, O Lord; and all thy ways are truth. I have known from the beginning concerning thy testimonies; that thou art for ever. Ps. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. V. Glory.

COLL. Exert, O Lord, we beseech thee, thy power, and come; that they who trust in thy goodness, may speedily be delivered from all adversity. Who livest.

LESSON. Is. xi. 1. 5. Thus saith the Lord God: There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness, and he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears. But he shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. And justice shall be the girdle of his loins: and faith the girdle of his reins.

GRAD. Ps. lxxxiv. Show us, O Lord, thy mercy, and grant us thy salvation. V. Lord, thou hast blessed thy land; thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.

GOSPEL. Luke i. 39. 47. At that time: Mary rising up, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her

womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

OFFERT. Ps. lxxxiv. Thou wilt turn, O God, and bring us to life; and thy people shall rejoice in thee. Show us, O Lord, thy mercy; and grant us thy salvation.

SECRET. Having received, O Lord, our offerings and prayers, cleanse us, we beseech thee, by those heavenly mysteries, and mercifully hear us. COMM. Zach. xiv. Behold the Lord will come, and all his saints with him; and in that day there shall be a great light.

P. COMM. May the receiving, O Lord, of thy sacrament, give us a new life, that by putting aside the old man, it may bring us to the participation of this saving mystery. Through.

SATURDAY IN EMBER WEEK.
Introit. Ps. lxxix. Veni.

COME, and show us thy face, O Lord, who

sittest on the Cherubim: and we shall be saved. Ps. Give ear, thou that rulest Israel, thou that leadest Joseph as a sheep. V. Glory. After the Kyrie Eleison is said Let us pray, Let us kneel down. R. Stand up again.

I. COLL. O God, who seest us afflicted through our own wickedness; mercifully grant,