Ægypti et mane videbitis gloriam Domini, that the Lord hath brought you forth out of the land of Egypt; and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord. After this Lesson, the choir sings one of the two following Responsories, which commemorate the Passion of our Lord. RESPONSORY. R. Collegerunt Pontifices et Pharisæi concilium, et dixerunt Quid facimus, quia hic homo multa signa facit? Si dimittimus eum sic, omnes credent in eum : *Et venient Romani, et tollent nostrum locum et gentem. V. Unus autem ex illis, Caiphas nomine, cum esset Pontifex anni illius, prophetavit dicens: Expedit vobis, ut unus moriatur homo pro populo, et non tota gens pereat. Ab illo ergo die cogitaverunt interficere eum, dicentes: * Et venient Romani, et tollent nostrum locum et gentem. R. In monte Oliveti oravit ad Patrem: Pater, si fieri potest, transeat a me calix iste. *Spiritus quidem promptus est: caro autem infirma; fiat voluntas tua. V. Vigilate et orate, ut non intretis in tentationem, *Spiritus quidem promptus est: caro autem infirma; fiat voluntas tua, R. The chief priest therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said: What are we doing, for this man performeth many wonders! If we let him go on thus, all will believe in him. * And the Romans will come and destroy both our country and people. V. But one of them, named Caiphas, being the high priest of that year, said to them : It is for your interest that one man should die for the people, and not the whole nation perish. Therefore from that day they devised to kill him, saying: And the Romans will come and destroy both our country and people. R. Jesus prayed unto his Father on Mount Olivet: 0 Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. *The spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak. Thy will be done. V. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. *The spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak. Thy will be done, The Deacon then chants, from the Gospel of St. Matthew, the history of Jesus' triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. The Palms of the New Testament entwine with those of the Old, in honour of the ManGod, who is the connecting link of both, GOSPEL, Sequel of the holy Gospel according to Matthew. Cap. XXI. At that time: Jesus drawing near to Jerusalem, and being come to Bethphage, at mount Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, and said to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately you shall find an ass tied and a colt with her; loose them and bring them to me. And if any man shall say any thing to you, say ye, that the Lord hath need of them; and forthwith he will let them go. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold, thy King cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of her that is used to the yoke. And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them and they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way, and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed the min the way; and the multitudes 2 Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Matthæum. eos. tum Ch. XXI. In illo tempore: Cum appropinquasset Jesus Jerosolymis et venisset Bethphage, ad montem Oliveti ; tunc misit duos discipulos suos, dicens eis: Ite in castellum, quod contra vos est et statim invenietis asinam alligatam, et pullum cum ea: solvite, et adducite mihi. Et si quis vobis aliquid dixerit : dicite, quia Dominus his opus habet et confestim dimittet Hoc autem totum facest, ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per Prophetam dicentem: Dicite filiæ Sion: Ecce Rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus sedens super asinam, et pullum filium subjugalis. Euntes autem discipuli, fecerunt sicut præcepit illis Jesus. Et adduxerunt asinam, et pullum: et imposuerunt super eos vestimenta sua, et eum desuper sedere fecerunt. Plurima autem turba straverunt vestimenta sua in via. Alii autem cædebant ramos de arboribus, et sternebant in via. Turbæ autem quæ præcedebant, et quæ sequebantur, clamabant, dicentes: Hosanna filio David! benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! And now the mystery-speaking Palms are to receive the Church's blessing. The Priest begins by two scriptural allusions: the first is to Noah, who received an olive-branch, when the waters of the deluge had subsided; the second is to Moses, whose people, after quitting Egypt, encamped under the seventy palm-trees. Then, in the solemn tone of the Preface, he calls upon all creatures to give praise to the adorable Name of Jesus, for whom we are preparing the homage of our devoted love. Let us respond to the invitation, and sing with all our hearts: Holy! Holy! Holy!-Hosanna in excelsis! . Dominus vobiscum. B. Et cum spiritu tuo. OREMUS. Auge fidem in te sperantium, Deus, et supplicum preces clementer exaudi: veniat super nos multiplex misericordia tua; benedicantur et hi palmites palmarum, seu olivarum et sicut in figura Ecclesiæ multiplicasti Noe egredientem de arca, et Moysen exeuntem de Ægypto cum filiis Israel ita nos portantes palmas, et ramos olivarum bonis actibus occurramus obviam Christo, et per ipsum in gaudium introeamus æternum. Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, V. The Lord be with you. LET US PRAY. Increase, O God, the faith of them that hope in thee, and mercifully hear the prayers of thy suppliants; let thy manifold mercy come upon us, and let these branches of palmtrees, or olive-trees, be blessed; and as in a figure of the Church thou didst multiply Noah going out of the ark, and Moses going out of Egypt with the children of Israel, so let us, carrying palms and branches of olive-trees, go and meet Christ with good works, and enter through him into eternal joys. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, V. For ever and ever. R. Amen. V. The Lord be with you. B. And with thy spirit. V. Lift up your hearts. R. We have them fixed on God. V. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. R. It is meet and just. It is truly meet and just, right and available to salvation, always and in all places to give thee thanks, O Holy Lord, Almighty Father, Eternal God, who art glorious in the assembly of thy saints. For thy creatures serve thee, because they acknowledge thee for their only Creator and God. And the whole creation praiseth thee, and thy saints bless thee, because they confess with freedom, before the kings and powers of this world, the great name of thy Only Begotten Son. Before whom the Angels and Archangels, the Thrones, and Dominations, stand, and with all the troops of the heavenly host, sing a hymn to thy glory, saying without ceasing: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts! Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest ! . Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro. B. Dignum et justum est. Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutare, nos tibi semper et ubique gratias agere, Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, æterne Deus. Qui gloriaris in consilio sanctorum tuorum. Tibi enim serviunt creaturæ tuæ: quia te solum auctorem et Deum cognoscunt: et omnis factura tua te collaudat, et benedicunt te sancti tui. Quia illud magnum Unigeniti tui nomen, coram regibus et potestatibus hujus sæculi, libera voce confitentur. Cui assistunt Angeli et Archangeli, Throni et Dominationes: cumque omni militia cœlestis exercitus, hymnum gloriæ tuæ concinunt, sine fine dicentes : Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt cœli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis. The Prayers, which now follow, explain the mystery of the Palms, and draw down the blessing of PASSIONTIDE. Р God upon both them and the Faithful who receive and keep them with proper dispositions. Petimus, Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, æterne Deus ut hanc creaturam olivæ, quam ex ligni materia prodire jussisti, quamque columba rediens ad arcam, proprio pertulit ore: benedicere, et sanctificare digneris: ut quicumque ex ea receperint, accipiant sibi protectionem animæ et corporis, fiatque, Domine, nostræ salutis remedium, tuæ gratiæ sacramentum. Per Dominum nostrum. R. Amen. OREMUS. Deus, qui dispersa congregas, et congregata conservas qui populis obviam Jesu ramos portantibus benedixisti benedic etiam hos ramos palmæ et olivæ, quos tui famuli ad honorem nominis tui fideliter suscipiunt ut in quemcumque locum introducti fuerint, tuam benedictionem habitatores loci illius consequantur et omni adversitate effugata, dextera tua protegat quos redemit Jesus Christus Filius tuus Dominus noster. Qui tecum. R. Amen. LET US PRAY. We beseech thee, O Holy Lord, Almighty Father, Eternal God, that thou wouldst be pleased to bless and sanctify this creature of the olive tree, which thou madest to shoot out of the substance of the wood, and which the dove, returning to the ark, brought in its bill; that whoever receiveth it, may find protection of soul and body, and that it may prove, O Lord, a saving remedy, and a sacred sign of thy grace. Through, &c. R. Amen. LET US PRAY. O God, who gatherest what is dispersed, and preservest what is gathered; who didst bless the people, that carried boughs to meet Jesus; bless also these branches of the palm-tree and olive-tree, which thy servants take with faith in honour of thy name; that into whatever place they may be carried, the inhabitants of that place may obtain thy blessing, and thy right hand preserve from all adversity, and protect those that have been redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son. Who liveth, &c. R. Amen. |