Series 2 of Gospel Lessons
for a Doctor

Third Nocturn

Absolutio: A vínculis peccatórum nostrórum absólvat nos omnípotens et miséricors Dóminus.
R.  Amen.

Absolution:  May the Lord Almighty and merciful break the bonds of our sins and set us free.
R.  Amen.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 7: Evangélica léctio sit nobis salus et protéctio.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 7:  May the Gospel's holy lection be our safeguard and protection.
R.  Amen.

In illo témpore : Dixit Jesus discípulis suis:   Vos estis sal terræ.  Quod si sal evanúerit, in quo saliétur?  Et réliqua.

At that time : Jesus said unto his disciples:  Ye are the salt of the earth : But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?  And so on, and that which followeth.

Vos estis sal terræ.  Quod si sal infatuátum fúerit, ad níhilum valet id quod saliétur.  Sal, ut árbitror, terræ nullum est.  Quómodo ergo Apóstolos sal terræ nuncupávit?  Sed propríetas est quærénda dictórum, quam et Apostolórum offícium et ipsíus salis natúra monstrábit.  Sal est in se uno cóntinens aquæ et ignis eleméntum, et hoc ex duóbus est unum.

Ye are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?  There is, to my thinking, no such thing as salt of the earth.  How them can the Apostles be called the salt of the earth?  We must seek out the true meaning of these words, and the same will be made plain when we consider the office of the Apostles, and the nature of salt itself.  Now salt is a compound of elements, for it joineth in itself a certain weakness like unto water, and a certain power like unto fire, so that it hath a double nature.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum : stolam glóriæ índuit eum, * Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum, allelúja.
V.  Induit eum Dóminus lorícam fídei, et ornávit eum.
R.  Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum, allelúja.

R.  The Lord loved him and adorned him ; he clothed him with a robe of glory : * And crowned him at the gates of Paradise, alleluia.
V.  The Lord put upon him the breastplate of faith, and adorned him.
R.  And crowned him at the gates of Paradise, alleluia.

R.  Iste est, qui ante Deum magnas virtútes operátus est, et de omni corde suo laudávit Dóminum : * Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum, allelúja.
V.  Ecce homo sine queréla, verus Dei cultor, ábstinens se ab omni ópere malo, et pérmanens in innocéntia sua.
R.  Ipse intercédat pro peccátis ómnium populórum, allelúja.

R.  This is he who wrought mighty deeds and valiant in the sight of God, and all the earth is filled with his doctrine : * May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people, alleluia.
V.  Behold a man without blame, a worshipper of God in truth, keeping himself clean from every evil work, and abiding still in his innocency.
R.  May his intercession avail for the sins of all the people, alleluia.

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 8:  Cujus festum cólimus, ipse intercédat pro nobis ad Dóminum.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 8:  May he whose feast day we are keeping, be our Advocate with God.
R.  Amen.

Hic ígitur in omnem usum humáni géneris efféctus, incorruptiónem corpóribus, quibus fúerit aspérsus, impértit, et ad omnem sensum cónditi sapóris aptíssimus est.  Apóstoli autem sunt rerum cæléstium prædicatóres et æternitátis velut satóres ; immortalitátem ómnibus corpóribus, quibus eórum sermo aspérsus fúerit, conferéntes.  Mérito ígitur sal terræ nuncupáti sunt, per doctrínæ virtútem, saliéndi modo, æternitáti córpora reservántes.

Salt is therefore able to serve the use of man in divers ways, for wherever it is added, it both preserveth from corruption and giveth savour.  And to the Apostle was given a similar two-fold power.  For the words which they scattered upon the world, as preachers of the kingdom of heaven, do act as a preservative unto immortality.  Meetly then are they called the salt of the earth, the savour of whose teaching doth keep sweet the receiver thereof even unto life everlasting.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.

R.  In médio Ecclésiæ apéruit os ejus, * Et implévit eum Dóminus spíritu sapiéntiæ et intelléctus, allelúja.
V.  Jucunditátem et exsultatiónem thesaurizávit super eum.
R.  Et implévit eum Dóminus spíritu sapiéntiæ et intelléctus, allelúja.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Et implévit eum Dóminus spíritu sapiéntiæ et intelléctus, allelúja.

R.  In the midst of the congregation he opened his mouth : * And the Lord filled him with the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, alleluia.
V.  He shall find joy, and a crown of gladness.
R.  And the Lord filled him with the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, alleluia.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  And the Lord filled him with the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, alleluia.

If Lesson ix is to be taken from an occurring Feast or Sunday, it is given in its proper place, as announced in the Ordo.

Alternate Ninth Lesson

V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.

V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.

Benedíctio 9: Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 9: May the King of Angels give us fellowship with all the citizens of heaven.
R.  Amen.

Sed natúra salis semper éadem est, nec immutári umquam potest.  Verum, quia conversióni homo súbjacet, et solus beátus, qui usque ad finem in ómnibus Dei opéribus permánserit ; ídeo eos, sal terræ nuncupátos, monet in tráditæ sibi potestátis virtúte persístere, ne, infatuáti, nihil sáliant, et ipsi, sensu accépti sapóris amísso, vivificáre corrúpta non possint, et, projécti de Ecclésiæ promptuáriis, cum his quos salíerint, pédibus incedéntium proterántur.

But the nature of salt is to be ever the same, and unchanging.  Man, on the other hand, hath this weakness, to be changeable.  He alone is called blessed who hath persevered even unto the end in all the works which God hath commanded.  Therefore doth the Lord warn them whom he called the salt of the earth, that they are behoven to remain strong in that strength which he hath given unto them, lest, becoming themselves savourless, they have no power to season anything.  Once having lost the freshness of their saltness, they are unable to stop the corruption round about them ; and so the Church must needs cast them out of her buttery.  Thus both they and those whom they should have salted, will be altogether trodden under foot of such as enter in.

V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R.  Deo grátias.

V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R.  Thanks be to God.