Series 3 of Lessons for a Martyr

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:  Nolíte arbitrári quia pacem vénerim míttere in terra : non veni pacem míttere, sed gládium.  Et réliqua.

At that time : Jesus said unto his disciples:  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth : I came not to send peace, but a sword.  And so on, and that which followeth.

Quæ ista divísio est?  inter prima enim legis præcépta accépimus : Honóra patrem tuum et matrem tuam ; et ipse Dóminus ait: Pacem meam do vobis, pacem meam relínquo vobis.  Quid sibi vult missus pótius gládius in terram, et separátus a patre fílius, et fília a matre, et nurus advérsus socrum, et hóminis doméstici ejus inimíci?  Igitur exínde pública auctóritas impietáti proferétur.  Ubíque ódia, ubíque bella, et gládius Dómini inter patrem et fílium, et inter filiam matrémque desæviens.

What meaneth such division in the earth, by reason of the Lord's coming?  Amongst the foremost commandments of the Law we have received this : Honour thy father and thy mother.  And the Lord himself said : Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.  What meaneth this sword sent upon the earth?  Why is father set at variance against son, and daughter against mother, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law?  Why shall a man's foes be they of his own household?  From all this it might seem that open sanction is given to the neglect of natural duties―hatred everywhere, warfare everywhere, the sword of the Lord furiously raging between father and son, mother and daughter.

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

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

R.  Coróna áurea super caput ejus, * Expréssa signo sanctitátis, glória honóris, et opus fortitúdinis.
V.  Quóniam prævenísti eum in benedictiónibus dulcédinis, posuísti in cápite ejus corónam de lápide pretióso.
R.  Expréssa signo sanctitátis, glória honóris, et opus fortitúdinis.

R.  The Lord set a crown of gold upon his head, * Wherein was engraved Holiness, an ornament of honour, a costly work, goodly and beautiful.
V.  For thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodness, and hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
R.  Wherein was engraved Holiness, an ornament of honour, a costly work, goodly and beautiful.

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.

Gládius telórum ómnium telum acutíssimum est, in quo sit jus potestátis, et judícii sevéritas, et animadvérsio peccatórum.  Et, hujus quidem teli nómine, novi Evangélii prædicatiónem appellátam frequens in prophétis auctóritas est.  Dei ígitur verbum nuncupátum meminérimus in gládio ; qui gládius missus in terram est, idest, prædicátio ejus hóminum córdibus infúsa.  Fitque gravis in domo una dissénsio, et doméstica novo hómini erunt inimíca ; quia ille, per verbum Dei divísus ab illis, manére et intérior et extérior, id est, et corpus et anima, in spíritus novitáte gaudébit.

The sharpest weapon of all weapons is the sword, whereby is enforced the law of might, the severity of judgment, the punishment of sinners.  Furthermore, the word Sword is in common use amongst the Prophets as a figure of the preaching of the new Gospel.  Ye are to understand, then, that the word of God is often called a sword ; and that this sword is sent upon the earth when the preaching of God's word entereth into the hearts of men.  For then at once cometh grave dissénsion in the new man's old home, and thus a man's foes are they of his own household.  For he is set at variance against them by the word of God, whereby he joyously abideth in newness of spirit both within and without, that is, in soul and body.

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

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

R.  Hic est vere Martyr, qui pro Christi nómine sánguinem suum fudit: * Qui minas júdicum non tímuit, nec terrénæ dignitátis glóriam quæsívit, sed ad cæléstia regna pervénit.
V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas, et osténdit illi regnum Dei.
R.  Qui minas júdicum non tímuit, nec terrénæ dignitátis glóriam quæsívit, sed ad cæléstia regna pervénit.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Qui minas júdicum non tímuit, nec terrénæ dignitátis glóriam quæsívit, sed ad cæléstia regna pervénit.

R.  This is indeed a Martyr who for the Name of Christ poured forth his life-blood; * Who feared not the judgment of the world, nor clung to any earthly honours; but set his heart on a heavenly reward.
V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, and shewed him the kingdom of God.
R.  Who feared not the judgment of the world, nor clung to any earthly honours; but set his heart on a heavenly reward.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  Who feared not the judgment of the world, nor clung to any earthly honours; but set his heart on a heavenly reward.

R.  Dómine, prævenísti eum in benedictiónibus dulcédinis: * Posuísti in cápite ejus corónam de lápide pretióso.
V.  Vitam pétiit a te, et tribuísti ei longitúdinem diérum in sæculum sæculi.
R.  Posuísti in cápite ejus corónam de lápide pretióso.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Posuísti in cápite ejus corónam de lápide pretióso.

R.  Thou hast prevented him with the blessings of goodness; * Thou hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head, O Lord.
V.  He asked life of thee, and thou gavest him a long life, even for ever and ever.
R.  Thou hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head, O Lord.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  Thou hast set a crown of pure gold upon his head, O Lord.

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.

Pergit deínde eódem præceptórum et intelligéntiæ decúrsu.  Nam, posteáquam relinquénda ómnia, quæ in sæculo caríssima sunt, imperáverat, adjécit : Qui non áccipit crucem suam, et séquitur me, non est me dignus ; quia Qui Christi sunt, crucifixérunt corpus cum vítiis et concupiscéntia.  Et indígnus est Christo, qui non crucem suam, in qua compátimur, commórimur, consepelímur, conresúrgimus, accípiens, Dóminum sit secúrus, in hoc sacraménto fídei, spíritus novitáte victúrus.

The Lord continueth in the same strain of exhortation and discernment.  For after bidding us leave whatever we hold dearest in the world, he addeth : He that taketh not up his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  And hence he is unworthy of Christ who taketh not up his cross, because thereon we suffer, and so thereon we die with the Lord ; yea, thereby are we buried with him, and do rise again with him ; thereby we follow the Lord to victory, in newness of spirit and in the mystery of faith.

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

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