Matins

STAND

Absolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.
R.  Amen.

Absolution:  May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever.
R.  Amen.

Benedíctio 1: Evangélica léctio sit nobis salus et protéctio.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 1:  May the Gospel's holy lection be our safeguard and protection.
R.  Amen.

In illo témpore : Stetit Jesus in médio discipulórum, et dicit eis : Pax vobis : ego sum, nolíte timére.  Et réliqua.

At that time : Jesus himself stood in the midst of the disciples, and saith unto them : Peace be unto you : it is I, be not afraid.  And so on, and that which followeth.

Mirum, quo modo se natúra corpórea per impenetrábile corpus infúderit invisíbili áditu, visíbili conspéctu : tangi fácilis, diffícilis æstimári.  Dénique conturbáti discípuli æstimábant se spíritum vidére.  Et ídeo Dóminus, ut spéciem nobis resurrectiónis osténderet : Palpáte, inquit, et vidéte, quia spíritus carnem et ossa non habet, sicut me vidétis habére.  Non ergo per incorpóream natúram, sed per resurrectiónis qualitátem, impérvia usu clausa penetrávit.  Nam quod tángitur, corpus est : quod palpátur, corpus est.

We see here the marvellous nature of the Lord's glorified body, which could pass through an impenetrable thing.  It could enter unseen, and then become visible.  It could easily be touched, but its nature was (and is) hard to understand.  Hence the disciples were affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.  And therefore the Lord, that he might shew us the evidence of his resurrection, said :  Handle me, and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have.  From which we can perceive that it was not by virtue of a disembodied state, but by the peculiar qualities of his risen and glorified body, that he had passed through closed doors.  For that which is touched or handled is a true 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.  Virtúte magna reddébant Apóstoli * Testimónium resurrectiónis Jesu Christi Dómini nostri, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Repléti quidem Spíritu Sancto, loquebántur cum fidúcia verbum Dei.
R.  Testimónium resurrectiónis Jesu Christi Dómini nostri, allelúja, allelúja.

R.  With great power gave the Apostles *  Witness of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  Verily they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.
R.  Witness of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, alleluia, alleluia.

Benedíctio 2: Divínum auxílium máneat semper nobíscum.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 2: May help divine be with us all, for ever abiding.
R.  Amen.

In córpore autem resurgémus.  Seminátur enim corpus animále, surgit corpus spiritále : sed illud subtílius, hoc crássius, útpote adhuc terrénæ labis qualitáte concrétum.  Nam quómodo non corpus, in quo manébant insígnia vúlnerum, vestígia cicatrícum, quæ Dóminus palpánda óbtulit ?  In quo non solum fidem firmat, sed étiam devotiónem ácuit, quod vúlnera suscépta pro nobis cælo inférre máluit, abolére nóluit : ut Deo Patri nostræ prétia libertátis osténderet.  Talem sibi Pater ad déxteram locat, trophæum nostræ salútis ampléctens : tales illic Mártyres nobis cicatrícis suæ coróna monstrávit.

And we, also, shall all rise again in the body.  For it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.  The spiritual body is the finer, and the natural body is the grosser, besodden as yet by the corruption of earth.  Was not that a real body, wherein remained those marks of his wounds, those holes of the nail-prints which the Lord bade his disciples to handle?  Hereby, also, he hath not only strengthened our faith, but hath also quickened our love.  For we know that it was his will not to do away with those wounds which he bore for our sake ; but rather to carry them into heaven, so that he might plainly shew the Price of our Freedom unto his eternal Father.  Such an one is he, marked with these wounds, and himself the Trophy of our Salvation, unto whom the Father hath therefore said : Sit thou on my right hand.  And such are also the Martyrs, whose Crown he is, and concerning whom he hath shewn us that they will ever be with him there.

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

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

R.  De ore prudéntis procédit mel, allelúja : dulcédo mellis est sub lingua ejus, allelúja : * Favus distíllans lábia ejus, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Sapiéntia requiéscit in corde ejus, et prudéntia in sermóne oris illíus.
R.  Favus distíllans lábia ejus, allelúja, allelúja.
V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.
R.  Favus distíllans lábia ejus, allelúja, allelúja.

R.  From the mouth of the wise doth proceed honey, alleluia : the sweetness of honey is under his tongue, alleluia : * His lips drops as the honey-comb, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  Wisdom doth abide in his heart, and out of his mouth cometh understanding.
R.  His lips drops as the honey-comb, alleluia, alleluia.
V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R.  His lips drops as the honey-comb, alleluia, alleluia.

Benedíctio 3: Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum.
R.  Amen.

Benediction 3: May the King of Angels give us fellowship with all the citizens of heaven.
R.  Amen.

Et quóniam sermo huc noster evásit, considerémus qua grátia secúndum Joánnem credíderint Apóstoli, qui gavísi sunt ; secúndum Lucam quasi incréduli redarguántur : ibi Spíritum Sanctum accéperint, hic sedére in civitáte jubeántur, quoadúsque induántur virtúte ex alto.  Et vidétur mihi ille quasi Apóstolus majóra et altióra tetigísse, hic sequéntia et humánis próxima : hic histórico usus circúitu, ille compéndio : quia et de illo dubitári non potest, qui testimónium pérhibet de iis, quibus ipse intérfuit, et verum est testimónium ejus : et ab hoc quoque, qui Evangelísta esse méruit, vel negligéntiæ, vel mendácii suspiciónem æquum est propulsári.  Et ídeo verum putámus utrúmque, non sententiárum varietáte, nec personárum diversitáte distínctum.  Nam etsi primo Lucas eos non credidísse dicat, póstea tamen credidísse demónstrat : et si prima considerémus, contrária sunt : si sequéntia, certum est conveníre.

And now, since our Lesson from Luke here faileth to tell us anything more on this point, let us have recourse to John, and consider how that, according to him : Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord : for it was thereby that they received the grace of faith.  According to Luke, he called attention to their unbelief.  But according to John he said also : Receive ye the Holy Ghost.  However, Luke not John, hath : Tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.  Indeed to me it seemeth as though John as an Apostle had busied himself with the greater and higher matters, and that the Evangelist Luke had concerned himself with the narrative, and such things as are more human.  Thus Luke writeth with historical fulness whereas John given an abridgement of the historical matter.  For even as it is impossible to doubt the word of him who testifieth of these things, and concerning whom we know that his testimony is true, so is it sinful to think of negligence or falsehood as attaching to the other, even Luke, who earned to himself to be an Evangelist, albeit he was not an Apostle, and therefore we hold that both are truthful, neither are they at variance one with the other, either in the difference of the words they use, or in the sacredness of their characters as Evangelists.  For though Luke saith that at the first the Apostles believed not, yet he sheweth that afterward they believed : and although, if we regard only the first fact, the Evangelists seem divergent one from the other, yet, when we consider what cometh afterward, we see that they are at one.

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

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