Dom Prosper Guéranger:
The number of the Sundays after Pentecost may exceed twenty-four and go up as far as twenty-eight, according as Easter is each Year, more or less near to the vernal equinox. But the Mass here given is always reserved for the last, and the intervening ones, be their number what it may, are taken from the Sundays after the Epiphany which, in that case, were not used at the beginning of the year.
These Sundays are the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th, after the Epiphany. Those Years when there are Twenty-five Sundays after Pentecost, it is the 6th after the Epiphany which is put after the twenty-third. If the number of those Sundays be twenty-six, the 5th after the Epiphany becomes the twenty-fourth after Pentecost. If the number be twenty- seven, we go back to the 4th after the Epiphany, and the rest follow. If it be as high as twenty-eight, we begin with the 3rd.
This, however, does not apply to the Introit, Gradual, Offertory and Communion which, as we have already said, are repeated from the twenty-third Sunday. We have seen how that Mass of the twenty-third Sunday was regarded by our fore-fathers as really the last of the Cycle. Abbot Rupert has given us the profound meaning of its several parts. According to the teaching we have already pondered over, the reconciliation of Judah was shown us as being, in time, the term intended by God: the last notes of the sacred Liturgy blended with the last scene of the world’s history, as seen and known by God. The end proposed by eternal Wisdom in the world’s creation and mercifully continued, after the Fall, by the mystery of Redemption, has now (we speak of the Church’s Year and God’s workings) been fully carried out: this end was no other than that of divine Union with Human Nature, making it one in the unity of one only body (Ephesians ii. 16). Now that the two antagonist people, Gentile and Jew, are brought together in the one same New Man in Christ Jesus their Head (Ephesians ii. 15), the Two Testaments which so strongly marked the distinction between the ages of time, the one called the Old, the other the New —yes, these Two Testaments fade away and give place to the glory of the Eternal Alliance.
It was here, therefore, that Mother Church formerly finished her Liturgical Year. She was delighted at what she had done during all the past months. That is, at having led her children not only to have a thorough appreciation of the divine plan which she had developed before them, in her celebrations — but moreover, and more especially, to unite them themselves by a veritable Union to their Jesus, by a real communion of views, and interests, and loves. On this account, she used not to revert again to the second Coming of the God-Man and the Last Judgement, two great subjects which she had proposed for her children’s reflections at the commencement of the Purgative Life, that is, her season of Advent. It is only since a few centuries that, with a view of giving to her Year a conclusion more defined and intelligible to the Faithful of these comparatively recent times, she closes the Cycle with the prophetic description of the dread Coming of her Lord, which is to put an end to Time and open Eternity. From time immemorial, Saint Luke had had the office of announcing, in Advent, the approach of the Last Judgement. The Evangelist Saint Matthew was selected for this its second and more detailed description on the last Sunday after Pentecost.
Epistle – Colossians i. 9‒14
Brethren, we cease not to pray for you, and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding: that you may walk worthy of God in all things pleasing: being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God: strengthened with all might according to the power of His glory, in all patience and long-suffering with joy. Giving thanks to God the Father, who has made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins.
Thanks be to God.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
Thanksgiving and Prayer! There we have the epitome of our Epistle, and an eloquent conclusion of the Apostle’s course of instructions: it is also both summary and conclusion of the Year of the sacred Liturgy. The Doctor of the Gentiles has been zealous beyond measure in his fulfilment of the task assigned to him by Mother Church. Of a certainty, the fault is not his if the souls he undertook to guide, on the morrow of the descent of the Spirit of Love, have not all reached that summit of perfection which he longed we should all get up to! Those who have gone bravely forward in the path which, a year since, was opened out to them by holy Church, now, by a happy experience, know that that path most surely leads them to the life of Union where divine charity reigns supreme! Who is there that, with anything like earnestness, has allowed his mind and heart to take an interest in the several Liturgical Seasons which have been brought before us, and been celebrated, by the Church during the past twelve months —has not also felt an immense increase of light imparted to him? Now, Light is that indispensable element which delivers us from the power of darkness and translates us, by the help of God, into the kingdom of the Son of His love. The work of redemption which this His beloved Son came down on Earth to accomplish for His Father’s glory, could not do otherwise than make progress in those who have, with more or less fervour, entered into the spirit of His Church during the whole Year, that is, from the opening of Advent right up to these the closing days of the sacred Cycle. All of us, then, whoever we may be, should give thanks to this Father of Lights (James i. 17) who has thus made us worthy to be partakers, somewhat at least, of the lot of the Saints.
So, then, all of us, be the share of such participation what it may — yes, all of us must pray that the excellent gift which has been put into our hearts may fervently yield itself to the still richer development, which the coming new Cycle is intended to produce within us.
The just man cannot possibly remain stationary in this world. He must either descend or ascend. And whatever may be the degree of perfection to which grace has led him, he must be ever going still higher as long as he is left in this life (Psalm lxxxiii. 6). The Colossians to whom the Apostle was writing had fully received the Gospel: the word of truth which had been sown in them had produced abundant fruit, in faith, hope and love (Colossians i. 4‒6): and yet, instead of relenting on that account his solicitude in their regard, it is precisely for that reason (Colossians i. 9) that Saint Paul, who had prayed for them up to then, ceases not to go on praying for them. So let us do — let us go on praying. Let us beg of God that He will again, and always, fill us with His divine Wisdom, and with the Spirit of understanding. We need all that in order to correspond with His merciful designs. If the new Year of the Church, which is so soon to begin, finds us faithful and making fresh progress, we will be repaid with new aspects of Truth in the garden of the Spouse, and the fruits we will produce there will be more plentiful and far sweeter than in any by-gone Year. Therefore, let us make up our minds to walk worthy of God, “with dilated hearts,” and bravely, for the eye of His approving love will be ever upon us as we toil along. Oh yes! Let us run on in that up-hill path which will lead us to eternal repose in the Beatific Vision.
Gospel – Matthew xxiv. 15‒35
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: “When you will see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place: he that reads, let him understand. Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains. And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house. And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. And woe to them that are with child, and give suck in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the Sabbath. For there will be then great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither will be. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh could be saved: but for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened. Then if any man will say to you: Lo! Here is Christ, or there: do not believe him: For there will arise false christs and false prophets, and will show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold I have told it you, before hand. If therefore they will say to you: Behold he is in the desert, go you not out: Behold he is in the closets, believe it not. For as lightning comes out of the east, and appears even into the west, so will also the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the body will be there will the eagles also be gathered together. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be moved: and there will appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven: and then will all tribes of the Earth mourn: and they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven with much power and majesty. And he will send his angels with a trumpet, and a great voice: and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them. And from the fig tree learn a parable: when the branch of it is now tender and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you will see all these things, know you that it is near at the doors. Amen, I say to you, that this generation will not pass till these things be done. Heaven and Earth will pass, but my words will not pass.”
Praise to you, O Christ.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
Several times during Advent we meditated on the circumstances which are to accompany the Last Coming of Christ our Lord. And in a few days the same great teachings will be again brought before us, filling our souls with a salutary fear. May we then be permitted, on this last Sunday of our Liturgical Year, to address ourselves in a prayer of desire and praise to our adorable Lord and King, the solemn hour of whose Judgement is to be the consummation of His work and the signal of His triumph.
O Jesus! who then are to come to deliver your Church and avenge that God who has so long borne every sort of insult from His creature man, that day of your coming will indeed be terrible to the sinner! He will then understand how the Lord has made all things for Himself, all, even the ungodly, who on the evil day is to show forth the divine justice (Proverbs xvi. 4). The whole world, fighting on his side against the wicked (Wisdom v. 21) will then at last be avenged for that slavery of sin which had been forced upon it (Romans viii. 21). Vainly will the wicked cry out to the rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of Him that will then be seated on His throne (Apocalypse vi. 16). The abyss will refuse to engulf them: in obedience to Him who holds the keys of death and Hell (Apocalypse i. 18), it will give forth to a man its wretched victims and set them at the foot of the dread tribunal. Jesus, how magnificent will not your power then appear! The heavenly hosts will also be standing around you, forming your brilliant (Apocalypse xix. 14) court, and assembling your elect from the four quarters of the Earth.
For we also, we your redeemed, who had become your members by becoming the members of your beloved Church — we are to be there on that day, and our place, O ineffable mystery, is to be the one you have reserved for your Bride — it is to be your own throne (Apocalypse iii. 21) where seated, we will judge the very angels (1 Corinthians vi. 3). Even now, all those blessed of the Father (Matthew xxv. 3), all those elect whose youth, like that of the eagle, has been so often renewed by their receiving your precious Blood (Psalm cii. 5) — have they not had their eyes fitted to gaze, and without being dazzled, on the Sun of Justice when He will appear in the heavens? The tediousness of their long exile has given such keenness to their hunger that nothing will have power to stay their flight once the sacred prey of your divine Body will be shown them! What hindrance could be strong enough to check the impetuosity of the love (Canticles viii. 6) which will bring them all together to the banquet of the eternal Pasch? The trumpet of the Archangel which will ring through the graves of the just is to be a summons calling them not to death, but to life — to the sight of the old enemy’s destruction (1 Corinthians xv. 28) — to a redemption which is to include their very bodies (Romans viii. 23) — to the unimpeded passover to the true Land of promise— in a word, to the Pasch and, this time, quite real, and for all, and forever. What will not be the joy of that true Day of the Lord! ( Psalm cxvii. 24) — what joy for them that have by faith lived in Christ, and loved Him without seeing Him! (1 Peter i. 28).
Identifying themselves with you, O Jesus, notwithstanding the weakness of the flesh, they have continued here below your life of suffering and humiliation: what a triumph when, delivered forever from sin and vested in their immortal bodies, they will be borne aloft before your face, that they may forever be with you! (1 Thessalonians iv. 6). But their chief joy on that great Day will be to assist at the glorification of their most dear Lord by the manifestation of the power which was given to Him over all flesh (John xvii. 2). It is to be then, Emmanuel, that crushing the heads of kings and making your enemies your footstool (Psalm cix.) you will be shown as the one Ruler of all nations (Psalm ii.). It is to be then that Heaven, and Earth, and Hell, will bow their knee (Philippians ii. 10) before that Son of Man who until then appeared on Earth as a slave, and was judged, and condemned, and put to death between two thieves. It is to be then, dear Jesus, that you will judge the unjust judges to whom, even in the midst of all the humiliations they put on you, you foretold this your Coming on the clouds of Heaven (Matthew xxvi. 64). And when, after the irrevocable sentence has been passed, the wicked will go to everlasting torments, and the just to life eternal (Maathew xxv. 46), your Apostle tells us, that having conquered your enemies and been proclaimed undisputed King, you will consign to your eternal Father this your Kingdom won over death. It will be the perfect homage of you, the Head, and of all your faithful members (1 Corinthians xv. 24‒28). God will thus be all in all. It will be the perfect accomplishment of that sublime prayer you taught mankind to make (Matthew vi. 9), which they daily offer up to the Father who is in Heaven, and say to Him: Hallowed be thy name! Thy Kingdom come! Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven! Blissfully peaceful Day when blasphemy is to cease, and when this poor Earth of ours, cleansed by fire from the filth of sin, will be turned into a new paradise! Where, then, is the Christian who would not thrill with emotion at the thought of that last of all the Days of time which is to usher in beautiful Eternity? Who would not despise the agonies of his own last hour when he reflects that those sufferings have really only one meaning in them — that is, as the Gospel words it, that the Son of Man is near even at the very doors!
O sweet Jesus, detach us, every Year, more and more from this world whose fashion passes away (1 Corinthians vii. 31) with its vain toils, its false glories, and its lying pleasures. It was your own foretelling that, as in the days of Noah, and Sodom, men will go on with their feasting, and business, and amusements, without giving any more thought to your approaching Coming than their forefathers heeded the threat of the Deluge, or of the fire, which came on them and destroyed them (Luke xvii. 26‒30). Let these men go on with their merrymaking and their sending gifts one to the other, as your Apocalypse expresses it, because, so they will have it, Christ and His Church are then to be worn out ideas! (Apocalypse xi. 10). While they are tyrannising over your holy City in a thousand varied ways, and persecuting her as no past period had ever done, they little think that all this is an announcement of the Eternal Nuptials which are near at hand. All these trials were the fresh jewels which the Bride was to have on her before all her beauty was complete, and the blood of her last Martyrs was to incarnadine her already splendid robes with all the richness of royal crimson. As for us, we lend an ear to the echoes of our home above, and from the throne of our God we hear going forth the voice heard by your beloved Prophet of Patmos: “Give praise to our God, all you his servants, and you that fear him, little and great! Alleluia! For the Lord our God the almighty has reigned! Let us be glad and rejoice, and give glory to Him, for the Marriage of the Lamb is come, and His Wife has prepared herself! (Apocalypse xix. 5‒7). Yet a little while till the number of our brethren be made up (Apocalypse vi. 11) and then, with the Spirit and the Bride, we will say to you in all the ardour of our souls that have long thirsted after you: Come, Lord Jesus! (Apocalypse xxii. 17) Come and perfect us in love, by Union eternal, to the glory of the Father, and of yourself the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, forever and ever!
