Dom Prosper Guéranger:
For the years when the number of
the Sundays after Pentecost is only twenty-three, the Mass for today
is taken from the twenty-fourth and last Sunday, and the Mass
appointed for the twenty-third is said on the previous Saturday, or
on the nearest day of the preceding week which is not impeded by a
double or semi-double feast.
But under all circumstances the
Antiphonary ends today. The Introits, Graduals, Communions and
Postcommunions are to be repeated on each of the Sundays till Advent,
which may be more or less in number, according to the Years. Our
readers will remember how in the time of Saint Gregory Advent was
longer than we now have it, and that in those days its weeks
commenced in that part of the Cycle which is now occupied by the last
Sundays after Pentecost. This is one of the reasons which explain
there being a lack of liturgical riches in the composition of the
dominical Masses which follow the twenty-third.
Even on this one, formerly, the
Church, without losing sight of the Last Day, used to lend a thought
to the new season which was fast approaching, the season, that is, of
preparation for the great feast of Christmas. There used to be read
as Epistle the following passage from Jeremias, which was afterwards,
in several Churches, inserted in the Mass of the first Sunday of
Advent:
“Behold! The days come, says
the Lord, and I will raise up to David a just branch: and a King will
reign, and will be wise: and will execute judgement and justice in
the earth. In those days will Judah be saved, and Israel will dwell
confidently: and this is the name that they will call Him: The Lord
our Just One. Therefore, behold the days come, says the Lord, and
they will say no more: The Lord lives, who brought up the children of
Israel out of the land of Egypt! But: The Lord lives, who has brought
out, and brought here, the seed of the house of Israel, from the land
of the north, and out of all the lands, to which I had cast them
forth! And they will dwell in their own land” (Jeremias xxiii.
5‒8).
As is evident, this passage is
equally applicable to the conversion of the Jews and the restoration
of Israel which are to take place at the end of the world. This was
the view taken by the chief liturgists of the Middle Ages in order to
explain thoroughly the Mass of the twenty-third Sunday after
Pentecost. First mentioning to our readers that originally the Gospel
of this Sunday was that of the multiplication of the five loaves, let
us listen to the profound and learned Abbot Rupert who, better than
anyone, will teach us the mysteries of this day, which brings to a
close the grand and varied Gregorian Melodies that we have been
having during the whole year. “Holy Church,” says he, “is so
intent on paying her debt of supplication, and prayer, and
thanksgiving, for all men, as the Apostle demands (1 Timothy ii. 1),
that we find her giving thanks also for the salvation of the children
of Israel who she knows are one day to be united with her. And, as
their remnants are to be saved at the end of the world (Romans ix.
27), so on this last Sunday of the Year she delights at having them
just as though they were already her members! In the Introit, calling
to mind the prophecies concerning them, she thus sings every Year: My
thoughts are thoughts of peace, and not of affliction. Verily, His
thoughts are those of peace, for he promises to admit to the banquet
of His grace the Jews who are His brethren according to the flesh,
thus realising what had been prefigured in the history of the
patriarch Joseph. The brethren of Joseph, having sold him, came to
him when they were tormented by hunger. For then he ruled over the
whole land of Egypt. He recognised them, he received them, and made,
together with them, a great feast. So too our Lord who is now
reigning over the whole earth, and is giving the bread of life in
abundance to the Egyptians, (that is, to the Gentiles), will see
coming to Him the remnants of the children of Israel. He whom they
had denied and put to death will admit them to His favour, will give
them a place at His table, and the true Joseph will feast delightedly
with his brethren.
The benefit of this divine Table
is signified in the Office of this Sunday by the Gospel which tells
us of our Lord’s feeding
the multitude with five loaves. For it will be then that Jesus will
open to the Jews the five books of Moses which are now "being
carried whole and not yet broken — yes, carried by a child, that is
to say, this people itself, who, up to that time will have been
cramped up in the narrowness of a childish spirit. Then will be
fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremias, which is so aptly placed before
this Gospel: They will say no more: The Lord lives, who brought up
the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt! But, the Lord lives,
who has brought out the seed of Israel from the land of the north,
and from all the lands into which they had been cast.
Thus delivered from the spiritual
bondage which still holds them, they will sing with all their heart,
the words of thanksgiving as we have them in the Gradual: You have
saved us, Lord, from them that afflict us!”
Epistle
– Philippians iii. 17‒21; iv. 1‒3
Brethren, be followers of me and
observe them who walk so as you have our model. For many walk, of
whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping) that they are
enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God
is their belly, and whose glory is their shame: who mind earthly
things. But our conversation is in heaven, from where also we look
for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will reform the body of
our lowness, made like to the body of His glory, according to the
operation by which also He is able to subdue all things to Himself.
Therefore, my dearly beloved brethren, and most desired, my joy, and
my crown: so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beg of
Evodia, and I beseech Syntyche, to be of one mind in the Lord. And I
entreat you also, my sincere companion, help those women that have
laboured with me in the Gospel, with Clement and the rest of my
fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life.
Thanks be to God.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
The Clement whose name is here
mentioned by the Apostle is that of Saint Peter’s
second successor. Very frequently the twenty-third Sunday after
Pentecost comes close upon the feast of this great Pope and Martyr of
the first century. Disciple of Paul and, later on, in close intimacy
with Peter, and named by the Vicar of Christ as the fittest to
succeed him in the apostolic chair, Clement, as we will see on the
23rd of November, was one of those Saints who in those early times
were the most venerated by the Faithful. The mention made of him in
the Office of the Time, just before his appearance on the Cycle of
holy Church, excited the Christian people to joy and roused its
fervour. It reminded them that one of their best and dearest
protectors would soon be visiting them. At the time when Saint Paul
was writing to the Philippians, Clement, who was long to survive the
Apostles, was prominently one of those men spoken of in our Epistle,
that is, one of the followers of those illustrious models who were
called to perpetuate in the flock confided to their care (1 Peter v.
3) the pattern of holy living, and that, not so much by their
zealous teaching, as by the force of example. The Church, the One
true Bride of the divine Word, was known by the incommunicable
privilege of possessing within her the Truth — not only its dead
letter, but its ever living self, and this by her holiness. The Holy
Ghost has not kept the books of sacred Scripture from passing into
the hands of the sects separated from the centre of unity, but He has
reserved to the Church the treasure of tradition which transmits,
surely and fully, from one generation to another, the Word who is
light and life (John i. 4). Yes, this tradition is kept up by the
truth and holiness of the Man-God. They are ever existing in His
members, they are ever tangible and visible in the Church (1 John i.
1). Holiness, which is inherent in the Church, is tradition in its
purest and strongest form because it is the truth, not only preached,
but reduced to action and work (1 Thessalonians ii. 13), as it was in
Christ Jesus, and as it is in God (John v. 17). It is the deposit (1
Timothy vi. 20) which the disciples of the Apostles had the mission
to hand faithfully down to their successors, just as the Apostles
themselves had received it from the Word who had come upon the Earth.
Hence Saint Paul did not content
himself with entrusting dogmatic teaching to his disciple Timothy (2
Timothy ii. 2). He said to him: “Be you an example to the Faithful,
in word, and in living” (1 Timothy iv. 12). He said much the same
to Titus: “Show yours elf an example of good works, in doctrine and
in integrity of life” (Titus ii. 7). He repeated to all: “Be
followers of me, as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians iv. 16). He
sent Timothy to the Corinthians that he might remind them, or, where
it was necessary, might teach them not only the dogmas of his Gospel,
but, likewise, his ways in Christ Jesus, that is, his manner of life.
For this manner of life of the Apostle was, in a certain measure, his
teaching every where in all the Churches (1 Corinthians iv. 17), and
he lauded the Faithful of Corinth for their being mindful to imitate
him in all things, which was a keeping to the tradition of Christ (1
Corinthians xi. 1‒2). As for the Thessalonians, they had so
thoroughly entered into this teaching, taken from their Apostle’s
life, that, as Saint Paul says of them, they had become a pattern to
all believers. This silent teaching of Christian revelation, which
they showed forth in their conduct, made it superfluous for the
messengers of the Gospel to say much (1 Thessalonians i. 5‒8).
The Church is a magnificent
Temple which is built up, to the glory of God, by the living stones
which let themselves be set into its walls. The constructing of those
sacred walls, and on the plan laid down by Christ, is a work in which
all are permitted to share. What one does by word (1 Corinthians xiv.
3), another does by good example (Romans xiv. 19). But both of them
build, both of them edify the holy City. And as it was in the
Apostolic Age, so always, example is more powerful than word unless
that word be backed by the authority of holiness in him who speaks
it: unless, that is, he leads a life according to the perfection
taught by the Gospel. But, as the giving edification to those around
him is an obligation incumbent on the Christian, an obligation
imposed both by charity he owes to his neighbour and by the zeal he
should have for the house of God,so, likewise, under pain of
presumption, he should seek his own edification in the conduct of
others. The reading of good books, the study of the Lives of the
Saints, the observing, as our Epistle says, the respectfully
observing those holy people with whom he lives — all this will be
incalculable aid to him in the work of his own personal
sanctification and in the fulfilment of God’s
purposes in his regard.
This devout intercourse with the
elect of Earth and Heaven will keep us away from men who are enemies
of the Cross of Christ and mind earthly things, and put their
happiness in carnal pleasures. It will make our conversation be in
Heaven. Preparing for the day which cannot now be far off —the day
of the Coming of our Lord —
we will stand fast in Him, in spite of the falling off of so many
among us who, by the current of the world’s
fashion, are hurried into perdition. The troubles and sufferings of
the last times will but intensify our hope in God, for they will make
us long all the more ardently for the happy day when our Redeemer
will appear and complete the work of the salvation of His servants by
imparting, to their very flesh, the brightness of His own divine
Body. Let us, as our Apostle says, be of one mind in the Lord. And,
then, as he bids his dear Philippians do, let us rejoice in the Lord
always, yes, let us rejoice, for, the Lord is near (Philippians iv.
4, 5).
Gospel – Matthew ix. 18‒26
At that time Jesus was speaking
to the multitude. Behold a certain ruler came up and adored Him,
saying: “Lord, my daughter is even now dead. But come lay your hand
on her, and she will live.” And Jesus rising up followed him, with
His disciples. And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of
blood twelve years, came behind Him, and touched the hem of His
garment. For she said within herself: “If I will touch only his
garment I will be healed.” But Jesus turning and seeing her, said:
“Be of good heart, daughter, your faith has made you whole.” And
the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus was come into
the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the multitude
making a rout, He said: “Give place: for the girl is not dead, but
sleeps.” And they laughed Him to scorn. And when the multitude was
put forth, He went in and took her by the hand. And the maid arose.
And the fame hereof went abroad into all that country.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
Although the choice of this
Gospel for the twenty-third Sunday has not great antiquity on its
side, yet is it in most perfect keeping with the post-pentecostal
Liturgy and confirms what we have stated, relative to the character
of this portion of the Church’s
Year. Saint Jerome tells us, in the homily selected for the day, that
the Hemorrhoissa healed by our Lord is a type of the Gentile
world, while the Jewish people is represented by the daughter of the
Ruler of the Synagogue. This latter is not to be restored to life
until the former has been cured. And this is precisely the mystery we
are so continually commemorating during these closing weeks of the
Liturgical Year — the fullness of the Gentiles recognising and
welcoming the divine Physician, and the blindness of Israel at last
giving way to the Light (Romans xi. 25).
We have celebrated, during this
Year of Grace, all the grand Mysteries of the Redemption, and this
ought to enable us to appreciate the glorious economy, as the Fathers
love to call what we admire under another name. The spirit of the
Church’s Liturgy at this
close of her and our Year, lets us see the world as though its end
were come. It looks as though it were sinking away down into some
deep abyss — and yet, no. It is only that it may shake off the
wicked from its surface, and then it will come up again blooming in
light and love. All this has been the divine reality of the Year of
Grace we have had put before us, yes, and in us, by our sweet Mother
the Church. And now we are, or ought to be, in a mood to feel a
thrill of admiration at the mysterious yet, at the same time, the
strong and sweet ways of eternal Wisdom (Wisdom viii. 1). At the
beginning, when Man was first created, sin soon followed, breaking up
the harmony of God’s
beautiful world and throwing man off the divine path where his
Creator had placed him. Time and wickedness went on till there was a
family on which God’s
mercy fell. The light which beamed on that privileged favourite only
showed the plainer the thick darkness in which the rest of mankind
was vegetating. The Gentiles, abandoned to their misery — all the
more terrible because they had caused it and loved it — saw God’s
favours all bestowed on Israel, while themselves were disregarded and
wished to be so. Even when the time came for original sin to be
remedied, it seemed as though that was just the time for the final
reprobation of the Gentiles — for the salvation that came down from
Heaven in the person of the Man-God was seen to be exclusively
directed towards the Jews and the lost sheep of the house of Israel
(Matthew xv. 24).
But the people that had been
treated with so much predilection, and whose Fathers and first Rulers
had so ardently prayed for the coming of the Messiah, was no longer
up to the position made for it by the holy patriarchs and prophets.
Its beautiful religion, founded as it was on desire and hope, was
then nothing but a sterile expectancy which kept it motionless and
unable to advance a single step towards its Redeemer. As to its Law,
Israel then minded nothing but the letter and, at last, turned it
into a mummy of sectarian formalism. Now, while in spite of all this
sinful apathy it was mad with jealousy, pretending that no one else
had any right to Heaven’s
favours, the Gentile, whose ever increasing misery urged him to go in
search of some deliverer, found one and recognised him in Jesus the
Saviour of the world. He was confident that this Jesus could cure
him, so he took the bold initiative, went up to Him, and had the
merit of being the first to be healed. True, our Lord had treated him
with an apparent disdain, but that had only had the effect of
intensifying his humility, and humility has a power of making way
anywhere, even into Heaven itself (Ecclesiasticus xxxv. 21).
Israel, therefore, was now made
to wait. One of the Psalms he sang, ran thus: “Ethiopia will be the
first to stretch out her hands to God” (Psalm lxvii. 32). It is now
the turn for Israel to recover, by the pangs of a long abandonment,
the humility which had won the divine promises for his Fathers, the
humility which alone could merit his seeing those promises fulfilled.
By this time, however, the word of salvation has made itself heard
throughout all the nations, healing and saving all who desired the
blessing. Jesus, who had been delayed on the road, came at last to
the house towards which He first purposed to direct His sacred steps.
He reached, at last, the house of Judah where the daughter of Sion
was in a deep sleep. She is in it still! His almighty compassion
drives away from the poor abandoned one the crowd of false teachers
and lying prophets who had sent her into that mortal sleep, by all
the noise of their vain babbling: He casts forth forever from her
house those insulters of His own divine self who were quite resolved
to keep the dead one dead. Taking the poor daughter by the hand, He
restores her to life, and to all the charm of her first youth,
proving thus that her apparent death had been but a sleep, and that
the long delay of dreary ages could never belie the word of God which
He had given to Abraham, His servant (Luke i. 54, 55).
Now therefore, let this world of
ours hold itself in readiness for its final transformation, for the
tidings of the restoration of the daughter of Sion puts the last seal
to the accomplishment of the prophecies. It remains now but for the
graves to give back their dead (Daniel xii. 1, 2). The valley of
Josaphat is preparing for the great meeting of the nations (Joel iii.
2). Mount Olivet is once more (Acts i. 11) to have Jesus standing
upon it, but this time as Lord and Judge! (Zacharias xiv. 4).
