whilst awake, and watch us as we sleep; that we may watch with Christ, and rest in peace. V. The Lord be with you. LET US PRAY. Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this house and family, and drive from it all snares of the enemy let thy holy Angels dwell herein, who may keep us in peace, and may thy blessing be always upon us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen. V. The Lord be with you. us. R. Amen. vigilantes: custodi nos dor- V. Dominus vobiscum. OREMUS. Visita, quæsumus Domine, habitationem istam, et omnes insidias inimici ab ea longe repelle Angeli tui sancti habitent in ea, qui nos in pace custodiant : et benedictio tua sit super nos semper. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen. V. Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. V. Benedicamus Domino. R. Deo gratias. Benedicat et custodiat nos omnipotens et misericors Dominus, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus. R. Amen. ANTHEM TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. Sweet Mother of our Redeemer, Gate whereby we enter heaven, and Star of the sea, help us, we fall; yet do we long to rise. Nature looked upon thee with admiration, when thou didst give birth to thy divine Creator, thyself remaining, before and after it, a pure Virgin. Gabriel spoke his Hail to thee; we sinners crave thy pity. Alma Redemptoris mater, Then in secret, Pater, Ave, and Credo, page 35. THE LAST STANZA OF THE HYMN IS THUS VARIED: * In the Monastic Rite, this Response is as follows: B. Et cum fratribus nostris absentibus. Amen. B. And with our absent Brethren. Amen. For the Epiphany, and during the Octave. ROMAN BREVIARY. Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui apparuisti Gentibus, Cum Patre et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna sæcula. Amen. MONASTIC BREVIARY. Gloria tibi Domine, Qui apparuisti hodie, Cum Patre et Sancto Spiritu, In sempiterna sæcula. Amen. CHRISTMAS-EVE, with its own happy spirit, is drawing to its close. Already has the Church terminated all her Advent Offices, by the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice. In her maternal considerateness, she has permitted her children to break their Fast of preparation for the great Feast, by taking their meal at mid-day. Whilst refreshing their bodies with this repast, to which Abstinence gives merit, the Faithful feel an instinct of gladness, which comes as a harbinger, to tell them of that immense joy, which this beautiful Night will bring them, by giving them their Emmanuel. But, so great a Solemnity as that of to-morrow, could not possibly be an exception to that usage of the Church, whereby she anticipates all her Feasts on their Eves. In a few moments, the Office of First Vespers, in which is offered to God the evening incense, will call us to the Church, and the splendour of the function, and the magnificence of the chants, will open our hearts to those feelings of love and gratitude, which will prepare them to receive the graces of To-Night. Let us spend the interval in endeavouring to gain a clear knowledge of the Mystery of our Feast; and let us get well into ourselves the sentiments and spirit of the Church. We shall be assisted to do both, by considering some of the principal traditions, which attach to this joyful Solemnity. Let us begin by listening to the Holy Fathers, speaking of Christmas Day, with an eloquence worthy of the Feast. And first, we have St. Gregory the Theologian, Bishop of Nazianzum, who thus opens his thirty-eighth discourse, which is on the Theophania, or Nativity of our Lord. Christ is born-glorify him! Christ comes down 'from heaven-go ye forth to meet him! Christ is 66 on the earth-be ye lifted up above it! O sing to the Lord all thou earth!1 and to say all in one "word: Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, because He that is now born is both of heaven and of earth! Christ has assumed our Flesh "-exult in fear and in joy; in fear, because of sin; "in joy, because of hope! Christ is born of a Virgin-women! honour holy virginity, that you may become Mothers of Christ! "Who would not adore Him, that is from the beginning? Who would not praise and extol Him, "that is born in time? Darkness is at an end; "Light is created; Egypt remains in darkness, and "Israel is enlightened by the pillar of fire. The 'people that sat in the darkness of ignorance, now "possesses the bright light of knowledge and wisdom. The old things are passed away, and lo! all things are made new. The letter has given way, "the spirit has triumphed; shadows have faded, "the reality is come. **The laws of nature are set aside; the world of Heaven is to be peopled; Christ commands it-let us obey. "O clap your hands, all ye nations ! for a Child " is born unto us, and a Son is given unto us. The "emblem of his Government is upon his shoulder, "for his exaltation shall come by the cross; and his "name shall be called the Angel of the Great Counsel, "that is, of the Counsel of his Father.1 "Let the Baptist now cry out: Prepare ye the way 1 Ps. xcv. 1. 2 Ibid. 11. 3 Ps. xlvi. 2. 4 Is. ix. 6. |