Free Republic

Violet Simple THE STATION is in the Church of Saint Eusebius, Priest of Rome, who suffered for the faith, in the Arian persecution, under the Emperor Constantius. COLLECT Deus, qui ineffabilibus mundum renovas sacramentis: præsta quæsumus, ut Ecclesia tua et æternis proficiat institutis, et temporalibus non destituatur auxiliis. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. O God, who by thy ineffable mysteries givest new life to the world; grant, we beseech thee, that thy Church may advance in the observance of thy eternal precepts, and never be destitute of thy temporal assistance. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. EPISTLE LECTIO LIBRI REGUM....

March 16, 2018 Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent Reading 1 Wis 2:1a, 12-22 The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright:"Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;he sets himself against our doings,Reproaches us for transgressions of the lawand charges us with violations of our training.He professes to have knowledge of Godand styles himself a child of the LORD.To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us,Because his life is not like that of others,and different are his ways.He judges us debased;he holds aloof...

March 15, 2018 Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent Reading 1 Ex 32:7-14 The LORD said to Moses,"Go down at once to your peoplewhom you brought out of the land of Egypt,for they have become depraved.They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them,making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it,sacrificing to it and crying out,'This is your God, O Israel,who brought you out of the land of Egypt!'The LORD said to Moses,"I see how stiff-necked this people is.Let me alone, then,that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them.Then I...

Violet Simple THE STATION is at the Church of Saints Sylvester and Martin, which is one of the most venerable in Rome. It was originally built by Pope St. Sylvester, and still bears his name: but in the 6th century, it was consecrated to St. Martin of Tours. In the 7th century, it was enriched with the relics of Pope Saint Martin, which were brought from Chersonesus, where he died a Martyr, a few years before. This Church was the first Title of St. Charles Borromeo. It was also that of the learned liturgiologist, the Blessed Joseph-Mary Tommasi, whose...

“It’s a Gift!” (Ephesians 2:1-10) You are a Christian. You are saved. You believe in Christ. You are heading for heaven. And in your Christian life, you do good works. Now the question arises: How did all this come about? To what extent does all of this, or any of this, depend on you? The salvation, the faith, the good works: Which parts are a gift, by grace, God’s doing? And which parts are up to us, our doing, our contribution to the equation? That’s what we’re going to explore today. Now these are important questions. A lot can be...

Violet Simple THIS DAY IS CALLED the Feria of the Great Scrutiny, because in the Church of Rome, after the necessary inquiries and examinations, the list of the Catechumens, who were to receive Baptism, was closed. The Station was held in the Basilica of St. Paul outside the walls, both because of the size of the building, and also in order to honor the Apostle of the Gentiles by offering him these new recruits, which the Church was about to make from Paganism. The reader will be interested and edified by a description of this ceremony. The Faithful and...

March 14, 2018 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Reading 1 Is 49:8-15 Thus says the LORD:In a time of favor I answer you,on the day of salvation I help you;and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,To restore the landand allot the desolate heritages,Saying to the prisoners: Come out!To those in darkness: Show yourselves!Along the ways they shall find pasture,on every bare height shall their pastures be.They shall not hunger or thirst,nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;For he who pities them leads themand guides them beside springs...

March 13, 2018 Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent Reading 1 Ez 47:1-9, 12 The angel brought me, Ezekiel,back to the entrance of the temple of the LORD,and I saw water flowing outfrom beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,for the façade of the temple was toward the east;the water flowed down from the right side of the temple,south of the altar.He led me outside by the north gate,and around to the outer gate facing the east,where I saw water trickling from the right side.Then when he had walked off to the eastwith a measuring cord...

Violet Simple THE STATION is in the Church of Saint Laurence in Damaso; so called because it was built, in the 4th century, in honor of the glorious Archdeacon of Rome by Pope St. Damasus, whose body rests there. COLLECT Sacræ nobis, quæsumus, Domine, observationis jejunia, et piæ conversationis augmentum, et tuæ propitiationis continuum præstent auxilium. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. We beseech thee, O Lord, that the holy fast we observe, may be to our improvement in holy conversation, and draw down upon us the constant succors of thy mercy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. EPISTLE LECTIO LIBRI...

March 12, 2018 Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent Reading 1 Is 65:17-21 Thus says the LORD:Lo, I am about to create new heavensand a new earth;The things of the past shall not be rememberedor come to mind.Instead, there shall always be rejoicing and happinessin what I create;For I create Jerusalem to be a joyand its people to be a delight;I will rejoice in Jerusalemand exult in my people.No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there,or the sound of crying;No longer shall there be in itan infant who lives but a few days,or an old man...

Violet Simple THE STATION is in the venerable Church of the Four Crowned (Brothers); their names are Severus, Severianus, Carpophorus, and Victorinus; they suffered martyrdom under the persecution of Dioclesian. Their bodies, as also the Head of the great Martyr St. Sebastian, are among the Relics of this Church. COLLECT Præsta, quæsumus, omnipotens Deus: ut observationes sacras annua devotione recolentes, et corpore tibi placeamus et mente. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we, who annually celebrate this holy fast, may be well pleasing to thee, both in body and mind. Through Christ...

Violet Semidouble (Privilege of the First Class) THIS SUNDAY, called, from the first word of the Introit, Lætare Sunday, is one of the most solemn of the year. The Church interrupts her Lenten mournfulness; the chants of the Mass speak of nothing but joy and consolation; the Organ, which has been silent during the preceding three Sundays, now gives forth its melodious voice; the Deacon resumes his Dalmatic, and the Subdeacon his Tunic; and instead of purple, Rose-colored Vestments are allowed to be used. These same rites were practiced in Advent, on the third Sunday, called Gaudete. The Church’s...

March 11, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Lent Reading 1 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23 In those days, all the princes of Judah, the priests, and the people added infidelity to infidelity, practicing all the abominations of the nations and polluting the LORD’s temple which he had consecrated in Jerusalem. Early and often did the LORD, the God of their fathers, send his messengers to them, for he had compassion on his people and his dwelling place.But they mocked the messengers of God, despised his warnings, and scoffed at his prophets, until the anger of the LORD against his people was...

“The Gospel on a Pole” (John 3:14-21) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” That, of course, is John 3:16, a verse you all know. Because it sums up the good news of Christ so succinctly, John 3:16 is often called “the gospel in a nutshell.” But today, instead of the nutshell, this morning we’re going to be looking at the verses right before it, what I call, “The Gospel on a Pole.” The gospel on a pole? What’s that? Well, what I’m...

March 10, 2018 Saturday of the Third Week of Lent Reading 1 Hos 6:1-6 "Come, let us return to the LORD,it is he who has rent, but he will heal us;he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds.He will revive us after two days;on the third day he will raise us up,to live in his presence.Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD;as certain as the dawn is his coming,and his judgment shines forth like the light of day!He will come to us like the rain,like spring rain that waters the earth." What can I...

Violet Simple THE STATION is in the Church of Saint Susanna, Virgin and Martyr of Rome. The reason of this Church having been chosen is that today, there is read the history of the chaste Susanna, the daughter of Helcias. COLLECT Præsta, quæsumus, omnipotens Deus; ut qui se, affligendo carnem, ab alimentis abstinent, sectando justitiam, a culpa jejunent. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that they who mortify themselves by abstinence from food, may, by observing thy holy law, also fast from all sin. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Let thy kind favor, O...

March 9, 2018 Friday of the Third Week of Lent Reading 1 Hos 14:2-10 Thus says the LORD:Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God;you have collapsed through your guilt.Take with you words,and return to the LORD;Say to him, "Forgive all iniquity,and receive what is good, that we may renderas offerings the bullocks from our stalls.Assyria will not save us,nor shall we have horses to mount;We shall say no more, 'Our god,'to the work of our hands;for in you the orphan finds compassion." I will heal their defection, says the LORD,I will love them freely;for my wrath is turned...

Violet Simple THE STATION is at the Church of Saint Laurence in Lucina. In this venerable and celebrated Church is kept the Gridiron on which the holy Archdeacon consummated his martyrdom. COLLECT Jejunia nostra, quæsumus, Domine, benigno favore prosequere: ut, sicut ab alimentis abstinemus in corpore, ita a vitiis jejunemus in mente. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. Let thy kind favor, O Lord, accompany our fast, that as we abstain from corporal food, so we may likewise refrain from all vice. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. EPISTLE LECTIO LIBRI NUMERORUM. LESSON from the BOOK of NUMBERS. Cap. xx Ch....

“One Option or the Only Way?” (John 14:1-6) We live in an age of religious pluralism. Religious pluralism is the belief that there are a plurality of religions, many religions, that can work. No one religion has a corner on the truth. All religions are equally valid. What really matters is you being a good person, however that is defined. So whatever religion you choose, that is your choice, and that’s fine for you. Your religion is just one option among many equally valid options. All roads lead to heaven. And going along with that idea, then, is this: You...

Violet Simple THIS DAY brings us to the middle of Lent, and is called Mid-Lent Thursday. It is the twentieth of the forty fasts imposed upon us at this holy Season by the Church. The Greeks call this Thursday Mesonēstios, that is, the mid-Fast. They give this name to the entire week, which, in their Liturgy, is the fourth of the seven which form their Lent. But the Thursday of this week is, with them, a solemn feast, and a day of rejoicing, whereby they animate themselves to courage during the rest of the Season. The Catholic nations of...