From our beloved Abbot Gueranger concerning these two:
John the Baptist, placed on the confines of the two Testaments, closes the prophetic age, the reign of hope, and opens the era of Faith which possesses the long-expected God, though as yet without beholding Him in His Divinity. Thus even before the octave is ended wherein we pay homage to the son of Zachary, the confession of the Apostles is added to the Precursor's testimony to the Word the Light. Tomorrow all heaven will re-echo with the solemn protestation first heard at Caesarea Philippe: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God"; and Simon Bar-Jona, because of this oracle uttered by him, will be the chosen Rock, supporting the divine structure, the Church. Tomorrow He will die, sealing this glorious declaration with His Blood; but He will yet live on, in the person of each Roman Pontiff, that he may thus guard this precious testimony in all its integrity, even to the day when Faith will give place to the eternal vision. Coupled with Peter in his labours, the Doctor of the Gentiles shares his triumph this day; and Rome, more indebted to these two princes than to all the stout warriors of old, who laid the world prostrate at her feet, beholds their double victory fix forever upon her noble brow the diadem of spiritual royalty.
Let us, then, recollect ourselves, preparing our hearts in union with holy Church, by faithfully observing this vigil. When the obligation of thus keeping up certain days of preparation previous to the festivals is strictly maintained by a people, it is a sign that Faith is still living amongst them; it proves that they understand the greatness of that which the holy liturgy proposes to their homage. Christians in the West, we who make the glory of Saints Peter and Paul our boast, let us remember the Lent in honour of the Apostles begun by Greek schismatics on the close of the Paschal solemnities, and continued up to this day. The contrast between them and ourselves will be of a nature to stir softness and ingratitude hold too large a share. If certain concessions have, for grave reasons, been reluctlantly made by the Church, so that the fast of this vigil is not longer observed, let us see therein a double motive for holding fast to her precious Tradition. Let us make up by fervor, thanksgiving and love, for the severity lacking in our observance, which is yet still maintained by so many Churches notwithstanding their schismatical separation from Rome.
The recital of the following beautiful formulas will help to inspire us with the spirit of the feast. The first is taken from the Gothic-Gallic Missal: it is the benediction which, according to the ancient rite used in France, was given to the people before the Communion on the feast of the Apostles. The prayer which follows it is from the Leonine Sacramentary.
THE BENEDICTION
O God, Who to keep the members of thy Church from darkness, hast made to shine forth, like twin fountains of light, the tears of Peter and the writings of Paul, Amen.
In thy clemency, look upon thy people, O thou Who givest the heavens to be opened, by Peter with the key, and by Paul with the sword, Amen.
So that the leaders going first, thither may the flock at length come, whither have already arrived by one same step, both the Pastor by the gibbet, and the Teacher by the sword. Through Our Lord, who livest with the Father and the Holy Ghost forever and ever. Amen.
PRAYER
O almighty and eternal God, Who by an ineffable mystery hast fixed the right of Apostolic princedom on the proud summit of the name of Rome, whence evangelic truth may diffuse itself through all the earth: grant that what by their preaching hath percolated through the whole world all may follow with Christian devotedness.
Grant to thy Church, we beseech Thee, O Lord, both worthily to rejoice at having such great princes, and to follow with loving devotion that teaching of theirs, whereby thy chosen flocks have been initiated into the sacred mysteries. Through our Lord, who with the Father and Holy Ghost live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
John the Baptist, placed on the confines of the two Testaments, closes the prophetic age, the reign of hope, and opens the era of Faith which possesses the long-expected God, though as yet without beholding Him in His Divinity. Thus even before the octave is ended wherein we pay homage to the son of Zachary, the confession of the Apostles is added to the Precursor's testimony to the Word the Light. Tomorrow all heaven will re-echo with the solemn protestation first heard at Caesarea Philippe: "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God"; and Simon Bar-Jona, because of this oracle uttered by him, will be the chosen Rock, supporting the divine structure, the Church. Tomorrow He will die, sealing this glorious declaration with His Blood; but He will yet live on, in the person of each Roman Pontiff, that he may thus guard this precious testimony in all its integrity, even to the day when Faith will give place to the eternal vision. Coupled with Peter in his labours, the Doctor of the Gentiles shares his triumph this day; and Rome, more indebted to these two princes than to all the stout warriors of old, who laid the world prostrate at her feet, beholds their double victory fix forever upon her noble brow the diadem of spiritual royalty.
Let us, then, recollect ourselves, preparing our hearts in union with holy Church, by faithfully observing this vigil. When the obligation of thus keeping up certain days of preparation previous to the festivals is strictly maintained by a people, it is a sign that Faith is still living amongst them; it proves that they understand the greatness of that which the holy liturgy proposes to their homage. Christians in the West, we who make the glory of Saints Peter and Paul our boast, let us remember the Lent in honour of the Apostles begun by Greek schismatics on the close of the Paschal solemnities, and continued up to this day. The contrast between them and ourselves will be of a nature to stir softness and ingratitude hold too large a share. If certain concessions have, for grave reasons, been reluctlantly made by the Church, so that the fast of this vigil is not longer observed, let us see therein a double motive for holding fast to her precious Tradition. Let us make up by fervor, thanksgiving and love, for the severity lacking in our observance, which is yet still maintained by so many Churches notwithstanding their schismatical separation from Rome.
The recital of the following beautiful formulas will help to inspire us with the spirit of the feast. The first is taken from the Gothic-Gallic Missal: it is the benediction which, according to the ancient rite used in France, was given to the people before the Communion on the feast of the Apostles. The prayer which follows it is from the Leonine Sacramentary.
THE BENEDICTION
O God, Who to keep the members of thy Church from darkness, hast made to shine forth, like twin fountains of light, the tears of Peter and the writings of Paul, Amen.
In thy clemency, look upon thy people, O thou Who givest the heavens to be opened, by Peter with the key, and by Paul with the sword, Amen.
So that the leaders going first, thither may the flock at length come, whither have already arrived by one same step, both the Pastor by the gibbet, and the Teacher by the sword. Through Our Lord, who livest with the Father and the Holy Ghost forever and ever. Amen.
PRAYER
O almighty and eternal God, Who by an ineffable mystery hast fixed the right of Apostolic princedom on the proud summit of the name of Rome, whence evangelic truth may diffuse itself through all the earth: grant that what by their preaching hath percolated through the whole world all may follow with Christian devotedness.
Grant to thy Church, we beseech Thee, O Lord, both worthily to rejoice at having such great princes, and to follow with loving devotion that teaching of theirs, whereby thy chosen flocks have been initiated into the sacred mysteries. Through our Lord, who with the Father and Holy Ghost live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
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