O God, Father in Heaven;
I beseech Thee,
Cast into hell the spirit of Pride:
Who’s power seduced Lucifer,
and who’s daughter, Feminism,
ensnared Eve and led her to the tree of knowledge.
It was Feminism, who condemned the race of man,
and handed us over to her mother, Pride.
It is Feminism and her sisters;
modernism, liberalism, narcissism, relativism, progressivism,
that hold us enslaved by their father, Satan.
It is Feminism who disorders authority,
forever changing the family and culture.
It is Feminism who despises tradition,
openly mocking and calumniating it’s virtue.
It is Feminism who takes living children from their mothers,
to be raised by her sisters in a secular world.
It is Feminism who stops life before it begins,
and offers the false promise of consequence free fornication.
It is Feminism who propagates homosexuality,
the defilement of nature and proliferation of degeneracy.
It is Feminism that offers the unborn to Baal,
a sacrifice of life for prosperity and convenience.
Unfurl before us the new Eve,
in her triumph over Feminism,
she submitted to Thee O Lord,
and bridged Heaven and Earth;
It is Mary, the perfect woman,
who brought forth Thy Son into our fallen world.
Grant unto us the courage to say no to the daughters of Pride.
Grant your wayward daughters the right to be women,
the right to be mothers;
Call them home to Mary and her immaculate heart.
Call your sons home to Joseph,
the model of masculinity and fatherhood.
Call us to Thy Son, our Lord and Savior, the great Patriarch,
Who is truth, Who is order, Who is proper.
God, have mercy on us.
Amen.

In honor of this Feast Day of Saint Thomas Aquinas:

Grant O merciful God, that I may ardently desire, carefully examine, truly know and perfectly fulfil those things that are pleasing to You and to the praise and glory of Your holy name.

Direct my life, O my God, and grant that I might know what you would have me to do and for me to fulfil it as is necessary and profitable to my soul.

Grant to me, O Lord my God, that I may not be found wanting in prosperity or in adversity and that I may not be lifted up by one nor cast down by the other.

May I find joy in nothing but what leads to You and sorrow in nothing but what leads away from You.

May I seek to please no one or fear to displease anyone, save only You.

Grant to me, O Lord God,
a vigilant heart that no subtle speculation may ever lead me from You;
a noble heart that no unworthy affection may draw me from You;
an upright heart that no evil purpose may turn me from you.

Give me a steadfast heart that no tribulation may shatter and a free heart that no violent affection may claim as its own.

And finally, grant me O Lord my God, a mind to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you.

Give me a way of life pleasing to You; perseverance to trust and await You in confidence that I shall embrace You at the last. Amen.
- Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Angelic Doctor of the Church, 13th Century.

The Second Sorrowful Mystery of The Holy Rosary, The Scourging at the Pillar (Purity) - 'Pilate therefore said to him: Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice. Pilate saith to him: What is truth? And when he said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: I find no cause in him. But you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the pasch: will you, therefore, that I release unto you the king of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying: Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. THEN therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him. ' – (St John 18:37-40, 19:1)

Roman Rite Epistle Reading for the 4th Sunday of Lent, Lætare Sunday:

Galatians 4: 22-31
Brethren: it is written that Abraham had
two sons; the one by a bond-woman,
and the other by a free-woman. But he
who was of the bond-woman was born
according to the flesh; but he of the
free-woman was by promise. Which
things are said by an allegory. For
these are the two testaments; the one
from Mount Sina, engendering unto
bondage, which is Agar: for Sina is a
mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity
to that Jerusalem which now is, and is
in bondage with her children: but that
Jerusalem which is above is free, which
is our mother. For it is written, Rejoice,
thou barren that bearest not; break
forth and cry, thou that travailest not;
for many are the children of the
desolate, more than of her that hath a
husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac
was, are the children of promise. But as
then he that was born according to the
flesh persecuted him that was after the
spirit, so also it is now. But what saith
the Scriptures?Cast out the bond-
woman and her son; for the son of the
bond-woman shall not be heir with the
son of the free-woman. So then,
brethren, we are not the children of the
bond-woman, but of the free; by the
freedom wherewith Christ hath made
us free.

4th Sunday of Lent, Lætare Sunday:

John 6: 1-15
At that time, Jesus went over the Sea
of Galilee which is that of Tiberias; and
a great multitude followed Him,
because they saw the miracles which
He did on them that were diseased.
Jesus therefore went up into a
mountain, and there He sat with His
disciples. Now the pasch, the festival
day of the Jews, was near at hand.
When Jesus therefore had lifted up His
eyes, and seen that a very great
multitude cometh to Him, He said to
Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that
these may eat? And this He said to try
him; for He Himself knew what He
would do. Philip answered Him, Two
hundred penny-worth of bread is not
sufficient for them, that every one may
take a little. One of His disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
saith to Him, There is a boy here that
hath five barley loaves and two fishes;
but what are these among so many?
Then Jesus said: Make the men sit
down. Now there was much grass in
the place. The men therefore sat down,
in number about five thousand. And
Jesus took the loaves; and when He
had given thanks, He distributed to
them that were set down. In like
manner also of the fishes, as much as
they would. And when they were filled,
He said to His disciples, Gather up the
fragments that remain, lest they be lost.
They gathered up therefore, and filled
twelve baskets with the fragments of
the five barley loaves, which remained
over and above to them that had eaten.
Now those men, when they had seen
what a miracle Jesus had done, said,
This is of a truth the prophet that is to
come into the world. Jesus therefore,
when He knew that they would come to
take Him by force and make Him king,
fled again into the mountain Himself
alone.

Let us pray:
Instructed by Thy saving precepts, and following Thy divine institution, we are bold to say:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation.
But deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Orémus:
Præcéptis salutáribus móniti, et divína institutione formati audemus dicere:

Pater noster, qui es in caelis, Sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie. Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem:
Sed libera nos a malo.
Amen.

Beautiful!

Thank you, Brother!

What a grand way to start the day.

Much appreciated.

You're most welcome!

Indeed, I start every day this way.  For whatever reason I've never wanted to post it because it deserves so much, but something happened last night that made anything else unacceptable today.

Something I’ve noticed.

In the Greek and Latin we place Father before ourselves (Spanish and German too) but many modern languages place ourselves before God.

Πάτερ ἡμῶν
Pater noster
Padre nuestro
Vater unser
Notre Père
Our Father

My Lord and High Priest,
I must fully live in Thee,
I must fervently profess Thee,
and submit entirely to Thee.
There is no room for concession,
no accord with mediocrity.
The art of subtlety,
threatening that which is divine,
by the seduction of confusion.
Though I shall falter,
I will not let go of Thee;
lest I step out upon the road to perdition,
curse God Thy Father and die.
Anything less than the universal truth,
the totality of truth,
is a cascading descent into the embrace of Satan.
Lord Jesus Christ,
have mercy on me,
a sinner. Amen.

Jesus, pour Thy Precious Blood over me, my body, mind, soul, and spirit; my conscious and sub-conscious; my intellect and will; my feelings, thoughts, emotions and passions; my words and actions; my vocation, my relationships, family, friends and possessions. Protect with Thy Precious Blood all other activities of my life. Lord I dedicate all of these things to Thee, and I acknowledge Thee as Lord and Master of all.

Mary, Immaculate Conception, pure and holy Virgin Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, draw each of us under Thy veil; guard me and shield me against all attacks and temptations that would violate the virtue of chastity.  

Lord Jesus Christ, I beg Thee for the grace to remain guarded beneath the protective mantle of Mary, surrounded by the holy briar from which was taken the Holy Crown of Thorns, and saturated with Thy Precious Blood in the power of the Holy Spirit, with our Guardian Angels for the greater glory of the Father. Amen. - Fr Chad Ripperger

In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day this Sunday:

Saint Patrick’s Breastplate

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;*
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

The Third Sorrowful Mystery of the Holy Rosary, The Crowning of Thorns (Courage) - 'And the soldiers platting a crown of thorns, put it upon his head; and they put on him a purple garment. And they came to him, and said: Hail, king of the Jews; and they gave him blows. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith to them: Behold, I bring him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in him. (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them: Behold the Man. ' – (St John 19:2-5)

Roman Rite Epistle reading for tomorrow, Passion Sunday:

Hebrews 9:11-15
Brethren: Christ being come, a High
Priest of the good things to come, by a
greater and more perfect tabernacle,
not made with hands, that is, not of this
creation, neither by the blood of goats
or of calves, but by His own blood,
entered once into the Holies, having
obtained eternal redemption. For if the
blood of goats and of oxen, and the
ashes of a heifer being sprinkled,
sanctify such as are defiled, to the
cleansing of the flesh, how much more
shall the blood of Christ, who through
the Holy Spirit, offered Himself without
spot to God, cleanse our conscience
from dead works, to serve the living
God? And therefore He is the Mediator
of the new Testament; that by means of
His death, for the redemption of those
transgressions which were under the
former Testament, they that are called
may receive the promise of eternal
inheritance, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel reading for Passion Sunday:

John 8: 46-59
At that time, Jesus said to the
multitudes of the Jews: Which of you
shall convince Me of sin? If I say the
truth to you, why do you not believe
Me? He that is of God, heareth the
words of God. Therefore you hear them
not, because you are not of God. The
Jews therefore answered, and said to
Him: Do not we say well, that Thou art
a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus
answered: I have not a devil, but I
honor My Father, and you have
dishonored Me. But I seek not My own
glory; there is One that seeketh and
judgeth. Amen, amen, I say to you, If
any man keep My word, he shall not
see death for ever. The Jews therefore
said: Now we know that Thou hast a
devil. Abraham is dead, and the
prophets; and Thou sayest: If any man
keep My word, he shall not taste death
for ever. Art Thou greater than our
father Abraham, who is dead? and the
prophets are dead. Whom dost Thou
make Thyself? Jesus answered: If I
glorify Myself, My glory is nothing. It is
My Father that glorifieth Me, of Whom
you say that He is your God. And you
have not known Him; but I know Him.
And if I shall say that I know Him not, I
shall be like to you, a liar. But I do know
Him, and do keep his word. Abraham
your father rejoiced that he might see
My day: he saw it, and was glad. The
Jews therefore said to Him: Thou art
not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou
seen Abraham? Jesus said to them:
Amen, amen, I say to you, before
Abraham was made, I AM. They took
up stones therefore to cast at Him; but
Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the
temple.

Jesus Christ, my Savior,
my hope, my refuge, my King, my Lord;
I walk this wilderness of life lost, in exile,
drowning in my own despicable thoughts and fears.
I stand bewildered, in a vast expanse of emptiness, consumed by anxiety.
I kneel at Your bloodied feet, Mary at my side; and I confess to You, my Lord and my God.
I did this to You, my Lord;
I am Your cross to bear.
I ask Your mercy, I am not worthy, but I ask of You;
Please give me the strength to bear mine.
Be the refuge in my wilderness, the light in my darkness, and the hope in my hopelessness.
Lord, be my refuge against myself.
Forever and ever.  Amen.

Today, on his feast day, we honor Saint Joseph, spouse of Our Lady and earthly father of Jesus, the patriarch of the Holy Family:

Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God. I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. Oh, St. Joseph, I, never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls - Pray for me.  Amen.

'Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our iniquities: he was bruised for our sins. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth. He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth. He was taken away from distress and from judgment. Who shall declare his generation? Because he is cut off out of the land of the living: for the wickedness of my people have I struck him. And he shall give the ungodly for his burial and the rich for his death: because he hath done no iniquity, neither was there deceit in his mouth. And the Lord was pleased to bruise him in infirmity. If he shall lay down his life for sin, he shall see a long-lived seed: and the will of the Lord shall be prosperous in his hand.'

Isaias 53:4-10

Today we honor Saint Benedict with the prayers of his cross; Saint Benedict, pray for us to the Lord our God.  

The Holy Cross be my light;
Never the dragon be my guide.

Get behind me, Satan!
Never suggest vanities to me!
Evil are the things you pour,
Drink your own poison!

Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Who made heaven and earth.
Amen.

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery of the Holy Rosary, The Carrying of the Cross (Patience) - 'But they cried out: Away with him; away with him; crucify him. Pilate saith to them: Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered: We have no king but Caesar. Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him forth. And bearing his own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha. ' – (St John 19:15-17)

Epistle reading for today, Passion Saturday:

Jeremiah 18: 18-23
In those days, the wicked Jews said
one to another, Come, and let us invent
devices against the just; for the law
shall not perish from the priest, nor
counsel from the wise, nor the word
from the prophet: come, and let us
strike him with the tongue, and let us
give no heed to all his words. Give
heed to me, O Lord, and hear the
voice of my adversaries. Shall evil be
rendered for good; because they have
dug a pit for my soul? Remember that I
have stood in Thy sight, to speak good
for them, and to turn away Thy
indignation from them. Therefore
deliver up their children to famine, and
bring them into the hands of the sword:
let their wives be bereaved of children,
and widows; and let their husbands be
slain by death: let theIr young be
stabbed with the sword in battle. Let a
cry be heard out of their houses; for
Thou shalt bring the robber upon them
suddenly, because they have dug a pit
to take me, and have hid snares for my
feet. But Thou, O Lord, knowest all
their counsel against me unto death:
forgive not their iniquity, and let not
their sin be blotted out from Thy sight;
let them be overthrown before Thine
eyes; in the time of Thy wrath do Thou
destroy them, O Lord, our God.

Keep it up brother, thank you

You’re welcome, brother!

I wondered if anyone was still here, several are checked out for Lent of course.

Roman Rite, The first Gospel reading for today, Palm Sunday:

St Matthew 21:1-9
At that time, when Jesus drew nigh to Jerusalem, and was come to Bethphage, unto Mount Olivet, then He sent two disciples, saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them and bring them to Me. And if any man shall say anything to you, say ye, that the Lord hath need of them: and forthwith he will let them go. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy King cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke. And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way, and the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Gloria tibi, Domine! Laus tibi, Christe!

When the almighty Lord of the universe began to legislate through the Word and decided to make his power visible to Moses, he sent Moses a divine vision with the appearance of light, in the burning bush. Now a bramble bush is full of thorns. So too when the Word was concluding his legislation and his stay among men as their Lord, again he permitted himself to be crowned with thorns as a mystic symbol. Returning to the place from which he had descended, the Word renewed that by which he had first come, appearing first in the bush of thorns and later being surrounded with thorns that he might show that all was the work of the same one power. He is one, and his Father is one, the eternal beginning and end. - Clement of Alexandria, 215 AD

May God, who seeth all things, and who is the Ruler of all spirits and the Lord of all flesh—who chose our Lord Jesus Christ and us through Him to be a peculiar people—grant to every soul that calleth upon His glorious and holy Name, faith, peace, patience, long-suffering, self-control, purity, and sobriety, to the well-pleasing of His Name, through our High Priest and Protector, Jesus Christ, by whom be to Him glory, and majesty, and power, and honour, both now and forevermore. Amen. - Clement of Rome, 99 AD

For Spy Wednesday in Holy Week:

Lord Jesus Christ, our spotless Paschal Lamb;
As we await the Passover feast,
one of Thy twelve has sold Thee to the priests of the Old,
for a mere thirty pieces of silver.
He comes as a thief in the night,
to steal Thee from us with a kiss of betrayal.
Thy love for him never ceased,
but as his heart was hardened lacking hope and humility,
Satan entered into him by rejecting unity with Thy body,
and he departed this life by his own hand.
Help us understand Thy mercy and justice,
for by this betrayal of Judas,
Satan was brought to Thee by envy and avarice,
to be crushed by Thy Eternal Sacrifice.
Amen.

Holy Thursday, the Last Supper, institute of the Holy Eucharist.

Why bread?
We are as grains of wheat,
crushed by fasting and exorcism,
by the baptismal water of our Lord we are joined together,
but we are not yet bread.
With the fire of the Holy Spirit we rise
and our crust is hardened with faith.
We become as one;
the mystical body of Christ,
insomuch as we are sent to nourish the world.
Oh Christ,
the bread from heaven ,
by Thy body we are nourished in the most blessed sacrament.
As you are in us, we are in you,
unified by Thy grace in the most Holy Eucharist.
Amen.

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery of the Holy Rosary, The Crucifixion (Self Denial) - 'Where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it upon the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title therefore many of the Jews did read: because the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. ' – (St John 19:18-20,25-27) 'And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost, said: Indeed this man was the son of God. ' – (St Mark 15:33-34,37-39)

AMEN!

”O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me. But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel. In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them. They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people. All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head. He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him. For thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb: my hope from the breasts of my mother. I was cast upon thee from the womb. From my mother's womb thou art my God, depart not from me. For tribulation is very near: for there is none to help me. Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me. They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring. I am poured out like water; and all my bones are scattered. My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death. For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet. They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me. They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots. But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me; look towards my defence. Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: my only one from the hand of the dog. Save me from the lion's mouth; and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee. Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him. Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face from me: and when I cried to him he heard me. With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the sight of them that fear him. The poor shall eat and shall be filled: and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever. All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord: And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight. For the kingdom is the Lord's; and he shall have dominion over the nations. All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they that go down to the earth shall fall before him. And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him. There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made.“
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭21‬:‭2‬-‭32‬‬

Holy Saturday, The Blessing of the New Fire, the Paschal Candle, Roman Rite:

℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
O God, Who hast bestowed on the faithful the fire of Thy brightness by Thy Son, Who is the Cornerstone, hallow this new fire produced from a flint that it may be profitable to us: and grant that during this Paschal festival we may be so inflamed with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may come to the solemnity of perpetual light. Through the same Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.

One of the ministers carries the paschal candle and stands in front of the celebrant, who inscribes a cross between the openings, the Greek letter Alpha, and under the cross, the Greek letter Omega and between the arms of the cross he inscribes the four numbers of the current year.

Christ yesterday and today
Carves vertical arm
The Beginning and End
Carves horizontal arm
Alpha
Carves letter Α above vertical arm
and Omega.
Carves letter Ω below vertical arm
His are the times
Carves first number of the year in upper left corner of the cross
and the ages.
Carves second number of the year in upper right corner of the cross
To Him be glory and empire
Carves third number of the year in bottom left corner of the cross
through all eternal ages. Amen.
Carves fourth number of the year in bottom right corner of the cross

With the incision of the cross and other symbols done, the deacon (or another minister) presents five grains of incense to the celebrant. If the grains have not been previously blessed, the celebrant sprinkles them thrice with holy water, and incenses them thrice, in silence. Then he inserts the five grains into their openings:

Through His holy
and glorious wounds
may Christ the Lord
preserve
and keep us. Amen.

Then the deacon (or another minister) offers the celebrant a taper, lit from the new fire. The celebrant lights the Paschal candle and says audibly:

May the light of Christ, gloriously risen
Dispel the darkness of the heart and mind.

The celebrant blesses the candle:

℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
May the abundant outpouring of Thy ☩ blessing, we beseech Thee, almighty God, descend upon this incense: and do Thou, O invisible Regenerator, lighten this nocturnal brightness, that not only the sacrifice that is offered this night may shine by the secret mixture of Thy light: but also into whatever place anything of this mysterious sanctification shall be brought, there the power of Thy Majesty may be present and all the malicious artifices of Satan may be defeated. Through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.

Meanwhile, all the lights in the church are put out. The clerics and people are given candles, which will be carried in procession and lit from the Paschal candle.

Roman Rite, Solemn Lauds of Easter, End of Easter Vigil:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Psalm 150
(150:1) Praise ye the Lord in His holy places: praise ye Him in the firmament of His power.
(150:2) Praise ye Him for His mighty acts: praise ye Him according to the multitude of His greatness.
(150:3) Praise Him with sound of trumpets: praise Him with psaltery and harp.
(150:4) Praise Him with timbrel and choir: praise Him with strings and organs.
(150:5) Praise Him on high sounding cymbals: praise Him on cymbals of joy. Let every spirit praise the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Ant. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray,
Pour forth upon us, O Lord, the spirit of Thy love: that those whose hunger Thou hast satisfied with the Sacraments of Easter may in Thy kindness be one in heart.
Through our Lord, Jesus Christ

Easter Monday!

Alleluia alleluia alleluia

'O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his mercy is confirmed upon us: and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.'
Psalms 116:1-2

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, forever and ever.  Amen

Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Easter Tuesday!

Jesus Christ!
I love Thee,
I praise Thee,
I adore Thee!
From the depths of my soul,
hear my cry of joyful gratitude!
Delight in it and know that I am Yours!
I adore Thee,
I praise Thee,
I love Thee!

Alleluia alleluia alleluia

Amen!

Easter Wednesday!

The First Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary, The Resurrection (Faith) - 'AND in the end of the sabbath, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre. And behold there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became as dead men. And the angel answering, said to the women: Fear not you; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. ' – (St Matthew 28:1-6)

Thanks, Brother!

a Wonderful Wednesday in the Octave of Easter!

Amen, thank you and you're welcome, brothers!  Happy Easter!

Easter Thursday!

Gloria

Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise Thee. We bless Thee. We adore Thee. We glorify Thee. We give Thee thanks for Thy great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For Thou only are holy. Thou only art the Lord. Thou only art most high, O Jesus Christ. Together with the Holy Ghost ☩ in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Easter Friday!

O Lord our God, teach us, we beseech Thee, to ask Thee aright for the right blessings. Steer Thou the vessel of our life toward Thyself, Thou tranquil Haven of all storm-tossed souls. Show us the course wherein we should go. Renew a willing spirit within us. Let Thy Spirit curb our wayward senses, and guide and enable us unto that which is our true good, to keep Thy laws, and in all our works evermore to rejoice in Thy glorious and gladdening Presence. For Thine is the glory and praise from all Thy saints forever and ever. Amen. - Saint Basil the Great, 4th century Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Easter Saturday!

Epistle for Saturday in the Octave of Easter:

I Peter 2: 1-10
Dearly beloved: Wherefore laying away all
malice, and all guile, and dissimulations,
and envies, and all detractions, as newborn
babes, desire the rational milk without
guile, that thereby you may grow unto salvation; if so be you have tasted that the
Lord is sweet. Unto whom coming, as to a
living stone, rejected indeed by men, but
chosen and made honourable by God: be
you also as living stones built up, a spiritual
house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ. Wherefore it is said in the scripture:
Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone,
elect, precious. And he that shall believe in
him, shall not be confounded. To you
therefore that believe, he is honour: but to
them that believe not, the stone which the
builders rejected, the same is made the
head of the corner: And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of scandal, to them who
stumble at the word, neither do believe, whereunto also they are set. But you are a
chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a
holy nation, a purchased people: that you
may declare his virtues, who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvellous
light: Who in time past were not a people:
but are now the people of God. Who had
not obtained mercy; but now have obtained mercy.

Gospel reading for today, Low Sunday, First Sunday in Easter:

John 20: 19-31
At that time, when it was late that
same day, the first of the week, and
the doors were shut, where the
disciples were gathered together for
fear of the Jews, Jesus came, and
stood in the midst and said to them:
Peace be to you. And when He had
said this, He showed them His hands
and His side. The disciples therefore
were glad, when they saw the Lord.
He said therefore to them again:
Peace be to you: as the Father hath
sent Me, I also send you. When He
had said this, He breathed on them,
and He said to them, Receive ye the
Holy Spirit: whose sins you shall
forgive, they are forgiven them, and
whose sins you shall retain, they are
retained. Now Thomas, one of the
twelve, who is called Didymus, was
not with them when Jesus came. The
other disciples therefore said to him:
We have seen the Lord. But he said to
them: “Except I shall see in His hands
the print of the nails, and put my finger
into the place of the nails, and put my
hand into His side, I will not believe.
And after eight days, again His
disciples were within, and Thomas
with them. Jesus cometh, the doors
being shut, and stood in the midst,
and said: Peace be to you. Then He
saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger
hither, and see My hands, and bring hither thy hand, and put it into My
side; and be not faithless, but
believing. Thomas answered, and said
to him: My Lord and my God. Jesus
saith to him: Because thou hast seen
Me, Thomas, thou hast believed:
blessed are they that have not seen
and have believed. Many other signs
also did Jesus in the sight of His
disciples which are not written in this
book. But these are written, that you
may believe that Jesus is the Christ
the Son of God; and that, believing,
you may have life in His name.

Quasi modo geniti infantes...

I certainly feel like we are.

Tridentine Mass Collect for today, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (moved to today because of Holy Week).

O God, who didst will that Thy Word
should take flesh, at the message of an
Angel, in the womb of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, grant to Thy suppliant
people, that we who believe her to be
truly the Mother of God, may be helped
by her intercession with Thee. Through
the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our
Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever
and ever.

Bless all who worship Thee, from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same. Of Thy goodness, give us; with Thy love, inspire us; by Thy spirit guide us; by Thy power, protect us; in Thy mercy, receive us now and always. Amen.
—An Ancient Collect, 5th century

The Second Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary, the Ascension (Hope) - 'And he said to them: These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then he opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. And he said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, the third day: And that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. And I send the promise of my Father upon you: but stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as Bethania: and lifting up his hands, he blessed them. And it came to pass, whilst he blessed them, he departed from them, and was carried up to heaven. ' – (St Luke 24:44-51)

Into Thy hands, O God, we commend ourselves and all who are dear to us this day. Let the gift of Thy special Presence be with us even to its close. Grant us never to lose sight of Thee all the day long, but to worship and pray to Thee, that at eventide we may again give thanks unto Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Gelasian Sacramentary, 5th century

Now to God,
who has suffered so much for us,
who at once has given us so many good things,
and will yet give so much more,
to this God let every creature who is in heaven or on the earth,
in the sea or in the depth of the abyss,
render praise, glory, honor and blessing.
He is himself our virtue and our strength.
He alone is good, lofty, almighty, admirable, and glorious;
the only holy One, worthy of praise and blessed through ages of ages. Amen - St Francis of Assisi, 13th century