Having recalled Our Lord’s Prayer and Agony in Gethsemane over His impending Passion, it is fitting that we should now have a taste of the horrors that He endured for our sake. This Office and Mass present a broad overview of the sufferings of Our Lord, a subject that the Liturgy will keep fresh in our minds all through Lent and spell out in excruciating detail during Holy Week. The Feast is still celebrated in some places and congregations, and it’s Mass can be found as a votive Mass in most Daily Missals.
The day of the celebration of this feast has varied; in some places it was (or still is) celebrated during the present week of Sexagesima, in others during the week of Quinquagesima (the week of Ash Wednesday). In some places it was celebrated on a Tuesday, in others on a Friday. Either of these arrangements feel appropriate. The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary are traditionally prayed on both days, and the Psalms prayed in the Divine Office (before and after Pope St. Pius X’s reforms) focus on the suffering and death of the innocent man. The Genesis Creation Account lists both days (the third and sixth days) as having relevance to the Passion of Christ: the trees were made on the third day, and Man was made on the sixth. One day gives us the altar, the other the sacrifice; one, the Cross, the other, the Great High Priest and Victim.
As for which week the feast is celebrated in, Sexagesima puts it during the week that the story of Noah is read in the Divine Office. In that context, we see the God who once destroyed the world in punishment for sin now takes that punishment upon Himself, that the God who came down from Heaven to scatter the wicked at Babel refuses to come down from the Cross, so that He might draw all humanity together again. (As Jeff Cavin put it, God’s Bow, His weapon, is not pointed down towards the earth, but up towards heaven, towards Himself). During the week of Quinquagesima, the Liturgy recalls the story of Abraham (though interrupted by Ash Wednesday). In this context, we see the fulfilment of Abraham’s words to Isaac on Mount Moriah: “God will provide Himself the Lamb for sacrifice.”
Lessons from Matins
First Lesson
The Lesson is taken from the Epistle of the Blessed Apostle Paul to the Romans (v. 8.)
God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His Blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in through Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now received the atonement. For if by one man's offence, death reigned
by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and bounty, and righteousness, shall reign in life through Jesus Christ.
Second Lesson
Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so, by the righteousness Of One, [the gift] came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous. Then, the law entered that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded grace did much more
abound, that, as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Third Lesson (vi.)
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in Sin, that grace may abound? God forbid; how shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? For we are buried with Him by baptism into death, that, like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also may walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall also in the likeness of His resurrection; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Now, if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.
Fourth Lesson
The Lesson is taken from the Sermons of St. Augustin, Bishop of Hippo (41st on the Passion)
Dearly beloved brethren, the awful solemnity of the Lord’s sufferings is proclaimed unto us even by the circumstances of the day itself whereon they took place, that day whereon the dumb elements were dumb no longer. Let the light of faith make the tongues of men tell of that agony, whereon the silence of darkness was eloquent. Our Lord was weighing out the ransom of the Cross, as upon the ransom of a balance, the price of our salvation, and by the payment of one death He Who had made all, bought all, and became the restorer of all. For let us have no hesitation in believing that He bought the whole world, when He paid more than the whole world was worth, since the inestimable value of the price paid infinitely exceeded the value of the object redeemed. One scale was weighed against the other, but when it was done, they hung not evenly. He Who had no sins of His own, by His merits took away the sins of others. This victim of goodness alone fell, that He might lift up others, and since He alone owed nothing, He alone was able to spend His superabundance in charity for debtors.
Fifth Lesson
And now judge from this, if He hath paid for us so high a price, what interest He will have from us. On this day [on which He suffered] the words of the prophet were fulfilled: “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (Isa. 1.6.). He took our evil, that He might give us His good. From the extent to which He loved man after his fall, we may understand how He was pleased to love him before he sinned. When thou seest what was the worth of thy ransom, let it make thee feel some shame for sin. Behold the Holy One scourged for the sake of a sinner, the Eternal Wisdom mocked for the sake of a fool, the Truth murdered for the sake of the liar, the Righteous One condemned for the sake of a criminal, the Merciful One tortured for the sake of the cruel, the Harmless One filled with bitterness for the sake of the wretch, the Gentle One given gall to drink, the Innocent One doomed for the sake of the guilty, Life dying for the sake of the dead.
Sixth Lesson
Senseless nature shuddered at the sin of man. The rebel work of His hands would not acknowledge Him, but the quaking earth bore witness that He was Lord of the world, and the shrinking sun confessed that He was the King of heaven. His [natural] Body was clad in a purple robe, for the blood of His martyrs is the stately robe of His [mystical body the] Church. The crown upon His Head was a crown of thorns, for the sharp prickles of our sins, by the remission whereof He claimeth the glorious title of Redeemer, are likened unto thorns and thistles. (Gen. iii,18.) And now let us try to treat Him otherwise than He was treated then, to treat Him so that the lives of His members may form a crown for Him. Upon the Cross He saith: “I thirst,” (John xix. 28,) that thirst was for unbelieving souls to believe in Him; but on the contrary they put to His mouth the astringent vinegar of deadly sin, whereinto they have turned by malice the wine of wisdom given unto them by God. The veil of the Temple was rent in twain, for the Synagogue lost her crown, the old rites were abolished, and the fact of one Church for all humanity stood reveled. The graves were opened, for death rightly lost her rights.
Seventh Lesson
The Lesson is taken from the Holy Gospel according to John (xix. 28.)
At that time: Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. And so on.
Homily by St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople. (On John, 84)
“Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, said: I thirst” – even in this one word making a fulfillment of Scripture. And now see here the spite of those that were there; we, although we had countless enemies, who had grievously assailed us, if we saw them at the point of death, would be touched with some feeling of compassion. But those beings were nowise touched with some feeling of compassion. But those beings were nowise touched, but rather excited; they cracked their jests upon Him, “and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to His Mouth”- this was why the hyssop was added, because to give them a draught of hyssop is a way to put to death felons. Seest thou in what a calm of unruffled strength He went through all this? And then “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said: It is finished. And He bowed His Head and gave up the ghost.”
Eighth Lesson
It commonly is after death the head falleth, but here the Head fell before death, whereby the Evangelist showeth that He was [exalted as] Lord above [the nature] of all others. The Jews had now swallowed the camel, and proceeded to strain out the gnat; having accomplished the great murder, they discussed a point about the honoring of a day. “Because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the Cross on the Sabbath-Day, the Jews besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.” What they did fulfilled a prophecy, for thereby was another made clear. “Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with Him, but when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they break not His legs, but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His Side.” Willing, with a vile and iniquitous willingness to do the Jews a pleasure, that man outraged his Redeemer even in death.
Ninth Lesson
But rest Thou still, O Thou Whom my soul loveth! They thought to do it wickedly, but they did a service to the truth. “For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled: ‘Not a Bone of Him shall be broken,’ and again, another Scripture saith: ‘They shall look on Him Whom they pierced.’” Nor was it done for this alone, but it was afterward a mean to faith for Thomas and them that were with him. And yet again, another great mystery was here established, for “forthwith came there out Blood and Water.” Not idly nor perchance sprang forth that twofold Fountain, for the Church, like her great Head, “came by Water and Blood; not by Water only, but by Water and Blood.” (1 John v.6.) What this meaneth the baptized do know, for they have been born again of water, and fed on Flesh and Blood. Hence come the Sacraments, so that as often as though drunkest of that wondrous Cup, thou dost as good as suck out of the opened Side.
The Mass
Introit The Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which is above every name (Phil. 2)
V. The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever; to generation and generation (Ps 88:1). V. Glory. Collect Almighty, everlasting God, who didst cause our Savior to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer the death of the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his humility; mercifully grant, that as we keep the solemn commemoration of his passion, we may deserve both to keep in mind the lessons of his patience, and also to be made partakers of his resurrection.
Lesson (Zach. xii. 10, xiii. 6-7.) Thus saith the Lord: I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace, and of prayers: and they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced: and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for an only son, and they shall grieve over him as the manner is to grieve for the death of the first-born. In that day there shall be a great lamentation in Jerusalem, and it shall be said: What are these wounds in the midst of thy hands? And he shall say: With these I was wounded in the house of them that loved me. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that cleaveth to me, saith the Lord of Hosts: strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered, saith the Lord Almighty.
Gradual (Ps. 68) My heart hath expected reproach and misery: and I looked for one that would grieve together with me, and there was none: I sought one that would comfort me, and I found none.
V. They gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Tract (Is. 53) Surely he hath born our infirmities, and carried our sorrows.
V. And we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted.
V. But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins.
V. The chastisement of our peace was upon him: and by his bruises we are healed.
Gospel (John xix, 28-35) At that time, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. Now there was a vessel set there full of vinegar. And they putting a sponge full of vinegar about hyssop, put it to his mouth. Jesus therefore when he had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing his head, he gave up the ghost. Then the Jews (because it was the Parasceve, that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the sabbath-day (for that was a great sabbath-day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came: and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he that saw it hath given testimony, and his testimony is true.
Offertory Wicked me rose up against me: without mercy they sought to kill me: and they did not spare to spit in my face: they wounded me with their spears, and all my bones were shaken. Secret May the sacrifice offered to thee, O Lord, through the passion of thy only-begotten Son interceding for us, ever enliven and defend us. Communion (Psalm 21) They have pierced my hands and my feet: they have numbered all my bones.
Postcommunion O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who, at the sixth hour, didst ascend the tree of the cross, for the redemption of the world, and didst shed thy precious blood for the remission of our sins; we humbly beseech thee, that after our death thou wouldst grant us joyfully to enter the gates of paradise.
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