READINGS: EASTER WEDNESDAY VI

Invitatory Psalm & BACK


Psalm 39: Hebrew English     Then BACK

πιστοὺς εἰς θεὸν τὸν ἐγείραντα αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν - Ἁλληλουϊά — ὥστε τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν καὶ ἐλπίδα εἶναι εἰς θεόν - Ἁλληλουϊά.

Even Years: Acts 21:40b—22:21 πολλῆς δὲ σιγῆς γενομένης προσεφώνησεν τῇ ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ λέγων, 22 1 ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, ἀκούσατέ μου τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας — 2 ἀκούσαντες δὲ ὅτι τῇ ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ προσεφώνει αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον παρέσχον ἡσυχίαν. καὶ φησίν — 3 ἐγώ εἰμι ἀνὴρ ἰουδαῖος, γεγεννημένος ἐν ταρσῷ τῆς κιλικίας, ἀνατεθραμμένος δὲ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, παρὰ τοὺς πόδας γαμαλιὴλ πεπαιδευμένος κατὰ ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου, ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τοῦ θεοῦ καθὼς πάντες ὑμεῖς ἐστε σήμερον: 4 ὃς ταύτην τὴν ὁδὸν ἐδίωξα ἄχρι θανάτου, δεσμεύων καὶ παραδιδοὺς εἰς φυλακὰς ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας, 5 ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς μαρτυρεῖ μοι καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον: παρ' ὧν καὶ ἐπιστολὰς δεξάμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εἰς δαμασκὸν ἐπορευόμην ἄξων καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας δεδεμένους εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν. 6 ἐγένετο δέ μοι πορευομένῳ καὶ ἐγγίζοντι τῇ δαμασκῷ περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιαστράψαι φῶς ἱκανὸν περὶ ἐμέ, 7 ἔπεσά τε εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι, σαοὺλ σαούλ, τί με διώκεις; 8 ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπεκρίθην, τίς εἶ, κύριε; εἶπέν τε πρός με, ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὁ ναζωραῖος ὃν σὺ διώκεις. 9 οἱ δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ ὄντες τὸ μὲν φῶς ἐθεάσαντο τὴν δὲ φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν τοῦ λαλοῦντός μοι. 10 εἶπον δέ, τί ποιήσω, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν πρός με, ἀναστὰς πορεύου εἰς δαμασκόν, κἀκεῖ σοι λαληθήσεται περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι. 11 ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκείνου, χειραγωγούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν συνόντων μοι ἦλθον εἰς δαμασκόν. 12 ἁνανίας δέ τις, ἀνὴρ εὐλαβὴς κατὰ τὸν νόμον, μαρτυρούμενος ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν κατοικούντων ἰουδαίων, 13 ἐλθὼν πρός με καὶ ἐπιστὰς εἶπέν μοι, σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ἀνάβλεψον: κἀγὼ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἀνέβλεψα εἰς αὐτόν. 14 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν προεχειρίσατό σε γνῶναι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰδεῖν τὸν δίκαιον καὶ ἀκοῦσαι φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, 15 ὅτι ἔσῃ μάρτυς αὐτῷ πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὧν ἑώρακας καὶ ἤκουσας. 16 καὶ νῦν τί μέλλεις; ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. 17 ἐγένετο δέ μοι ὑποστρέψαντι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ προσευχομένου μου ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ γενέσθαι με ἐν ἐκστάσει 18 καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν λέγοντά μοι, σπεῦσον καὶ ἔξελθε ἐν τάχει ἐξ Ἰερουσαλήμ, διότι οὐ παραδέξονταί σου μαρτυρίαν περὶ ἐμοῦ. 19 κἀγὼ εἶπον, κύριε, αὐτοὶ ἐπίστανται ὅτι ἐγὼ ἤμην φυλακίζων καὶ δέρων κατὰ τὰς συναγωγὰς τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐπὶ σέ: 20 καὶ ὅτε ἐξεχύννετο τὸ αἷμα στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρός σου, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ἐφεστὼς καὶ συνευδοκῶν καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν. 21 καὶ εἶπεν πρός με, πορεύου, ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς ἔθνη μακρὰν ἐξαποστελῶ σε.

Odd Years: 1 John 2:18-29 παιδία, ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν, * καὶ καθὼς ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται, * καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν: ὅθεν γινώσκομεν * ὅτι ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν.      ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν, * ἀλλ' οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν:      εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν, * μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ' ἡμῶν:      ἀλλ' ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν * ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν.           καὶ ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε * ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου, * καὶ οἴδατε πάντες.       οὐκ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν ἀλήθειαν,       ἀλλ' ὅτι οἴδατε αὐτήν, * καὶ ὅτι πᾶν ψεῦδος * ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἔστιν. τίς ἐστιν ὁ ψεύστης * εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀρνούμενος * ὅτι ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ χριστός; οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀντίχριστος, * ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὸν υἱόν. πᾶς ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν υἱὸν * οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει: ὁ ὁμολογῶν τὸν υἱὸν * καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει. ὑμεῖς ὃ ἠκούσατε ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ἐν ὑμῖν μενέτω: ἐὰν ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ ὃ ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ἠκούσατε, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν τῷ υἱῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ μενεῖτε. καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐπαγγελία * ἣν αὐτὸς ἐπηγγείλατο ἡμῖν, * τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον. ταῦτα ἔγραψα ὑμῖν περὶ τῶν πλανώντων ὑμᾶς.      καὶ ὑμεῖς τὸ χρῖσμα ὃ ἐλάβετε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ μένει ἐν ὑμῖν,      καὶ οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε ἵνα τις διδάσκῃ ὑμᾶς:      ἀλλ' ὡς τὸ αὐτοῦ χρῖσμα διδάσκει ὑμᾶς περὶ πάντων,      καὶ ἀληθές ἐστιν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ψεῦδος,      καὶ καθὼς ἐδίδαξεν ὑμᾶς, μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ.           καὶ νῦν, τεκνία, μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ,           ἵνα ἐὰν φανερωθῇ σχῶμεν παρρησίαν           καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ.           ἐὰν εἰδῆτε ὅτι δίκαιός ἐστιν, * γινώσκετε           ὅτι καὶ πᾶς ὁ ποιῶν τὴν δικαιοσύνην * ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγέννηται.

Even Years: Leo the Great, Treatise 73, 4-5 (CCL A, 452-454) Per omne ergo hoc tempus, dilectissimi, quod inter resurrectionem domini et ascensionem eius exactum est, hoc prouidentia dei curauit, hoc docuit, hoc suorum et oculis insinuauit et cordibus, ut dominus Iesus christus uere agnosceretur resuscitatus, qui uere erat et natus et passus et mortuus. Vnde beatissimi apostoli omnes que discipuli, qui et de exitu crucis fuerant trepidi et de fide resurrectionis ambigui, ita sunt ueritate perspicua roborati, ut domino in caelorum eunte sublimia, non solum nulla adficerentur tristitia, sed etiam magno gaudio replerentur. Et reuera magna et ineffabilis erat causa gaudendi, cum in conspectu sanctae multitudinis supra omnium creaturarum caelestium dignitatem humani generis natura conscenderet, supergressura angelicos ordines, et ultra archangelorum altitudines eleuanda, nec ullis sublimitatibus modum suae prouectionis habitura, nisi aeterni patris recepta consessu, illius gloriae sociaretur in throno, cuius naturae copulabatur in filio. Quia igitur christi ascensio, nostra prouectio est, et quo praecessit gloria capitis, eo spes uocatur et corporis, dignis, dilectissimi, exultemus gaudiis et pia gratiarum actione laetemur. Hodie enim non solum paradisi possessores firmati sumus, sed etiam caelorum in christo superna penetrauimus, ampliora adepti per ineffabilem christi gratiam quam per diaboli amiseramus inuidiam. Nam quos uirulentus inimicus primi habitaculi felicitate deiecit, eos sibi concorporatos dei filius ad patris dexteram conlocauit, qui uiuit et regnat cum deo patre omnipotente et spiritu sancto in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Odd Years: Augustine of Hippo, Treatise 3 on 1 John, 1,3,4,5 (SC 75, 186-194) Pueri, nouissima hora est. in hac lectione pueros alloquitur ut festinent crescere quia nouissima hora est. aetas corporis non est in uoluntate; ita nullus secundum carnem crescit quando uult, sicut nullus quando uult nascitur. ubi autem natiuitas in uoluntate est et crementum in uoluntate est. nemo ex aqua et spiritu nascitur nisi uolens. ergo si uult, crescit; si non uult, decrescit. quid est crescere? proficere. quid est decrescere? deficere Children, it is the last hour. In this passage John exhorts us as his children to grow up quickly, because the last hour has come. Bodily age is not determined by will power. No one can grow physically whenever he pleases, any more than he can choose the time of his birth. But where birth lies in the domain of the will, so also does growth. A man is only born of water and the Spirit by an act of his will. If he chooses to grow, he grows; if he chooses to decline, he declines. What does growing or declining mean? To grow means to go forward; to decline means to go backward. Pueri, nouissima hora est. proficite, currite, crescite: nouissima hora est. ipsa nouissima hora diuturna est, tamen nouissima hora est. horam enim pro tempore posuit nouissimo quia in nouissimis temporibus uenit dominus noster iesus christus. sed dicturi sunt aliqui: quomodo nouissimum tempus? quomodo nouissima hora? certe prius ueniet antichristus, et tunc ueniet dies iudicii. uidit iohannes cogitationes istas. ne quasi securi fierent et ideo non esse horam nouissimam putarent quod uenturus esset antichristus, ait illis: et sicut audistis quod antichristus sit uenturus, et nunc antichristi multi facti sunt If anyone is indolent about going forward, let him heed the warning: Children, it is the last hour. This last hour may be a long one, but it is definitely the last. It is St John's expression for the last days, during which our Lord Jesus Christ will come. Some will ask: 'How can these be the last days or the last hour? We know that Antichrist must come first, and then the Day of Judgement.' John foresees this objection and, to shake the false security of those who would thus argue, he tells them: You have heard that Antichrist is to come, and already many antichrists have appeared. Quos dixit antichristos? sequitur et exponit. unde cognoscimus quod nouissima sit hora. unde? quia antichristi multi facti sunt. ex nobis exierunt. uidete antichristos. ex nobis exierunt. ergo plangimus damnum. audi consolationem: sed non erant ex nobis. omnes haeretici, omnes schismatici ex nobis exierunt, id est ex ecclesia exeunt, sed non exirent si ex nobis essent Who are these antichrists he refers to? He goes on to explain. This is how we know it is the last hour—because many antichrists have appeared. They went out from our own ranks, leaving us to lament their loss. Yet we take comfort from what follows: But they never truly belonged to us. The proof is that if they had really belonged to our company they would have remained with us. Hinc ergo uideat caritas uestra quia multi qui non sunt ex nobis accipiunt nobis cum sacramenta. accipiunt nobis cum baptismum; accipiunt nobis cum quod norunt fideles se accipere: benedictionem, eucharistiam, et quidquid in sacramentis sanctis est. ipsius altaris communicationem accipiunt nobis cum et non sunt ex nobis. temptatio probat quia non sunt ex nobis. quando illis temptatio uenerit, uelut occasione uenti uolant foras quia grana non erant. omnes autem tunc uolabunt —quod saepe dicendum est— cum area dominica coeperit uentilari in die iudicii. ex nobis exierunt, sed non erant ex nobis. quod si fuissent ex nobis, permansissent utique nobis cum From this, my friends, you can see that many who are not of our company join us in receiving the sacraments. Together with us they receive Baptism and what the faithful know they are receiving: blessing, Eucharist, and all that is contained in the Sacred Mysteries. They even communicate at the altar alongside us, and yet they do not belong to us. This is borne out in the time of trial; when the test comes, they are scattered abroad as though blown by a gust of wind, because they are chaff not wheat. Yes, never forget it; they will all be blown away on the Day of Judgement as soon as the harvest is winnowed on the Lord's threshing floor. They went out from our ranks, but they never truly belonged to us; if they had really belonged to our company they would have remained with us. They went out so that it would be clear that they did not belong to us. Et uos unctionem habetis a sancto ut ipsi uobis manifesti sitis. unctio spiritalis ipse spiritus sanctus cuius sacramentum est in unctione uisibili. hanc unctionem christi dicit omnes qui habent cognoscere malos et bonos, nec opus esse ut doceantur quia ipsa unctio docet. As for you, you have an anointing from the Holy One, which makes you known to one another. This spiritual anointing is the Holy Spirit himself; its sacramental sign is a visible unction. John says that all who have Christ's anointing can discern who are wicked and who are good. They need no other instructor; the anointing itself teaches them all they need to know.

Prayer