10 The eternal ages

Truth and not error

Canticle of Isaias:

Is. 45, 15-26

VERILY thou art a hidden God, the God of Israel the saviour.

They are all confounded and ashamed: the forgers of errors are gone together into confusion.

Israel is saved in the Lord with an eternal salvation: you shall not be confounded, and you shall not be ashamed for ever and ever.

For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth, and made it, the very maker thereof:

He did not create it in vain: he formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth:

I have not said to the seed of Jacob: Seek me in vain. I am the Lord that speak justice, that declare right things.

Assemble yourselves, and come, and draw near together, ye that are saved of the Gentiles:

They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven work, and pray to a god that cannot save.

Tell ye, and come, and consult together: who hath declared this from the beginning, who hath foretold this from that time?

Have not I the Lord, and there is no God else besides me? A just God and a saviour, there is none besides me.

Be converted to me, and you shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is no other.

I have sworn by myself, the word of justice shall go out of my mouth, and shall not return:

For every knee shall be bowed to me, and every tongue shall swear.

Therefore shall he say: In the Lord are my justices and empire: theyshall come to him, and all that resist him shall be confounded.

In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and praised.

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. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and praised.

Ant. 5 Praise.

Gospel According to Saint Luke

Chapter 20

The parable of the husbandmen. Of paying tribute to Caesar and of the resurrection of the dead.

1 And it came to pass, that on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, with the ancients, met together, 2 And spoke to him, saying: Tell us, by what authority dost thou these things? or, Who is he that hath given thee this authority? 3 And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one thing. Answer me: 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? 5 But they thought within themselves, saying: If we shall say, From heaven: he will say: Why then did you not believe him?

6 But if we say, Of men, the whole people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. 7 And they answered, that they knew not whence it was. 8 And Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell thee by what authority I do these things. 9 And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen: and he was abroad for a long time. 10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. Who, beating him, sent him away empty.

11 And again he sent another servant. But they beat him also, and treating him reproachfully, sent him away empty. 12 And again he sent the third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 13 Then the lord of the vineyard said: What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be, when they see him, they will reverence him. 14 Whom when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying: This is the heir, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. 15 So casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

16 He will come, and will destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. Which they hearing, said to him: God forbid. 17 But he looking on them, said: What is this then that is written, The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, shall be bruised: and upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 19 And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him the same hour: but they feared the people, for they knew that he spoke this parable to them. 20 And being upon the watch, they sent spies, who should feign themselves just, that they might take hold of him in his words, that they might deliver him up to the authority and power of the governor.

21 And they asked him, saying: Master, we know that thou speakest andteachest rightly: and thou dost not respect any person, but teachest the way of God in truth. 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or no? 23 But he considering their guile, said to them: Why tempt you me? 24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and inscription hath it? They answering, said to him, Caesar's. 25 And he said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's: and to God the things that are God's.

26 And they could not reprehend his word before the people: and wondering at his answer, they held their peace. 27 And there came to him some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked him, 28 Saying: Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he leave no children, that his brother should take her to wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the next took her to wife, and he also died childless.

31 And the third took her. And in like mannerall the seven, and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them shall she be? For all the seven had her to wife. 34 And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35 But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, shall neither be married, nor take wives.

36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. 37 Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed, at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; 38 For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him. 39 And some of the scribes answering, said to him: Master, thou hast said well. 40 And after that they durst not ask him any more questions.

41 But he said to them: How say they that Christ is the son of David? 42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms: The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, 43 Till I make thy enemies thy footstool. 44 David then calleth him Lord: and how is he his son? 45 And in the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples: 46 Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplace, and the first chairs in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts: 47 Who devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayer. These shall receive greater damnation.

9 Judgement

Gospel According to Saint Luke

Chapter 13

The necessity of penance. The barren fig tree. The cure of the infirm woman. The journey to Jerusalem.

1 And there were present, at that very time, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answering, said to them: Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee, because they suffered such things? 3 No, I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: think you, that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 No, I say to you; but except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.

6 He spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. 7 And he said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it done therefore: why cumbereth it the ground? 8 But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it. 9 And if happily it bear fruit: but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. 10 And he was teaching in their synagogue on their sabbath.

11 And behold there was a woman, who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years: and she was bowed together, neither could she look upwards at all. 12 Whom when Jesus saw, he called her unto him, and said to her: Woman, thou art delivered from thy infirmity. 13 And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 And the ruler of the synagogue (being angry that Jesus had healed on the sabbath) answering, said to the multitude: Six days there are wherein you ought to work. In them therefore come, and be healed; and not on the sabbath day. 15 And the Lord answering him, said: Ye hypocrites, doth not every one of you, on the sabbath day, loose his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead them to water?

16 And ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? 17 And when he said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the things that were gloriously done by him. 18 He said therefore: To what is the kingdom of God like, and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and cast into his garden, and it grew and became a great tree, and the birds of the air lodged in the branches thereof. 20 And again he said: Whereunto shall I esteem the kingdom of God to be like?

21 It is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 22 And he went through the cities and towns teaching, and making his journey to Jerusalem. 23 And a certain man said to him: Lord, are they few that are saved? But he said to them: 24 Strive to enter by the narrow gate; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able. 25 But when the master of the house shall be gone in, and shall shut the door, you shall begin to stand without, and knock at the door, saying: Lord, open to us. And he answering, shall say to you: I know you not, whence you are.

24 "Shall seek"... Shall desire to be saved; but for want of taking sufficient pains, and being thoroughly in earnest, shall not attain to it.

26 Then you shall begin to say: We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 And he shall say to you: I know you not, whence you are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And there shall come from the east and the west, and the north and the south; and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, they are last that shall be first; and they are first that shall be last.

31 The same day, there came some of the Pharisees, saying to him: Depart, and get thee hence, for Herod hath a mind to kill thee. 32 And he said to them: Go and tell that fox, Behold, I cast outdevils, and do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I am consummated. 33 Nevertheless I must walk today and tomorrow, and the day following, because it cannot be that a prophet perish, out of Jerusalem. 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children as the bird doth her brood under her wings, and thou wouldest not? 35 Behold your house shall be left to you desolate. And I say to you, that you shall not see me till the time come, when you shall say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

8th Day, The General Resurrection

THE SIXTH ODE

A prayer of Jonas the prophet

Jon. 2: 3-10

As Thou didst save the prophet Jonas, save us also. O Lord.

From out of the sea monster Jonas cried aloud and said,

I cried unto the Lord in mine affliction, and He hearkened

unto me; Thou heardest my cry and my voice out of the belly of

hell.

Thou didst cast me away into the depths of the heart of the

sea, and the waves compassed me about.

All Thy waves and billows have passed over me.

And I said, I am cast out from the sight of Thine eyes; shall I

indeed I look again unto Thy holy temple?

Water is poured about me, even to my soul; the uttermost

deep hath compassed me about; my head went down into the

clefts of the mountains; I went down into the earth, whose bars are

everlasting barriers.

But let my soul come up from corruption, unto Thee, O Lord

my God.

When my soul was failing within me, I remembered the Lord;

yea, let my prayer come unto Thee, unto Thy holy temple.

Those who observe vanities and false things have forsaken

their own mercy.

But I will sacrifice to Thee with the voice of praise and

thanksgiving; whatsoever I have vowed for my salvation, I will pay

unto Thee, O Lord.

Glory. Both now. Alleluia.

7 Good or evil, no mixture

Gospel According to Saint Luke
Chapter 11

Christ teaches his disciples to pray. He casts out a dumb devil, confutes the Pharisees, and pronounces woes against them for their hypocrisy.

1 And it came to pass, that as he was in a certain place praying, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2 And he said to them: When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. 3 Give us this day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation. 5 And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three loaves,

6 Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me, and Ihave not what to set before him. 7 And he from within should answer, and say: Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet, because of his importunity, he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. 10 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

11 And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good Spirit to them that ask him? 14 And he was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb: and when he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke: and the multitudes were in admiration at it: 15 But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.

16And others tempting, asked of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself, shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. 18 And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. 19 Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub; by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 20 But if I by the finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you.

21 When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth. 22 But if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him; he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. 23 He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, he saith: I will return into my house whence I came out. 25 And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished.

26 Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. 27 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. 28 But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it. 29 And the multitudes running together, he began to say: This generation is a wicked generation: it asketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30 For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites; so shall the Son of man also be to this generation.

31 The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold more than Solomon here. 32 The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas; and behold more than Jonas here. 33 No man lighteth a candle, and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel; but upon a candlestick, that they that come in, may see the light. 34 The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: but if it be evil, thy body also will be darksome. 35 Take heed therefore, that the light which is in thee, be not darkness.

36 If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness; the whole shall be lightsome; and as a bright lamp, shall enlighten thee. 37 And as he was speaking, a certain Pharisee prayed him, that he would dine with him. And he going in, sat down to eat. 38 And the Pharisee began to say, thinking within himself, why he was not washed before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him: Now you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inside is full of rapine and iniquity. 40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make also that which is within?

41 But yet that which remaineth, give alms; and behold, all things are clean unto you. 42 But woe to you, Pharisees, because you tithe mint and rue and every herb; and pass over judgment, and the charity of God. Now these things you ought to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43 Woe to you, Pharisees, because you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the marketplace. 44 Woe to you, because you are as sepulchres that appear not, and men that walk over are not aware. 45 And one of the lawyers answering, saith to him: Master, in saying these things, thou reproachest us also.

46 But he said: Woe to you lawyers also, because you load men with burdens which they cannot bear, and you yourselves touch not the packs with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you who build the monuments of the prophets: and your fathers killed them. 48 Truly you bear witness that you consent to the doings of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchres. 49 For this cause also the wisdom of God said: I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute. 50 That the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,

46 "Woe to you lawyers"... He speaks of the doctors of the law of Moses, commonly called the scribes.

51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who was slain between the alter and the temple: Yea I say to you, It shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you yourselves have not entered in, and those that were entering in, you have hindered. 53 And as he was saying these things to them, the Pharisees and the lawyers began violently to urge him, and to oppress his mouth about many things, 54 Lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch something from his mouth, that they might accuse him.

6th day and on the 6th hour Adam fell, Christ came and Redeemed us

Canticle of Isaias:

Is:5:

1 I will sing to my beloved the canticle of my cousin concerning his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard

on a hill in a fruitful place.

2 And he fenced it in, and picked the stones out of it, and planted it, with the choicest vines, and built a tower in the midst thereof, and set up a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

3 And now, 0 ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and ye men of Juda, judge between me and my vineyard.

4 What is there that 1 ought to do more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? was it that I looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it hath brought forth wild grapes?

5 And now I will show you what 1 will do to my vineyard. I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be wasted: I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down.

6 And I will make it desolate: it shall not be pruned, and it shall not be digged: but briers and thorns shall come up: and I will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it.

7 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel: and the man of Juda, his pleasant plant: and I looked that he should do judgment, and behold iniquity: and do justice, and behold a cry.

8 Woe to you that join house to house and lay field to field, even to the end of the place: shall you alone dwell in the midst of the earth?

9 These things are in my ears, saith the Lord of hosts: Truly many great and fair houses shall become desolate, without an inhabitant.

5th age of the world, the proclamation of the Gospel’s truth unto the Second Coming of Christ

Gospel According to Saint Mark

Chapter 12

The parable of the vineyard and husbandmen. Caesar's right to tribute. The Sadducees are confuted. The first commandment. The widow's mite.

1 And he began to speak to them in parables: A certain man planted a vineyard and made a hedge about it, and dug a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it to husbandmen; and went into a far country. 2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant to receive of the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 Who having laid hands on him, beat him, and sent him away empty. 4 And again he sent to them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and used him reproachfully. 5 And again he sent another, and him they killed: and many others, of whom some they beat, and others they killed.

6Therefore having yet one son, most dear to him; he also sent him unto them last of all, saying: They will reverence my son. 7 But the husbandmen said one to another: This is the heir; come let us kill him; and the inheritance shall be ours. 8 And laying hold on him, they killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9 What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those husbandmen; and will give the vineyard to others. 10 And have you not read this scripture, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:

11 By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes. 12 And they sought to lay hands on him, but they feared the people. For they knew that he spoke this parable to them. And leaving him, they went their way. 13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and of the Herodians; that they should catch him in his words. 14 Who coming, say to him: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker, and carest not for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar; or shall we not give it? 15 Who knowing their wiliness, saith to them: Why tempt you me? bring me a penny that I may see it.

16 And they brought it him. And he saith to them: Whose is this image and inscription? They say to him, Caesar's. 17 And Jesus answering, said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. 18 And there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying: 19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, that if any man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother. 20 Now there were seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no issue.

21 And the second took her, and died: and neither did he leave any issue. And the third in like manner. 22 And the seven all took her in like manner; and did not leave issue. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise again, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. 24 And Jesus answering, saith to them: Do ye not therefore err, because you know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? 25 For when they shall rise again from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be married, but are as the angels in heaven.

26 And as concerning the dead that they rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke to him, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You therefore do greatly err. 28 And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all. 29 And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God. 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said to him: Well, Master, thou hast said in truth, that there is one God, and there is no other besides him. 33 And that he should be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole understanding, and with the whole soul, and with the whole strength;and to love one's neighbour as one's self, is a greater thing than all holocausts and sacrifices. 34 And Jesus seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him: Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. 35 And Jesus answering, said, teaching in the temple: How do the scribes say, that Christ is the son of David?

36 For David himself saith by the Holy Ghost: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool. 37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord, and whence is he then his son? And a great multitude heard him gladly. 38 And he said to them in his doctrine: Beware of the scribes, who love to walk in long robes, and to be saluted in the marketplace, 39 And to sit in the first chairs, in the synagogues, and to have the highest places at suppers: 40 Who devour the houses of widows under the pretence of long prayer: these shall receive greater judgment. 41 And Jesus sitting over against the treasury, beheld how the people cast money into the treasury, and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she castin two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And calling his disciples together, he saith to them: Amen I say to you, this poor widow hath cast in more than all they who have cast into the treasury. 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want cast in all she had, even her whole living.

4 Gospels, neither fewer nor more, all teach the faith

Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Chapter 16

Christ refuses to shew the Pharisees a sign from heaven. Peter's confession is rewarded. He is rebuked for opposing Christ's passion. All his followers must deny themselves.

1 And there came to him the Pharisees and Sadduccees tempting: and they asked him to shew them a sign from heaven. 2 But he answered and said to them: When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red. 3 And in the morning: Today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering. You know then how to discern the face of the sky: and can you not know the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. And he left them, and went away. 5 And when his disciples were come over the water, they had forgotten to take bread.

6 Who said to them: Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 7 But they thought within themselves, saying: Because we have taken no bread. 8 And Jesus knowing it, said: Why do you think within yourselves, O ye of little faith, for that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet understand, neither do you remember the five loaves among five thousand men, and how many baskets you took up? 10 Nor the seven loaves among four thousand men, and how many baskets you took up?

11 Why do you not understand that it was not concerning the bread I said to you: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? 12 Then they understood that he said not that they should beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Cesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? 14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?

16 Simon Peter answered andsaid: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven. 20 Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ. 21 From that time Jesus began to shew to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the ancients and scribes and chief priests, and be put to death, and the third day rise again. 22 And Peter taking him, began to rebuke him, saying: Lord, be it far from thee, this shall not be unto thee. 23 Who turning, said to Peter: Go behind me, Satan, thou art a scandal unto me: because thou savourest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men. 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it. 26 For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works. 28 AmenI say to you, there are some of them that stand here, that shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

3 God the Son Christ Jesus gave Moses the prophecy of repentance from blasphemy

THE SECOND ODE

Canticle of Moses

Deut. 32, 1-43

HEAR, O ye heavens, the things I speak, let the earth give ear to the words of my mouth.

Let my doctrine gather as the rain, let my speech distil as the dew.

As a shower upon the herb, and as drops upon the grass.

Because I will invoke the name of the Lord:

Give ye magnificence to our God. The works of God are perfect, and all his ways are judgments:

God is faithful and without any iniquity, he is just and right. They have sinned against him, and are none of his children in their filth:

They are a wicked and perverse generation. Is this the return thou makest to the Lord, O foolish and senseless people?

Is not he thy father, that hath possessed thee, and made thee, and created thee?

Remember the days of old, think upon every generation:

Ask thy father, and he will declare to thee: thy elders and they will tell thee.

When the Most High divided the nations: when he separated the sons of Adam,

He appointed the bounds of people according to the number of the children of Israel.

But the Lord’s portion is his people: Jacob the lot of his inheritance.

He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror, and of vast wilderness:

He led him about, and taught him: and he kept him as the apple of his eye.

As the eagle enticing her young to fly, and hovering over them,

He spread his wings, and hath taken him and carried him on his shoulders.

The Lord alone was his leader: and there was no strange god with him.

He set him upon high land: that he might eat the fruits of the fields,

That he might suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the hardest stone,

Butter of the herd, and milk of the sheep with the fat of lambs, and of the rams of the breed of Basan:

And goats with the marrow of wheat, and might drink the purest blood of the grape.

The beloved grew fat, and kicked: he grew fat, and thick and gross,

He forsook God who made him, and departed from God his saviour.

They provoked him by strange gods, and stirred him up to anger, with their abominations.

They sacrificed to devils and not to God: to gods whom they knew not:

That were newly come up, whom their fathers worshipped not.

Thou hast forsaken the God that begot thee, and hast forgotten the Lord that created thee.

The Lord saw, and was moved to wrath: because his own sons and daughters provoked him.

And he said: I will hide my face from them, and will consider what their last end shall be:

For it is a perverse generation, and unfaithful children.

They have provoked me with that which was no god, and have angered me with their vanities:

And I will provoke them with that which is no people, and will vex them with a foolish nation.

A fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn even to the lowest hell:

And shall devour the earth with her increase, and shall burn the foundations of the mountains.

I will heap evils upon them, and will spend my arrows among them.

They shall be consumed with famine, and birds shall devour them with a most bitter bite:

I will send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the fury of creatures that trail upon the ground, and of serpents.

Without, the sword shall lay them waste, and terror within, both the young man and the virgin, the sucking child with the man in years.

I said: Where are they? I will make the memory of them to cease from among men.

But for the wrath of the enemies I have deferred it: lest perhaps their enemies might be proud,

And should say: Our mighty hand, and not the Lord, hath done all these things.

They are a nation without counsel, and without wisdom. O that they would be wise and would understand, and would provide for their last end.

How should one pursue after a thousand, and two chase then thousand?

Was it not, because their God had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up?

For our God is not as their gods: our enemies themselves are judges.

Their vines are of the vineyard of Sodom, and of the suburbs of Gomorrha:

Their grapes are grapes of gall, and their clusters most bitter.

Their wine is the gall of dragons, and the venom of asps, which is incurable.

Are not these things stored up with me, and sealed up in my treasures?

Revenge is mine, and I will repay them in due time, that their foot may slide:

The day of destruction is at hand, and the time makes haste to come.

The Lord will judge his people, and will have mercy on his servants:

He shall see that their hand is weakened, and that they who were shut up have also failed, and they that remained are consumed.

And he shall say: Where are their gods, in whom they trusted?

Of whose victims they ate the fat, and drank the wine of their drink offerings:

Let them arise and help you, and protect you in your distress.

See ye that I alone am, and there is no other God besides me:

I will kill and I will make to live: I will strike, and I will heal, and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

I will lift up my hand to heaven, and I will say: I live for ever.

If I shall whet my sword as the lightning, and my hand take hold on judgment:

I will render vengeance to my enemies, and repay them that hate me.

I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh,

Of the blood of the slain and of the captivity, of the bare head of the enemies.

Praise his people, ye nations, for he will revenge the blood of his servants:

And will render vengeance to their enemies, and he will be merciful to the land of his people.

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. The Lord will have mercy on his servants: and he will be merciful to the land of his people.

Ant. 5 Praise ye.