From Matins of St. John of the Cross, Confessor, Doctor of the Church:
Source: www.breviary.netAbsolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum. R. Amen. | Absolution: May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us. Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever. R. Amen. |
V. Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere. | V. Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing. |
Benedíctio 4: Deus Pater omnípotens sit nobis propítius et clemens. R. Amen. | Benediction 4: May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity. R. Amen. |
| Lesson iv | |
 Medina del Campo, Spain | |
Joánnes a Cruce, Fontíberi in Hispánia piis paréntibus natus, a primis annis certo innótuit quam Deíparæ Vírgini futúrus esset accéptus ; nam quinquénnis, in púteum lapsus, ejúsdem Deíparæ manu sublátus, incólumis evásit. Tanto autem patiéndi desidério flagrávit, ut novénnis, spreto mollióri lecto, super sarméntis cubáre consuéverit. Adoléscens hospítio páuperum ægrotántium Metymnæ Campi fámulum sese addíxit, quibus magno caritátis ardóre, vilíssima quæque compléctens offícia, præsto áderat. Cujus exémplo excitáti céteri, éadem caritátis múnera ardéntius obíbant. Verum, ad altióra vocátus, beátæ Maríæ Vírginis de Monte Carmélo institútum ampléxus est ; ubi, sacérdos ex obediéntia factus, severióris disciplínæ et arctióris vitæ cupidíssimus, primitívam órdinis régulam ex superióris licéntia ita proféssus est, ut, ob jugem Domínicæ passiónis memóriam, bello in se, tamquam in infensíssimum hostem indícto, vigíliis, jejúniis, férreis flagéllis omníque pœnárum génere, brevi carnem cum vítiis et concupiscéntiis suis crucifíxerit ; dignus plane, qui a sancta Terésia inter purióres sanctiorésque ánimas, Ecclésiam Dei id témporis illustrántes, recenserétur. | John of the Cross was born of godly parents at Fontiveros, in Spain. It began soon to appear that he was foreordained to be an acceptable servant unto the Virgin Mother of God. At five years of age he fell into a well, but the hand of the Mother of God took him up, and saved him from all hurt. So burning was his desire to suffer that when he was nine years old he gave up any softer bed, and used to lie on potsherds. In his youth he devoted himself as a servant in the hospital for the sick poor at Medina del Campo, and embraced with eager charity, the meanest offices there, his readiness likewise exciting others to imitate him. He obeyed the call to higher things, and entered the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, wherein, by command of his Superiors, he received Priest's Orders. By their leave and his own strong desire for the sternest discipline and the strictest life, he adopted the primitive Rule. Full of the memory of what our Lord suffered, he declared war against himself as his own worst enemy, and carried it on by depriving himself of sleep and food, by iron chains, by whips, and by every kind of self-torture. And in a little while he had crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof. he was indeed worthy that holy Teresa should say of him that he was one of the purest and holiest souls by whom God was then enlightening his Church. |
V. Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R. Deo grátias. | V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R. Thanks be to God. |
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R. Honéstum fecit illum Dóminus, et custodívit eum ab inimícis, et a seductóribus tutávit illum : *Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam. V. Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas, et osténdit illi regnum Dei. R. Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam. | R. The Lord multiplied the fruit of his labours and defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait. * And gave him perpetual glory. V. The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, and shewed him the kingdom of God. R. And gave him perpetual glory. |
V. Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere. | V. Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing. |
Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ. R. Amen. | Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal. R. Amen. |
| Lesson v | |
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Singulári vitæ austeritáte et ómnium virtútum præsídio munítus, præ assídua rerum divinárum contemplatióne, diutúrnas et mirábiles éxtases frequénter patiebátur ; tantóque in Deum æstuábat amóre, ut, cum divínus ignis sese intro diútius continére non posset, foras erúmpere ejúsque vultum irradiáre visus sit. Proximórum salúti summópere inténtus, tum in verbi Dei prædicatióne, tum in sacramentórum administratióne fuit assíduus. Hinc tot méritis auctus, strictiorísque disciplínæ promovéndæ ardóre veheménter accénsus, sanctæ Terésiæ comes divínitus datus est, ut, quam ipsa inter soróres primævam Carméli órdinis observántiam instauráverat, eámdem et inter fratres, Joánne adjutóre, restitúeret. Innúmeros ítaque una cum Dei fámula in divíno ópere promovéndo perpéssus labóres, cœnóbia, quæ ejúsdem sanctæ Vírginis cura per totam Hispániam erécta fúerant, nullis vitæ incómmodis et perículis térritus, síngula perlustrávit. In quibus aliísque quam plúrimis, ejus ópera eréctis, restaurátam observántiam propagándo, verbo et exémplo firmávit ; ut mérito primus, post sanctam Terésiam, Carmelitárum excalceatórum órdinis proféssor et parens habeátur. | The strange hardness of his life, and the might of his graces, joined to the unceasing concentration of his mind on God, had the effect of oftentimes subjecting him to daily and extraordinary trances. So burning was his love of God that the fire sometimes could not not be kept bound within, and brake forth, so that his face shone. The salvation of his neighbours was one of his dearest longings, and he was unwearied in preaching the Word of God, and in administering the Sacraments. As strong in so many good works, and glowing with zeal to make discipline harder, he was given by God to be an helpmeet to holy Teresa, and he aided her to set up again the primitive observance among the brethren of the Order of Mount Carmel, as she had already done among the sisters. In doing God's work, he and God's handmaid together went through toils that cannot be numbered. No discomforts of dangers held him back from going throughout all Spain to visit all and each of the convents which the care of that holy Virgin had founded, and in them, and in very many others erected by her means for spreading the renewed observance, he strengthened it by his word and ensample. He is indeed worthy to be reckoned second only to the holy Teresa as a professor and founder of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites. |
V. Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R. Deo grátias. | V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R. Thanks be to God. |
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R. Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum : stolam glóriæ índuit eum, * Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum. V. Induit eum Dóminus lorícam fídei, et ornávit eum. R. Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum. | R. The Lord loved him and adorned him; he clothed him with a robe of glory : * And crowned him at the gates of Paradise. V. The Lord hath put on him the breast-plate of faith, and hath adorned him. R. And crowned him at the gates of Paradise. |
V. Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere. | V. Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing. |
Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris. R. Amen. | Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love. R. Amen. |
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