Dominica III Adventus (Gaudete), Evangelium & Homilia

Dominica III Adventus (Gaudete), Evangelium & Homilia

Station at San Pietro in Vaticano

Io. 1:19-28

Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Joánnem.

In illo témpore: Misérunt Judæi ab Jerosólymis sacerdótes et levítas ad Joánnem, ut interrogárent eum: Tu quis es? Et conféssus est, et non negávit: et conféssus est: Quia non sum ego Christus. Et interrogavérunt eum: Quid ergo? Elías es tu? Et dixit: Non sum. Prophéta es tu? Et respóndit: Non. Dixérunt ergo ei: Quis es, ut respónsum demus his, qui misérunt nos? quid dicis de te ipso? Ait: Ego vox clamántis in desérto: Dirígite viam Dómini, sicut dixit Isaías Prophéta. Et qui missi fúerant, erant ex Pharisæis. Et interrogavérunt eum, et dixérunt ei: Quid ergo baptízas, si tu non es Christus, neque Elías, neque Prophéta? Respóndit eis Joánnes, dicens: Ego baptízo in aqua: médius autem vestrum stetit, quem vos nescítis. Ipse est, qui post me ventúrus est, qui ante me factus est: cujus ego non sum dignus ut solvam ejus corrígiam calceaménti. Hæc in Bethánia facta sunt trans Jordánem, ubi erat Joánnes baptízans.

῾Η μαρτυρία τοῦ ᾿Ιωάννου τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ

19 Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ ᾿Ιωάννου, ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι ἐξ ῾Ιεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευΐτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν· σὺ τίς εἶ; 20 καὶ ὡμολόγησε, καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσατο· καὶ ὡμολόγησεν ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ὁ Χριστός. 21 καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν· τί οὖν; ᾿Ηλίας εἶ σύ; καὶ λέγει· οὐκ εἰμί. ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη, οὔ. 22 εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ· τίς εἶ; ἵνα ἀπόκρισιν δῶμεν τοῖς πέμψασιν ἡμᾶς· τί λέγεις περὶ σεαυτοῦ; 23 ἔφη· ἐγὼ φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, εὐθύνατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου, καθὼς εἶπεν ῾Ησαΐας ὁ προφήτης. 24 καὶ οἱ ἀπεσταλμένοι ἦσαν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων· 25 καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· τί οὖν βαπτίζεις, εἰ σὺ οὐκ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς οὔτε ᾿Ηλίας οὔτε ὁ προφήτης; 26 ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ ᾿Ιωάννης λέγων· ἐγὼ βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι· μέσος δὲ ὑμῶν ἕστηκεν ὃν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε. 27 αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος, ὃς ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, οὗ ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄξιος ἵνα λύσω αὐτοῦ τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος. 28 Ταῦτα ἐν Βηθανίᾳ ἐγένετο πέραν τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου, ὅπου ἦν ᾿Ιωάννης βαπτίζων.

From Matins of the Third Sunday in Advent
Online Source: www.breviary.net

Third Nocturn
Absolutio: A vínculis peccatórum nostrórum absólvat nos omnípotens et miséricors Dóminus. R.  Amen.	Absolution:  May the Lord Almighty and merciful break the bonds of our sins and set us free. R.  Amen.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 7: Evangélica léctio sit nobis salus et protéctio. R.  Amen.	Benediction 7:  May the Gospel's holy lection be our safeguard and protection. R.  Amen.
Lesson vii
Léctio sancti Evangélii secúndum Joánnem	The Lesson is taken from the Holy Gospel according to John
Chap. 1, 19-28
In illo témpore : Misérunt Judæi ab Jerosólymis sacerdótes et levítas ad Joánnem, ut interrogárent eum : Tu quis es?  Et réliqua.	At that time : The Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to John to ask him : Who art thou?  And so on, and that which followeth.
Homilía sancti Gregórii Papæ	A Homily by St. Gregory the Pope
Homilía 7 in Evangelia
Ex hujus nobis lectiónis verbis, fratres caríssimi, Joánnis humílitas commendátur : qui cum tantæ virtútis esset, ut Christus credi potuísset, elégit sólide subsístere in se, ne humána opinióne raperétur inániter super se.  Nam conféssus est, et non negávit : et conféssus est, Quia non sum ego Christus.  Sed qui dixit, Non sum ; negávit plane quod non erat, sed non negávit quod erat : ut veritátem loquens, ejus membrum fíeret, cujus sibi nomen falláciter non usurpáret.  Cum ergo non vult appétere nomen Christi, factus est membrum Christi : quia dum infirmitátem suam stúduit humíliter agnóscere, illíus celsitúdinem méruit veráciter obtinére.	Dearly beloved brethren, the first thing which striketh us in today's Gospel is the lowly-mindedness of John.  He was so great that it was thought he might be the Christ ; yet he soberly chose rather to seem only what he really was, than to let the belief of men invest him with a dignity which did not belong to him ; for he confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ, at the same time he would not deny what he was in reality ; and thus his very truth-speaking made him a member of him whose title he would not by falsehood take.  In that he arrogated not to himself the name of Christ, he became a member of Christ.  While he humbly strove to confess his own weakness, he earned by his simplicity a part in the grandeur of his Master.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Veni, Dómine, et noli tardáre : reláxa facínora plebi tuæ, * Et révoca dispérsos in terram suam. V.  Excita, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni, ut salvos fácias nos. R.  Et révoca dispérsos in terram suam.	R.  O Lord, come and make no tarrying ; loosen the bonds of thy people, *   And gather again into their own land them that are scattered abroad. V.  O Lord, stir up thy strength, and come and save us. R.  And gather again into their own land them that are scattered abroad.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 8: Divínum auxílium máneat semper nobíscum. R.  Amen.	Benediction 8: May help divine be with us all, for ever abiding. R.  Amen.
Lesson viii
Sed cum ex lectióne ália, Redemptóris nostri senténtia ad mentem redúcitur, ex hujus lectiónis verbis nobis quæstio valde impléxa generátur.  Alio quippe in loco inquisítus a discípulis Dóminus de Elíæ advéntu, respóndit : Elías jam venit, et non cognovérunt eum, sed fecérunt in eum quæcúmque voluérunt : et, si vultis scire, Joánnes ipse est Elías.  Requisítus autem Joánnes dicit : Non sum Elías.  Quid est hoc, fratres caríssimi, quia quod Véritas affírmat, hoc prophéta Veritátis negat?  Valde namque inter se divérsa sunt : Ipse est : et, Non sum.  Quómodo ergo prophéta veritátis est, si ejúsdem Veritátis sermónibus concors non est?	In considering this subject we find an apparent contradition between one of John's statements, and the saying of our Redeemer recorded in another part of the Gospel.  When his disciples asked our Lord regarding the coming of Elias, he answered : Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed.  And if ye will receive it, this (that is, John) is Elias.  But when John was asked if he was Elias, he answered, I am not.  How comes it then, dearly beloved brethren, that we find the Truth itself asserting what the prophet of the Truth denied?  It must evidently be that our Lord meant one thing and John another, when the Lord said, This is, and John, I am not.  For how can he be the prophet of truth, if he speak not according to the word of him who is the Eternal Truth?
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Ecce radix Jesse descéndet in salútem populórum, ipsum Gentes deprecabúntur : * Et erit nomen ejus gloriósum. V.  Dabit ei Dóminus Deus sedem David, patris ejus, et regnábit in domo Jacob in ætérnum.. R.  Et erit nomen ejus gloriósum.	R.  Behold, there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall come for salvation unto the people, to it shall the Gentiles seek, * And his Name shall be glorious. V.  The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever. R.  And his Name shall be glorious.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 9: Ad societátem cívium supernórum perdúcat nos Rex Angelórum. R.  Amen.	Benediction 9: May the King of Angels give us fellowship with all the citizens of heaven. R.  Amen.
Lesson ix
Sed si subtíliter véritas ipsa requirátur, hoc quod inter se contrárium sonat, quómodo contrárium non sit, invenítur.  Ad Zacharíam namque de Joánne Angelus dicit : Ipse præcédet ante illum in spíritu et virtúte Elíæ.  Qui idcírco ventúrus in spíritu et virtúte Elíæ dícitur, quia sicut Elías secúndum Dómini advéntum prævéniet, ita Joánnes prævénit primum.  Sicut ille præcúrsor ventúrus est Júdicis, ita iste præcúrsor est factus Redemptóris.  Joánnes ígitur in spíritu Elías erat, in persóna Elías non erat.  Quod ergo Dóminus fatétur de spíritu, hoc Joánnes dénegat de pérsona.	Let us then more minutely examine these words, and we shall find that there is no real contradiction.  When the Angel announced to Zacharias the coming birth of John he said : He shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias.  As the old Elias will come again before the Second Advent of the Lord, so did John, as the new Elias, go before the First Advent, in the spirit and power of Elias.  As the old Elias will be the Forerunner of the Judge, so the new Elias was the Forerunner of the Saviour.  John then was Elias in spirit, but not in person ; and our Lord asserteth of the spirit what John denieth of the person.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Docébit nos Dóminus vias suas, et ambulábimus in sémitis ejus : * Quia de Sion exíbit lex, et verbum Dómini de Jerúsalem. V.  Veníte, ascendámus ad montem Dómini, et ad domum Dei Jacob. R.  Quia de Sion exíbit lex, et verbum Dómini de Jerúsalem. V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. R.  Quia de Sion exíbit lex, et verbum Dómini de Jerúsalem.	R.  The Lord will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths : * For out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. V.  Come ye, and let us to up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob. R.  For out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R.  For out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.