[Rank]
Secunda die infra Octavam S. Laurentii;;Semiduplex;;2;;vide Sancti/08-10

[Rule]
vide Sancti/08-10;
9 lectiones
No prima Vespera

[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of St Austin, Bishop (of Hippo.)
!30th on the Saints.
I belive that ye know the history of the sufferings of that most blessed Martyr,~
Lawrence, whose birth-day we are keeping this day, and I doubt not, my beloved~
brethren, but that ye may know what agonies he endured under the persecutors. So~
illustrious is the glory of his martyrdom, that the splendour thereof shineth~
throughout the whole world. And this light, which Lawrence maketh so clearly to~
shine throughout the world, is the light of the fire wherewith he himself was~
enkindled. By the flames which he endured, he hath made hot every Christian~
heart.

[Responsory4]
@Sancti/08-10:Responsory4

[Lectio5]
Who is there but knoweth how that Lawrence chose rather to burn in earthly~
flames for a while, than to suffer the eternal fire of hell? The ensample,~
therefore, of blessed Lawrence provoketh us to lift up our testimony, kindleth~
our faith, and setteth our love all a-glow. If for us there are now no fires of~
persecution, the flame of faith is not therefore quenched. We give not our~
bodies to be burned for Christ's sake, but our hearts burn with His love. The~
persecutor stirreth up no fire around me, but a fire is stirred up in me by the~
longing for the presence of my Saviour.

[Responsory5]
@Sancti/08-10:Responsory5

[Lectio6]
But that the Saviour hath a fire of His own we read in the Gospel, where the~
Lord saith lam come to send fire on the earth, and what will I but that it be~
kindled? (Luke xii. 49.) It was this fire which had been enkindled in the two~
disciples when they said Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked~
with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures? (Luke xxiv. 32.)~
It was because this fire had been enkindled within him that the blessed Lawrence~
felt not the burning of the flames, and through eager yearning for the sight of~
Christ perceived not the cruelty of his persecutor.

[Responsory6]
@Sancti/08-10:Responsory6

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 12:25-27
At that time Jesus said unto His disciples Amen, Amen I say unto you, Except a~
corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. And so on.
_
Homily by St Austin, Bishop (of Hippo.)
!51st Tract on John.
When matters are come to this pass that a simple choice must be made, either to~
break the law of God, or to bid farewell to this life; when a man must needs~
choose one or the other alternative, and the persecutor is threatening him with~
death, then let him choose rather to honour God and die, than to insult Him and~
live. This choice will be to hate his life in this world and to keep it unto~
life eternal. If any man serve Me, let him follow Me. And what is it to follow~
Christ but to imitate Him? Christ, saith the Apostle Peter, suffered for us,~
leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps. (I. ii. 21.)

[Responsory7]
@Sancti/08-10:Responsory7

[Lectio8]
Behold what is said If any man serve Me, let him follow Me. Follow Him, and~
with what result? at what wage? for what reward? And, saith the Lord, where I am,~
there shall also My servant be. He must be loved for Himself alone, if the wage~
of working in His service be to be with Him. Where would it be well where He was~
not? Or where could it be ill where He was? Hear even more clearly If any man~
serve Me, him will My Father honour. With what honour will He honour him, but to~
put him to be with His Own Son? That which is said first Where I am there~
shall also My servant be is explained by the next words Him will My Father~
honour. What higher honour can an adopted son receive, than to be where the~
Only-Begotten Son is, not in equality of Divine nature, but linked in eternal~
fellowship?

[Responsory8]
@Sancti/08-10:Responsory8

[Lectio93]
!Commemoratio for the Holy Martyrs Tiburtius and Susanna.
Tibutrius was son to Chromatius, Praefect of the city of Rome, and was converted~
to Christianity by holy Sebastian. On this account he was brought before Fabian~
the judge, and spake boldly in his presence many things concerning belief in~
Christ. Then Fabian broke out in anger and caused the pavement to be spread with~
live coals. Now, Tiburtius, said he, thou must either sacrifice to our gods, or~
walk barefoot on these coals. Tiburtius armed himself with the sign of the Cross~
and walked boldly on the coals. Learn from this, said he, that there is no God~
but He whom the Christians worship; for the coals are to me like flowers. For~
this (in the year 286) he was credited with art magic, led forth without the~
city and smitten with the sword at the third milestone on the Lavican Road,~
where he was buried by the Christians. On the same day, (about the year 295,)~
the noble maiden Susanna, having refused the offer of marriage of Galerius~
Maximianus, son to the Emperor Diocletian, because she had made a vow of her~
virginity to God, after divers torments wherewith her holy resolution was tried,~
was smitten with the sword, in her own house, by order of the Emperor, and~
passed to heaven to receive the double reward of virginity and martyrdom.
&teDeum

[Commemoratio]
!Commemoratio Ss. Martyribus Tiburtio and Susana.
@Commune/C3:Oratio
