[Rank]
S. Laurentii Martyris;;Duplex II classis;;5;;ex C2

[Rule]
ex C2
9 lectiones
Psalmi Dominica
Antiphonas horas
Psalm5 Vespera=116
Psalm5 Vespera3=115

[Ant Vespera]
Lawrence went in to be a martyr, * and acknowledged the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lawrence wrought a good work, * in that with the sign of the Cross he gave sight to the blind.
O my God, my soul cleaveth fast after thee, * for my flesh hath been burnt with fire for thy sake.
The blessed Lawrence prayed * and said I give thee thanks, O Lord, that Thou hast made me worthy to enter within thy gates

[Capitulum Vespera]
!2 Cor 9:6
v. Brethren, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which~
soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
$Deo gratias
_
R.br. O Lord, Thou hast set a crown of precious stones
R.O Lord, Thou hast set a crown of precious stones
V. Upon his head.
R. O Lord, Thou hast set a crown of precious stones
&Gloria
R. O Lord, Thou hast set a crown of precious stones

[Ant 1]
When the blessed Lawrence was lying, stretched upon the bars, and burning, he~
said * to the iniquitous magistrate The cooking is done enough now, turn the~
meat and eat for the property of the Church, which thou seekest, hath been~
garnered up in heaven by the hands of the poor

[Oratio]
O Almighty God, Who didst give unto Blessed Lawrence power to be more than~
conqueror in his fiery torment, grant unto us, we beseech thee, the power to~
quench the flames of our sinful lusts.
$Per Dominum

[Invit]
Christ's blessed Martyr Lawrence is crowned and triumphing in heaven. * O come, let us worship the Lord!

[Ant Matutinum]
Father, whither goest thou * without thy son? Holy Priest, dost thou fare hence without a Deacon?;;1
Leave me not, holy father, * for I have spent already thy treasures, which thou gavest unto me;;2
I leave thee not, my son, neither forsake thee * there awaiteth thee for Christ's truth a sterner wrestling than mine;;4
The blessed Lawrence prayed * and said O Lord Jesus Christ, God of God, take pity upon me thy servant.;;5
Romanus said * to Blessed Lawrence I see in front of thee a very well - favoured young man; make haste to baptize me;;8
The blessed Lawrence said The darkness is no darkness to me, * but the night is all as clear as morning, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day;;10
V. Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, O Lord.
R. And madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands.
They laid him upon the grating, and stretched out his limbs. * Christ's Levite held in derision them that brought the live coals;;14
Thou hast tried me with fire, * and found no wickedness in me;;16
When I was asked, I acknowledged thee to be the Lord now that I am roasted, I give thee thanks;;20
Deum meum colo, et illi solo servio.;;23
Dispersit * dedit pauperibus: justitia eius manet in seculum saeculi.;;63
Protector tuus * ego sum noli timere: si transferios per ignem, flamma non nocebit tibi, et odor ignis non erit in te.;;91
V. O Lord, Thou hast set a crown of precious stones
R. Upon his head.
Nise granum frumenti * cadens, in terram mortuum fuerit, ipsum solum manet.;;256;257;258
V.His glory is great in thy salvation.
R. Honour and great majesty shalt Thou lay upon him.

[Lectio1]
From the Book of Ecclesiasticus
!Sir 51:1-7
1 A prayer of Jesus the son of Sirach. I will give glory to thee, O Lord, O King,~
and I will praise thee, O God my Saviour.
2 I will give glory to thy name: for thou hast been a helper and protector to~
me.
3 And hast preserved my body from destruction, from the snare of an unjust~
tongue, and from the lips of them that forge lies, and in the sight of them that~
stood by, thou hast been my helper.
4 And thou hast delivered me, according to the multitude of the mercy of thy~
name, from them that did roar, prepared to devour.
5 Out of the hands of them that sought my life, and from the gates of~
afflictions, which compassed me about:
6 From the oppression of the flame which surrounded me, and in the midst of the~
fire I was not burnt.
7 From the depth of the belly of hell, and from an unclean tongue, and from~
lying words, from an unjust king, and from a slanderous tongue:

[Responsory1]
R. The Levite Lawrence wrought a good work, in that with the sign of the Cross~
he gave sight to the blind
* And dispersed among the needy the riches of the Church.
V. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor his righteousness endureth for~
ever.
R. And dispersed among the needy the riches of the Church.

[Lectio2]
!Sir 51:8-13
8 My soul shall praise the Lord even to death.
9 And my life was drawing near to hell beneath.
10 They compassed me on every side, and there was no one that would help me. I~
looked for the succour of men, and there was none.
11 I remembered thy mercy, O Lord, and thy works, which are from the beginning~
of the world.
12 How thou deliverest them that wait for thee, O Lord, and savest them out of~
the hands of the nations.
13 Thou hast exalted my dwelling place upon the earth and I have prayed for~
death to pass away.

[Responsory2]
R. O my child, be not afraid, for I am with thee, saith the Lord.
* When thou passest through the fire, the flame shall not harm thee, neither~
shall the smell of fire pass upon thee.
V. And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee~
out of the hand of the terrible.
R. When thou passest through the fire the flame shall not harm thee, neither~
shall the smell of fire pass upon thee.

[Lectio3]
!Sir 51:14-17
14 I called upon the Lord, the father of my Lord, that he would not leave me in~
the day of my trouble, and in the time of the proud without help.
15 I will praise thy name continually, and will praise it with thanksgiving, and~
my prayer was heard.
16 And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil~
time.
17 Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name of the~
Lord.

[Responsory3]
R. They laid him upon the grating, and stretched out his limbs. Christ's Levite~
held in derision them that brought the live coals.
* O Lawrence, blessed witness for Christ plead for us!
V. The darkness is no darkness to me, but the night is all as clear as the~
morning, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
R. O Lawrence, blessed witness for Christ plead for us
&Gloria
R. O Lawrence, blessed witness for Christ plead for us

[Lectio4]
The Lesson is taken From the Sermons of Pope St Leo (the Great.)
!For St Lawrence's Birth-day.
Then the fury of the heathen power was raging against Christ's choicest members,~
in aiming in especial at such as were of the Priestly Order, the wicked~
persecutor turned fiercely on the Levite Lawrence, who was remarkable, not only~
as a minister of the Sacraments, but also as distributor of the property of the~
Church, promising himself a double prey by the taking of this one man, namely,~
to make him betray the consecrated treasure, and apostatise from the true faith.~
The wretch was thus doubly fired by his greed for money and his hatred of the~
truth, his greed urging him to seize the gold, and his wickedness to rob a~
believer of Christ. He demanded of the upright keeper of the sacred treasury, to~
bring him the wealth of the Church, for which his rapacity longed. But the~
pureminded Levite showed him where these riches were stored, by bringing before~
him a great multitude of holy poor, by the feeding and clothing of whom he had~
laid up all. that he had, in such wise, that it could be lost no more, and was~
now all the safer, as the way of spending it had been the holier.

[Responsory4]
R. Father, whither goest thou without thy son Holy Priest, dost thou fare~
hence without a Deacon
* It hath never been thy use to offer sacrifice without a minister.
V. What therefore in me hath displeased thee, my Father Hast thou tried me and~
found me unworthy to be called thy son Make trial if I am indeed an useless~
servant, even I, whom thou didst choose, to commit unto me the administration of~
the Cup of the Blood of the Lord.
R. It hath never been thy use to offer sacrifice without a minister.

[Lectio5]
The baffled thief chafed, and his hatred for the godliness which had appointed~
such an use of riches, flaming forth, he attempted the robbery of a dearer~
treasure from him in whose hands he had found no coin, even to take from him~
that possession wherein he had holier wealth. He commanded Lawrence to deny~
Christ, and made ready to assail the immovable firmness of the Levite's soul~
with appalling tortures, of which the failure of the first was followed by the~
application of others more fearful still. When his limbs had been mangled and~
cut by many stripes, his tormentor ordered them to be roasted over a fire. He~
was laid on an iron grating, the bars of which by the continual fire below,~
became themselves burning hot, so that by turning and rearranging his limbs upon~
them, his agony was kept keener, and his suffering made to last longer.

[Responsory5]
R. Leave me not, holy Father, for I have spent already thy treasures.
* I leave thee not, my son, neither forsake thee but there awaiteth thee for~
Christ's truth a wrestling sterner than mine.
V. We, as old men, have an easier race to run for thee in thy youth there is~
kept a more glorious victory over the enemy yet three days, and thou shalt~
follow me, the Deacon behind the Priest.
R. I leave thee not, my son, neither forsake thee but there awaiteth thee for~
Christ's truth a wrestling sterner than mine.

[Lectio6]
Cruel savage! thou gainest nothing, and advancest nothing. That which can die~
passeth by degrees beyond the reach of thy tortures, and when Lawrence departeth~
to heaven, thou and thy fires are conquered. The love of Christ could not be~
overcome by the flames, and the glow that scorched the outward man was colder~
than that that burnt in the inner. Thou didst rage, O thou persecutor thou~
didst rage against the Martyr, but by making keener his agony, thou hast but~
made nobler his palm. What did thine imagination fail to discover that could~
minister to the glory of him who conquered thee, since even the means of his~
execution have turned to the honour of his triumph Wherefore, dearly beloved~
brethren, let us rejoice with spiritual joy, and make our boast in the Lord, Who~
is wonderful in His Saints, (Ps. lxvii. 36,) and hath given unto us, in them an~
help and an ensample let us, I say, make our boast of the extraordinary~
happiness of the illustrious Lawrence's end, in that same Lord Who hath so~
glorified the name of His servant throughout the whole world, that from the~
rising of the sun unto the going down thereof, wheresoever the constellation of~
the Levitical lights shineth, even as Jerusalem is made glorious by Stephen, so~
Rome is made famous by Lawrence.

[Responsory6]
R. The blessed Lawrence cried and said My God do I worship, and Him only do I~
serve
* And therefore I am not afraid of thy tortures.
V. The darkness is no darkness to me, but the night is all as clear as the~
morning, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
R. And therefore I am not afraid of thy tortures.
&Gloria
R. And therefore I am not afraid of thy tortures.

[Lectio7]
From the holy Gospel according to John
!John 12:24-26
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.)
!Tract $ on John.
The Lord Jesus was Himself a corn of wheat that was to die and bring forth much~
fruit to die by the unbelief of the Jews, and to bring forth much fruit in the~
faith of the Gentiles. He, exhorting men to follow His steps, saith He that~
loveth his life shall lose it. Now, these words may be understood in two ways.~
First he that loveth his life shall lose it, that is, If thou love life, thou~
wilt lose it if thou wilt live for ever in Christ, refuse not to die for~
Christ. Or secondly he that loveth his life shall lose it love not then that~
which thou shalt lose love not this present life, so that thou be thereby in~
jeopardy of losing life eternal.

[Responsory7]
R. Upon the bars I denied thee not, O God.
* And when they put me to the fire, I acknowledged thee to be the Lord, O Jesus~
Christ.
V. Lord, Thou hast proved mine heart and visited it by night.
R. And when they put me to the fire, I acknowledged thee to be the Lord, O Jesus~
Christ.

[Lectio8]
What this second interpretation is the meaning of the Gospel, appeareth most~
probable from the words which follow: And he that hateth his life in this world,~
shall keep it unto life eternal. From which we may suppose the sense of the~
first words to be He that loveth his life in this world shall lose it unto~
life eternal. This is a great and marvellous saying, showing how a man may so~
love life as to lose life, and so hate life as to keep life. If thou love it too~
well, then dost thou hate it if thou hate it with an holy hatred, then dost~
thou love it. Blessed are they that, lest they should so love it as to lose it,~
so hate it as to keep it.

[Responsory8]
R. O Hippolytus, if thou believest in the Lord Jesus Christ,
* I lay before thee treasure an hundredfold, and promise thee life everlasting. 
V. The blessed Lawrence said unto Hippolytus If thou believest in the Lord~
Jesus Christ
R. I lay before thee treasure an hundred-fold, and promise thee life~
everlasting.
&Gloria
R. I lay before thee treasure an hundred-fold, and promise thee life~
everlasting.

[Lectio9]
Beware lest thou take these words He that hateth his life in this world shall~
keep it unto life eternal as some do, for an approval of suicide. Some evil and~
perverse men, bloody and guilty murderers of themselves, do indeed throw~
themselves into the fire, drown themselves in water, and cast themselves down~
precipices, and so perish. This is not the teaching of Christ, Who, when the~
devil would have Him cast Himself down from an high place, answered Get thee~
behind Me, Satan. It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. (Matth.~
iv. 5-7.) Who also said to Peter, signifying by what death he should glorify God~
When thou wast young thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest~
but when thou shalt be old, another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou~
wouldest not. (John xxi. 18.) From which it is evident that he that would follow~
Christ's footsteps, must be slain, not by himself, but by another.

[Responsory9]
R. Gaudeo plane quia hostia Christi effici merui: accusatus non negavi; interrogatus: Christum confessus sum
* Assatus, gratias ago
V. Ego me obtuli sacrificium Deo, in odorem suavitatis
R. Assatus, gratias ago
&Gloria
R. Assatus, gratias ago

[Ant Laudes]
Lawrence went in to be a martyr, * and acknowledged the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lawrence wrought a good work, * in that with the sign of the Cross he gave sight to the blind.
O my God, my soul cleaveth fast after thee, * for my flesh hath been burnt with fire for thy sake.
The Lord hath sent His Angel, * and hath delivered me out of the midst of the fire, so that I am not scorched.
The blessed Lawrence prayed * and said I give thee thanks, O Lord, that Thou hast made me worthy to enter within thy gates

[Capitulum Laudes]
!2 Cor 9:6
v. Brethren, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which~
soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
$Deo gratias
_
R.br. Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, O Lord.
R. Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, O Lord.
V. And madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands.
R. Thou hast crowned him
&Gloria
R. Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, O Lord.

[Versum 2]
V. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor
R. His righteousness endureth for ever.

[Ant 2]
Upon the bars I denied thee not, O God. * And when they put me to the fire, I~
acknowledged thee to be the Lord, O Christ. Thou has proved mine heart, and~
visited it by night Thou hast tried me with fire, and found no wickedness in~
me.

[Capitulum Tertia]
!2 Cor 9:6
v. Brethren, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which~
soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
$Deo gratias

[Responsory Tertia]
V. Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, O Lord.
R. And madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands.

[Capitulum Sexta]
!2 Cor 9:7
v. Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness, or of~
necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
$Deo gratias

[Responsory Sexta]
V. O Lord, Thou hast set a crown of precious stones
R. Upon his head.

[Capitulum Nona]
!2 Cor 9:8-9
v. And God is able to make all grace abound in you; that ye always, having all~
sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work, As it is written: He~
hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever
$Deo gratias

[Responsory Nona]
V. His glory is great in thy salvation.
R. Honour and great majesty shalt Thou lay upon him.

[Versum 3]
V. The Levite Lawrence wrought a good work
R. In that with the sign of the Cross he gave sight to the blind.

[Ant 3]
When the blessed Lawrence was lying, stretched upon the bars, and burning, he~
said * to the iniquitous magistrate The cooking is done enough now, turn the~
meat and eat for the property of the Church, which thou seekest, hath been~
garnered up in heaven by the hands of the poor.

[LectioE]
v. Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 12:24-26
12:24 Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die,
12:25 Itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal.
12:26 If any man minister to me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall my minister be. If any man minister to me, him will my Father honour.
$Te decet
