[Rank]
In Vigilia Ss. Simonis and Judae Apostolorum;;Vigilia;;1.5;;ex C1v

[Rule]
ex C1v;
Responsory Feria
Preces feriales
Versum Feria
no Te Deum
Laudes 2 

[Lectio1]
From the holy Gospel according to John
!John 15:1-7
In that time Jesus said to his disciples: I an the true vine; and my Father is~
the husbandman. And so on.
_
Homily by St Austin, Bishop (of Hippo.)
!Tract 80, on John.
Dearly beloved brethren, this passage of the Gospel, wherein the Lord saith that~
He is the vine, and that His disciples are the branches, is to be taken in that~
sense wherein it is also said, that He is the Head of the Church, (Eph. v. 23,)~
and that we are the members of Him (30) Who is the Mediator between God and men,~
the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. ii. 5.) The vine and his branches are of one and~
the same nature. Therefore, seeing that He was God, of which nature we are not,~
He was made man, to the end that He might have in Himself this vine, that is,~
the manhood, whereof we men can be made branches.

[Lectio2]
Why saith He I am the true vine As touching this word true, hath He not~
here regard to that other parable of a vine, the like figure whereto He doth~
here apply to Himself? (Jer. ii. 21.) Here is He called a vine, not plainly, but~
in parable, as also He is called elsewhere a sheep, (Isa. liii. 7, Acts viii. 32,) a~
lamb, (John i. 36,) a lion, (Apoc. v. 5,) a rock, (1 Cor. x. 4,) a corner-stone,~
(Eph. ii. 20,) and other things of the like kind. But these things are in~
themselves that which they seem to be, albeit He is called by their names, not~
plainly, but in a parable, and herein are they different from that vine, whereof~
in this place He taketh on Him the name. For when He saith I am the true vine,~
doth He not make distinction between Himself, and that which indeed seemed to be a~
vine, but to which it is said How art thou turned into the degenerate plant~
of a strange vine unto Me? (Jer. ii. 21.) For by what title shall that plant be~
called other than a false vine, whereto they looked that she should bring forth~
grapes, and she brought forth thorns?

[Lectio3]
He saith I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Is the vine one~
with the husbandman? These words then are to be taken in that sense wherein He~
also saith My Father is greater than I. (John xiv. 28.) In this sense is He~
the vine, and the Father is the husbandman. But again, in regard to those words I~
and the Father are one, and again and My Father is the husbandman, we~
understand that They are not the vine and the husbandman, after the manner of a~
vine, and the husbandman that from without doth care for and keep it, but after~
the manner of a vine and Him That from within doth make it to bring forth fruit.~
For neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth but God~
that giveth the increase. (1 Cor. iii. 7.) But Christ is God, for the Word was~
God. (John i. 1.) Therefore He and the Father are one: and, albeit the Word was~
made flesh, (John i. 14,) which, before, He was not, He ceased not to be still~
That Which He was.

[Oratio]
Almighty God, grant, we beseech thee, that as we are preventing thine Apostles~
Simon and Jude, their glorious birth - day, so the same may prevent thy Majesty~
to win thy good things for us. 
$Per Dominum
