THE TWELVE PROPHECIES - The Eleventh Prophesy: Deuteronomy 31: 22-3O

Normally the Twelve Prophecies are at Easter and Pentecost. St. Francis de Sales in his sermons for the season (Advent and Christmas) pointed out that Christmas is one of the three fulfillments of the type of the original Pasch of Moses, the other two being Easter and Pentecost. So let us bring to mind the Prophecies, since in fact their fulfillment is only in the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ in His salvation He brought to earth with Him beginning with His advent upon earth born of the Blessed Virgin Mary with St. Joseph watching over the both of them.

The Eleventh Prophesy: Deuteronomy 31: 22-3O

We who have been baptized must, like the Israelites led by Moses, recall to mind the precepts of God and His munificence.

In diébus illis: Scripsit Móyses cánticum, et dócuit fílios Israël. Præcepítque Dóminus Jósue fílio Nun, et ait: Confortáre, et esto robústus: tu enim introdúces Fílios Israël in terram quam pollícitus sum, et ego ero tecum. Postquam ergo scripsit Móyses verba legis hujus in volúmine, atque complévit: præcépit Levítis, qui portábant arcam fœderis Dómini, dicens: Tóllite librum istum, et pónite eum in látere arcæ fœderis Dómini Dei vestri: ut sit ibi contra te in testimónium. Ego enim scio contentiónem tuam, et cervicem tuam duríssimam. Adhuc vivénte me, et ingrediénte vobíscum, semper contentióse egístis contra Dóminum: quanto magis cum mórtuus fúero? Congregáte ad me omnes majóres natu per tribus vestras, atque doctóres, et loquar audiéntibus eis sermónes istos, et invocábo contra eos cœlum et terram. Novi enim quod post mortem meam iníque agétis, et declinábitis cito de via, quam præcépi vobis: et occúrrent vobis mala in extrémo témpore, quando fecéritis malam in conspéctu Dómini, ut irritétis eum per ópera mánuum vestrárum. Locútus est ergo Móyses, audiénte univérso cœtu Israël, verba cárminis hujus, et ad fínem usque complévit.

In those days, Moses wrote the canticle and taught it the children ofIsrael. And theLord commanded Josue the son of Nun, and said, Take courage, and be valiant; for thou shalt bring the children ofIsraelinto the land which I have promised, and I will be with thee. Therefore after Moses had wrote the words of this law in a volume, and finished it; he commanded the levites, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, Take this book, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a testimony against thee. For I know thy obstinacy, and thy most stiff neck. While I am yet living, and going in with you, you have always been rebellious against the Lord; how much more when I shall be dead? Gather unto me all the ancients of your tribes, and your doctors, and I will speak these words in their hearing, and will call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that, after my death, you will do wickedly, and will quickly turn aside from the way that I have commanded you: and evils shall come upon you in the latter times, when you shall do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him by the works of your hands. Moses therefore spoke, in the hearing of the whole assembly ofIsrael, the words of this canticle, and finished it even to the end.

TRACT: Deuteronomy 32: 1-4

Atténde cœlum et loquar: et áudiat terra verba ex ore meo. V. Exspectétur sicut plúvia elóquium meum: et descéndant sicut ros verba mea. V. Sicut imber super gramen, et sicut nix super fœnum: quia nomen Dómini invocábo. V. Date magnitúdinem Deo nostro: Deus, vera ópera ejus, et omnes viæ ejus judícia. V. Deus fidélis, in quo non est iníquitas: justus, et sanctus Dóminus.

Hear, O Heaven, and I will speak: and let the earth give ear to the words out of my mouth. V. Let my speech be expected like rain; and my words descend like dew. V. As a shower upon the grass, and like snow upon hay: because I will invoke the name of the Lord. V. Give ye magnificence to our God: God’s works are true, and all His ways are judgments. V.God is faithful, in whom there is no iniquity: the Lord is just and holy.

COLLECT

P. Oremus.

D. Flectamus genua.

S. Levate.

Deus, celsitúdo humílium, et fortitúdo rectórum, qui per sanctum Móysen púerum tuum, ita erudire pópulum tuum sacri cárminis tui decantatióne voluísti, ut illa legis iterátio fíeret étiam nostra diréctio: éxcita in omnem justificatárum géntium plenitúdinem poténtiam tuam, et da lætítiam, mitigándo terrórem; ut ómnium peccátis tua remissióne delétis, quod denuntiátum est in ultiónem, tránseat in salútem. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sæcula sæculórum. S. Amen.

P. Let us pray.

D. Let us kneel.

S. Arise.

O God, the exaltation of the lowly and the strength of the just, Who wast pleased so to teach Thy people, through Moses, Thy holy servant, by the chanting of Thy sacred hymn, that this repetition of the law might become our instruction also, put forth Thy power upon the whole body of the justified nations, and give them joy by allaying their fear, so that ail their sins being wiped out by Thy forgiveness, that which was proclaimed for vengeance may turn into salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. S. Amen.

My humble Christmas gift: Litanies - John