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 Sixth Prophesy: Baruch 3: 9-38
We shall enjoy everlasting peace in heaven, if we observe the lessons of life and wisdom which the prophet (the Church) teaches us.
Audi Israël mandáta vita: áuribus pércipe, ut scias prudéntiam. Quid est, Israël, quod in terra inimicórum es? Inveterásti in terra aliéna, coinquinátus es cum mórtuis; deputátus es cum descendéntibus in inférnum. Dereliquísti fontem sapiéntiæ. Nam si in via Dei ambulásses, habitásses útique in pace sempitérna. Disce ubi sit prudéntia, ubi sit virtus, ubi sit intelléctus: ut scias simul ubi sit longitúrnitas vita, et victus, ubi sit lumen oculórum et pax. Quis invénit locum ejus? et quis intrávit in thesáuros ejus? Ubi sunt principes géntium, et qui dominántur super béstias, quæ sunt super terram? qui inávibus cæli ludunt, qui argéntum thesaurízant, et aurum, in quo confídunt hómines, et non est finis acquisitiónis eórum? qui argéntum fábricant et sollíciti sunt, nec est invéntio óperum illórum? Extermináti sunt, et ad inferos descendérunt, et álii loco córum surrexérunt. Júvenes vidérunt lumen, et habitavérunt super terram: viam autem disciplínæ ignoravérunt, neque intellexérunt sémitas ejus, neque fílii eórum, suscepérunt eam, a facie ipsórum longe facta est: non est audíta in terra Chánaan, neque visa est in Theman. Fílii quoque Agar, qui exquírunt prudéntiam, quæ de terra est, negotiatóres Merrhæ, et Theman, et fabulatóres, et exquisitóres prudéntiæ, et intelligéntiæ: viam autem sapiéntiæ nesciérunt, neque comemoráti sunt sémitas ejus. O Israël, quam magna. est domus Dei, et ingens locus possessiónis ejus! Magnus est, et non habet finem: excélsus, et imménsus. Ibi fuérunt gigántes nomináti illi, qui ab initio fuérunt, státura magna, sciéntes bellum. Non hos elégit Dóminus, neque viam discíplinæ invenérunt: proptérea periérunt. Et quóniam non habuérunt sapiéntiam, interiérunt propter suam insipiéntiam. Quis ascéndit in cælum, et accépit eam, et edúxit eam de núbibus? Quis transfretávit mare, et invénit illam? Et áttulit illam super aurum eléctum? Non est qui possit scire vias ejus, neque qui exquírat sémitas ejus: sed qui scit univérsa, novit eam, et adinvénit eam prudéntia sua: qui præparávit terram in ætérno témpore, et replévit eam pecúdibus, et quadrupédibus: qui emíttit lumen, et vadit: et vocávit illud, et obédit illi in tremóre. Stellæ autem dedérunt lumen in custódiis suis, et lætátæ sunt: vocátæ sunt, et dixérunt: Adsumus: et luxérunt ei cum jucunditáte, qui fecit illas. Hic est Deus noster, et non æstimábitur álius advérsus eum. Hic adinvénit omnem viam disciplinæ, et trádidit illam Jacob púero suo, et Israël dilécto suo. Post hæc in terris visus est, et cum homínibus conversátus est.
Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life: give ear, that thou mayest learn wisdom. How happeneth it, O Israel, that thou art in thy enemies’ land? Thou art grown old in a strange country: thou art defiled with the dead; thou art counted with them that go down into hell. Thou hast forsaken the fountain of wisdom; for if thou hadst walked in the way of God thou hadst surely dwelt in peace forever. Learn where is wisdom, where is strength, where is understanding, that thou mayest know also where is length of days and life, where is the light of the eyes, and peace. Who hath found out her place? and who hath gone into her treasures? Where are the princes of the nations and they that rule over the beasts that are upon the earth? that take their pastime with the birds of the air, that hoard up silver and gold, wherein men trust; and there is no end of their getting? who work in silver and are solicitous, and their works are unsearchable? They are cut off, and are gone down to hell, and others are risen up in their place. Young men have seen the light, and dwelt upon the earth, but the way of knowledge they have not known; nor have they understood the paths thereof, neither have their children received it; it is far from their face. It hath not been heard of in thelandofChanaan, neither hath it been seen in Theman. The children of Agar also, that search after the wisdom that is of the earth, the merchants of Merrha, and of Theman, and the tellers of fables, and searchers of prudence and understanding; but the way of wisdom they have not known, neither have they remembered her paths. O Israel, how great is the house of God, and how vast is the place of His possession! It is great, and hath no end; it is high and immense. There were the giants, those renowned men that were from the beginning, of great stature, expert in war. The Lord chose not them, neither did they find the way of knowledge; therefore did they perish. And because they had not wisdom they perished through their folly. Who hath gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds? Who hath passed over the sea, and found her, and brought her preferably to chosen gold? There is none that is able to know her ways, nor that can search out her paths. But He that knoweth all things knoweth her, and hath found her out with His understanding: He that prepared the earth forevermore, and filled it with cattle and four-footed beasts: He that sendeth forth light, and it goeth, and hath called it, and it obeyeth Him with trembling. And the stars have given light in their watches, and rejoiced. They were called, and they said, Here we are; and with cheerfulness they have shined forth to Him that made them. This is our God, and there shall no other be accounted of in comparison with Him. He found out all the way of knowledge, and gave it to Israel His servant, and toIsraelHis beloved. Afterwards He was seen upon earth and conversed with men.
COLLECT
P. Oremus.
D. Flectamus genua.
S. Levate.
Deus, qui Ecclésiam tuam semper géntium vocatióne multíplicas: concéde propítius: ut, quos aqua baptísmatis ábluis, continua protectióne tueáris. 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, Who dost ever multiply Thy Church by the calling of the nations, mercifully grant that those whom Thou dost wash with the water of baptism may be guarded by Thy continual protection. 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.
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