Chapter 88: Of the preaching of the Apostles, and the spreading of the most Holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the world, for the Salvation of men

I BLESS You, and give thanks to You, O Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, most highly exalted Son of God, Blessed for ever above all the Saints, because on this day, when the Holy Spirit, Whom You had sent into the world, had come visibly in the form of fire, the hearts of the faithful were invisibly so inflamed with the love and praise of Your Holy Name, that without delay that Holy Name, exalted by the Father far above all holy names, was fearlessly and publicly preached, praised, spread abroad, and magnified by Your blessed Apostles; was openly proclaimed before all the people in Jerusalem, and among all nations; and went on from day to day being more and more exalted, honoured, and adored.

And then, as the number of the disciples increased, so great devotion and brotherly love was kindled among the faithful, that they were one in the belief of their minds and in the kindliness of their actions. True love for God made them all of one heart and soul; none of them sought his own things but those of Jesus Christ; and in the holy primitive Church, gathered together in the Holy Ghost, all property was held in common. So great also was the joy, peace, and concord among them that no one said that anything which he possessed was his own, but every one was glad to have all things in common for God's sake, and to distribute to those who were in need. This holy and heavenly mode of life was learnt in the first instance by the holy Apostles from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself; thereafter they were careful to observe it; and they continued so to do throughout their lives, which they ended by dying for the Faith of Jesus Christ.

I praise and bless You, Holy Father, Almighty Everlasting God, together with Your Only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, for all Your benefits and spiritual gifts, which of old You did bestow upon Your chosen friends, and upon the holy Patriarchs and Prophets. Long ages since, You did reveal to them through the Holy Ghost, both by words and by signs, the secret things of Your Wisdom, and the judgements of Your Mouth, and chiefly the mystery of Your Incarnation. But after Your coming, O loving Jesus, You did fulfil and make plain in Your Own Life many of the hidden things of Scripture, and did expound others of them more fully — still, however, lovingly postponing till after the mission of the Holy Ghost those things which mere babes in Christ were not able to receive. And further — what is still more wonderful and praiseworthy — You did of a sudden inflame with the fire of the Holy Ghost the untutored minds of the Apostles, and did perfectly instruct the hearts of those whom You had drawn away from earthly vanities, and who were devoted to You; making them wiser than the wise of this world, and giving them strength to convert the whole world.

I praise and glorify You, most illustrious Jesus Christ, Enlightener and Restorer of the entire human race, for the conversion and gathering together of much people, belonging to many nations and speaking divers tongues, whom You have brought out of various parts of the world into the unity of the Catholic faith and of the Apostles' Doctrine, causing them to join in praising Your most sweet and Holy Name in hymns and psalms and spiritual songs (thus most devoutly celebrating this sacred festival of the Holy Ghost) in all places and churches, and in convents of Religious of all the different Orders. At this great festival, in the hearing of the common people, and of princes and nobles, are recited in Church the many wonderful things which were done in days of old — works which from the beginning of the world were wrought upon earth by the Holy Ghost for the salvation of those who believe, and which He will never cease to work until the day of judgement shall come: for " if God he for us, who is against us? " And so it is that in the psalm the Holy Ghost exhorts all the faithful, saying: " In the Churches bless you God the Lord, from the fountains of Israel. There is Benjamin, a youth, in ecstasy of mind,'^ beholding, that is to say, the things of Heaven, and forsaking all things that are earthly.

Blessed are those servants whose feet are swift to join in praising God; who rejoice in taking part with the Angels in blessing His Holy Name. Blessed are they who despise the things that are without, and turn with all their heart to God; that so they may receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, and may be enabled to overcome all carnal affections, and to resist their ghostly enemy; for greater and stronger for good are the power and grace of the Holy Spirit, than is the power of the wicked one for evil.

O most good and loving Jesus, I bless and praise You for the abundant grace and wisdom which You did bestow upon Your Apostles, thus enabling them to preach Your Word boldly before all the dwellers in Jerusalem and Samaria, and even unto the ends of the earth; and especially do I bless and praise You for Your gift of constancy and singleness of heart, which kept them steadfast in the faith in spite of persecution from city to city, and caused them to rejoice in suffering reproach for Your Name's sake, in being thrown into prison, in being scourged, in being tormented with hunger, in having to undergo punishment of many kinds. All these things seemed to them small and of no account in comparison with the crown of everlasting Life, and the greatness of the glory which were laid up for them, even as blessed Paul says: "The sufferings of this time are not worthy to he compared with the glory to come, that shall he revealed in us."

Which glory, O most loving Jesus, Son of the Living God, of Your most tender mercy, by the immeasurable grace of the Holy Spirit, and through the glorious intercessions of all Your Saints (which are so pleasing to You), after the sad and perilous struggles of this my present life are ended, to me do You vouchsafe to grant —

Who live and reign with the Father and the same Holy Spirit, God in Three Persons, One in Essence, Co-equal in Glory, for ever and ever, world without end. Amen.

THE END

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