On the fourth Sunday (after Easter) we are also invited to the Jubilee (i.e., the celebration of the fifty days from Easter to Pentecost), and the gentiles especially, for which reason, the Introit is taken from a psalm that invites to song, which begins, ‘Sing to the Lord a new song, for He hath done wonderful things.’
Introitus Cantáte Dómino cánticum novum, allelúja: quia mirabilia fecit Dóminus, allelúja: ante conspectum gentium revelávit justitiam suam, allelúja, allelúja, allelúja. Ps. 97 Salvávit sibi déxtera ejus: et brachium sanctum ejus. Gloria Patri. Cantáte Dómino...Introit Sing ye to the Lord a new song, alleluia: because the Lord hath done wonderful things, alleluia; He hath revealed His justice in the sight of the gentiles, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Ps 97 His right hand hath wrought for Him salvation, and his arm is holy. Glory be... Sing ye to the Lord...
... There follows, ‘He hath revealed His justice, (that is, His Son) in the sight of the gentiles.’ Then the verse, ‘His right hand hath wrought salvation, etc.’ And note that through the Faith, two people are united, namely, the gentiles and the Jews, and therefore the prayer says, ‘O God, who makest the minds of the faithful to be of one will.’
Again, because this Sunday has brought us close to the Ascension, therefore the Gospel is read which says, ‘I go to Him who sent me’, and afterwards, ‘it is good for you that I go’ (John 16, 5-14), for the cause of rejoicing is show, namely, the Ascension. The beginning of the Epistle of blessed James (1, 17-21) agrees with this: ‘Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.’ (William Durandus, Rat. Div. Off. 6, 100, 1-3.)
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| St James the Less, by the Spanish painter Cristóbal García Salmerón (1603-66). On the scroll in his hand are written the words of the Apostles’ Creed “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church.” This refers to the popular medieval legend that the Apostles composed the Creed together, each contributing one or two phrases, before separating and going out into various parts of the world to preach the Gospel. |
