# Matins Nocturn 2-3 readings for St. Benedict, Abbot, patron of the
# Monastic rite (Mar 21, Duplex I class) — SanctiM/03-21.txt is a
# richer case than most SanctiM files: Lectio1-4 (Nocturn 1) fall back
# to Common of an Abbot; Lectio5-8 resolve back to
# `@Sancti/03-21:Lectio4-6` (resliced, same vita text as the Tridentine
# track — see memory vu-matins-pre1955-saints, vu-matins-sanctim-saints);
# but Lectio9-12 are the Monastic office's *own* content, not found in
# `Sancti/03-21.txt` at all — a homily by St. Peter Damian preached
# specifically "In Natal. S. Bened. Abb.", genuinely proper to this
# feast in the Monastic rite.
#
# Nocturn 2: `Sancti/03-21.txt`/`English/Sancti/03-21.txt` Lectio4-6
# combined into one reading, one continuous vita (drawn from St.
# Gregory the Great's Dialogues, Bk. 2, the classic Life of St.
# Benedict), no genuine source break.
# Nocturn 3: `SanctiM/03-21.txt` Lectio9's Gospel citation (Matt
# 19:27-29) is a bare incipit ("Et réliqua") with no full pericope text
# given, so — per the pre-1955 pass's convention of not transcribing
# bare incipits — only the homily portion is authored (not marked
# isGospel), combined with Lectio10-12 as one continuous excerpt of St.
# Peter Damian's sermon. No English/SanctiM translation exists for
# this file in the reference engine, so `en` for the Nocturn 3 reading
# is this project's own translation, marked `draft` per
# vu-prefer-text-over-missing. No responsory given for either reading.
id: st-benedict
readings:
  - nocturn: 2
    isGospel: false
    text:
      la: >-
        Benedíctus, Núrsiæ nóbili génere ortus, Romæ liberálibus disciplínis erudítus, ut totum
        se Jesu Christo daret, ad eum locum, qui Sublácus dícitur, in altíssimam spelúncam
        penetrávit; in qua sic per triénnium delítuit, ut unus id sciret Románus mónachus, quo
        ad vitæ necessitátem minístro utebátur. Dum ígitur ei quodam die ardéntes ad libídinem
        faces a diábolo subjiceréntur, se in vépribus támdiu volutávit, dum, laceráto córpore,
        voluptátis sensus dolóre opprimerétur. Sed jam erumpénte ex illis látebris fama ejus
        sanctitátis, quidam mónachi se illi instituéndos tradidérunt: quorum vivéndi licéntia cum
        ejus objurgatiónes ferre non posset, venénum in potióne ei dare constítuunt. Verum,
        póculum ei præbéntibus, crucis signo vas confrégit, ac relícto monastério in solitúdinem
        se recépit.


        Sed cum multi ad eum quotídie discípuli convenírent, duódecim monastéria ædificávit,
        éaque sanctíssimis légibus communívit. Póstea Cassínum migrávit, ubi simulácrum Apóllinis,
        qui adhuc ibi colebátur, commínuit, aram evértit et lucos succéndit; ibíque sancti
        Martíni sacéllum et sancti Joánnis ædículam exstrúxit, oppidános autem et íncolas
        christiánis præcéptis ímbuit. Quare augebátur in dies magis divína grátia Benedíctus, ut
        étiam prophético spíritu ventúra prædíceret. Quod ubi accépit Tótila Gothórum rex,
        exploratúrus, an res ita esset, spathárium suum régio ornátu et comitátu præmíttit, qui
        se regem simuláret. Quem ut ille vidit, Depóne, inquit, fili, depóne quod geris; nam tuum
        non est. Tótilæ vero prædíxit advéntum ejus in Urbem, maris transmissiónem, et post
        novem annos mortem.


        Qui áliquot ménsibus ántequam e vita migráret, præmónuit discípulos, quo die esset
        moritúrus; ac sepúlcrum, in quo suum corpus condi vellet, sex diébus ántequam eo
        inferrétur, aperíri jussit: sextóque die deférri vóluit in ecclésiam; ubi, sumpta
        Eucharístia, sublátis in cælum óculis orans, inter manus discipulórum efflávit ánimam:
        quam duo mónachi eúntem in cælum vidérunt, pállio ornátum pretiosíssimo, circum eam
        fulgéntibus lampádibus, et claríssima et gravíssima spécie virum, stantem supra caput
        ipsíus, dicéntem audiérunt: Hæc est via, qua diléctus Dómini Benedíctus in cælum
        ascéndit.
      en: >-
        Benedict was born of a noble family at Norcia, and studied letters at Rome. Desiring to
        give himself altogether to Christ Jesus, he betook himself to a very deep cave at the
        place now called Subiaco. In this place he lay hid for three years, unknown to all except
        the monk Romanus, by means of whom he received the necessaries of life. While he was in
        the cave at Subiaco, the devil one day assailed him with an extraordinary storm of impure
        temptation, and to get it under, he rolled himself in brambles till his whole body was
        lacerated, and the sting of pain drove out the sallies of lust. At last the fame of his
        holiness spread itself abroad from the desert, and some monks came to him for guidance,
        but the looseness of their lives was such that they could not bear his exhortations, and
        they plotted together to poison him in his drink. When they gave him the cup, he made the
        sign of the Cross over it, whereupon it immediately broke, and Benedict left that
        monastery, and retired to a desert place alone.


        Nevertheless his disciples followed him daily, and for them he built twelve monasteries,
        and set holy laws to govern them. Afterwards he went to Cassino, and brake the image of
        Apollo which was still worshipped there, overturned the altar, and burnt the groves.
        There he built the Church of St Martin and the little chapel of St. John; and instilled
        Christianity into the townspeople and inhabitants. He grew in the grace of God day by
        day, so that being endowed with the spirit of prophecy he foretold things to come. When
        Totila, King of the Goths, heard of it, and would see whether it really were so, he sent
        his Spatharius before him, with the kingly ensigns and attendance, and feigning himself
        to be Totila. But as soon as Benedict saw him he said: My son, put off that which thou
        wearest, for it is not thine. To Totila himself he foretold that he would go to Rome,
        would cross the sea, and would die after nine years.


        Some months before he departed this life, Benedict forewarned his disciples on what day
        he was to die; and he ordered his grave to be opened six days before he was carried to
        it. On the sixth day, being the 21st of March, he would be carried into the Church, where
        he received the Eucharist, and then, in the arms of his disciples, with his eyes lifted
        up to heaven, and wrapt in prayer, he gave up the ghost. Two monks saw his soul rising to
        heaven, clothed in a most precious garment, and surrounded with lights, and One of a most
        glorious and awful aspect standing above, Whom they heard saying: This is the way whereby
        Benedict, the beloved of the Lord, goeth up to heaven.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }

  - nocturn: 3
    isGospel: false
    source: "St. Peter Damian, Bishop, Sermon 9, On the Nativity of St. Benedict, Abbot (on Matt 19:27-29)"
    text:
      la: >-
        Ecce nos relíquimus ómnia, et secúti sumus te. Solémne verbum, magna promíssio, opus
        sanctum, dignum benedictióne: relínquere ómnia, et sequi Christum. Hæc sunt verba
        voluntárie persuasória paupertátis, quæ monastéria genuérunt, quæ claustra mónachis,
        anachorétis silvas copiósius replevérunt. Hæc enim sunt, de quibus psallit Ecclésia:
        Propter verba labiórum tuórum ego custodívi vias duras; perceptúra requiem pro labóre,
        pro paupertáte divítias, pro tribulatióne mercédem. Magnum revéra est relínquere ómnia,
        sed majus Christum sequi, cum multos ómnia reliquísse, nec Christum secútos fuísse
        legámus. Hoc opus, hic labor est, hic salútis humánæ summa consístit; nec Christum
        póssumus sequi, nisi ómnia relinquámus, quia exsúltat ut gigas ad curréndam viam, et
        onerátus eum sequi non potest.


        Ecce, inquit, nos relíquimus ómnia, non solum facultátes mundi, sed et ánimi quoque
        cupiditátes: neque enim relínquit ómnia, qui retínuit vel seípsum; immo vero nihil prodest,
        sine seípso cétera reliquísse, quandóquidem nullum áliud onus est grávius hómini, quam
        homo ipse. Quis enim tyránnus crudélior, quæ sǽvior potéstas hómini, quam hóminis ipsíus
        volúntas? Séquitur: Quid ergo erit nobis? Jam ómnia relíquit Petrus, jam non solum
        séquitur, sed et diu secútus est; et nunc primum intérrogat, quidnam sit acceptúrus. Quid
        est, Petre? Nonne obediéntiam promisísti in auris auditióne, non in pacti conventióne? Sed
        audíte jam, quid loquátur Dóminus Deus, et atténdite spem, in qua mundo fluctuánte
        speráre debémus: Sedébitis, ait Dóminus, ait Véritas. Solémnis séssio, grata quies, plena
        sufficiéntia.


        Sed ne magnæ promissiónis dulcédinem longánimis expectátio contorquéret, mentis nostræ
        mobilitátem sermónem témperat dulcióri. Novit enim ipse figméntum nostrum, quóniam
        dilatiónis moras pusillanímitas nostra non sústinet; ideóque benignitáte sua huic quoque
        obviat cogitatióni, et occúrrit étiam ex hac parte, dicens: Et omnis, qui relíquerit
        domum, aut patrem, aut matrem, aut fratrum, aut uxórem, aut agros, aut fílios, propter
        nomen meum, céntuplum accípiet, et vitam ætérnam possidébit. Obstrúctum est certe os
        loquéntium iníqua. Jamque confundántur omnes iníqua agéntes supervácue. Habémus enim
        promissiónem vitæ hujus, quæ nunc est, páriter et futúræ, manifestúmque est præséntis
        témporis esse céntupli promissiónem, ex eo nimírum quod séquitur: Et vitam ætérnam
        possidébit.


        Qui ergo nondum céntuplum accepérunt, scruténtur corda sua, et univérsa mánuum suárum
        stúdia diligénter exáminent; nec dúbium, quin invéniant ángulum et diversórium, quod
        Salvátor non novit. Sed quid est céntuplum istud, nisi consolatiónes visitationésque et
        primítiæ Spíritus, qui super mel dulcis est, nisi testimónium consciéntiæ nostræ, nisi
        læta et jucundíssima justórum expectátio, nisi memória abundántiæ suavitátis Dei, et
        magna vere multitúdo dulcédinis ejus, quam nec expértis necésse est dícere, nec
        inexpértis illis verbis exprímere quiquam potest? Cui vero sic speciáliter totus
        evangélicæ lectiónis excúrsus assignári potest, quemádmodum Patri et Magístro nostro
        beáto Benedícto? Hic a puerítia mundum cum flore relíquit, et curréntem Christum cursu
        rapidíssimo secútus est, nec déstitit, donec consequerétur.
      en: >-
        Behold, we have left all things, and have followed thee. A solemn word, a great promise,
        a holy work, worthy of a blessing: to leave all things, and follow Christ. These are the
        words that willingly persuade to poverty, which have brought forth monasteries, which have
        filled cloisters with monks and the woods more abundantly with hermits. For these are they
        of whom the Church sings: Because of the words of thy lips I have kept hard ways; about to
        receive rest for labour, riches for poverty, reward for tribulation. It is indeed a great
        thing to leave all things, but a greater thing to follow Christ, since we read that many
        left all things, yet did not follow Christ. This is the work, this is the labour, herein
        lies the sum of man's salvation; nor can we follow Christ unless we leave all things,
        because He rejoiceth as a giant to run the way, and one who is burdened cannot follow Him.


        Behold, he saith, we have left all things — not only the goods of the world, but also the
        desires of the mind: for he does not leave all things who has kept even himself; indeed it
        profits nothing to have left all else without leaving oneself, since no burden is heavier
        upon a man than the man himself. For what tyrant is more cruel, what power more savage upon
        a man, than the will of the man himself? There follows: What then shall we have? Peter has
        already left all things; he not only follows now, but has long followed; and now for the
        first time he asks what he is to receive. What is this, Peter? Didst thou not promise
        obedience upon hearing with thine ears, not upon the striking of a bargain? But hear now
        what the Lord God says, and attend to the hope in which we ought to hope while the world is
        tossed about: Ye shall sit, says the Lord, says the Truth. A solemn sitting, a welcome rest,
        a full sufficiency.


        But lest a long-drawn-out waiting should twist the sweetness of the great promise, He
        tempers the fickleness of our mind with a sweeter word. For He himself knows our frame,
        since our faintheartedness cannot bear the delays of postponement; and so in His kindness
        He meets this thought also, and comes to meet us on this side too, saying: And every one
        that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children,
        or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life
        everlasting. Surely the mouth of them that speak unjust things is stopped. Now let all be
        confounded that work iniquity in vain. For we have the promise of this life, which now is,
        together with that which is to come; and it is plain that the hundredfold promise belongs
        to the present time, from what follows: and shall possess life everlasting.


        Let those, then, who have not yet received the hundredfold, search their own hearts, and
        diligently examine all the labours of their hands; and there is no doubt they will find a
        corner and a lodging-place which the Saviour does not know. But what is this hundredfold,
        but the consolations and visitations and firstfruits of the Spirit, which is sweeter than
        honey; but the testimony of our own conscience; but the glad and most joyful expectation
        of the just; but the memory of the abundance of God's sweetness, and the truly great
        multitude of His sweetness, which it is not necessary to tell to those who have
        experienced it, nor can any words express it to those who have not? But to whom can this
        whole course of the Gospel reading be so specially assigned, as to our Father and Master,
        blessed Benedict? He from boyhood left the world in its flower, and followed the running
        Christ with the swiftest course, nor did he cease until he had overtaken Him.
    status: { la: verified, en: draft }
