# Matins Nocturn 2-3 readings for the Dedication of St. Michael the
# Archangel (Sep 29) — SanctiM/09-29.txt's own structure borrows from
# `SanctiM/05-08` (St. Michael's own May 8 Apparition file) but its
# Officium and Lectio5-12 resolve back to `@Sancti/09-29:LectioN`
# (resliced), so this feast's own proper content is sourced from the
# Tridentine track exactly as for a pre-1955 saint (see memory
# vu-matins-pre1955-saints, vu-matins-sanctim-saints).
# web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/09-29.txt, English/Sancti/09-29.txt.
#
# Nocturn 2: Lectio4-6 (Pope St. Gregory the Great's homily on the
# nine choirs of Angels) combined into one reading, one continuous
# excerpt.
# Nocturn 3: Lectio7's Gospel citation (Matt 18:1-10) 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 Lectio8-9 as one continuous excerpt of St. Jerome's commentary.
# No responsory given for either reading.
id: st-michael
readings:
  - nocturn: 2
    isGospel: false
    source: "Pope St. Gregory the Great, Homily 34 on the Gospels"
    text:
      la: >-
        Novem Angelórum órdines dícimus, quia vidélicet esse, testánte sacro elóquio, scimus:
        Angelos, Archángelos, Virtútes, Potestátes, Principátus, Dominatiónes, Thronos,
        Chérubim atque Séraphim. Esse namque Angelos et Archángelos pene omnes sacri elóquii
        páginæ testántur. Chérubim vero atque Séraphim sæpe, ut notum est, libri prophetárum
        loquúntur. Quátuor quoque órdinum nómina Paulus Apóstolus ad Ephésios enúmerat,
        dicens: Supra omnem Principátum, et Potestátem, et Virtútem, et Dominatiónem. Qui
        rursus ad Colossénses scribens, ait: Sive Throni, sive Potestátes, sive Principátus,
        sive Dominatiónes. Dum ergo illis quátuor, quæ ad Ephésios dixit, conjungúntur Throni,
        quinque sunt órdines; quibus dum Angeli et Archángeli, Chérubim atque Séraphim adjúncta
        sunt, procul dúbio novem esse Angelórum órdines inveniúntur.


        Sciéndum vero quod Angelórum vocábulum nomen est offícii, non natúræ. Nam sancti illi
        cæléstis pátriæ Spíritus, semper quidem sunt Spíritus, sed semper vocári Angeli
        nequáquam possunt; quia tunc solum sunt Angeli, cum per eos áliqua nuntiántur. Unde et
        per Psalmístam dícitur: Qui facit Angelos suos spíritus; ac si paténter dicat: Qui eos,
        quos semper habet Spíritus, étiam, cum volúerit, Angelos facit. Hi autem qui mínima
        núntiant, Angeli; qui vero summa annúntiant, Archángeli vocántur. Hinc est enim quod
        ad Maríam Vírginem non quílibet Angelus, sed Gábriel Archángelus míttitur. Ad hoc
        quippe ministérium, summum Angelum veníre dignum fúerat, qui summum ómnium
        nuntiábat. Qui idcírco étiam privátis nomínibus censéntur, ut signétur per vocábula,
        étiam in operatióne quid váleant. Míchaël namque, Quis ut Deus? Gábriel autem,
        Fortitúdo Dei; Ráphaël vero dícitur Medicína Dei.


        Et quóties miræ virtútis áliquid ágitur, Míchaël mitti perhibétur; ut ex ipso actu et
        nómine detur intéllegi quia nullus potest fácere, quod fácere prǽvalet Deus. Unde et
        ille antíquus hostis, qui Deo esse per supérbiam símilis concupívit, dicens: In cælum
        conscéndam, super astra cæli exaltábo sólium meum, símilis ero Altíssimo; dum in fine
        mundi in sua virtúte relinquétur extrémo supplício periméndus, cum Michaéle Archángelo
        præliatúrus esse perhibétur, sicut per Joánnem dícitur: Factum est prǽlium cum
        Michaéle Archángelo. Ad Maríam quoque Gábriel míttitur, qui Dei Fortitúdo nominátur;
        illum quippe nuntiáre veniébat, qui ad debellándas aéreas potestátes húmilis
        appárere dignátus est. Ráphaël quoque interpretátur, ut díximus, Medicína Dei; quia
        vidélicet, dum Tobíæ óculos quasi per offícium curatiónis tétigit, cæcitátis ejus
        ténebras tersit.
      en: >-
        We say that there are nine Orders of Angels, for, by the witness of the holy Word, we
        know that there be Angels, Archangels, Mights, Powers, Principalities, Dominions,
        Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim. Nearly every page of the holy Word witnesseth that
        there be Angels and Archangels. The books of the Prophets, as is well known, do
        oftentimes make mention of Cherubim and Seraphim. Paul, writing to the Ephesians,
        counteth up the names of four Orders, where he saith: The Father of glory raised Christ
        from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all
        Principality, and Power, and Might, and Dominion. And the same, again, writing to the
        Colossians, saith: By the Son were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are
        in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or
        Principalities, or Powers. If, then, we add the Thrones to the four Orders of which he
        spake unto the Ephesians, we have five Orders; and when we add unto them the Angels and
        the Archangels, the Cherubim and the Seraphim, we find that the Orders of Angels are
        beyond all doubt nine.


        But we must know that the word Angel is the designation, not of a nature, but of an
        office. Those holy spirits in the heavenly fatherland are always spirits, but they may
        no wise be always called Angels, which is, being interpreted, messengers, for they are
        Angels only when they are sent as Messengers. Hence also it is said by the Psalmist: Who
        makest spirits thine Angels! As if it were: Of them who are always with Him as spirits,
        He doth somewhiles make use as Messengers. They who go on the lesser messages are called
        Angels; they who go on the greater, Archangels. Hence it is that unto the Virgin Mary was
        sent no common Angel, but the Archangel Gabriel. For the delivery of this, the highest
        message, it was meet that there should be sent the highest Angel. Their individual names
        also are so given as to signify the kind of ministry wherein each is powerful. Michael
        signifieth: Who-is-like-unto-God? Gabriel, the Strength-of-God, and Raphael, the
        Medicine-of-God.


        As often as anything very mighty is to be done, we see that Michael is sent, that by
        that very thing, and by his name, we may remember that none is able to do as God doeth.
        Hence that old enemy whose pride hath puffed him up to be fain to be like unto God, even
        he who said, I will ascend unto heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I
        will be like the Most High, this old enemy, when at the end of the world he is about to
        perish in the last death, having no strength but his own, is shown unto us a-fighting
        with Michael the Archangel, even as saith John: There was war in heaven; Michael and his
        Angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels. Unto Mary is
        sent Gabriel, whose name is interpreted the Strength of God, for he came to herald the
        appearing of Him Who was content to appear lowly that He might fight down the powers of
        the air. Raphael, also, as we have said, signifieth the Medicine-of-God, and it is the
        name of him who touched as a physician the eyes of Tobias, and cleared away his
        blindness.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }

  - nocturn: 3
    isGospel: false
    source: "St. Jerome, Priest, Commentary on Matthew, Bk. 3 (on Matt 18:1-10)"
    text:
      la: >-
        Post invéntum statérem, post tribúta réddita, quid sibi vult Apostolórum repentína
        interrogátio, Quis, putas, major est in regno cælórum? Quia víderant pro Petro et
        Dómino idem tribútum rédditum, ex æqualitáte prétii arbitráti sunt Petrum ómnibus
        Apóstolis esse prælátum, qui in redditióne tribúti Dómino fúerat comparátus; ídeo
        intérrogant quis major sit in regno cælórum. Vidénsque Jesus cogitatiónes eórum, et
        causas erróris intéllegens, vult desidérium glóriæ, humilitátis contentióne, sanáre.


        Si autem manus tua vel pes tuus scandalízat te, abscínde eum et próice abs te. Necésse
        est quidem veníre scándala; væ tamen ei est hómini, qui, quod necésse est ut fiat in
        mundo, vítio suo facit ut per se fiat. Igitur omnis truncátur afféctus et univérsa
        propínquitas amputátur, ne per occasiónem pietátis unusquísque credéntium scándalis
        páteat. Si, inquit, ita est quis tibi conjúnctus, ut manus, pes, óculus; et est útilis
        atque sollícitus, et acútus ad perspiciéndum, scándalum autem tibi facit, et propter
        dissonántiam morum te pértrahit in gehénnam: mélius est ut et propinquitáte ejus et
        emoluméntis carnálibus cáreas, ne, dum vis lucri fácere cognátos et necessários,
        causam hábeas ruinárum.


        Dico vobis quia Angeli eórum in cælis semper vident fáciem Patris mei. Supra díxerat,
        per manum et pedem et óculum, omnes propinquitátes et necessitúdines, quæ scándalum
        fácere póterant, amputándas; austeritátem, ítaque senténtiæ subjécto præcépto
        témperat, dicens: Vidéte ne contemnátis unum ex pusíllis istis. Sic, inquit, præcípio
        severitátem, ut commiscéri cleméntiam dóceam. Quia Angeli eórum in cælis vident semper
        fáciem Patris. Magna dígnitas animárum, ut unaquǽque hábeat ab ortu nativitátis, in
        custódiam sui, Angelum delegátum. Unde légimus in Apocalýpsi Joánnis: Angelo Ephesi,
        et reliquárum ecclesiárum, scribe hæc. Apóstolus quoque prǽcipit velári cápita, in
        ecclésiis, feminárum propter Angelos.
      en: >-
        After the finding of the piece of money in the fish's mouth, after the payment of the
        tribute, what meaneth this sudden question of the Apostles? Who is the greatest in the
        kingdom of heaven? They had seen that the same tribute-money was paid for Peter as for
        the Lord, and from this equality of reckoning they gathered that Peter was Prince of all
        the Apostles, seeing that he had been appraised at the same price as his Master.
        Therefore they ask, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus, seeing
        their thoughts, and understanding wherefore they erred, is fain to take away the desire
        of glory by the love of lowliness.


        Therefore, if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee;
        for it must needs be that offences come, but woe to that man by whom the offence
        cometh! because by his sin he maketh, and maketh to be his own work, that which must
        needs be in the world. Away, then, with every affection and every kinship, lest thy love
        should throw a stumbling-block before a single believer. Be there any, saith He, who is
        as near to thee as thine hand, thy foot, or thine eye, useful, careful, far-seeing, but
        who layeth a stumbling-block before thee, and whose diverse way of life may draw thee to
        hell; it is better for thee to lose such an one and thy worldly happiness with him, than
        to live surrounded by them that are near and needful to thee, and to pile up unto
        thyself damnation.


        I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father.
        Above, He had said that every tie of kinship or of convenience which might become a
        stumbling-block, albeit close and needful as hand, or foot, or eye, was to be cut off,
        but here He softeneth the hardness of that precept: Take heed that ye despise not one of
        these little ones. Hardness, saith He, I command not save as teaching tenderness withal;
        in heaven their Angels do always behold the face of My Father. Oh, how great is the
        dignity of souls, whereof every one hath from its birth an Angel appointed to guard it!
        Hence, we read in the Revelation of John: unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, and
        so of the others, write, and so on. And the Apostle Paul also saith: The woman ought to
        have a covering on her head, because of the Angels.
    status: { la: verified, en: verified }
