# Matins Nocturn 2-3 readings for St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, # Virgin (Oct 3). Sourced directly from # web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/10-03.txt, English/Sancti/10-03.txt. # Nocturn 2: Lectio4-6 combined into one reading, one continuous vita. # Nocturn 3: Lectio7's Gospel citation (Matt 18:1-4, the little child # set in the disciples' midst) is a bare "Et réliqua" incipit in the # horas file -- the same pericope this day's own Mass proper carries in # full (missa/Latin+English/Sancti/10-03.txt's [Evangelium]), sourced # from there and added 2026-09-05 (isGospel: true) immediately before # the homily (Lectio7-9, Pope St. Leo the Great -- itself an unusual # reuse of a Sermon originally preached for Epiphany, but on this same # Matt 18:1-4 text, so it pairs correctly here). id: st-therese-of-lisieux readings: - nocturn: 2 isGospel: false text: la: >- Terésia a Jesu Infante, Alensonii in Gállia, honestis paréntibus, singulari et assidua erga Deum pietáte conspicuis, orta est. Inde a prima ætate, divino Spíritu prævénta, religiosam vitam ágere cupiebat. Serio autem promisit, se nihil Deo denegatúram, quod ipse ab ea petere viderétur: quam promissiónem fideliter usque ad mortem servare satégit. Quinto ætátis anno, matre amissa, Dei providéntiæ se totam commisit sub vigilanti custódia amantíssimi patris, sororúmque natu majórum: quibus magistris, Teresia ad curréndam perfectiónis viam ut gigas exsultávit. Novennis virgínibus ex Ordine sancti Benedicti Lexoviis excolenda traditur, ibique in rerum divinárum cognitióne excellere visa est. Décimo ætátis anno, arcanus et gravis morbus eam diu cruciávit, a quo prout ipsa enárrat, ope Beatíssimæ Vírginis, quæ eídem subrídens appáruit, et quam, sub titulo Dominæ nostræ a Victoria, per novendialia invocare studuit, divinitus fuit liberata. Tunc, angelico fervore repléta, ad sacrum convivium, in quo Christus sumitur, se diligentíssime præparáre curávit. Ut prímitus eucharistico pane fuit refecta, insatiábilem cæléstis hujus cibi famem haurire visa est: unde velut inspirata, Jesum rogabat, ut omnem mundanam consolatiónem in amaritúdinem sibi verteret. Inde tenerrimo in Christum Dóminum et in Ecclésiam amóre exæstuans, nihil antiquius hábuit, quam Carmelitárum Excalceatórum Ordinem íngredi, ut sui abnegatióne, suisque sacrifíciis, sacerdótibus, missionariis, totique Ecclésiæ opem afferret, et innumeras ánimas Jesu Christo lucrifáceret: quod jam morti próxima, apud Deum se factúram pollícita est. Propter ætátis defectum, multas ad religiosam vitam amplecténdam nacta est difficultates, quibus tamen incredibili animi fortitúdine superatis, quindecim annos nata, Lexoviensem Carmelum feliciter ingressa est. Ibi mirábiles Deus in Teresiæ corde ascensiónes dispósuit, quæ, Maríæ Vírginis vitam abscónditam imitata, quasi hortus irriguus, flores ómnium virtútum germinávit, præcipue vero exímiæ in Deum et in próximum caritátis. Quo magis Altíssimo placéret, quum in Sacris Scripturis mónitum illud legísset: Si quis est párvulus véniat ad me; párvula in spíritu esse vóluit, et inde filiali fiducia Deo, tamquam Patri amantíssimo, se perpetuo trádidit. Hanc, spiritualis infantiæ viam, secúndum Evangélii doctrinam, alios docuit, speciatim novítias, quas ex obediéntia ad religiosárum virtútum studium informandas suscépit, atque ita apostolico zelo repléta, mundo, supérbia inflato et vanitátes diligenti, evangelicæ simplicitátis iter patefécit. Sponsus autem Jesus eam patiéndi desidério, tam in anima, quam in corpore, pénitus inflammávit. Insuper Dei caritátem undequáque neglectam animadvertens, summo dolóre affecta, duobus ante óbitum annis, Dei miserentis amori se víctimam óbtulit. Tunc, ut ipsa refert, cæléstis ignis flamma vulneráta est: unde caritate consumpta, in écstasim rapta, ferventíssime ingéminans: Deus meus, te diligo; viginti quatuor annos nata, die trigesima Septembris, anno millesimo octingentésimo nonagesimo septimo, ad Sponsum evolávit. Quod autem móriens promiserat, se perennem rosárum plúviam in terram demissuram, hoc in cælum recepta, innumeris miraculis reapse adimplévit et in dies adimplet. Quam Pius undecimus, Pontifex maximus, Beátis Virgínibus adscriptam, et biennio post, jubilæo máximo recurrente, inter Sanctas relatam, peculiarem ómnium Missiónum Patronam constítuit ac declarávit. en: >- Theresa of the Child Jesus was born in Alencon in France. Her parents were estimable people, well known for their piety and their love of God. From her earliest childhood, endowed by a special grace of the Holy Ghost, she yearned to enter the religious life. She promised God with the utmost sincerity that she would deny him nothing he might ask of her. She kept this promise faithfully to the end of her life, although she had to suffer a great deal to keep it. Her mother died when Theresa was but five years old. From then on the child committed herself to the providence of God, under the vigilant care of a most tender father and her elder sisters. Under their teaching Theresa raced as gayly strong as a young giant along the way of perfection. At the age of nine she was sent to school at Lisieux to the Benedictine nuns, where she made remarkable progress in her knowledge of divine things. In her tenth year she was ill for a long time of a serious and mysterious malady. From this, as she herself relateth, she was delivered only by the power of God himself, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who appeared to her with a smiling countenance, and to whom under the title of our Lady of Victories, she was constantly making novenas. Filled with angelic fervour she prepared herself at this time with the utmost care to receive Christ in the sacred banquet of her first Holy Communion. After being refreshed for the first time with the Eucharistic Bread Theresa seemed to develop an insatiable hunger for the celestial food. Then, as if by inspiration, she asked Jesus to turn all her earthly consolation into bitterness. After that she burned with a most tender love for Christ the Lord and for his Church. More than anything in the world she wanted to enter the Order of the Discalced Carmelites, where by self-sacrifice she might assist priests, missionaries and the whole Church, and so gain innumerable souls for Christ Jesus. All this, she promised God would do for her, even when apparently she lay at the point of death. Her extreme youth was an obstacle which hindered her entrance upon the religious life. Even this she overcame by her incredible courage of soul. She entered Carmel at Lisieux happily at the age of fifteen. There God fashioned the heart of Theresa in a marvellous way, teaching her to ascend to him step by step. Imitating the hidden life of the Virgin Mary like a well-watered garden she bore flowers of every virtue, especially an abiding love of God and neighbour. That she might please the most high God to greater degree, when she read in Sacred Scriptures the warning, Whoever is a little one, let him come unto me, she determined to be a little one in spirit. As such she consecrated herself forever with childlike confidence to God, her most loving Father. The way of spiritual childhood, following the teachings of the Gospel, she taught to others, especially to the novices whose training in the pursuit of religious virtues she undertook in obedience to her superiors. Overflowing with apostolic zeal she pointed out to a world filled with pride and a love of vanities, the simple way of the Gospels. Meanwhile Jesus, her spouse, inflamed her with a desire to suffer both in soul and in body. Moreover, perceiving that the love of God was everywhere rejected, she became filled with grief and two years before her death, offered herself as a victim of love to the merciful God. She writeth that she was then wounded by a flame of fire from heaven, whereupon she became consumed by love, rapt as it were in ecstasy. Repeating over and over again the fervent words, My God, I love thee, she passed on to her Spouse on the 30th day of September, in the year 1897, at the age of twenty-four years. As she was dying she promised that she would let fall upon earth a ceaseless shower of roses. This promise she hath indeed fulfilled in heaven, and her shower of roses hath continued to this very day. The Sovereign Pontiff Pius XI added her name to the Virgins declared Blessed and two years later, at the time of the great Jubilee, listed her among the Saints. He also appointed and declared her Patroness of all the missions. status: { la: verified, en: verified } - nocturn: 3 isGospel: true citation: { la: "Matt 18:1-4", en: "Matt 18:1-4" } text: la: >- In illo témpore accessérunt discípuli ad Jesum, dicéntes: Quis, putas, major est in regno cælórum? Et advocans Jesus párvulum, státuit eum in médio eórum, et dixit: Amen, dico vobis, nisi convérsi fuéritis, et efficiámini sicut párvuli, non intrábitis in regnum cœlorum. Quicúmque ergo humiliáverit se sicut párvulus iste, hic est major in regno cœlórum. en: >- At that time, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who then is greater in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in their midst, and said, Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. status: { la: verified, en: verified } - nocturn: 3 isGospel: false source: "Pope St. Leo the Great, Sermon 37, on Epiphany, ch. 3-4" text: la: >- Tota, dilectíssimi, christianæ sapiéntiæ disciplína, non in abundántia verbi, non in astutia disputándi, neque in appetitu laudis et glóriæ, sed in vera et voluntária humilitate consistit, quam Dóminus Jesus Christus ab útero Matris usque ad supplícium Crucis pro omni fortitúdine et elégit et docuit. Nam, cum discípuli ejus inter se, ut ait Evangelista, disquírerent quis eórum major esset in regno cælórum, vocávit párvulum, et státuit eum in médio eórum, et dixit: Amen, dico vobis, nisi convérsi fuéritis et efficiámini sicut párvuli, non intrabitis in regnum cælórum. Quicúmque ergo humiliaverit se sicut puer iste, hic major erit in regno cælórum. Amat Christus infantiam, quam primum et animo suscépit et corpore. Amat Christus infantiam, humilitátis magistram, innocéntiæ regulam, mansuetúdinis formam. Amat Christus infantiam, ad quam majórum dirigit mores, ad quam senum redúcit ætates; et eos ad suum inclínat exemplum, quos ad regnum sublimat ætérnum. Ut autem plene valeámus agnóscere quómodo apprehéndi possit tam mira conversio et in puerílem gradum qua nobis mutatióne redeundum sit, doceat nos beátus Paulus et dicat: Nolíte púeri effici sensibus, sed malítia párvuli estote. Non ergo ad lúdicra infantiæ et imperfécta nobis primordia reverténdum est, sed aliquid, quod étiam graves annos déceat, inde suméndum, ut velox sit commótium tránsitus, citus ad pacem recursus: nulla sit memória offensiónis, nulla cupiditas dignitátis; amor sociæ communiónis, æqualitas naturalis. Magnum enim bonum est nocére non nosse et maligna non sápere; quia inférre ac referre injúriam, mundi hujus prudéntia est; némini autem malum pro malo reddere, christianæ est æquanimitátis infantia. Ad hanc vos, dilectíssimi, similtúdinem parvulórum mystérium hodiérnæ festivitátis invitat; et hanc vobis humilitátis formam adorátus a Magis puer Salvátor insinuat: qui, ut imitatóribus suis quid glóriæ paráret, osténderet, ortus sui témpore éditos martyrio consecrávit; ut in Bethlehem, ubi Christus natus est, geniti, per communiónem ætátis consortes fíerent passiónis. Amétur ígitur humilitas, et omnis a fidelibus vitétur elátio. Alter álterum sibi præferat, et nemo quod suum est quærat, sed quod alterius; ut, cum in ómnibus abundaverit afféctus benevoléntiæ, in nullo virus inveniátur invidiæ: quóniam qui se exáltat humiliábitur, et qui se humíliat exaltábitur. en: >- The whole teaching of Christian wisdom consisteth, dearly beloved, not in an abundance of words, not in skill in disputation, not surely in seeking after praise or glory, but rather in seeking after true and voluntary humility. This was the way which the Lord Jesus Christ chose and taught with all his strength from his Mother's womb to his death on the Cross. When the Lord's disciples, as the Evangelist saith, discussed among themselves which should be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, he called a little child and set him in the midst of them, and said: Verily, I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Christ loveth childhood, which state at first he took upon himself, both in his soul and in his body. Christ loveth childhood, for it is the teacher of humility, the rule of innocence, and the type of meekness. Christ loveth childhood, for he formeth the character of the grown man on this model, and bringeth back the latter years of the old to this very state; and he shapeth on this wise those whom he would raise to the kingdom of heaven. But, that we may be fully able to understand how this marvellous transformation can be accomplished, and by what change we are to return to the state of childhood, let us follow the teaching of the blessed Paul, who saith: Be not children in understanding; howbeit, in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. Hence we are not to return to the pastimes and imperfect beginnings of childhood, but thence are rather to take whatever is suitable to the full-grown: such as the swift passing of excitement; the speedy restoration of peace; the forgetfulness of injuries; the indifference to dignity; the love of the companionship of their comrades; and the natural evenness of temper. It is indeed a great good not to know and not to have a taste for harm; for to do and to return injuries is the wisdom of this world, but to render no man evil for evil is to possess the childhood of Christian goodwill. The mystery of this day's festival, dearly beloved, calleth you to this imitation of little children. And the Saviour, who was adored by the Magi as a child, recommendeth to you this pattern of humility. To shew what glory he prepareth for them that would imitate him, he consecrated by martyrdom those born at the same time as himself. And thus the children born in Bethlehem, where Christ was born, became sharers of his passion by virtue of sharing the age of his infancy. Let the faithful then love lowliness, and shun all arrogance. Let each one prefer his brother to himself. Let him seek not even what is his own, but only that which will profit his brother. The feeling of charity will abound in all; the poison of envy will be found in none. For he that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. status: { la: verified, en: verified }