# Matins Nocturn 2-3 readings for St. Francis Xavier (Dec 3). Sourced # directly from web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/12-03.txt, # English/Sancti/12-03.txt. Nocturn 2: Lectio4-6 combined into one # reading. # # Update (2026-09-05): Nocturn 3's Gospel pericope (Mark 16:15-18, # already known from this file's own header) is now authored too # (isGospel: true, immediately before Gregory's homily) — reused # verbatim from `ss-cyriacus-largus-and-smaragdus.yml`, already authored # this session with the identical citation. id: st-francis-xavier readings: - nocturn: 2 isGospel: false text: la: >- Francíscus, in Xavério diœcésis Pampelonénsis nobílibus paréntibus natus, Parísiis sancto Ignátio sese cómitem et discípulum junxit. Ipso magistro eo brevi devénit, ut in rerum divinárum contemplatióne defíxus, a terra aliquándo sublímis elevarétur: quod illi sacrificánti coram pópuli multitúdine aliquóties evénit. Has ánimi delícias magnis sui córporis cruciátibus merebátur. Nam interdícto sibi, non carnis solum et vini, sed panis quoque tritícei usu, vílibus cibis vesci sólitus, per bíduum subínde triduúmque omni prorsus aliménto abstínuit. Férreis in se flagéllis ita sǽviit, ut sæpe copióso cruóre difflúeret; somnum brevíssimum humi jacens carpébat. Vitæ austeritáte ac sanctitáte apostólico múneri jam matúrus, cum Joánnes tértius Lusitániæ rex áliquot nascéntis societátis viros a Paulo tértio pro Indiis postulásset, sancti Ignátii hortátu, ab eódem Pontífice ad tantum opus cum apostólici núntii potestáte delígitur. Eo appúlsus, íllico variárum géntium difficíllimis et váriis linguis divínitus instrúctus appáruit. Quin eum quandóque único idiómate ad divérsas gentes concionántem, unaquǽque sua lingua loquéntem audívit. Províncias innúmeras pédibus semper, et sæpe nudis, peragrávit. Fidem Japóniæ et sex áliis regiónibus invéxit. Multa centéna hóminum mília ad Christum in Indiis convértit; magnósque príncipes, regésque complúres sacro fonte expiávit. Et cum tam magna pro Deo ágeret, ea erat humilitáte, ut sancto Ignátio, tunc præpósito suo, flexis génibus scríberet. Hunc dilatándi Evangélii ardórem multitúdine et excelléntia miraculórum Dóminus roborávit. Cæco visum réddidit. Tantum marínæ aquæ signo crucis convértit in dulcem, quantum quingéntis vectóribus, qui siti adigebántur ad mortem, diu suffécit: qua in várias quoque regiónes asportáta, ægri plúrimi súbito curáti sunt. Plures mórtuos revocávit ad vitam, inter quos prídie sepúltum érui jussum e túmulo suscitávit, duósque álios, dum efferréntur, apprehénsa eórum manu, paréntibus e féretro vivos restituit Prophetíæ spíritu passim afflátus, plúrima et loco et témpore remotíssima enuntiávit. Demum in Sanciáno, Sinárum ínsula, die secúnda Decémbris, óbiit plenus méritis, laboribúsque conféctus. Demórtui cadáver viva calce per multos menses bis óbrutum, sed pénitus incorrúptum, odóre et sánguine manávit; et ubi Málacam delátum est, pestem sævíssimam conféstim exstínxit. Dénique ubíque terrárum novis maximísque fulgéntem miráculis Gregórius décimus quintus Sanctis adscrípsit. Pius autem décimus ipsum sodalitáti et óperi Propagándæ Fídei cæléstem patrónum elégit atque constítuit. en: >- Francis was of noble family, and was born in the castle of Xavier, in the diocese of Pampeluna, (in the year of our Lord 1506.) He was a companion of St. Ignatius at Paris, and one of his earliest disciples. Under his teaching, he learnt to become so wrapt in the contemplation of divine things, that he was sometimes lifted in ecstasy off the ground, which happened to him several times when he was saying Mass in public before large congregations. He earned these refreshments of the soul by the sharpest punishment of the body. He gave up the use not only of meat and wine, but also of wheaten bread; he lived on the vilest food, and ate only once every two or three days. He used an iron scourge till his blood ran freely; he shortened the hours of his rest, and lay only on the ground. The hardness and holiness of his life had made him meet to be called to be an Apostle, and when John III, King of Portugal, asked Pope Paul III to send to the Indies some members of the then new Society of Jesus, the Pontiff, by the advice of St. Ignatius, sent Francis to enter on that vast field of labour with the powers of Apostolic Nuncio. He arrived (in India on the 6th day of May, in the year 1542.) When he began his work, it seemed as though God Himself taught him the many and difficult languages of the natives. It even happened that when he preached in one language to a mixed congregation of different nationalities, each one heard him in his own tongue wherein he was born. He travelled over countless districts, always walking, and often bare-footed. He introduced the faith into Japan, and six other countries. In India he turned many hundred thousands to Christ, and regenerated many chiefs and kings in the holy font. And notwithstanding that he was doing all these great things for God's service, so deep was his lowliness that when he wrote to St. Ignatius, the General of the Society, he did so on his knees. God was pleased to support his zeal for spreading the Gospel with many and great miracles. He gave sight to a blind man. On one occasion the supply of fresh water failed when he was at sea, and five hundred sailors were in danger of perishing by thirst, but the servant of God, by the sign of the Cross, turned salt water into fresh, and they used it for a considerable time. Some of this water was also carried into different countries, and a great number of sick persons were instantaneously cured by it. He called several dead men to life, among whom was one who had been buried the day before, and who was disinterred by command of the saint; and likewise two others who were being carried to the grave, and whom he took by the hand and restored living to their parents. He had the spirit of prophecy, and foretold many things, remote both in place and time. Utterly worn out with his labours, he died full of good works in the island of San-Chan in the Canton River, (upon the 2nd day of December, in the year of our Lord 1552.) His body was buried in quick lime, and, being again taken up, was again buried in the same, but at the end of many months it was found entirely incorrupt, and sweet, and, when cut, blood flowed freely from it. From China it was carried to Malacca, and, as soon as it reached that place, a plague, which was raging there, ceased. At length, when he had become famous throughout the whole world for new and wonderful miracles, Gregory XV added his name to the list of the Saints. status: { la: verified, en: verified } - nocturn: 3 isGospel: true citation: { la: "Marc 16:15-18", en: "Mark 16:15-18" } text: la: >- In illo témpore: Dixit Jesus discípulis suis: Eúntes in mundum univérsum, prædicáte Evangélium omni creatúræ. Qui credíderit, et baptizátus fúerit, salvus erit: qui vero non credíderit, condemnábitur. Signa autem eos, qui credíderint, hæc sequéntur: In nómine meo dæmónia ejícient: linguis loquéntur novis: serpéntes tollent: et si mortíferum quid bíberint, non eis nocébit: super ægros manus impónent, et bene habébunt. en: >- At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, "Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned. And these signs shall attend those who believe: in My name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak in new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands upon the sick and they shall get well." status: { la: verified, en: verified } - nocturn: 3 isGospel: false source: "Pope St. Gregory the Great, Homily 29 on the Gospels (Mark 16:15-18)" text: la: >- Potest omnis creaturæ nómine omnis natio Géntium designari. Ante enim dictum fuerat: In viam Géntium ne abieritis; nunc autem dícitur: Prædicate omni creaturæ: ut scilicet prius a Judǽa Apostolórum repulsa prædicátio tunc nobis in adjutórium fieret, cum hanc illa ad damnatiónis suæ testimónium superba repulísset. Sed cum discipulos ad prædicándum Véritas mittit, quid aliud in mundo facit, nisi grana seminis spargit? Et pauca grana mittit in semine, ut multárum messium fruges recipiat ex nostra fide. Neque étenim in universo mundo tanta fidelium messis exsúrgeret, si de manu Dómini super rationalem terram illa electa grana prædicántium non venissent. Sequitur: Qui crediderit et baptizátus fúerit, salvus erit: qui vero non crediderit, condemnábitur. Fortasse unusquísque apud semetípsum dicat: Ego jam credidi, salvus ero. Verum dicit, si fidem opéribus tenet. Vera étenim fides est, quæ in hoc, quod verbis dicit, móribus non contradicit. Hinc est enim quod de quibusdam falsis fidelibus Paulus dicit: Qui confiténtur se nosse Deum, factis autem negant. Signa autem eos qui credituri sunt, hæc sequéntur: In nómine meo dæmónia ejícient, linguis loquéntur novis, serpéntes tollent: et si mortiferum quid biberint, non eis nocébit: super ægros manus impónent, et bene habébunt. Numquidnam, fratres mei, quia ista signa non fácitis, minime creditis? Sed hæc necessaria in exordio Ecclésiæ fuérunt. Ut enim ad fidem cresceret multitúdo credéntium, miraculis fuerat nutriénda: quia et nos, cum arbústa plantamus, tamdiu eis aquam infúndimus, quoúsque ea in terra jam coaluisse videámus: et si semel radícem fixerint, irrigátio cessabit. Hinc est enim quod Paulus dicit: Linguæ in signum sunt non fidelibus, sed infidelibus. en: >- By the words every creature we may understand every tribe of the Gentiles. Of aforetime it had been said, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, (Matth. x. 5,) but now, Preach the Gospel to every creature, that, since the Jews had proudly rejected the preaching of the Apostles, that might become our gain which was the seal of their condemnation. But when the Eternal Truth sendeth forth His disciples to preach, what doth He but scatter seed over the field of the world? He scattereth abroad a few grains for seed, that He may afterward reap an abundant harvest in our faith. The great harvest of faithful souls throughout the whole world would never have sprung up, if the hand of the Lord had not first scattered those chosen grains of preachers over the reasonable soil of men's minds. Then is written, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not, shall be damned. Now, perchance, thou sayest in thine heart I believe, and therefore I shall be saved. True, if to thy faith thou dost add works. He only hath a living faith whose life doth not give the lie to his profession. It is of this that Paul speaketh, where he saith of certain vain believers, They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him. (Tit. i. 16.) And these signs shall follow them that believe In My name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. My brethren, these signs do not follow us. Do we, then, not believe? Nay. The truth is, these things were needful when the Church was young. That she might grow by the increase of the faithful, she needed to be nourished with miracles. So we, when we plant a young tree, continually water and tend it, till we see that it hath taken firm root in the earth but when once it hath taken firm root, it can grow of itself. Hence Paul saith of tongues Tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. ~(i Cor. xiv. 22.) status: { la: verified, en: verified }