ST.
AMBROSE
Ambrose,
Bishop of Milan, was the son of another Ambrose, a Roman citizen, and was born
when his father was Prefect of Gaul, [about the year of our Lord 340.] A swarm
of bees settled upon his face when he was in his cradle, which was considered
an omen of his future eloquence. He received a liberal education at Rome. He
was afterwards, under the Prefect Probus, made governor of Liguria and Emilia,
and so came with authority to Milan. Auxentius, an Arian, who had been intruded
into the Bishoprick of Milan, happening to die, the most violent disputes arose
about the choice of a successor. Ambrose came to the church in his official
capacity, and urged upon the contending factions, in a long and powerful speech,
the necessity of keeping the public peace; whereupon a child suddenly cried out,
“Ambrose, Bishop,” and the whole assembly took it up, and unanimously called for
his election.
Ambrose refused, and would not yield to
their prayers, whereupon on they carried their petition to the Emperor
Valentinian. It was very pleasing to this Prince that those he had appointed as
judges should be chosen Bishops, as to the Prefect Probus, who had, as it were
prophetically, said to him when he appointed him, “Go and govern them more like
a Bishop than a Judge.” When the will of the Emperor was added to the desire of
the people, Ambrose yielded, and received Baptism, (for hitherto he was only a
Catechumen,) Confirmation, and Communion, and then the several Orders on
successive days, till on the eighth day, which was the 7th of December, [in the
year 374,] the
weight of the Episcopate was laid upon his shoulders. Being made Bishop, he
showed himself a stout upholder of the Catholic faith, and the discipline of
the Church, and turned to the truth great numbers of Arians and other heretics,
and, among them, he begat in Christ Jesus that burning and shining light of the
Church, Augustine.
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| Sts. Augustine and Ambrose by Fra Filippo Lippi |
ST. AMBROSE
BISHOP,
CONFESSOR AND DOCTOR
Double White vestments
Commemoration for the
Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
INTROITUS
In
Medio Ecclesiæ aperuit os ejus: et implevit eum Dominus spiritu sapientiæ, et
intellectus: stolam gloriæ induit eum.
Ps. 91: 2. Bonum est confiteri
Domino: et psallere nomini tuo, Altissime. Gloria Patri.
INTROIT
Ecclesiasticus 15: 5
In
the midst of the Church the Lord opened his mouth: and filled him with the
spirit
of wisdom and understanding: He clothed him with a robe of glory.
Ps. It is good to give
praise to the Lord: and to sing to Thy Name, O Most High. Glory be to the
Father.
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| St Ambrose Converting Emperor Theodosius by Pierre Subleyras |
COLLECT
O
God, who didst give blessed Ambrose as a minister of eternal salvation to Thy people:
grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who have had him for our teacher on earth, may
deserve to have him for our advocate in heaven. Through our Lord.
For the
Feria in Advent
Stir
up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Thine only-begotten Son; that
through His coming we may attain to serve Thee with purified minds. Who with
Thee liveth and reigneth.
Third
Collect for the Vigil of the Immaculate Conception
O
God, who didst wondrously preserve the Mother of thine only-begotten Son from
original sin in her Conception: grant,
we beseech thee, that strengthened by her intercession we may be ready with
clean hearts to take part in her holy-day.
Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth
with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
EPISTLE
Dearly
beloved, I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the living
and the dead, by His coming and His kingdom: preach the word: be instant in season,
out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there
shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their
own desires they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and will
indeed turn away from the truth, but will be turned into fables. But be thou
vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy
ministry. Be sober. For I am even now ready to be sacrificed and the time of my
dissolution is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown
of justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, will render to me in that day: and
not only to me, but to them also that love His coming
GRADUAL
Ecclus. 44: 16, 20
Behold
the great priest, who in his days pleased God. There was not found the like to
him, who kept the law of the Most High.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia,
alleluia. The Lord hath sworn, and He will not repent. Thou art a priest
forever according to the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia
GOSPEL
At
that time, Jesus said to His disciples: You are the salt of the earth. But if
the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing
any more but to be cast out, and be trodden on by men. You are the light of the
world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle
and put it under a bushel but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that
are before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, Who
is in heaven. Do not think that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I
am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be
fulfilled. He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and
so shall teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but he
that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
OFFERTORY
Psalm 88: 25
My
truth and My mercy shall be with him: and in My Name shall his horn be exalted.
SECRET
Almighty
and everlasting God, through the intercession of blessed Ambrose, Thy Confessor
and Bishop, make Thou the gifts offered to Thy Majesty profitable unto our
eternal salvation. Through our Lord.
Secret
for the Feria in Advent
Be
appeased, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the prayers and offerings of our
humility: and where we have no merits to plead for us, do Thou help us with
Thine aid. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord.
For the Vigil
of the Immaculate Conception
May
our gifts, O Lord, he commended to thy clemency by the prayer of the Immaculate
Mother of God: whom thou didst preserve
from all taint of original sin, that she might deserve to become a worthy
dwelling place for thy Son. Who liveth
and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God.
COMMON PREFACE
It
is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation that we should at all times
and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal
God: through Christ our Lord. through Whom the Angels praise Thy Majesty,
Dominations worship, Powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the Heavenly hosts
together with the blessed Seraphim in triumphant chorus unite to celebrate it.
Together with them we entreat Thee, that Thou mayest bid our voices also to be
admitted, while we say in lowly praise:
COMMUNION
Psalm 88: 36-38
Once
I have sworn by My holiness: his seed shall endure for ever; and his throne as
the sun before Me, and as the moon perfect for ever; and a faithful witness in heaven.
POSTCOMMUNION
Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that we, who have received the
Sacraments of our salvation, may ever be helped by the prayers of blessed
Ambrose, Thy Confessor and Bishop, in whose honour we have offered these gifts
to Thy Majesty. Through our Lord.
For the Feria in Advent
Filled
with the food of this spiritual nourishment, we suppliantly entreat Thee, O
Lord, that through our participation in this Mystery Thou wouldst teach us to
despise earthly things and to love heavenly ones. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son
our Lord.
For the Vigil
of the Immaculate Conception
O
merciful God, grant protection unto our weakness; that we, who forestall the
festival of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of thine only-begotten Son,
may by the help of her intercession rise again from our iniquities. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son our
Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever
one God, world without end.
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