[1]And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:

 2 And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.

 3 And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him.

 4 And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

 5 And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.

 6 And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid.

 7 And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them, Arise, and fear not.

 8 And they lifting up their eyes saw no one but only Jesus.

 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead.

Music:  Benedictus

[1]After these things was a festival day of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  2 Now there is at Jerusalem a pond, called Probatica, which in Hebrew is named Bethsaida, having five porches.  3 In these lay a great multitude of sick, of blind, of lame, of withered; waiting for the moving of the water.  4 And an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water, was made whole, of whatsoever infirmity he lay under.  5 And there was a certain man there, that had been eight and thirty years under his infirmity.

[2] "Probatica": That is, the sheep pond; either so called, because the sheep were washed therein, that were to be offered up in sacrifice in the temple, or because it was near the sheep gate. That this was a pond where miracles were wrought is evident from the sacred text; and also that the water had no natural virtue to heal, as one only of those put in after the motion of the water was restored to health; for if the water had the healing quality, the others would have the like benefit, being put into it about the same time.

 6 Him when Jesus had seen lying, and knew that he had been now a long time, he saith to him: Wilt thou be made whole?  7 The infirm man answered him: Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pond. For whilst I am coming, another goeth down before me.  8 Jesus saith to him: Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.  9 And immediately the man was made whole: and he took up his bed, and walked. And it was the sabbath that day.  10 The Jews therefore said to him that was healed: It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed.

 11 He answered them: He that made me whole, he said to me, Take up thy bed, and walk.  12 They asked him therefore: Who is that man who said to thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?  13 But he who was healed, knew not who it was; for Jesus went aside from the multitude standing in the place.  14 Afterwards, Jesus findeth him in the temple, and saith to him: Behold thou art made whole: sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee.  15 The man went his way, and told the Jews, that it was Jesus who had made him whole.

Music:  Libera me.

[1]Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil.

 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry.

 3 And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

 4 Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.

 5 Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple,

 6 And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.

 7 Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

 8 Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,

 9 And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me.

 10 Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve.

 11 Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.

Music:  Vexilla Regis.

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.  39 Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.  40 For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.[38] "A sign": That is, a miracle from heaven. St. Luke 11. 16.

[40] "Three days": Not complete days and nights; but part of three days, and three nights taken according to the way that the Hebrews counted their days and nights, viz., from evening to evening.

 41 The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here.  42 The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here.  43 And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none.  44 Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.  45 Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.

 46 As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him.  47 And one said unto him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee.  48 But he answering him that told him, said: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?  49 And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren.  50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

[48] "Who is my mother?": This was not spoken by way of slighting his mother, but to shew that we are never to suffer ourselves to be taken from the service of God, by any inordinate affection to our earthly parents: and that which our Lord chiefly regarded in his mother, was her doing the will of his Father in heaven. It may also further allude to the reprobation of the Jews, his carnal kindred, and the election of the Gentiles.

Music Laudate pueri.  Mendelssohn.

[1]Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil.

 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry.

 3 And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

 4 Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.

 5 Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple,

 6 And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone.

 7 Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

 8 Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,

 9 And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me.

 10 Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve.

 11 Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.

Music:  Dixit Dominus.  Handel.