No sign of Dawn yet again...

Beyond a simple lightening of the opaque eastern skies; it is cool and not very humid. The crows are chattering but I haven't seen any of the other wildlife yet (it is almost 0600). Pius IX established the feast of the Most Precious Blood (Introibo, CE, Wiki) in 1849 to be celebrated on the first Sunday of July. It is, however, celebrated on the Kalends since the Divino afflatu of Pius X in 1911. It is the Octave of the feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist and the third day infra Octavam Sanctorum Petri et Pauli.

The Communion antiphon of today's Mass.

Christus semel oblítus est ad multórum exhauriénda peccáta: secúndo sine peccáto apparébit exspectántibus se in salútem.

And Christ was offered once for all, to drain the cup of a world’s sins; when we see him again, sin will play its part no longer, he will be bringing salvation to those who await his coming. (Heb 9,28 in Mons Knox's version)

Time for Prime.

Ante Tertiam. Father Hunwicke has pointed out today (here and here) the loss of the feast of the Most Precious Blood from the Roman Calendar is very great. 

... So why do I resent the disappearance from the 'mainstream' Church of the Feast of the Precious Bood? Because I dislike Clericalism. Because I valued the primacy the abolished Feast had given to Hebrews, an underrated NT book. Because the abolition swept away much of the theology of Sacrifice which we inherited from the Worship in the Temple of YHWH. And because the suppressed Lauds Hymn Salvete Christi vulnera preserved a great deal of the affection that the Medieval English, clerks and peasantry together, felt for the Devotion to the Five Wounds. An affection that led to the genocide of the English South West in 1549.

Salvéte, Christi vúlnera,

Imménsi amoris pígnora

Quibus perénnes rívuli

Manant rubéntis sánguinis.

Nitóre stellas víncitis

Rosas odóre et bálsama,

Prétio lapíllos Indicos,

Mellis favos dulcédine.

Per vos patet gratíssimum

Nostris asýlum méntibus;

Non huc furor minántium

Umquam penétrat hóstium.

Quot Jesus in prætório

Flagélla nudus éxcipit!

Quot scissa pellis úndique

Stillat cruóris gúttulas!

Frontem venústam, proh dolor!

Coróna pungit spínea,

Clavi retúsa cúspide

Pedes manúsque pérforant.

Postquam sed ille trádidit

Amans volénsque spíritum,

Pectus ferítur láncea,

Geminúsque liquor éxsilit.

Ut plena sit redémptio,

Sub torculári stríngitur;

Suíque Jesus ímmemor,

Sibi nil resérvat sánguinis.

Veníte quotquot críminum

Funésta labes ínficit;

In hoc salútis bálneo

Qui se lavat, mundábitur.

Summi ad Paréntis déxteram

Sedénti habénda est grátia,

Qui nos redémit sánguine,

Sanctóque firmat Spíritu.

Amen.

Ante Vesperas. Unlike yesterday, today has remained overcast. Am noticing today, for the first time, that the green apples are falling from the tree. No idea if this the natural loosening of the stem from the branch as the apple has developed or if squirrels running along the branch have jostled the fruit loose, or the breeze. But the breeze is very small. 

It is also the feast of Saints Iustinus and Attilianus (20th century), of Saint Zhang Huailu (20th century), and of Saint Regina of Denain (9th century).

V. Et álibi aliórum plurimórum sanctórum Mártyrum et Confessórum, atque sanctárum Vírginum. R. Deo grátias.

LDVM