Nolíte confídere in verbis mendácii, dicéntes: templum Dómini, templum Dómini, templum Dómini est...

Am fussing about this morning because of tasks to be done and errands to be made, eh; the Mass is Salus populi ego sum. Am going to guess that the doctors (Schuster, Gueranger, DiPippo, and Lev) have something to say about today's Mass since it is at first glance anyway the Mass of the Martyrs Saints Cosmas and Damian but is none the less the Mass of the Lenten feria. But I must go about my nonsense.

It has become a splendid morning although it was quite foggy when I was on my way out earlier. 

Lectio 1

Léctio sancti Evangélii secúndum Lucam

Luc 4:38-44

In illo témpore: Surgens Jesus de synagóga, introívit in domum Simónis. Socrus autem Simónis tenebátur magnis fébribus. Et réliqua.

Homilía sancti Ambrósii Epíscopi

Liber 4 in cap. 4 Lucæ, circa finem

Vide cleméntiam Dómini Salvatóris: nec indignatióne commótus nec scélere offénsus, nec injúria violátus Judǽam déserit: quin étiam ímmemor injúriæ, memor cleméntiæ, nunc docéndo, nunc liberándo, nunc sanándo, infídæ plebis corda demúlcet. Et bene sanctus Lucas virum ab spíritu nequítiæ liberátum ante præmísit, et subdit féminæ sanitátem. Utrúmque enim sexum Dóminus curatúrus advénerat: sed prior sanári débuit, qui prior creátus est; nec prætermítti illa, quæ mobilitáte magis ánimi, quam pravitáte peccáverat.

R. Vidéntes Joseph a longe, loquebántur mútuo fratres, dicéntes: Ecce somniátor venit:
* Veníte, occidámus eum, et videámus si prosint illi sómnia sua.
V. Cumque vidíssent Joseph fratres sui, quod a patre cunctis frátribus plus amarétur, óderant eum, nec póterant ei quidquam pacífice loqui, unde et dicébant.
R. Veníte, occidámus eum, et videámus si prosint illi sómnia sua.

Lectio 2

Sábbato medicínæ Domínicæ ópera cœpta signíficat, ut inde nova creatúra cœ́perit, ubi vetus creatúra ante desívit: nec sub lege esse Dei Fílium, sed supra legem in ipso princípio designáret: nec solvi legem, sed impléri. Neque enim per legem, sed verbo factus est mundus, sicut légimus: Verbo Dómini cæli firmáti sunt. Non sólvitur ergo lex, sed implétur: ut fiat renovátio hóminis jam labéntis. Unde et Apóstolus ait: Exspoliántes vos véterem hóminem, indúite novum, qui secúndum Deum creátus est.

R. Dixit Judas frátribus suis: Ecce Ismaëlítæ tránseunt; veníte, venumdétur, et manus nostræ non polluántur:
* Caro enim et frater noster est.
V. Quid enim prodest, si occidérimus fratrem nostrum, et celavérimus sánguinem ipsíus? mélius est ut venumdétur.
R. Caro enim et frater noster est.

Lectio 3

Et bene sábbato cœpit, ut ipsum se osténderet Creatórem, qui ópera opéribus intéxeret, et prosequerétur opus, quod ipse jam cœ́perat: ut si domum faber renováre dispónat, non a fundaméntis, sed a culmínibus íncipit sólvere vetustátem. Itaque ibi prius manum ádmovet, ubi ante desíerat: deínde a minóribus íncipit, ut ad majóra pervéniat. Liberáre a dǽmone et hómines, sed in verbo Dei possunt: resurrectiónem mórtuis imperáre, divínæ solíus est potestátis. Fortássis étiam in typo mulíeris illíus socrus Simónis et Andréæ, váriis críminum fébribus caro nostra languébat, et diversárum cupiditátum immódicis æstuábat illécebris. Nec minórem febrem amóris esse díxerim, quam calóris. Itaque illa ánimum, hæc corpus inflámmat. Febris enim nostra, avarítia est: febris nostra, libído est: febris nostra, luxúria est: febris nostra, ambítio est: febris nostra, iracúndia est.

R. Extrahéntes Joseph de lacu, vendidérunt Ismaëlítæ vigínti argénteis:
* Reversúsque Ruben ad púteum, cum non invenísset eum, scidit vestiménta sua cum fletu, et dixit: * Puer non compáret, et ego quo ibo?
V. At illi, intíncta túnica Joseph in sánguine hædi, misérunt qui ferret eam ad patrem, et díceret: Vide, si túnica fílii tui sit, an non.
R. Reversúsque Ruben ad púteum, cum non invenísset eum, scidit vestiménta sua cum fletu, et dixit.
V. Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
R. Puer non compáret, et ego quo ibo?

Statio ad Ss. Cosmam et Damianum

Today the place of meeting is at the Basilica of St Mark, which, richly ornamented with gold and precious marbles, rises near the famous balnea pallacina, where, according to Cicero, the murder of Sextus Roscius took place. For us Catholics the church is far more important, because under its venerable altar rest the bodies of the martyrs Abdon, Sennen, and Hermes, transferred thither by Gregory IV (827-44).

The stational basilica we have already noticed as the place of the collecta on the second Monday in Lent. The Greeks were in the habit of celebrating a day of festival in honour of the Holy Cross in the middle of Lent, making a break, as it were, in the long period of fasting. In Rome this solemnity is deferred to the Sunday following, but Gregory II instituted this station at the Church of SS Cosmas
and Damian, in order not altogether to deprive the faithful of that innocent satisfaction in the very middle of Lent. 

The two martyrs are known as Anargyri (i.e. 'moneyless')-- that is, they belonged to that class of pious Byzantine doctors who despised money and gave their healing services gratis. Moreover, considering the rigour of the Lenten fast in those days, it is easy to understand that many persons must have needed to have recourse to these heavenly physicians. The Mass has been adapted to the occasion; it refers chiefly to the anniversary of their martyrdom, and the frequent mention of health, sickness, and healing recalls the great popularity of the veneration paid to the holy Anargyri in those early days. (Liber Sacramentorum)

Dom Prosper... more or less punts.

At Rome, the Station is at the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, in the Forum. The Christians of the Middle Ages (as we learn from Durandus, in his Rationale Divinorum Officiorum) were under the impression that this Station was chosen because these two Saints were, by profession, physicians. The Church, according to this explanation, would not only offer up her prayers of this day for the souls, but also for the bodies of her children: she would draw down upon them, fatigued as she knew they must be by their observance of abstinence and fasting, she would draw down upon them the protection of these holy Martyrs, who, whilst on earth, devoted their medical skill to relieving the corporal ailments of their brethren. The remarks  made by the learned liturgiologist Bartholomaeus Gavantus (1569-1638), in reference to this interpretation, lead us to conclude, that although it may possibly not give us the real motive of the Church's selecting this Station, yet it not to be rejected. It will, at least, suggest to the Faithful to recommend themselves to these Saints, and to ask of God, through their intercession, that they may have the necessary courage and strength for persevering to the end of the holy Season, which they have, so far, faithfully observed. (L'Année liturgique)

Gregory DiPippo wrote an essay-- exactly what I wanted-- about today's Mass a couple of years ago, here.

This Mass is unique in that three of its prayers, the Collect, Secret and Post-Communion (but not the prayer “over the people” at the end), were originally composed for the feast of the Saints to whom the station church is dedicated; in the Old Gelasian Sacramentary, the oldest sacramentary of the Roman Rite, they are assigned to the feast of Ss Cosmas and Damian on September 27th. It is not at all evident why the compilers of the Gregorian Sacramentary decided to move them from the feast to the station without altering their wording, so that the Collect speaks of the “blessed solemnity of Cosmas and Damian”, and the Secret of the sacrifice offered “in the precious death of Thy just ones.” (On the feast itself, these prayers are replaced with the ones found in the Missal of St Pius V.) The only other prayer of a stational Mass that refers to a Saint in this way is the Collect of Sexagesima Sunday, which mentions St Paul, at whose tomb the station is held. However, this prayer was composed specifically for the Mass of Sexagesima, and does not refer to the day as a feast, nor is there any mention of St Paul in the other prayers.

Pater Thomas SJ is the celebrant of today's Holy Mass.

Introitus. Salus pópuli ego sum, dicit Dóminus: de quacúmque tribulatióne clamáverint ad me, exáudiam eos: et ero illórum Dóminus in perpétuum. Ps. 77, 1. Atténdite, pópule meus, legem meam: inclináte aurem vestram in verba oris mei. ℣. Glória Patri.

The Introit is scriptural in spirit, but does not seem to be derived from any particular text; it belongs to a cycle of non-psalmodic introits proper to the last Sundays after Pentecost, and was adapted by Gregory II to the feast of the martyrs Cosmas and Damian. The Collect refers to the natalis of the two saints. (Liber Sacramentorum)

Oratio. Magníficet te, Dómine, sanctórum tuórum Cosmæ et Damiáni beáta sollémnitas: qua et illis glóriam sempitérnam, et opem nobis ineffábili providéntia contulísti. Per Dóminum.

Léctio Jeremíæ Prophétæ.
Jer. 7, l 7.
In diébus illis: Factum est verbum Dómini ad me, dicens: Sta in porta domus Dómini: et prǽdica ibi verbum istud, et dic: Audíte verbum Dómini, omnis Juda, qui ingredímini per portas has, ut adorétis Dóminum. Hæc dicit Dóminus exercítuum, Deus Israël: Bonas fácite vias vestras et stúdia vestra: et habitábo vobíscum in loco isto. Nolíte confídere in verbis mendácii, dicéntes: Templum Dómini, templum Dómini, templum Dómini est. Quóniam si bene direxéritis vias vestras et stúdia vestra: si fecéritis judícium inter virum et próximum ejus, ádvenæ et pupíllo et víduæ non fecéritis calúmniam, nec sánguinem innocéntem effudéritis in loco hoc, et post deos aliénos non ambulavéritis in malum vobismetípsis: habitábo vobíscum in loco isto, in terra, quam dedi patribus vestris a sǽculo et usque in sǽculum: ait Dóminus omnípotens.

Graduale. Ps. 144, 15-16. Oculi ómnium in te sperant, Dómine: et tu das illis escam in témpore opportúno, ℣. Aperis tu manum tuam: et imples omne ánimal benedictióne.

✠ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Lucam.
Luc. 4, 38-44.
In illo témpore: Surgens Jesus de synagóga, introívit in domum Simónis. Socrus autem Simónis tenebátur magnis fébribus: et rogavérunt illum pro ea. Et stans super illam, imperávit febri: et dimísit illam. Et contínuo surgens, ministrábat illis. Cum autem sol occidísset, omnes, qui habébant infírmos váriis languóribus, ducébant illos ad eum. At ille síngulis manus impónens, curábat eos. Exíbant autem dæmónia a multis, clamántia et dicéntia: Quia tu es Fílius Dei; et íncrepans non sinébat ea loqui, quia sciébant ipsum esse Christum. Facta autem die egréssus ibat in desértum locum, et turbæ requirébant eum, et venérunt usque ad ipsum: et detinébant illum, ne discéderet ab eis. Quibus ille ait: Quia et áliis civitátibus opórtet me evangelizáre regnum Dei: quia ídeo missus sum. Et erat prǽdicans in synagógis Galilǽæ.

Let us here admire the goodness of our Redeemer, Who deigns to exercise His power for the cure of bodily infirmities. How much more ready will He be to heal our spiritual ailments! Our fever is that of evil passions; Jesus alone can allay it. Let us imitate the eagerness of these people of Galilee, who brought all their sick to Jesus; let us beseech Him to heal us. See with what patience He welcomes each poor sufferer! Let us also go to Him. Let us implore of Him not to depart from us, but abide with us for ever; He will accept our petition, and remain.

Let us pray for sinners: the days of the great Fast are quickly passing away: we have reached the second half of Lent, and the Passover of our deliverance will soon be here. Look at the thousands that are unmoved, with their souls still blind to the light, and their hearts hardened against every appeal of God's mercy and justice; they seem resolved on making their eternal perdition less doubtful than ever, by neglecting both the Lent and the Easter of this year. 

Let us offer up our penances for them; and beg of Jesus, by the merits of His sacred Passion, to redouble His mercies towards them, and deliver from Satan these souls, for whose sakes He is about to shed his Blood. (L'Année Liturgique)

Offertorium. Ps. 137, 7. Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me, Dómine: et super iram inimicórum meorum exténdes manum tuam, et salvum me fáciet déxtera tua.

Secreta. In tuorum, Dómine, pretiósa morte justórum sacrifícium illud offérimus, de quo martýrium sumpsit omne princípium. Per Dóminum.

Communio. Ps. 118, 4-5. Tu mandásti, mandáta tua custodíri nimis: útinam dirigántur viæ meæ, ad custodiéndas justificatiónes tuas.

Postcommunio. Sit nobis, Dómine, sacraménti tui certa salvátio: quæ cum beatórum Mártyrum tuórum Cosmæ et Damiáni méritis implorátur. Per Dóminum.

Oratio super populum. Humiliáte cápita vestra Deo. Subjéctum tibi pópulum, quǽsumus, Dómine, propitiátio cœléstis amplíficet: et tuis semper fáciat servíre mandátis. Per Dóminum.

Slightly to the left of the Palatine Hill, in the heart of the Forum, stood one of Rome’s oldest temples, dedicated in 484 b.c. to Castor and Pollux, twin deities who personified the pagan conviction that men could become gods. When the Ostrogoth king Theodoric gave the vestibule of the temple and one of its halls to Pope Felix IV in 526, Christian Rome dedicated the space to another set of twins: the brother-martyrs Cosmas and Damian, killed by Diocletian for refusing to believe in men-turned-gods while proclaiming their belief in God-made-man. 

A small, round, and dark vestibule led into a basilica flooded with light by clerestory windows, the contrast aptly expressing the enlightenment of Christian conversion. The relics of the two martyrs were kept in the altar that still stands in the old church’s apse. Owing to flooding, the church’s floor had become a marsh by the seventeenth century. In 1632, Pope Urban VIII undertook a massive restoration that lifted the floor level twenty feet higher than the original. Side chapels and the elegant wooden roof, painted by Marco Tullio Montagna and depicting Sts. Cosmas and Damian in Glory, were added. The side chapels were decorated by major figures: Giovanni Baglione, archrival of Caravaggio, painted the Chapel of the Madonna; Il Spadarino did the remarkably modern-looking canvas of St. Anthony of Padua; and Cavaliere D’Arpino painted the delicate Chapel of St. Barbara. 

The remarkable apse mosaic is the basilica’s oldest extant decoration. Jesus glows in the center against a lapis night sky surrounded by stripes of red and blue that soon evolve into cherubim and seraphim. A phoenix, symbol of the Resurrection, is at Christ’s right as he floats between heaven and earth. Peter and Paul, once imprisoned nearby, appear as heavenly senators in their Roman togas as they greet Cosmas and Damian, who are wearing the cloaks and tunics of travelers, symbolic of the origin of devotion to the physician-martyrs in the East. Pope Felix offers a model of the basilica, while St. Theodore offers his martyr’s crown. This striking composition was the last great expression of artistic naturalism until the eleventh century: the grass and stones have volume; the feet of the saints cast shadows. (Elizabeth Lev in Roman Pilgrimage)

LDVM

Blessed Ildefonso Schuster OSB, Venerable Prosper Guéranger OSB, L'Année Liturgique, Dr Elizabeth Lev, George Weigel's Roman Pilgrimage