[Rank] S. Paulini Episcopi et Confessoris;;Duplex;;3;;vide C4 [Rank1960] S. Paulini Episcopi et Confessoris;;Duplex;;3;;vide C4 [RankNewcal] S. Paulini Episcopi et Confessoris;;Duplex optional;;2;;vide C4 [Rule] vide C4; 9 lectiones [Oratio] O God, who hast promised to them that leave all things in this world for thy sake to receive an hundredfold, and everlasting life in that which is to come: mercifully grant; that, following in the footsteps of thy blessed Saint Paulinus, we may be enabled to despise all things that are earthly, and to desire only those things that are heavenly. $Qui vivis [Lectio4] !Breve Pii X diei 18 Sept. 1908 Pontius Meropius Anicius Paulinus was born of a most illustrious family of Roman citizens at Bordeaux, in Aquitaine, in the year of restored salvation 353, and was of keen intelligence and graceful manners. With Ausonius as his master, he was honourably distinguished for eloquence and poetry. Being of the higher nobility, and very wealthy, he began a career of honours in the flower of his youth, and attained senatorial dignity. Then he went to Italy as consul, where he obtained the province of Campánia and fixed his residence at Nola. here he was struck, as by a ray of the divine light, by the heavenly miracles which were making illustrious the tomb of Felix, Priest and Martyr, and began to adhere more earnestly to the true faith of Christ, which he had long been revolving in his mind. And so he resigned the consular fasces and axe, never defiled by blood, and returned to Gaul, and after suffering various hardships and many toils both by land and by sea he received an injury to the eye; but being restored to health by the blessed Martin, Bishop of Tours, he was washed in the lustral waters of baptism by the blessed Delphinus, Bishop of Bordeaux. [Lectio5] He despised his abundant wealth, sold his property, and gave the money to the poor, and left his wife Therasia, changed his country, broke all natural ties, and retired to Spain, conforming to the more precious poverty of Christ, which he valued more than the whole world. While he was devoutly assisting at Mass in Barcelona on the feast of the Lord's Nativity, he was suddenly seized by force by an admiring crowd, and in spite of his reluctance, ordained priest by the Bishop Lampidius. Then he returned to Italy, and at Nola, where he had been drawn by devotion to St. Felix, he built a monastery near his tomb, and entered upon the monastic life with some companions. This man, already notable for his senatorial and consular dignity, embraced the folly of the cross to the admiration of almost the whole world, and, clothed in a mean garment, in vigils and in fastings, remained for days and nights fixed in constant contemplation of heavenly things. But, as the fame of his sanctity spread, he was elevated to the see of Nola, and entering upon that pastoral office, he gave a wonderful example of piety, wisdom, and above all, of charity. [Lectio6] Meanwhile he had produced writings full of wisdom, treating of religion and faith, and often also as a recreation, he had celebrated the deeds of the Saints in numerous elegant poems, attaining the highest fame as a Christian poet. All the men living at that time who were pre-eminent for holiness and learning, he attached to himself with the bonds of friendship and admiration. Very many flocked to him from all parts of the country, as if to a master of Christian perfection. When Campánia was laid waste by the Goths, he devoted all his resources to feeding the poor, and ransoming captives, without even leaving for himself the necessities of life. And after that, when the Vandals invaded the same region, a widow begged him to ransom her son who had been captured by the enemy; and as he had spent all his resources in works of piety, he sold himself into slavery in the young man's place, and was taken in chains to Africa. At length he was set at liberty, not without the evident assistance of God, and, returning to Nola, the good shepherd once more saw his beloved flock. There, in a most peaceful end, he fell asleep in the Lord in the seventy-eighth year of his age. His body was buried near the tomb of St. Felix, and later, in the time of the Lombards, was translated to Benevento and, under the Emperor Otto III, to Rome, where it was laid in the basilica of St. Bartholomew on an island in the Tiber. But Pope Pius X ordered the sacred relics of Paulinus to be restored to Nola, and he raised his feast to the rite of a double for the universal Church. [Lectio94] Paulinus, born in the year of restored salvation 353 of a very famous Roman family of Bordeaux, acquired the dignity of senator. He was made consul of Nola, but a divine light prompted him to renounce the consulship and return to Bordeaux, where he was baptized by St. Delphinus. Then, giving to the poor the large sum obtained by the sale of his goods, he went to Spain, where he was ordained priest. When he returned to Nola, he built a monastery near the grave of St. Felix and, with the companions who joined him, undertook a most austere cenobitical life. As the fame of his holiness grew, he was elevated to the bishopric of Nola, in which office he left an example of wonderful devotion, patience, and especially charity. He wrote many works on sacred doctrine and also gained a reputation for eloquence and poetry. When Campania was devastated by the Goths, he used all his goods to feed the poor and redeem captives. And later, when the Vandals infested the same region and he had nothing more to give, he gave himself into slavery for the son of a widow, and was taken to Africa. At length, restored to liberty, by the hand of God, he died a peaceful death in the Lord at Nola. &teDeum [Lectio7] The Lesson is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Luke !Chap. 12, 32-34 At that time: Jesus said unto his disciples: Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. And so on, and that which followeth. _ A Homily by St. Paulinus the Bishop !Sermo, alias Epistola 34 de Gazophylacio The Lord who is omnipotent, dearly beloved, might have made all men equally rich, so that no one need ask anything from another. In his infinite goodness, however, the merciful and gracious Lord hath planned otherwise, in order to prove your disposition in these matters. He hath made misery, that he might discern mercy; he hath made the needy, that he might make use of the rich. For your brother's poverty is your material of riches, if ye do not understand concerning the needy and the poor, and do not consider as your own what wealth ye have received. For God hath bestowed upon you your brother's portion in this world, in order that ye should offer of your own willing affection something of his gifts to those in need, and that he may enrich you in your turn with that portion in eternity. For now Christ receiveth through them, and hereafter he will repay for them. [Lectio8] Refresh the hungry soul, and ye will not fear the wrath to come in the evil day. For, saith he, Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and poor; the Lord will deliver him in the evil day. Therefore, brother, work and cultivate this parcel of thy land, that it may bear for you a rich crop, full of the fatness of wheat, bringing to you with great interest the fruit of the seed an hundred times multiplied. In the desire and pursuit of this business or this possession there is a holy and salutary avarice; for such desire which doth merit the kingdom of heaven, and doth long for eternal goods, is the root of all good. Therefore covet such riches, and take possession of this kind of patrimony, that the creditor may weigh out to you the fruit increased an hundredfold, and ye and your heirs may abound in everlasting good things. For this possession is great and precious, which doth not burden the owner with earthly wealth, but enricheth him with an eternal reward. [Lectio9] Truly, dearly beloved, by present carefulness and constant just dealing, provide not only that ye make seek eternal good things, but that ye may deserve to escape innumerable evils. For we require strong helps and protection, and stand in need of many and unceasing prayers for our defence. For our adversary does not rest, and the ever-watchful enemy besetteth all our ways in order to work our ruin. Moreover, in this world we have many crosses, very numerous struggles, pestilent diseases, fires of fever and stabs of pain do violence to our souls. The flames of lust are kindled; hidden snares are set everywhere, on all sides there bristle drawn swords, life is passed in the midst of ambushes and combats, and we walk through fires craftily buried under ashes. Therefore before ye should by your misfortune or your fault rush into any one of such great calamities, hasten to become acceptable and dear to the physician, so that in time of need ye may have ready the remedy of salvation. It is one thing when ye alone pray for yourself; and quite another when a multitude entreateth for you before God. &teDeum [Versum 2] V. The Lord guided the just in right paths. R. And showed him the kingdom of God. [Ant 2] Well done, thou good and faithful servant; * thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.