[Hymnus Matutinum]
v. All that the ancient prophets preached,
and all that the books of the divine Law tell us
of holiness, is contained in the life of the great patriarch
which we are now extolling.
_
Moses was celebrated for his meekness;
Abraham for his being father of all believers;
Isaac for the beauty of his bride,
and his obedience to the trying commands of his father.
_
The sublime patriarch of our family was richly laden
with every virtue; and in his
Single person represented
Isaac, Moses, and Abraham.
_
May he have a loving care of those
whom he has delivered from this stormy world,
and lead them with prosperous gales to the port
where thee is no fear that can ruffle peace and repose.
_
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son that is begotten of him!
To thee, also, O Spirit of love,
coequal with them, one God,
be glory for endless ages.
Amen.

[Ant Matutinum]
There was a man of venerable life, blessed by grace, and blessed in name.;;1
From his younger years he carried always the mind of an old man; for his age was inferior to his virtue: he rejected all vain pleasures.;;2
He was born in the province of Nursia, and studied the liberal arts at Rome.;;4
And though he were in the world, and might freely have enjoyed such commodities as it yieldeth, yet did he nothing esteem it, nor the vanities thereof.;;5
Forsaking his father's house and wealth, desiring only to please God, he sought for some place, where he might attain to the desire of his holy purpose:;;8
He departed therefore, instructed with learned ignorance, and furnished with unlearned wisdom.;;10
V. The Lord loved him and beautified him.
R. He clothed him with a robe of glory.
Benedict grew daily in the grace of God, so that, being granted the gift of prophecy, he foretold things to come.;;14
When he was seeking the desert he met the monk Romanus, who, knowing his desire, kept his secret and gave him help.;;20
Ant.: Through the divine power he was granted the great grace to see the whole world gathered together under one ray of sunlight.;;23
While the holy father stood attentively beholding the brightness of that glittering light, he saw the soul of Germanus, Bishop of Capua carried up to heaven by the angels in a fiery globe.;;95
Taking counsel together, the brothers agreed to poison his wine: but when it was offered he made the sign of the cross, and straightway the glass broke in pieces, as though the sign of the cross had been a stone thrown against it.;;96
And then he returned back to the wilderness which so much he loved, and dwelt alone with himself, in the sight of his Creator.;;97
V. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom.
R. And his tongue talketh judgment.
Ant.: Let us adorn Benedict with prophetic canticles, who shone with prophecy as much as with grace of learning.;;256;257;258
V. The law of his God is in his heart.
R. None of his steps shall slide.

[Responsory1]
V. There was a man of venerable life, blessed by grace, and blessed in name, for he was called Benedict. From his younger years, he always had the mind of an old man
* For his age was inferior to his virtue.
R. In this way he departed, instructed with learned ignorance, and furnished with unlearned wisdom.
V. For his age was inferior to his virtue.

[Responsory2]
R. St Benedict desiring rather the miseries of the world than the praises of men: rather to be wearied with labor for God's sake
* Than to be exalted with transitory commendation.
V. For filled greatly with divine grace, his soul aspired to even higher things.
R. Than to be exalted with transitory commendation. 

[Responsory3]
R. Taking counsel together, they agreed to poison his wine: according to the custom, offered to the Abbot to bless, he made the sign of the cross, and straightway the glass broke in pieces
* As though the sign of the cross had been a stone thrown against it.
R. The man of God by and by perceived that the glass had in it the drink of death, which could not endure the sign of life.
V. As though the sign of the cross had been a stone thrown against it.

[Responsory4]
R. Behold not, O Lord, my sins, but the faith of this man, who desires to have his son raised to life, and restore that soul to the body which you have made. And when the prayer was ended he revived.
* And he gave him back to his father healthy.
V. And the soul returned again, and therewith the child's body began to tremble in such sort that all which were present beheld it.
R. And he gave him back to his father healthy.

[Lectio5]
@Sancti/03-21:Lectio4:s/At last.*//s

[Responsory5]
R. O praise the glorious merits of St Benedict who for Christ left his fatherland and the pomp of the world, and arrived at the companionship of all the blessed
* And was made a partaker of eternal rewards.
V. He holds a splendid place among the chorus of confessors, where he gazes upon the font of all good
R. And was made a partaker of eternal rewards.

[Lectio6]
@Sancti/03-21:Lectio4:s/.* At last/At last/s s/$/~/
@Sancti/03-21:Lectio5:s/Afterwards.*//s

[Responsory6]
R. When St Benedict was standing in his cell, lifted his eyes he saw the soul of his sister which was departed from her body
* Ascend into heaven in the likeness of a dove.
V. Rejoicing much to see her great glory, with hymns and praise he gave thanks to almighty God, and imparted the news of her death to his monks.
R. Ascend into heaven in the likeness of a dove.

[Lectio7]
@Sancti/03-21:Lectio5:s/.* Afterwards/Afterwards/s

[Responsory7]
R. The man of God, keeping vigil in the dark hours of the night with assiduous prayer, under one beam of the sun
* Saw the whole world gathered together.
V. For he who sees the creator all created things seems small.
R. Saw the whole world gathered together.

[Responsory8]
R. While the venerable father stood attentively beholding the brightness of that glittering light, he saw the soul of Germanus, Bishop of Capua,
* Carried up by Angels into heaven in a fiery globe.
V. It was discovered that the reverent man Germanus had departed this life at that very instant.
R. Carried up by Angels into heaven in a fiery globe.

[Lectio9]
Sermon of St Peter Damian
!Sermon 9; for S. Benedict
Behold, we have forsaken all and followed thee. Solemn word, mighty undertaking, a holy work and one worthy of blessing, to leave all things and follow Christ. These are the persuasive words of voluntary poverty, which have brought forth monasteries, and filled the cloister with monks and the woods with anchorites. These are the words of which the Church sings: 'By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.' We shall receive rest for our labour, riches for our poverty, a reward for our tribulation. It is a great thing to forsake all, but to follow Christ is a greater; for we read of many who have left all but who have not followed Christ. This is our task, this our labour; in this lies the essence of human salvation; nor can we follow Christ unless we forsake all, for He rejoices as a strong man to run a race, and he who bears a load cannot follow.

[Responsory9]
R. O Benedict, Most holy confessor of Christ, father and leader of monks,
* Intercede for us and the salvation of all.
V. Assist your devoted people with holy intercession so that with the help of your prayers they may reach the heavenly kingdom.
R. Intercede for us and the salvation of all.

[Lectio10]
'Behold' he says, 'we have forsaken all' not only the riches of this world but the desires of the soul too; for he who holds on to the self has not forsaken all. And it is useless to abandon other things if we do not abandon ourselves, since man's heaviest burden is man himself. What tyrant is more cruel to man, what power more savage, than his own will? Under its sway you can never rest or sit at your ease, and the more it wearies you in enforcing obedience to itself, the more it goads and stings and weighs you down, being unmindful of kindness and a stranger to mercy. This is the nature of self-will: the more obedient its subject, the more cruelly is he bound in its chains. 'What shall we have therefore?' Peter has forsaken all; not only is he following, he has followed for a long time; and now for the first time he asks what he will receive. What, Peter? Did you not promise obedience to the voice? You made no contract with the Lord. But listen to what the Lord God says, and await that hope in which, in this uncertain world, we must confide.' 'You shall sit', says the Lord who is Truth. Splendid sitting, welcome rest, full sufficiency.

[Responsory10]
R. In the year that was to be the last of his life, while some of his disciples were talking with him and some remained further away,
* The most holy man foretold the day of his death.
V. He bound them to strict secrecy, some others, he only informed of the special sign they would receive at the time of his death.
R. The most holy man foretold the day of his death.

[Lectio11]
But lest our long awaiting should mar the sweetness of His promise, He controls the restlessness of our minds with a sweeter word. For he knows our weakness; He knows that our cowardice cannot brook delays; in His loving kindness He meets this problem and counteracts it, saying: 'And everyone that has forsaken house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.' "The mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped'; now all they who transgress without cause are ashamed. For we have promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come; and it is clear that the promise of receiving a hundred-fold applies to this life, since the words which follow are 'and shall inherit everlasting life'.

[Responsory11]
R. On the sixth day, he had his disciples carry him into the oratory where he received the sacraments our Lord to gain strength for his approaching end
* Then, in the arms of his disciples he breathed his last
V. While for several days sickness had wasted his remaining energy, he stood with hands outstretched to heaven
R. Then, in the arms of his disciples he breathed his last

[Lectio12]
Those who have not yet received the hundredfold reward must scrutinize their hearts and diligently examine all the work of their hands; they will certainly find some corner or lodging-place unknown to the Saviour. And what is our hundredfold reward but the consolations, the visitations and the first fruits of the Spirit, sweeter than honey; the witness of our consciences; the joyous and lovely expectation of the just, the memory of God's abundant sweetness, the great multitude of His delights, of which there is no need to tell those who have known them, just as it is impossible to describe them to those who have not known them. There is no one to whom all this exposition of our text better applies than to our father and master St. Benedict. He forsook the world and all its flowers in boyhood to run with strong strides after the running Christ; and he did not rest until he had caught up with Him.

[Responsory12]
R. A straight road stretched eastwards from his cell until it reached up into heaven. And there in the brightness stood a man of majestic appearance, who asked them, Do you know who passed this way?
* They declared that they did not know.
V. This, he told them, is the road taken by blessed Benedict, the Lord's beloved, when he ascended to heaven.
R. They declared that they did not know.