[Officium]
Vigilia Apostolorum

[Oratio 1 loco]
Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that the worshipful feast of thy blessed Apostle, N. on the eve whereof we now stand, may avail us to the increase both of godliness toward thee, and of health to our own souls.
$Per Dominum

[Oratio 2 loco]
Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that the worshipful Feast of thy blessed Apostle, N. on the eve whereof we now stand, may avail us to the increase both of godliness toward thee, and of health to our own souls.
$Per Dominum

[Oratio pro Evangelistae]
@:Oratio 1 loco:s/(Apostle)/$1 and Evangelist/

[Lectio1]
Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 15:12-16
In that time Jesus said to his disciples: This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. And so on.
_
Homily by Pope St Gregory (the Great.)
!21th on the Gospels
All the holy words of the Lord are full of His commandments. Why, then, speaketh the Lord of the commandment to love one another as if He gave no other commandment? This, saith He, is My commandment, That ye love one another. Is it not because love is the one object of all His commandments, and all His commandments are one? For, even as a tree, having but one root, bringeth forth many branches, so, if the root be love, many virtues do spring therefrom. Neither is the branch of good works green, if it abide not in the root of love.

[Lectio2]
Therefore the commandments of the Lord are manifold, and yet one. Manifold, indeed, by the diversity of working, but one, as concerning the root of love. And how it behoveth us to keep fast hold on that root of love, we know from Him, Who in sundry places of His holy Scripture, moveth us to love our friends in Him, and our enemies for Him. He truly abideth in love, who loveth his friend in God, and his enemy for God. For there are some who love their neighbour indeed, but by an affection engendered of kinship and of the flesh such love the Scripture forbiddeth not but it is one thing to love our neighbour with that love whereto nature doth freely move us, and another thing to love him with that love whereto we are obliged, if we would do whatsoever the Lord commandeth us.

[Lectio3]
He, then, that loveth his neighbour naturally, loveth him indeed, but attaineth not unto that great reward of love, for he loveth him, not after the spirit, but after the flesh. Therefore, when the Lord saith: This is My commandment, That ye love one another, He saith also, as I have loved you, even as though He said openly, Love ye one another, with that aim wherewith I have loved you. And in this matter, dearly beloved brethren, it behoveth us to watch; for he that hateth us of old time, even while he draweth our mind to love the things which are seen and temporal, rouseth up against us our neighbour who is weaker than we are, to take from us that which we love.

[Introitus]
!Ps 51:10-11
v. But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints.
!Ps 51:3
v. Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?
&Gloria
v. But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever. I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints.

[Lectio]
Lesson from the book of Ecclesiasticus
!Sir 44:25-27; 45:2-4; 45:6-9
v. The Lord gave him the blessing of all nations, and confirmed his covenant upon the head of Jacob. He acknowledged him in his blessings, and gave him an inheritance, and divided him his portion in twelve tribes. And he preserved for him men of mercy, that found grace in the eyes of all flesh. He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease. He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory. He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh. And he gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life and instruction, that he might teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his judgments. He exalted Aaron his brother, and like to himself of the tribe of Levi: He made an everlasting covenant with him, and gave him the priesthood of the nation, and made him blessed in glory, And he girded him about with a glorious girdle, and clothed him with a robe of glory, and crowned him with majestic attire.

[Graduale]
!Ps 91:13; 91:14
v. The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus. They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
!Ps 91:3
v. To shew forth thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth in the night:

[Evangelium]
Continuation + of the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 15:12-16
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love than this no one has, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do the things I command you. No longer do I call you servants, because the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and have appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

[Offertorium]
!Ps 8:6-7
v. Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour: and hast set him over the works of thy hands.

[Secreta]
Offering to thee these holy mysteries with reverence for the high dignity of the Apostleship, we beseech thee, O Lord that through the prayers of blessed N., thy Apostle, to whose feast we look forward, thy people ever may set forth their desires before thee and gain what they seek.
$Per Dominum

[Secreta pro Evangelistae]
@:Secreta:s/(Apostle)/$1 and Evangelist/

[Communio]
!Ps 20:6
v. His glory is great in thy salvation: glory and great beauty shalt thou lay upon him.

[Postcommunio]
Be appeased, we beseech thee, O Lord, by the prayers of thy holy Apostle, N., and grant us pardon and unfailing remedies.
$Per Dominum

[Postcommunio pro Evangelistae]
@:Postcommunio:s/(Apostle)/$1 and Evangelist/