[Officium]
Common of a Doctor Bishop

[Missa]
In medio

[Ant 1]
O right excellent Teacher * Light of the Holy Church, N., blessed lover of the Divine Law, pray for us to the Son of God.

[Oratio]
O God, who didst give blessed N. to be thy people’s minister in eternal salvation; grant, we pray, that we who have him for teacher of life here on earth, may also deserve now that he is in heaven, to have him for an advocate.
$Per Dominum.

[Lectio1]
Lesson from the book of Ecclesiasticus
!Sir 39:1-5
1 The wise men will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and will be occupied in the prophets.
2 He will keep the sayings of renowned men, and will enter withal into the subtilties of parables.
3 He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.
4 He shall serve among great men, and: appear before the governor.
5 He shall pass into strange countries: for he shall try good and evil among men.

[Lectio2]
!Sir 39:6-10
6 He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.
7 He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.
8 For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:
9 And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.
10 And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.

[Lectio3]
!Sir 39:11-14
11 He shall show forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.
12 Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.
13 The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.
14 Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall show forth his praise.

[Lectio4]
From the Book of Moral Reflection on Job, written by Pope St. Gregory the Great.
!Bk. ix. ch. vi.
In the Book of Job (ix. 9), it is written that it is God which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Hyades. Now if by the constellation Orion be mystically signified the spiritual constellation of the holy Martyrs, whom can we understand to be named after them under the title of the Hyades, but the Doctors of the Holy Church? When the glorious constellation of the Martyrs had set, and the light of the faith grew stronger, then appeared the constellation of the Doctors in the firmament of the Church, even in that spring-time when the winter of unbelief was past, and the Sun of truth rose higher to shine on the hearts of His faithful ones. The storms of persecution were gone, and the long nights of unbelief were over then rose the Doctors to shine on the Church, when the springtime of belief promised her a brighter year.

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 5:13-19
At that time: Jesus said unto his disciples: Ye are the salt of the earth: But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? And so on, and that which followeth.
_
A Homily by St. Augustine the Bishop
!Lib. 1 de Sermóne Dómini in monte, cap. 6
The Lord would have us understand how that men do lose their power of savouring others with righteousness when they are willing to place their eternal welfare in jeopardy for the sake of any témporal advantage, like as attainment of ease or luxury, or escape from suffering or toil. For that which is eternal, unlike things of this world, can neither be bestowed by men, nor by them taken away. Hence, when he asketh: If the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? he would have us understand the question to be: If ye, by whom mankind is preserved from corruption, be willing to lose the kingdom of heaven so as to escape trials or persecutions in this world, who is there to preserve you from corruption, seeing ye are they that God hath chosen to preserve all others from corruption?

[Lectio8]
Those that should be the salt of the earth, but have lost their savour, are thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. But no one that suffereth persecution is truly said to be trodden under foot of men. Rather, that one is truly trodden under foot of men who through fear of persecution hath lost the savour of righteousness. For no one can be trodden upon, unless he be beneath him which treadeth upon him.  And certainly no one who hath his heart in heaven, no matter how grievously he doth suffer in his body on earth, is rightly said to be beneath anyone who misuseth him.

[Responsory8]
R. In the midst of the congregation did the Lord open his mouth.
* And filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
V. He made him rich with joy and gladness.
R. And filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.
&Gloria
R. And filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding.

[Lectio9]
Ye are the light of the world. And we are to understand the word World in the same sense as the word Earth when he spoke above of the salt of the earth, that is, not that earth whereupon we walk with our bodily feet, but the men which dwell upon the earth; in other words, sinners, for the sweetening and correction of whose corruption, the Lord hath sent his Apostles, as it were, as so much salt. And so by the world we are to understand, not the heaven and the earth, but the men who are in the world and love the world, for the enlightening of whom the Apostles have been sent. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid: that is, what is founded upon the heights of righteousness, whereof the mountain upon which the Lord gave this discourse was itself a figure, is magnificent in the eyes of all men.
&teDeum

[Lectio7 in 2 loco]
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 5:13-19
At that time, Jesus said unto His disciples: Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted. And so on.
_
Homily by St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers.
!Comment, on Matth. V
“Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” There is, I take it, no such thing as salt of the earth. How, then, can the Apostles be called the salt of the earth? But the true meaning of these words will be made plain, when we consider the duty of Apostles, and the nature of salt itself. Now, salt is a compound of the elements of water and fire, out of the which two things in salt there is made one.

[Lectio8 in 2 loco]
This thing, therefore, thus made to serve in diverse ways the use of men, doth keep from corruption bodies whereon it is sprinkled, and doth readily yield to all the senses the perception of its inborn savour. And thus are the Apostles, seeing that they are the preachers of the kingdom of heaven, and in a certain sense the sowers of the seed of life everlasting, since that Word of God which they scatter hath power to make this mortal put on immortality. Meetly then are they called salt, the savour of whose teaching doth keep sweet the receiver thereof even unto life everlasting.

[Lectio9 in 2 loco]
But the nature of salt is to be ever the same, and unchanging, and, on the other hand, the nature of man hath this weakness, to be changeable. He only is blessed who hath continued even unto the end in all the works which God hath commanded. Therefore dot! the Lord warn them whom He calleth the salt of the earth, that they are behoven to remain strong in that strength which He hath given unto them, lest, becoming themselves savourless, they should be impotent to season others losing the freshness of their own saltness, be unable to stop the corruption round about them and so the Church cast them out of her buttery, and they and those that they should have salted, be together trodden under foot of such as enter in.
&teDeum

[Lectio7 in 3 loco]
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 5:13-19
At that time: Jesus said unto His disciples: Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? And so on.
_
Homily by St John Chrysostom, Patriarch (of Constantinople.)
!15/A on Matth.
Consider how that the Lord saith: “Ye are the salt of the earth,” by the which figure He showeth what a necessary of life is the Gospel. By this figure, He hath us to know that they unto whom He spake have an account to render, not of their own life only, but for the whole world. Not unto two cities, saith the Lord, nor unto ten, nor unto twenty, nor unto one people, as I sent the Prophets, send I you. But I send you unto every land and sea, even unto the whole world, lying groaning, as it is, under the burden of diverse sins.

[Lectio8 in 3 loco]
These words, “Ye are the salt of the earth,” show unto us the whole nature of man as savourless and stinking with the strong corruption of sin. And therefore demandeth He of His Apostles such qualities as are most needful and useful to the furthering the salvation of many. He that is gentle and lowly, tender and just, shutteth not up all these good things in his own heart, but openeth these bright fountains that they may gush forth for the use of his neighbour. He whose heart is pure, and who seeketh peace, suffering persecution for the truth's sake, doth still lead a life for the good of the commonwealth.

[Lectio9 in 3 loco]
Think not, saith the Lord, that the struggle is easy whereunto ye shall be led, neither shall your reckoning be of light matters. Ye are the salt of the earth. Have ye then salted that which is corrupted? Nay, for it is impossible that that which is once corrupted can be made sound again by the rubbing it with salt. This it is not asked of them to do. But their work is to sprinkle with salt, and to keep fresh thereafter, such things as the Lord hath given over into their charge, and which He Himself hath made new, and freed from all taint, before giving them. To make sound after the corruption of sin, is the work of Christ's power alone; to preserve from falling away again, is the duty and the toil commanded to the Apostles.
&teDeum

[Introitus]
!Sir 15:5
v.  In the midst of the assembly he opened his mouth; and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding; He clothed him with a robe of glory. (Allelúja, allelúja.)
!Ps 91:2
v.  It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to Your name, Most High.
&Gloria
v.  In the midst of the assembly he opened his mouth; and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding; He clothed him with a robe of glory. (Allelúja, allelúja.)

[Lectio in 2 loco]
Lesson from the book of Ecclesiasticus
!Ecclus 39:6-14
The just man will give his heart to resort early to the Lord his Maker, and he will pray in the sight of the Most High. He will open his mouth in prayer, and will ask pardon for his sins. Then, if it pleases the Lord Almighty, He will fill him with the spirit of understanding; and he will pour forth his words of wisdom as showers, and in prayer give thanks to the Lord, Who will direct his knowledge and his counsel, as he meditates upon His mysteries. He will show the wisdom of what he has learned and glory in the Law of the Lord’s covenant. Many will praise his understanding; his fame can never be effaced; unfading will be his memory, through all generations his name will live; peoples will speak of his wisdom, the assembly will sing his praises.

[Lectio]
Lesson from the second letter of St Paul the Apostle to Timothy
!2 Tim 4:1-8
v. Dearly beloved: I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming, and his kingdom: Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. Be sober. For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming.

[Graduale]
!Ps 36:30-31
v. The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom and his tongue shall speak judgment.
V. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted. Allelúja, allelúja
!Sir 45:9
v. And he girded him about with a glorious girdle, and clothed him with a robe of glory, Allelúja.

[GradualeP]
Allelúja, allelúja.
!Eccli 45:9
The Lord loved him and decorated him: He hath clothed him in a stole of glory. 
!Osee 14:6. 
The just man shall flourish like the lily: and will bear fruit in eternity before the Lord. Allelúja.

[Tractus]
!Ps 36:30-31
v.  The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom : 
V.  And his tongue shall speak judgment. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.
!Ps 111:1-3
v.  Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments. 
V. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. 
V. Glory and wealth shall be in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever.

[Evangelium]
Continuation ++ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 5:13-19
v.  In that time Jesus said to His disciples: You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men. You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled. He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

[Offertorium]
!Ps 91:13
v. The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus. (Allelúja.)

[Secreta]
May the pious prayer of holy N. thy Bishop and illustrious Doctor be not wanting to us, O Lord, but make our offerings acceptable to thee and ever win for us thy mercy.
$Per Dominum

[Postcommunio]
May blessed N. thy Bishop and illustrious Doctor intercede for us, O Lord, that this thy sacrifice may obtain for us salvation.
$Per Dominum