[Officium]
Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam II in Quadragesima

[Lectio1]
Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
!Luke 16:19-31
In that time, Jesus said to the pharisees: There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen; and feasted sumptuously every day. And so on.
_
Homily by Pope St. Gregory (the Great.)
!40th on the Gospels
Whom, dearly beloved brethren, whom are we to understand as signified by that rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day, whom, I ask, are we to understand, but the Jewish people, who had all the outward life of religious ordinances, and who turned the treasure of the law they had received to show and not to use? What but the herd of the Gentiles is figured in Lazarus, full of sores? Whosoever turneth himself to God and is not ashamed to confess his sin, hath his sores on the skin, for in a sore on the skin breaketh out the corruption, which is drawn from within.

[Lectio2]
What is, then, the confession of our sins but the breaking out of our sores? The corrupt matter of sin is healthily opened in confession, instead of remaining in the mind to rot it. Open sores on the skin bring the poisonous matter to the surface, and when we confess our sins, what do we but open up the evil that there is lurking in us? But Lazarus desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table, and no man gave unto him; even so did that proud people scorn to admit a Gentile to the knowledge of their law.

[Lectio3]
The teaching of the law moved them to pride, and not to love, as though they swelled with selfimportance at the thought of their riches, and the words which some Gentiles caught of their knowledge were as crumbs falling from their sumptuous table. On the other hand, the dogs came and licked the sores of the beggar that was laid at their gate. Sometimes in Holy Writ, under the figure of dogs, preachers are understood. A dog's tongue healeth the sore which it licketh, and so do holy teachers, when we confess our sins, and they speak to us, mollify by their tongues the sores of our souls.

[Ant 2]
Son, remember * that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things.

[Oratio 2]
Grant unto us, O Lord, we beseech thee, the help of thy grace, that we, who are now bent on fasting and prayer, may be freed from enemies both of our bodies and of our souls.
$Per Dominum

[Ant 3]
That rich man * who had refused Lazarus bread-crumbs, cried for a drop of water.

[Oratio 3]
O Lord, help thy servants, and grant unto their prayers this abiding effect of thy mercy that as they do make their boast in thee, that it is Thou which hast created and dost govern them, so Thou wilt renew in them the gifts wherewith Thou didst bountifully endow them, and wilt preserve what Thou hast renewed.
$Per Dominum