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Text Box: THE BASILIAN FATHERS (The Society of Clerks Secular of Saint Basil) SEQUENCE In the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Seven Sorrows of The Blessed Ever Virgin Mary, there is a Sequence, which is given below. Read it very carefully, with comprehension and understanding. If you have fortitude, while you read it, pray it slowly, comprehending what it prayerfully acknowledges and requests. Then ask yourself, “Am I willing and desirous of everything in this prayer, particularly as it applies to me?” SEQUENCE Next the cross in tears unceasing, Worn by sorrow aye increasing, Stood the Mother ‘neath her Son Though her soul already riven, Simeon’s sword divinely driven, Edged with anguish, lo! Hath run. Sad, afflicted as no other, Was that chosen blessed Mother, Having none but Christ begot. Faithful Mother! Upward gazing, Heart and hands to Son upraising, Mourns and grieves His cruel lot. Hard the man his tears refraining, Watching Mary uncomplaining, Bear a sorrow like to none. Hard the man that shares no sorrow, With a Mother fain to borrow Every pang that writhes her Son. Tortured, scourged in expiation Of the sins that marred His Nation, Mary watched His every pang. She beheld her dear Begotten, Stretched in death by all forgotten, As on hoisted rod He hang. Mother, fount of love, the purest, Floods of sorrow thou endurest, Turn them toward this heart of mine.

Text Box: With these waters purge its guileness, Burn with love its innate vileness, With the flame of love divine. Hallowed Mother, do this favor, Those five wounds that gored my Saviour Deeply on my heart engrave. Pains thou gladly with Him sharest, Anguish that thou bravely bearest, Fully share with me, I crave. Blend thy tears with mine in wailing, Sorrow for my sins prevailing, Till the break of endless dawn. Next the cross to take my station, By thy side in desolation, Thus, I long with thee to mourn. Maiden of all maidens fairest, Sate me with the grief thou bearest: Spurn me not, be thou kind. Mine it be Christ’s throes in sharing, Mine it be His anguish bearing, These His wounds to keep in mind. May His scars my body carry. May His cross and blood not tarry Soul of mine to satiate! Thus inflamed with love consuming, Shall I not thy aid presuming Safe the reck’ning day await? When in death my eyes are losing, Ope them, Lord, to see reposing Victory’s crown in Mary’s hand. When my frame by death is broken, And my doom by Thee is spoken, Be it, Lord, the better land. Amen. + ONE OF YOUR PRIESTLY DUTIES And the consequence of failure to perform this duty.

Text Box: Ezechiel 33:7-9. So thou, O son of man, I have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and shalt tell it them from me. When I say to the wicked: O wicked man, thou shalt surely die: if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked man from his way: that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at thy hand. But if thou tell the wicked man, that he may be converted from his ways, and he be not converted from his way he shall die in his iniquity: but thou hast delivered thy soul. ~~~ Beinmg a Priest is a serious matter, as well as a lot of fun. Embrace both. + A PRIEST NEVER “GIVES UP”, NEVER QUITS Well, at least not for very long. One of the “marks” of a Priest is he never quits, never gives up. He may from time to time be discouraged, but he rebounds. This does not mean he does not acknowledge reality. He simply continues using various avenues. The above “sounds” nice, but what does, it mean. Examples will explain. Large numbers of people seem determined to fornicate and to commit adultery even though these are expressly forbidden by God in direct commandments. A Priest teaches fornication and adultery are immoral, wrong, and lead to eternal damnation. He is correct and accurate. People know fornication and adultery are immoral, wrong, and lead to eternal damnation, yet many people

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