23. In the nineteenth year let the Salt give thanks for Thy Body.-O blessed Babe it is the soul-that is the salt of the Body, and Faith-the salt of the soul whereby it ispreserved; blessed be Thy preservation!
R., Glory to Thy Epiphany, 0 God and Man.!
24. In the twentieth year let temporal wealth with us give thanks,-which men that are perfect have cast off and abandoned-because of the "Woe"; and have gone and loved-poverty because of its beatitude; blessed be He Who desired it!
25. In the one-and-twentieth year let the waters give thanks that were sweetened-in a mystery of the Son. In the honey of Samson-the nations tasted bitterness therein that destroyed them:-they had life in the Cross that redeemed them; blessed be its pleasantness!
26. In the two-and-twentieth year let arms and the sword give thanks,-for they could not slay our Adversary.-Thou art He Who slew him as Thou art He Who restored-the ear that Simon's sword cut off; blessed be Thy healing!
27. In the three-and-twentieth year let the ass likewise give thanks,-that gave the colt whereon He should ride;-He opens likewise the mouth of wild asses,-the offspring gave Him praise; blessed be the praise of Thee!
28. In the font-and-twentieth year let wealth give thanks to the Son!-Treasures were amazed at the Lord of treasures,-how He grew up among the poor.-He made Himself poor that He might make all rich; blessed be His participation!
29. In the five-and-twentieth year let Isaac give thanks to the Son-Who in the mount saved him from the knife,-and became in his stead the lamb to be slain.-The mortal escaped, and He died Who gives life to all; blessed be His offering!
30. In the six-and-twentieth year let Moses with us give thanks,-who feared and fled from the slayers;-let him give thanks to the Son, for He it was Who on His feet -entered Sheol and spoiled it and came forth; blessed be His Resurrection!
[31. In the seven-and-twentieth year let the eloquent Orators-give thanks to the Son, for they could not find-means whereby we should prevail in our judgment:-He was silent in judgment and made our judgment prevail; to Him be applause>
32. In the seven and twentieth year let all Judges give thanks,-who as being just have put to death illdoers;-let them give thanks to the Son Who instead of the evil -died as being good, though He was Son of the Just One; blessed be His mercies!
33. In the eight-and-twentieth year let them give thanks to the Son,-all the mighty men who saved us not-from the captors. One is to be worshipped,-Who was slain and laid hold and saved us; blessed be His deliverance!
34. In the nine-and-twentieth year let Job with us give thanks,-who bare sufferings in his own behalf:-but our Lord bare on our behalf-the spitting and the stripes, the thorns and the nails; blessed is His compassion!
35. In the year that is the thirtieth let them give thanks with us;-the dead that have lived through His dying,-the living that were converted in His Crucifixion,-and the height and the depth that have been reconciled in Him! Blessed be He and His Father!
III.
(Resp.- Christ with chrism, lo! lie is sealing the newborn lambs in His flock! )
1. Christ and chrism are conjoined; the secret with the visible is mingled: the chrism anoints visibly,-Christ seals secretly, the lambs newborn and spiritual, the prize of His twofold victory; for He engendered it of the chrism, and He gave it birth of the water.
2. How exalted are your Orders! For she that was a sinner anointed, as a handmaid, the feet of her Lord. But for you, as though His minister, Christ by the hand of His servants, seals and anoints your bodies. It befits Him the Lord of the flock, that in His own person He seal His sheep.
3. Since then she, that sinner, stood in need of forgiveness, the anointing was for her an offering, and by it her love reconciled her Lord. But you who are the flock, among the profane and unbelievers, the Truth by the chrism is your seal, to separate you from the strayed.
4. From the peoples he separated the People, by the former seal of circumcision; but by the seal of anointing, the peoples He separates from the People. When the peoples were in error, the People He separated from the peoples; now when the People has erred from Him, He separates the peoples from thence.
5. Of the dust of the pure soil, Naaman bore away and returned to his place; that he by this holy dust, might be separated and known from the unclean. The chrism of Christ separates, the sons of the mystery from strangers: and by it they that are within are separated, and known from them that are without.
6. The oil which Elijah multiplied, might be tasted with the mouth; for the cruse was that of the widow, it was not that of the chrism. The oil of our Lord that is in the cruse, it is not food for the mouth: the sinner that was a wolf without, it makes him a lamb in the flock.
7. The chrism of the meek and lowly One, changes the stubborn to be like its Lord. The Gentiles were wolves and feared, the severe rod of Moses. Lo! the chrism seals them and makes, a flock of sheep out of the wolves! And the wolves that had fled from the rod, lo! they have taken refuge in the Cross!
8. The leaf of olive arrived, brought as a figure of the anointing; the sons of the Ark rejoiced to greet it, for it bore good tidings of deliverance. Thus also ye rejoiced to greet it, even this holy anointing. The bodies of sinners were glad in it, for it brought good tidings of deliverance.
9. The oil again that Jacob poured, upon the stone when he sealed it, that it should be between him and God, and that he might offer there his tithes; lo! in it is a symbol of your bodies, how by chrism they are sealed as holy, and become temples for God, where He shall be served by your sacrifices.