CITATION OF TERCE.

1. "Therefore, Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him."

2. "And the soldiers plaiting a crown of thorns put it on His head; and
they put on Him a purple garment."

3. "And they came to Him and said, 'Hail, King of the Jews,' and they
gave Him blows" (St. John).

4. "Jesus, therefore, came forth bearing the crown of thorns and the
purple garment, and he (Pilate) sayeth to them 'Behold the Man!'"

_General Intentions._ The Pope's Intentions; the conversion of heretics;
the conversion of the Jews.

_Personal Intentions._ Devotion to the Holy Ghost; devotion to the
Passion.

_Special Intentions._ Vocations in America and Australia; for the Irish
people throughout the world; for the souls of our deceased penitents.

SEXT.

_Etymology_. The word Sext comes from the Latin word _sexta, (hora)_,
the sixth hour, because the little Hour should be said at what was the
sixth hour of the Roman day, about mid-day with us.

_Structure._ The structure of this hour is similar to that given in
Terce above, the hymn, antiphon, psalms, little chapter and responses
differing, but the order and form being similar in both.

_Antiquity._ The Psalmist wrote, "Vespere et mane et meridie narrabo et
annuntiabo, et exaudiet vocem meam" (Ps. 54). This practice of devout
Jews was maintained by the early Christians and in the Acts of the
Apostles we read, "Ascendit Petrus in superiora ut oraret circam horam
sextam" (Acts x, 9). At this hour, the Christians met for public,
joint prayer.

Why does the Church wish us to pray at the sixth hour of the day?

1. Because at this hour Christ instructed the Samaritan woman, the type
of the Gentiles; and He promised to give the living water, springing up
unto life everlasting, which was His blood, poured out on Calvary at the
sixth hour.

2. Because at this sixth hour Christ was raised on the cross for our
salvation and it is right and just, daily, to remember Him and His great
love for us. Besides, it is to realise His words "And if I be lifted up
from the earth, I will draw all things to myself" (St. John xii. 32).
And the Church, in the opening words of Sext for Sunday, impresses this
idea on us "Deficit in salutare meum anima mea," "My soul hath fainted
after thy salvation" (Ps. 118).

3. To ask God to grant us health and peace of heart, as the hymn for
Sext sings:--

"O God, Who canst not change nor fail,
Guiding the hours as they go by,
Brighteni