^^jJSrof mnel^ ^mmuL si^rt?^ ^j:. B7V of tlje IBtebtarp anb idts^sial Horm B. V. Mar ise— 15th Century, 163 pages (Codex Msc 291). Pholo-reprodiiction of Page 75 from the original in the Abbey of Maria Einsiedeln, ''Initium Completorii" wdh Miniature ''The Crowning of Our Blessed Lady" exquisdely executed in richly harmonizing colors set in f\^nixjldy decorative floral border. This elaborate /four tiooti also contains eleven full-page pictures masterfully Illuminated ivith the iitmostcare to detail, and every folio IS notable for Us varying and highly ornate design. / of tlje Prebiarp anb Jlisijsal Edited with Introduction and Notes by REV. MATTHEW BRITT, O.S.B. ST. martin's abbey, lacey, wash. Preface by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Hugh T. Henry, Litt. D. New York, Cincinnati, Chicago BENZIGER BROTHERS PRINTERS TO THE I PUBLISHERS OF HOLY APOSTOLIC SEE | BENZIGER's MAGAZINE 1922 OswALDUs Baran, O.S.B. Abbas S. Martini. Arthur J. Scanlan, S.T.D. Censor Librorum. imprimatur. >J* Patrick J. Hayes, D.D. Archbishop of New York. New York, July 18, 1922. ConTRiCHT, 1922. BY Bemzicbr Bsothms Printed in the United States of America. Contentis PAGE Preface by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Hugh T. Henry, Litt.D. 9 Author's Preface 13 Acknowledgments 15 Bibliography 17 Introduction 21 Historical 21 Meters 25 Canonical Hours 31 PART I The Hymns of the Psalter 33 Prime 33 Terce 35 Sext 36 None 37 Compline 39 Sunday at Matins 40 Te Deum 44 Sunday at Lauds 49 Monday at Matins 54 Monday at Lauds 55 Tuesday at Matins 58 Tuesday at Lauds 59 Wednesday at Matins 61 Wednesday at Lauds 63 Thursday at Matins 64 Thursday at Lauds 65 Friday at Matins 66 Friday at Lauds 68 Saturday at Matins 70 Saturday at Lauds 71 6 CONTENTS PAGE The Vespers Hymns of the Psalter 73 Sunday at Vespers 73 Monday at Vespers 75 Tuesday at Vespers 77 Wednesday at Vespers 79 Thursday at Vespers 80 Friday at Vespers 82 Saturday at Vespers 84 Special Doxologies 85 The Antiphons of the Blessed Virgin 86 PART II Pkoper of the Season 91 Advent — The Great Antiphons 91 Christmastide 100 The Holy Innocents 106 The Holy Name of Jesus — Vespers 109 Matins Ill Lauds 112 The Epiphany 113 Lent 117 Passiontide 123 The Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin . . . 132 Eastertide — The Paschal Sequence 141 Whitsuntide 159 Trinity Sunday 170 Corpus Christi 173 Feast of the Sacred Heart 194 Dies IrsB 202 PART III Proper of the Saints 217 The Immaculate Conception-r-Dec. 8th 217 St. Peter's Chair at Rome— January 18th. ... 219 Conversion of St. Paul — January 25th 221 St. Martina— January 30th 222 The Holy Family— 1st Sunday after Epiphany 226 The Apparition of the Blessed Virgin at Lourdes — February 11th 232 The Seven Holy Founders— February 12th. . . 237 6 CONTENTS PAGE St. Joseph— March 19th 243 St. Hermengild— April 13th 248 St. Venantius— May 18th 250 St. Juliana Falconieri — June 19th 254 Nativity of St. John the Baptist— June 24th. . 256 SS. Peter and Paul— June 29th 262 The Most Precious Blood— July 1st 265 SS. Cyril and Methodius— July 7th 271 St. Elizabeth of Portugal— July 8th 276 St. Mary Magdalene— July 22nd 278 St. Peter's Chains— August 1st 282 Transfiguration of Our Lord — August 6th. . . . 283 The Seven Dolors of Our Lady— Sept. 15th. . . 286 St. Michael the Archangel — September 29th . . . 291 The Holy Guardian Angels — October 2nd 295 The Most Holy Rosary— October 7th 298 St. Teresa— October 15th 305 St. John Cantius— October 20th 308 All Saints — November 1st 312 PART IV Common op the Saints 317 Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary 317 Common of Apostles and Evangelists (Out of Eastertide) 323 Common of One Martyr (Out of Eastertide) . . . 326 Common of Many Martyrs (In Eastertide) . . . 329 Common of Many Martyrs (Out of Eastertide) 332 Common of Confessors 334 Common of Virgins 339 Common of Holy Women 342 Common of the Dedication of a Church 343 De Contemptu Mundi (four parts) 350 Authors of the Latin Hymns 355 Tranlators of the Hymns 362 Religious Affiliations of the Translators 372 Glossary 373 English Index 375 Latin Index 380 7 preface 'FTER years of patient but loving labor, the compiler of this volume has achieved a work of scholarly distinction, of elegant artistry, and withal of practical utility. It is a work of scholarly distinction. The field of Latin hymnology is vast in extent and rich in re- sources, and translators have roamed far and wide amid its fertile reaches for highly varied blooms and fruits. The compiler has therefore had many rich stores to draw upon, but he has wisely restricted himself to very definite limits of choice. The hymns of the Roman Missal and Breviary form a thesaurus by themselves. Many of them are world- famous classics. Some of them have won translation and commentary that fill volumes devoted to them singly. All of them deserve rendition into English verse and, indeed, have been more than once so rendered. Father Caswall and Archbishop Bagshawe, each for his own day, translated all of the Missal and Breviary hymns. Caswall did more, it is true, finding other treasures in the Parisian and various Monastic Breviaries. His competency for the task he es- sayed was manifold and excellent, and his Lyra Catholica will doubtless forever remain a Catholic classic. Bagshawe confined his attention to the Roman liturgical hynms, set- ting himself the somewhat ungrateful task of closely literal translation. In our own day. Judge Donahoe has published two series of Early Christian Hymns, including very many from the Roman liturgy, and has merited the high praise accorded him by critics. Catholic renderings into English of individual liturgical hymns are well-nigh innumerable. While Catholics have naturally been active in such appro- priate work, it may seem at first blush astonishing that PREFACE Protestants should have issued so many volumes of transla- tion, history, commentary and appreciation of our Latin hymnody, and should have exhausted the language of eulogy in appraisal of the masterpieces — the Dies Irce, the Stabat Mater, the Lauda Sion, the Golden Sequence, and the like. Charles Warren found suflQcient matter in the his- tory and the translations of the Dies Irce for a good-sized volume. Dr. Coles, an American physician, gave a volume to the Stabat Mater. Judge Noyes unostentatiously issued his Seven Great Hymns of the Mediceval Church, and the book ran through many editions. The name of Protestant editors and translators of our Latin hymns is legion. One of the most earnest and reverent students of Latin hymn- ody, and perhaps the most felicitous of all the translators, was an Anglican clergyman, the Rev. J. M. Neale, D.D. The distinction achieved by Father Britt in the present volume, however, does not lie in the fact that he has ven- tured, with catholicity of literary taste, to include render- ings by other than Catholic pens. Orby Shipley in his Annus Sanctus and the Marquess of Bute in his Roman Breviary had already drawn a sharp contrast — the former excluding, the latter including, non-Catholic renderings. But the present compiler has, more largely than any other, given representation to non-Catholic pens. He has mainly sought for translations that should best combine a just literalness with the just freedom in phrase and form ac- corded by literary canons in the art of translation. There is obvious danger, on the one hand, that the ray of doctrinal truth will suffer refraction when it passes from the medium of the Latin idiom into the medium of the English tongue. On the other hand, there is danger that excessive devotion to literalness in phrase rather than in thought w411 issue in idiomatic awkwardness, questionable rhyming, stilted or crabbed rhythm. While the work of Father Britt derives distinction from this largeness of view in selection, it also aims to secure elegant artistry in the translation of our wonderfully rich hymnody. The task is trying beyond ordinary apprehen- sion, for the editor must minutely weigh questions of ac- curacy in the rendering, must measure relative felicities of 10 PREFACE phrase, must compare stanza with stanza, must evaluate sensitively the appropriateness of an English metre to that of the Latin original. Meanwhile, he must remain always fearful lest some subtle essence or quintessence of the Latin poet's fine frenzy may have been lost, some hardly dis- cernible antithesis in thought or phrase overlooked (as Dr. Neale pointed out in several English translations of the Angelic Doctor's Pange Lingua), some curiosa felicitas of the Latin handled with unlaboriously heavy touch. The art of selection in the midst of many fairly satisfactory rendi- tions is indeed, to the conscientious anthologist, a most try- ing one. But the artistic labor does not end here. Merely to select at random will hardly suffice. But to choose the version always which seems best to satisfy the canons of art might result in the too frequent recurrence of the same names — those of Caswall, Neale, Newman, for instance — with an undesirable monotony. A large volume must have a large variety in authorship, when it is an anthology in the field of Latin hymnody. The difficulty confronted is not the superficial one, however, of a mere variety in names. In the domain of music, one may tire of the majesty of Bach, the stormy emotionalism of Beethoven, the "cloying sweetness ' ' of Mendelssohn. In literature, one may desire a change even from the morning freshness of Chaucer, the vivid heart-searchings of Shakespeare, the sententious rhythms of Pope. More is needed than a mere variety in metric forms — a device used by translators in order to avoid monotony. There should be variety in mental and spiritual experience and outlook, in poetic gifts, in rhymic and rhythmic facilities, in variant literary modes. To sum it up briefly, there should be variety in the unmeasurable thing called personality. For the style is the man — the complex, like himself, of his culture, his loves and hopes, his anxieties and fears. Accordingly, the compiler has availed himself of the labors of some sixty translators of the one hundred and seventy-three hymns included in his volume. The reader may therefore confidently look for that variety which is the spice of literature as of life. In- cidentally, he will receive a broad vision of the hymnologic work going on in the world around him. 11 PREFACE The utility of Father Britt's labor of love is practical in many ways. A good translation is really an interpreta- tion. It does not render merely the words or even the thoughts of the original writer into another tongue, but seeks as well to pierce into his mood, to reproduce it for the reader^ to catch and fix that first passion which beggars all behind, Heirs of a tamer transport prepossessed. And so it is that the learned Latinist may still learn at times something from the studious, gifted, visioned trans- lator, even as the learned Shakespearian etymologist may gain deeper insight from the action and emphasis of a Gar- rick or a Booth. In the lower levels of thought, a good in- terpretation may be gained from a good translation ; for not a few of the Latin hymns need intelligent commentary for their easy or complete elucidation — a commentary some- times supplied, in a large sense, by a poetic translator. On a still lower plane, some of the Latin hymns (such as the Sterne Rerum Conditor, the lit Queant Laxis) present grammatical tangles not readily solvable by the ordinary graduate of a course in Latin language and literature. But if the innumerable hosts of those who have had no training in Latin are to benefit by the wisdom, the piety, the fervor enshrined in the hymns of the Roman liturgy, the work of the translator becomes indispensable. It remains but to felicitate the compiler upon the com- pletion of his long and loving labor and to bespeak for his volume the attention of all students of Latin hymnology and all lovers of the venerable hymns of the Roman MissgJ and Breviary. H. T. Henby. The Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C. 12 autfjor'jf preface X^^^^HE purpose of this volume is to provide an in- ^ x->ytroductory work on the hymns of the Roman M ^ jBreviary and Missal. In its pages will be ^L J'f ound all the hymns in the Breviary since the ^^1^^ Bull Divino Afflatu of Pope Pius X (1911), to- gether with the five sequences of the Missal, and a few other hymns. There is at present in English no work that even approximately covers this ground. Many thoughtful men have long felt that something should be done to make our liturgical hymns better known and better understood. The Dies IrcB, the Vexilla Regis, the Stabat Mater, the Lauda Sion, and the Pange Lingua are of incomparably greater value to the Christian than the greatest of pagan odes. However, the study of the ancient classics and of Christian hymns may and should go hand in hand. Each has its own purpose ; there is no quarrel between them. The one serves to cultivate a delicate and refined taste, the other enkindles in the soul the loftiest sentiments of relig- ion. The study of the former prepares one for a fuller and more generous enjoyment of the latter. The present volume is intended as a manual for begin- ners — for those who have had no access to the many excel- lent works on Latin hymns edited in other languages. The editor has no new theories of authorship to propound, no new historical facts to announce, and in general no new interpretation of disputed passages in the hymns. For historical data he freely acknowledges his indebtedness to many existing works, especially to the Dictionary of Hymn- ology so ably edited by the late Rev. Dr. John Julian, and the Rev. James Mearns, M.A. The translations referred to throughout the volume are 13 AUTHOR'S PREFACE metrical translations. There are no prose translations in English, if one excepts a considerable part of the hymns of the Proper of the Season, which are found in Abbot Gueranger's great work The Liturgical Year. The metrical versions given here represent the work of more than sixty translators, some of whom flourished as early as the seven- teenth century. In the selection of these translations many hymn-collections and many of the finest hymn-books have been laid under tribute. Catholic and Anglican scholars, especially since the days of the Oxford Movement, have vied with one another in rendering our Latin hymns into English verse. Both in the number of translators and in the quality of their work the honors are about equally di- vided. It is worthy of note that Catholic scholars have ordinarily translated the Roman Breviary Text, while Anglicans have generally rendered the Original Text as found in the Benedictine and Dominican Breviaries. Much time was spent in the selection of the translations that ac- company the Latin hymns. Despite the great wealth of translations the editor is inclined to believe that the num- ber of really good versions of any particular hymn is not great. A translation, to be worthy of the name, must com- bine good idiomatic English with a literal rendering of the original. The retention of the meter of the original is also very desirable. Some translators have excelled in one of these qualities, some in another; few have successfully combined all of them. In not a few instances it was found necessary to restrict the choice of translations to those made directly from the Roman Breviary Text. Often how- ever the two Texts while differing verbally do not differ greatly in sense. In such instances translations of the Original Text by J. M. Neale and others are freely given. It was a part of the instruction given the revisers of the hymns in 1632 that the meter and sense of each line should be preserved, and that expressions should not be funda- mentally altered. It need scarcely be said that this in- struction was not always followed. Whenever ascertainable the name of the translator of each hymn is given. Statements as to authorship do not as a rule include Doxologies, Latin or English. Considerable 14 AUTHOR'S PREFACE liberty was taken in the selection of English Doxologies. The number of English translations is given under each hymn. The number of translations credited to a hymn is based in great part on the versions mentioned in Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology and in Duffield's Latin Hymn- Writers. To these lists have been added several recent translations. All such lists are necessarily incomplete. The editor is not unconscious of the many shortcomings and imperfections of the present volume ; but if it will serve to enkindle in the hearts of beginners, especially of young men studying for the priesthood, a love for the hymns of Holy Church, it will have accomplished the chief purpose for which it was undertaken. Its preparation has been both a pastime and a labor of love. The result is cheerfully sub- mitted to the judgment and correction of the proper eccles- iastical authorities. The pointing out of any inaccuracies will be duly acknowledged and greatly appreciated by the editor. Acknowledgments The editor desires to express his warmest thanks to many kind friends for their generous assistance in the preparation of this work. A special word of acknowledg- ment is due to the Right Rev. Msgr. H. T. Henry, Litt.D., and to the late Right Rev. Peter Engel, O.S.B., for their kindly interest in the work from its inception. The editor's thanks are also due to many authors and publishers for per- mission to use the translations here assigned them : to Mr. Robert Bridges, the Poet Laureate, for permission to use hymn 12 from The Yattendon Hymnal; to the Benedictines of Stanbrook for hymns 99, 100, 121, 122, 138, 140 from their The Bay Hours of the Church; to Messrs. Burns, Gates and Washboume for hymns 98 and 146 from Arch- bishop Bagshawe's Breviary Hymns and Missal Sequences; to the representatives of the late Marquess of Bute for hymns 84, 95, 141 from his Roman Breviary in English; to the Rev. John Connolly for hymn 116 by the late Canon Hall ; to the Rev. Percy Dearmer for hymn 156 ; to Mr. Lau- rence Housman for hymn 164 ; to Judge D. J. Donahue for a 15 AUTHOR'S PREFACE new translation of hymn 159, and for hjnnns 86, 123, 142, 143, from his Early Christian Hymns; to the Rev. Edward F. Garesche, S.J. for hymn 80; to the Rev. T. A. Lacey, M.A. for hymn 48 ; to the Right Rev. Msgr. H. T. Henry for hymns 41, 75, 96, 97, 131, 139, 144; to the Right Rev. Sir David Oswald Hunter-Blair, O.S.B. for a new translation of hymn 30, and for hymn 141 ; to Miss Julian for hymn 20 written by her distinguished father; to the proprietors of Hymns Ancient and Modern {H.A. and M.) for hymns 34B and 154; to Messrs. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. for hymn 102 by the late Charles Kegan Paul; to Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co. for hymn 135, by the late Dr. T. I. Ball; to Mr. Alan G. McDougall for hymns 1, 64, 77, 105, 129, 136, 138, 156 which now appear in print for the first time ; to Messrs. Macmillan and to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (S.P.C.K.) for hymns 14, 16, 18, 27, 36 by the late W. J. Courthope; to the Oxford University Press for hymn 4 by Messrs. Ellerton and Hort ; to the Rev. G. H. Palmer, B.A. for permission to use many copyright hymns from The Hymner — this includes all the hymns ascribed to Messrs. G. H. Palmer, M. J. Blacker, W. J. Copeland, J. W. Chadwick, and J. W. Doran ; to Mr. Athelstan Riley, M.A. for hymns 42 and 129 ; to The Rosary Magazine for hymn 139 ; to the Rev. G. R. Woodward, M.A. for a new translation of the Ave Maris Stella 149B, and for many courtesies ; to the proprietors of The English Hymnal for the translation ascribed above to Messrs. Athelstan Riley, T. A. Lacey, Percy Dearmer, and Laurence Hous- man. Among the many scholars and friends to whom the editor is indebted he would here make special mention of Mr. James Britten, K.S.G., the Rev. James Mearns, M.A., Mr. Alan G. McDougall and the Rev. Ildephonse Brandstetter, O.S.B. Many of those already mentioned have been very kind and helpful in looking up the owners of hymns still in copyright. This in itself has been no slight task as most of these are the property of English authors and publish- ers. The editor has spared no efforts to ascertain the own- ers of all copyright hymns ; but if through inadvertence any have been overlooked, indulgence is asked in so worthy a 16 AUTHOR'S PREFACE cause, and the editor promises that due acknowledgement will be made at the earliest opportunity. Bibliography Works containing translations of Latin hymns, without Latin texts and comment, will be found among the bi- ographies of translators at the end of this volume. 1. John Julian: A Dictionary of Hynmology, 2nd Ed., London, 1907. A truly great work which sets forth the origin of Christian hymns of all ages and nations. Very valuable for Latin hymns. This work does not contain texts. 2. S. W. Duffield : Latin Hymn-Writers and Their Hymns, New York, 1889. This work is a series of critical essays ; it contains a few Latin hymns and translations. It is not a reliable work. Funk and Wagnalls, New York. 3. R. C. Trench: Sacred Latin Poetry, Chiefly Lyrical, London, 1864. Trench was the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin. This book is an old favorite. It contains 76 Latin hymns, six of which are from the Breviary and two from the Missal. The introduction (52 pages) is very instruc- tive. The book is the work of a scholar, albeit a bigoted one. 4. F. A. March: Latin Hymns, New York, 1874. Con- tains Latin text of 160 hymns with brief but good notes ; 37 of these hymns are in the Breviary or Missal. American Book Co., New York. 5. Eucharistica by Right Rev. Msgr. H. T. Henry, Litt. D. Contains, among much other valuable matter, the Latin texts with translations of some forty hymns in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, the Sacred Heart, and the Holy Name. There are sixty pages of comment. The Dolphin Press, Philadelphia, 1912. 6. The Catholic Encyclopedia: This great work is fre- quently referred to throughout this volume. It contains much valuable information on our Latin hymns. The ar- ticle on Hymnody and Hymnology was contributed by Rev. Clemens Blume, S.J., one of the editors of Analecta Hymnica. There are also some fifty articles on individual hymns, practically all of which were contributed by Msgr. 17 AUTHOR'S PREFACE H. T. Henry. Each article is followed by a valuable bibli- ography. 7. American Ecclesiastical Review: During the last twenty-five years the American Ecclesiastical Review has contained many scholarly articles on our Latin hymns, and many translations. Most of the articles and translations are from the pen of Msgr. H. T. Henry. 8. Latin Hymns edited with an introduction and notes by Rev. Matthew Germing, S.J., Loyola University Press, Chicago, 1920. This inexpensive booklet contains forty- five hymns judicially chosen and carefully edited for class- room purposes. 9. Latin Hymns edited by W. A. Merrill. A small vol- ume of Latin hymns with brief but good notes. About forty of the hymns are from the Breviary and Missal. San- born, Boston, 1904. 10. Hymns Ancient and Modern {H. A. S M.), Historical Edition, London, 1909. Contains 643 hymns, among which are 148 Latin hymns with English translations and notes. It contains a valuable Introduction (110 pages). The text of the Latin hymns "Hymni Latini" is also printed sepa- rately in vest pocket form. (Wm. Clowes & Sons, Ltd., 23 Cockspur St., London, S.W.) 11. L'abbe Pimont: Les Hymnes du Breviaire Romavn, Etudes critiques, litteraires et mystiques. 3 Vols., Paris, 1874-1884. A valuable commentary; a good companion would be the work next listed below. 12. Louis Gladu : Les Hymnes du Breviaire traduites en frangais avec le text latin en regard. Second Ed., Quebec, 1913. 13. Johan Kayser: Beitrdge sur Geschichte wid Erkld- rtmg der dltesten Kirchenhymnen. 2 Vols., Paderbom, 1881-1886. An excellent commentary. 14. Adelbert Schulte: Die Hymnen des Breviers nebst den Sequenzen des Missale; 2nd Ed., Paderborn, 1906. This work contains the Roman Breviary Text of the hymns, and the Original Text where it differs from the former. There is a very literal prose translation of each hymn to- gether with ample explanatory notes. It is one of the best works obtainable on our Latin hynms. 18 AUTHOR'S PREFACE 15. F. J. Mone: Latemische Hymnen des Mittelalters, 3 Vols., Freiburg, 1853-1855. Since its publication this has been one of the standard works on Latin hymns. 16. H. A. Daniel: Thesaurus Eymnologicus, 5 Vols., Leipzig, 1841-1856. A valuable and extensive collection of hymns. The arrangement however is poor, and the abbre- viations and references in the notes are most obscure. The first volume contains in parallel columns about fifty Brev- iary hymns in both the Original Text and the Roman Breviary Text. 17. Dreves and Blume: Analecta Hymnica Medii ^vi. Leipzig, 1886. This great work when completed will con- tain about sixty volumes. More than fifty are now in print. It is the most extensive work on Latin hymnody thus far undertaken. The work listed next below should be in the hands of every user of the Analecta Hymnica. 18. James Mearns: Early Latin Hymnaries. An index of hymns in hymnaries before 1100. It gives references to the three following works where the texts of the hymns are printed; Analecta Hymnica {supra); Werner's Die dltesten Hymnensammlwigen von Rheinau, 1891; Steven- son's The Latin Hymns of the Anglo-Saxon Church, 1851; References are also given to Chevalier's Repertoriumi Hymnologicum, the great index to Latin hymns. 19 Sntrobuctton Historical X^^^^^HE use of hjTnns in the Western Church dates ^^^^^from the fourth century, from the days of the ■ ^ |two illustrious Doctors of the Church, SS. ^L ^JHilary and Ambrose. The first in point of ^^^g^^ time to write hymns was Hilary, the ever vigi- lant bishop of Poitiers (d. 368). St. Hilary, who had earned for himself the title of Malleus Ariamorum, ''the Hammer of the Arians," was sent into exile by the Arian Emperor Constantius. His place of exile was Phrygia, a country in western Asia Minor. During the six years of his enforced sojourn among the Greeks, he became familiar with Greek metrical hymns which were at that time coming into use among the Christians in the East. On his return to Poitiers in 361 he began the writing of Latin hymns in the West. His efforts were not crowned with great suc- cess. Most of his hymns have perished and many of those which bear his name are the compositions of later writers. In 1887, three fragments of hymns from St. Hilary's Liher Hymnorum were discovered; these are probably the only genuine hymns of St. Hilary that have survived. To St. Ambrose (340-397), the great Bishop of Milan, is to be ascribed the honor of being the real founder of hymnody in the West. St. Ambrose began the writing of hymns as a means of combating the pernicious doctrines of the Arians. His hymns were used to convey correct Catho- lic doctrine to the minds and hearts of his people. For this purpose he chose with remarkable judgment a simple strophe consisting of four iambic dimeters — four lines of eight syllables each. This, which is the simplest of all the 21 INTRODUCTION lyric meters, is most suitable for congregational singing and is easily memorized. The hymns of St. Ambrose be- came very popular, and from Milan they spread rapidly throughout the West. Many imitators arose who imitated the style and meter of St. Ambrose. All such hymns were given the general name Ambrosiani — Ambrosian hymns. So popular were the hymns of St. Ambrose and of the Am- brosian school of hymn-writers that with a few insignifi- cant exceptions hymns in this meter were almost exclusively used do^vn to the eleventh century, nor did other meters come into extensive use until as late as the sixteenth cen- tury. Even to this day hymns written by St. Ambrose or by his imitators greatly predominate in the Breviary. H. A. Daniel in his Thesaurus Hymnologicus (Vol. 1), gives ninety-two hymns which he ascribes to St. Ambrose or to his contemporaries or successors. Many of these Ambros- iani are certainly not the work of St. Ambrose. The Bene- dictine editors of the works of St. Ambrose attribute to him twelve hymns. Father Dreves, the eminent hymnologist, after a careful study of the hymnaries in the Vatican and at Milan in 1893, gives it as his opinion that fourteen of the hymns ascribed to St. Ambrose are ** genuine" and that four others are ** possibly his." During the four centuries that elapsed between the death of St. Ambrose (397) and that of Charlemagne (814), many Christian poets sang in noble strains. In meter and out- ward form they imitated the hymns of St. Ambrose. Con- spicuous among those whose hymns are used in the Divine OflSce are the Spanish poet Pru dentins (d. 413) whose Cathemerinon is frequently mentioned in this volume; Sedulius (5th cent.) who gave us the beautiful Christmas hymn A solis ortus cardine; Fortunatus (d. 609) "the last of the Latin poets of Gaul" and the author of the incom- parable Vexilla Regis and of the sublime passion hymn Pange lingua; St. Gregory the Great (d. 604) to whom tra- dition assigns a place among the hymn-writers; Paul the Deacon (d. 799), a Benedictine of Monte Cassino, the author of the first Sapphic hymn Ut queant laxis; and Rabanus Maurus (d. 856), the learned Archbishop of Mainz, the probable author of the Veni Creator Spiritus, 22 HISTORICAL The second period of hymn-writing embraces the period between the ninth and the sixteenth century. It was a period of the greatest activity. Many of the medieval hymn-writers were exceedingly prolific, and a mere men- tion of the names of those who distinguished themselves would be a lengthy task. The hymn-writers of the Mid- dle Ages allowed themselves greater liberty than the earlier Christian poets, and in general the rules of prosody were disregarded. It is noticeable also that the hymns of this period became more subjective than the somewhat austere hymns of St. Ambrose and his imitators. Popular sub- jects were — the Passion and Wounds of Christ, His Holy Name, the Joys of Paradise, the Terrors of the Judgment, hymns in honor of Our Lady and of the Saints. Among the great names of this period is that of St. Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274), the poet of the Blessed Sacrament; Bernard of Cluny (12th cent.), author of De Contemptu Mundi, a poem of 3,000 lines which is well known to English readers from Neale's translations — "The world is very evil," and ** Jerusalem the golden," which are found at the end of this volume. To this period also belongs Adam of St. Victor, the author of many sequences of incomparable beauty, and the most prominent and prolific hymn-writer of the Middle Ages. To these great names must be added that of Jacopone da Todi (d. 1306), the author of the ten- derest of all poems, the Stahat Mater; and the still greater name of Thomas of Celano (d. circa 1255), the immortal author of the greatest of uninspired compositions, the Dies Irce. The third period of Latin hymn-writing extends to the present day. It is not a period marked by any great names nor has it been productive of any noteworthy new school of hymn-writers. As in all worldly things a period of growth and activity is followed by a period of decay. The art of Latin hymn-writing did not prove to be an exception to this rule. With the close of the Ages of Faith the sun of Latin hymnody set in all its splendor. Two causes con- spired to make Latin hymn-writing a lost art. During the ages when hymnody flourished men thought in Latin and spoke Latin ; for them Latin was a living language, and one 23 INTRODUCTION fully capable of giving expression to the most subtle and refined thoughts and feelings of the human soul. Fortunately also men gloried in their Faith and in the external manifestation of it in literature, in architecture, in painting, and in sculpture. Unfortunately these conditions obtain no longer. Latin has become a dead language even to scholars, and no one writes poetry in a language which he has not learned from his mother but from books. The second cause of the decay of hymnody was the Renaissance. To the Humanist no Latin poem was correct that did not measure up to the classical standards of the Augustan Age. Any deviation from this standard was a barbarism. * ' The Humanists,'^ says Father Clemens Blume, S.J., '' abomi- nated the rhythmical poetry of the Middle Ages from an exaggerated enthusiasm for ancient classical forms and meters. Hymnody then received its death blow as, on the revision of the Breviary under Pope Urban VIII, the medieval rhythmical hymns were forced into more classical forms by means of so-called corrections." {Cath. Encycl., Art. Hymnody). Pope Urban was himself a Humanist, the last in fact of the Humanist Popes. During his reign a commission was appointed to revise the Breviary, and a special commission of four distinguished Jesuit scholars. Fathers Sarbiewski, Strada, Galluzzi, and Petrucci was ap- pointed to correct the hymns of the Breviary. As a result of the labors of this commission, 952 corrections were made in the 98 hymns then in the Breviary. Eighty-one hymns were corrected: 58 alterations were made in the hymns of the Psalter, 359 in the Proper of the Season, 283 in the Proper of the Saints, and 252 in the Common of the Saints. The first lines of more than 30 hymns were altered. The Jam lucis orto sidere, the Ave Maris Stella, the hymns of St. Thomas Aquinas, and a few others were spared. Some hymns were practically rewritten, others were scarcely touched. In 1629, the Sacred Congregation of Rites approved of the alterations, and by the Bull Divinam Psolmodiam in 1632, Pope Urban VIII introduced them into the official edition of the Breviary. In connection with the revision of the hymns it should be borne in mind that the act of Urban VIII was a purely disciplinary act, 24 METERS one which the Church may recall at any time, and one which she probably will recall, for the work of the revisers is now generally regarded as a mistake. The hymns in their old form are still found in the Breviaries of the Benedictines, Dominicans, Cistercians, Carthusians, and probably a few others. And, strangely enough, they are still used in the two great Churches in Rome, St. Peter's and St. John Lateran. A word yet remains to be said as to when hymns were first made an integral part of the Divine Office. It seems fairly certam that St. Benedict, who wrote his Rule some ten or fifteen years before his death in 543, was the first to make hymns an integral part of the canonical hours. St. Benedict invariably styles these hymns Ambrosiani but does not name them. A century later hymns constituted a part of the Office of the secular clergy in Gaul and Spain. Rabanus Maurus (d. 856) testifies that hymns were in gen- eral use in his day. And last of all Rome admitted hymns into the Divine Office in the twelfth century. It must not be inferred, however, that no hymns were sung in the churches throughout the West until they were officially recognized as a part of the liturgical Office. From the days of St. Ambrose (d. 397) the singing of Latin hymns in the Church occupied the same position that is now accorded the sing- ing of hymns in the vernacular. This is true even of con- servative Rome long before the twelfth century. It might be recalled that Pope St. Gregory the Great (d. 604), him- self a hymn-writer of note, was for several years before his elevation to the Papacy a Benedictine abbot in the mon- astery of St. Andrew on the CaBlian Hill. While there he must have become familiar with the Ambrosiani of the Benedictine Office which he sang daily. Nor is it conceiv- able, from what we know of his life, that as Pope he should not have encouraged the singing of hymns in the churches of Rome. Metees A considerable variety of meters has been employed by the Christian poets in the composition of Latin hymns. 25 INTRODUCTION These meters or verse forms receive their name partly from the foot that chiefly predominates in them; as, Iambic, Trochaic, and partly from the number of meters or meas- ures they contain; as. Dimeter, Trimeter; or from the name of the author who originated or employed a certain kind of verse: as, Sapphic, Glyconic, Asclepiadic, etc. By far the greater part of the hymns is written in Iambic and Trochaic meters. In these meters Latin verses are measured not by single feet as in English, but by pairs or dipodies. In Latin it requires four Iambi or Trochees to make a Dimeter, while in English a verse with the same number of feet is called a Tetrameter. A Dimeter, there- fore, in these meters, contains four Iambi or Trochees; a Trimeter six; and a Tetrameter eight. The Romans learned their poetry, as they learned the other fine arts, from the Greeks. About two centuries be- fore Christ the influence of Greek poetry began to manifest itself in the writings of Ennius, "the Father of Roman poetry." The influence of Greek models increased from year to year till it culminated in the immortal works of Horace and Virgil in the Golden Age of Latin literature. Horace exemplifies all that is best in Latin poetry, and it was the poetry of Horace and his contemporaries that was the delight of the cultured Romans whose taste had been formed on Greek models. This poetry, it need scarcely be said, was strictly quantitative. But together with this classical poetry there co-existed, and that too from the beguming of Latin letters, a purely rhythmical poetry, a poetry of the people, in which the ballads and folk songs of the common people were written. The common people knew nothing of quantity with its artificial and arbitrary rules which the poets had made. Quantitative poetry was therefore the poetry of the educated; rhythmical or accentual poetry was the poetry of the common people. Now, the early hymns of the Church were likewise the songs of the people, and were necessarily written in a manner that would appeal to all the people and not merely to the cultured classes. This was effected by St. Ambrose and by the earlier writers of the Ambrosian school, by a compromise between the 26 METERS quantitative and the rhythmical principles. These writers made use of the simplest of all the lyric meters, the Iambic Dimeter, with its regular succession of short and long syl- lables ; but they took care that the accents should in general fall on the long syllables. Their quantitative hymns can therefore be read rhythmically. In the composition of his hymns, St. Ambrose did not make use of any greater licenses than did Horace and his contemporaries. -Later on, how- ever, it is noticeable that less and less attention was paid to quantity and greater attention to accent which began to re- place it. As early as the fifth century many hymn-writers employed the rhythmical principle only. This process con- tinued until in the Middle Ages all sense of long and short syllables had vanished, and hymns were written in accen- tual, non-quantitative meters. In studying the hymns chronologically, it will be observed also that the growth of rhyme kept pace with the growth of accent. The scales given below illustrate the common quantitative forms of the various meters employed in the composition of Latin hymns. In non-quantitative Latin hymns, and in English hymns, accent marks may be substituted for the marks indicating the long syllables. Scale "A** Iambic Dimeter Te lucis ante terminum, Before the ending of tlie day, Rerum Creator poscimus, Creator of the world, we pray Ut pro tua dementia That with Thy wonted favor Thou Sis praesul et custodia. Wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now. In this meter a spondee or an anapest may be used in the first and third foot. By far the greater part of the Breviary hymns are composed in this meter. In English this is the well-known Long Meter (L. M.) exemplified above. 27 INTRODUCTION Scale "B" Iambic Trimeter Decora lux seternitatis auream Diem beatis irrigavit ignibus, Apostolorum quae coronat principes, Reisque in astra liberam pandit viam. The beauteous light of God's eternal majesty Streams down in golden rays to grace this holy day Which crowned the princes of th' Apostles' glorious choir And unto guilty mortals showed the heavenward way. A spondee or an anapest may be used in the odd-num- bered feet of the Latin hymns. See hymns : 89, 91, 116, 117, 124, 128. Scale "C" Trochaic Dimeter Dies iras, dies ilia, Day of wrath, that day whose Solvet saeclum in favilla: knelling Teste David cum Sibylla. Gives to flames this earthly dwelling; Psalm and Sibyl thus foretelling. The Dies Irce alone is written in this meter. Hymn 87. Scale **D'* Trochaic Dimeter Catalectic Veni Sancte Spiritus, Holy Spirit, Lord of light, Et emitte coelitus From the clear celestial height, Lucis tuae radium. Thy pure beaming radiance give. See hjnoin 67, which alone is written in this meter. The 28 METERS Stahat Mater is composed of six-line stanzas of trochaic dimeters, the third and sixth lines being catalectic. See hymns 54 and 57, with their translations. Scale **B" Trochaic Dimeter Brachycatalectic Ave maris Stella, Ave, Star of ocean, Dei Mater Alma, Child Divine who barest, Atque semper Virgo, Mother, Ever-Virgin, Felix coeli porta. Heaven's portal fairest. In this hymn (alone) each line consists of three trochees. "Brachycatalectic," i.e., wanting two syllables or the last foot of the final dipody. See hymn 149 and its two transla- tions. Scale **F" Trochaic Tetrameter Catalectic Pange, lingua, gloriosi lauream certaminis, Et super crucis trophaeo die triumphum nobilem, Qualiter Redemptor orbis immolatus vicerit. Sing, my tongue, the glorious battle, sing the ending of the fray; Now above the Cross, the trophy, sound the loud triumphant lay: Tell how Christ, the world's Redeemer, as a Victim won the day. The caesura uniformly follows the fourth foot — thus di- viding each verse into a trochaic dimeter acatalectic, and a trochaic dimeter catalectic; thus, Pange lingua gloriosi Sing, my tongue, the glorious Lauream certaminis, etc. battle, Sing the ending of the fray, etc. In the Breviary the lines are uniformly broken in two at the caesura, thus forming stanzas of six lines. See hymns 52, 53, 76, 119, 132, 134B, 168 and their English translations. 29 INTRODUCTION Scale "Q'* The Asclepiadic Strophe Sanctorum meritis inclyta gaudia Pangamus socii gestaque fortia: Gliscens fert animus promere cantibus Victorum genus optimum. This strophe consists of three Asclepiadic lines and one Glyconic. The above is a classical specimen of a hymn writ- ten in this meter. See the translations of hymns 77, 136, 159. There is some difference of opinion as to how the classical Asclepiadic strophe should be read. This question is dis- cussed in the article on this hymn in the Cath. Encycl. How- ever, the majority of those who read these hymns in the Breviary, read them rhythmically as if written in dactyls. This is well exemplified in another article in the same work on the hymn Sacris solemniis — a hymn written in accentual, non-quantitative measures : Lo! the Angelic Bread feedeth the sons of men: Figures and types are fled never to come again. what a wondrous thing! lowly and poor are fed, Banqueting on their Lord and King. Hymns: 77, 92, 93, 94, 104, 118, 131, 136, 159. Scale "//" The Sapphic Strophe Ecce jam noctis tenuatur umbra. Lux et auroras rutilans coruscat: Supplices rerum Dominum canora Voce precemur. Lo! the dim shadows of the night are waning; Lightsome and blushing, dawn of day retumeth; Fervent in spirit, to the mighty Father Pray we devoutly. SO THE CANONICAL HOURS Each of the first three lines of the Sapphic strophe con- sists of a trochee, spondee, dactyl, and two trochees. The last syllable may be long or short. The fourth line is Adonic, and consists of a dactyl followed by a spondee. In the first three lines the place for the caesura is generally after the fifth syllable. See hymns: 7, 10, 96, 105, 106, 113, 114, 115, 121, 135, 160, 164. Most of these hymns are translated in the meters, Sapphic and Adonic, of the originals. The Canonical Houes The canonical hours are: Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline. Matins is composed of parts called Nocturns or Vigils, two or three in number. Lauds was originally the concluding part of Matins. Even now Matins and Lauds are scarcely ever separated. The traditional view is that the Nocturns of Matins were recited at different times during the night. Outside of monastic communities, however, the observance of such nightly Vigils would scarcely be possible. There is in the Breviary a hymn assigned to each of the canonical hours. Many of these hymns contain allusions which are better understood in both the literal and sym- bolical sense, when it is known at what particular part of the day or night the hymn was formerly sung. The follow- ing table will be found sufficiently accurate for all practical purposes. Table** A" When the Canonical Hours Were Formerly Said Prime, at 6:00 A. M. First Nocturn of Matins at 9:00 Terce, at 9:00 A. M. P. M. Sext, at 12:00 M. Second Nocturn of Matins at 12 :00 None, at 3:00 P. M. P. M. Vespers, at 6:00 P. M. Third Nocturn of Matins at 3:00 CompHne, at nightfall A. M. Lauds was said at daybreak In appointing these times for the recitation of the can- onical hours, the Church had in mind the greater divisions or hours of the Roman day. The Romans divided the day, from sunrise to sunset, into twelve equal parts called ** hours." These were the common hours. **Are there not 31 INTRODUCTION twelve hours of the day?" (John 11, 9). They also (as did the Jews after the conquest) divided the day into four greater hours, and the night into four watches {custodies, vigilicE, nodes) each of which was of three common hours' duration. As the hours or watches of the Roman day and night were based on solar time, they varied in length with the season of the year. The season of the equinox is uni- formly taken as the standard. At that time the duration of day and night being equal, the hours and watches were also equal. The following Tables illustrate the greater di- visions of the Roman day and night, and a comparison with Table **A" will show how the Church adopted the ancient Roman subdivisions of the day and night as times of prayer. Table **B" The Greater Hours of the Roman Day The First Hour (Roman time) was from 6:00 A. M. to 9:00 A. M. (our time) The Third Hour (Roman time) was from 9:00 A. M. to 12:00 M. (our time) The Sixth Hour (Roman time) was from 12:00 M. to 3:00 P. M. (our time) The Ninth Hour (Roman time) was from 3:00 P. M. to 6:00 P. M. (our time) (6:00 A.M. Prime; 9:00 A.M. Terce; 12:00 M. Sext; 3:00 P.M. None; 6:00 P.M. Vespers.) Table **C*' Roman Divisions of the Night The First Watch, "evening," was from 6:00 P. M. to 9:00 P. M. (our time) The Second Watch, "midnight," was from 9:00 P. M. to 12:00 P. M, (our time) The Third Watch, "cock-crowing," was from 12:00 P. M. to 3:00 A. M. (our time) The Fourth Watch, "morning," was from 3:00 A. M. to 6:00 A. M. (our time) These hours and watches are frequently mentioned in the New Testament. In a single verse St. Mark refers to the four watches. "You know not when the lord of the house Cometh; at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crow- ing, or in the morning" (xiii, 35). The Catholic Encyclo- pedia contains instructive articles on each of the canonical hours; there is also an article on Breviary, and one on Noctums. 32 ®f)e llpmns! of tf)e pretiiarj» anb iHigsal Part I ^t^ ^vmnn of tfie $s;altet: PRIME Jam lucis orto sidere JAM lucis orto sidere Deum precemur supplices, Ut in diurnis actibus Nos servet a nocentibus. ^Linguam refraenans temperet, Ne litis horror insonet: Visum fovendo contegat, Ne vanitates hauriat. •Sint pura cordis intima, Absistat et vecordia: Camis terat superbiam Potus cibique parcitas. •Ut cum dies abscesserit, Noctemque sors reduxerit, NOW in the sun's new dawning ray, Lowly of heart, our God we pray That He from harm may keep us free In all the deeds this day shall see. May fear of Him our tongues restrain, Lest strife unguarded speech should stain: His favoring care our guardian be, Lest our eyes feed on vanity. May every heart be pure from sin, And folly find no place therein: Scant meed of food, excess denied, Wear down in us the body's pride. That when the light of day is gone, And night in course shall follow on. 33 THE PSALTER Mundi per abstinentiam We, free from cares the world Ipsi canamus gloriam. affords, May chant the praise that is our Lord's. '^ Deo Patri sit gloria, All laud to God the Father be, Ej usque soli Filio, All praise, Eternal Son, to Thee: Cum Spiritu Paraclito, All glory, as is ever meet. Nunc, et per omne sseculum. To God the holy Paraclete, Author : Ambrosian, 5th cent. Meter : Iambic dimeter. Translation by Alan G. McDougall. There are about thirty translations. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Prime daily throughout the year. Read the article on Prime in the Cath, Encycl. 1. ''The star of light being now risen, let us humbly beseech God, that in our daily actions He may keep us from all harm." Lucis sic?M5=sol; Prime was said at sunrise. 2. ''Bridling, may He restrain the tongue, lest the jar- ring discord of strife resound; may He lovingly veil our sight lest it drink in vanities." Fovendo: "The ablative of the gerund and gerundive is used to express manner, means, cause, etc. In this use, the ablative of the gerund is, in later writers nearly, and in medieval writers entirely, equiva- lent to a present participle" (Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar, 507). Linguam: Qui enim vult vitam diligere, et dies videre bonos, coerceat linguam suam a malo, et labia ejus ne loquantur dolum (I Peter 3, 10). For an exposition of the sins of the tongue, read the third chap- ter of St. James' Epistle. Visum: Averte oculos meos, ne videant vanitatem (Ps. 118, 37). 3. "May the inmost recesses of the heart be pure, and may folly cease; may the sparing use of food and drink wear down the pride of the flesh. ' ' Parcitas : In multis enim escis erit infirmitas . . . Propter crapulam multi obier- unt; qui autem abstinens est, adjiciet vitam (Ecclus. 37, 33-34). 4. "That when the day has departed, and fate has brought back the night, still pure by virtue of abstinence, we may sing His glory." Sors, fate, divine ordinance, Ipsif dative, to Him. 84 TERCE 5. "Glory be to God the Father, and to His only Son, together with the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, both now and forever. ' ' TERCE Nunc Sancte nobis Spiritus NUNC Sancte nobis Spiritus, Unum Patri cum Filio, Dignare promptus ingeri Nostro refusus pectori. ^ Os, lingua, mens, sensus, vigor Confessionem personent, Flammescat igne caritas, Accendat ardor proximos. 'Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne saeculum. GOME, Holy Ghost, who ever One Art with the Father and the Son, It is the hour, our souls possess With Thy full flood of holiness. Let flesh and heart and lips and mind Sound forth our witness to man- kind; And love light up our mortal frame, Till others catch the living flame. Grant this, Father, ever One With Christ, Thy sole-begotten Son, And Holy Ghost, whom all adore, Reigning and blest forevermore. Author: Possibly by St. Ambrose (340-397). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Cardinal Newman, There are about twenty translations. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Terce daily throughout the year. In this hymn we ask the Holy Spirit to take possession of our hearts and inflame them with the fire of divine love. It is appropriate as a hymn for Terce, the Third Hour, for it was at that hour (9:00 A. M.) on Pentecost Day, that the Holy Ghost de- scended upon the Apostles (Acts 2, 15). Read the article on Terce in the Cath. Encycl. 1. ** Deign now, Holy Spirit, who art One with the Father and the Son, to come to us without delay, and be diffused in our hearts." JJimm: The neuter is here used substantively and signifies unity or sameness of nature 35 THE PSALTER and substance. It is so used in the Vulgate : Pater, Verbum, et Spiritus Sanctus; et hi tres unum sunt. (I John 5, 7). Ego et Pater unum smnus (John 10, 30). Unum Patri=^ unum cum Patre; the dative here expresses aflBnity, rela- tionship, etc., as do such adjectives as affinis, similis, par, and impar. Dignare, imper. of dignor. Ingeri, to be in- fused. Refusus=dif£usviB, diffused; refusus is by enallage used for refimdi, as the Holy Spirit must first come to the soul before He can be diffused therein. This stanza might be paraphrased: — Sancte Spiritus, qui es unum (una substantia) cum Patre et Filio, dignare nunc promptus ingeri nobis, et refundi nostro pectori. 2. "May mouth, tongue, mind, sense, and strength pro- claim Thy praise; may our charity in its fervor glow brightly, and may the flame thereof enkindle the hearts of our neighbors." 3. *' Grant this, most loving Father, and Thou, only- begotten Son, equal to the Father, who reignest eternally with the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. ' ' SEXT 3 Rector potens» verax Deus RECTOR potens, verax Deus, f\ GOD of truth, Lord of Qui temperas rerum vices, ^~^ might, Splendore mane illuminas, Who orderest time and change Et ignibus meridiem: aright. Who send'st the early morning ray, And light' St the glow of perfect day: ' Exstingue flammas litium, Extinguish Thou each sinful fire, Aufer calorem noxium, And banish every ill desire; Confer salutem corporum, And while Thou keep'st the body Veramque pacem cordium. whole, Shed forth Thy peace upon the soul. ' Praesta, Pater piissime. Almighty Father, hear our cry, Patrique compar Unice, Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord most High, 36 NONE Cum Spiritu Paraclito Who, with the Holy Ghost and Regnans per omne saeculura. Thee, Doth live and reign eternally. Author: Possibly by St. Ambrose (340-397). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are about twenty translations. Liturgical, Use: Hymn for Sext daily throughout the year. Sext was said at noon. The great heat of the noonday sun is compared to the heat of the passions which we beseech God to extinguish. We implore Him also to grant us health of body and peace of soul. Read the separate articles on this hymn and on Sext, in the Cath. Encycl. 1. ' ' mighty Ruler, truthful God, who dost regulate the changes of things, with splendor dost Thou light up the morning, and with burning heat the noonday, ' ' Verax Deus : Est autem Deus verax: omnis autem homo mendax, sicut scriptum est (Rom. 3, 4). Splendore: ''Splendor" is here the beauteous, beneficent light of the morning, in contra- distinction to the sweltering heat of midday. 2. "Extinguish Thou the flames of strife, remove harm- ful heat, grant health of body and true peace of heart." Litium: Noli contendere verbis (II Tim. 2, 14). Color em noxium: evil desires. Pacem cordium: Pacem relinquo vobis, pacem meam do vobis; non quomodo mundus dat, ego do vobis. Non turbetur cor vestrum, neque formidet (John 14, 27). NONE ♦ Rerum Deus tenax vigor RERUM Deus tenax vigor, r\ STRENGTH, and stay up- Immotns in te permanens, ^^ holding all creation, Lucis diurnae tempora Who ever dost Thyself unmoved Successibus determinans: abide, Yet day by day the light in due gradation From hour to hour through all its changes guide: 87 THE PSALTER *Largire lumen vespere, Grant to life's day a calm un« Quo vita nusquam decidat, clouded ending, Sed praemium mortis sacrse An eve imtouched by shadows of Perennis instet gloria. decay, The brightness of a holy death- bed blending With dawning glories of th* eternal day. 'Praesta, Pater piissime, Hear us, Father, gracious and Patrique compar Unice, forgiving, Cum Spiritu Paraclito And thou, Christ, the co-eternal Regnans per omne saeculum. Word, Who, with the Holy Ghost, by all things living Now and to endless ages art adored. Author: Possibly by St. Ambrose (340-397). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. EUerton and F. J. A. Hort. There are about twenty translations. Liturgical. Use : Hymn for None daily throughout the year. None, or the Ninth Hour (3:00 P. M.), corresponds to the hour of Our Lord's death. In this hymn we acknowledge the omni- potence and providence of God; and we ask that eternal glory be the reward of a holy death. Read the separate ar- ticles on None and on this Hymn, in the Cath. Encycl. The meter, iambic pentameter, in the above beautiful transla- tion is unusual in the translation of Latin hymns. 1. **0 God, the sustaining power of created things, who in Thyself dost remain unmoved, and dost determine our times by successive changes of the light of day : ' ' Immotus, unchanged. Tempora: The regular divisions of time as marked off by the progress of the sun in the heavens. Suc- cessus, progress, advance, a succession of time. 2. ''Bestow Thou upon us Thy light in the evening (of life), that life may never fail us, but that eternal glory may await us as the reward of a holy death." Largire, imper. of largior. Lumen, the light of glory. 88 COMPLINE Te lucis ante terminum TE lucis ante terminum, Rerura Creator poscimus, Ut pro tua dementia Sis prsesul et custodia. 'Procul recedant somnia, Et noctium phantasmata; Hostemque nostrum comprime, Ne poUuantur corpora. 'Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne saeculum. OEFORE the ending of the day, •*-' Creator of the world, we pray That with Thy wonted favor Thou Wouldst be our Guard and Keeper now. From all ill dreams defend our eyes, From nightly fears and fantasies; Tread under foot our ghostly foe, That no pollution we may know. Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son; Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee, Doth live and reign eternally. Author: Ambrosian, 7th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are thirty-five transla- tions, five of which are in Mr. Shipley's Annus Sanctus. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Compline daily throughout the year. As the Jam lucis orto sidere, which was said at sun- rise, is an important part of Prime, the Morning Prayer of the Church, so the Te lucis ante terminum, which was said at nightfall, is an appropriate and equally beautiful part of Compline, the Evening Prayer of the Church. Read the separate articles on Compline and on the Te lucis ante terminum in the Cath. Encycl. 1. * * Before the end of daylight, Creator of the world, we beseech Thee, that in accordance with Thy mercy. Thou wouldst be our Protector and our Guard." Terminum lucis: Compline was said after sunset, but before complete dark- ness enveloped the earth. 2. **Far off let dreams and phantoms of the night de- part ; restrain Thou our adversary lest our bodies become defiled." Somnia, foul dreams; phantasmata {phantasma, 39 THE PSALTER atis), delusions. Both words convey with them the addi- tional idea of uncleanness. In Mr. C. Kent's translation, they are rendered by *'evil dreams" and ''fancies with voluptuous guile." Hostem, the devil, the great adversary of man. In the beginning of Compline we are cautioned to be vigilant, for our ' ' adversary, the devil, goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5, 8). SUNDAY AT MATINS Primo die, quo Trinitas PRIMO die, quo Trinitas Beata raundum condidit, Vel quo resurgens Conditor Nos morte victa liberal: HAIL day! whereon the One in Three First formed the earth by sure decree, The day its Maker rose again, And vanquished death, and burst our chain. ^Pulsis procul torporibus, Surgamus omnes ocyus, Et nocte quaeramus Deum, Propheta sicut praecipit: ^Nostras preces ut audiat, Suamque dextram porrigat, Et expiatos sordibus Reddat polorum sedibus: Away with sleep and slothful ease ! We raise our hearts and bend our knees. And early seek the Lord of all, Obedient to the Prophet's call. That He may prayer, hearken to our Stretch forth His strong right arm to spare, And ev'ry past offense forgiven, Restore us to our home in heaven. *Ut, quique sacratissimo Hujus diei tempore Horis quietis psallimus, Donis beatis muneret. ''Jam nunc, paterna claritas, Te postulamus affatim : Absint faces libidinis, Et omnis actus noxius. Assembled here this holy day, This holiest hour we raise the lay; And that He to whom we sing, May now reward our offering! O Father of unclouded light! Keep us this day as in Thy sight, In word and deed that we may be From ev'ry touch of evil free. 40 SUNDAY AT MATINS ' Ne f oeda sit, vel lubrica That this our body's mortal frame Compago nostri corporis. May know no sin, and fear no Ob cujus ignes ignibus shame, Avernus urat acrius. Nor fire hereafter be the end Of passions which our bosoms rend. ^Mundi Redemptor, quaesumus. Redeemer of the world, we pray Tu probra nostra diluas: That Thou wouldst wash our sins Nobisque largus commoda away, Vitae perennis conferas. And give us, of Thy boundless grace, The blessings of the heavenly place. 'Prsesta, Pater piissime. Most Holy Father, hear our cry, Patrique compar Unice, Through Jesus Christ our Lord Cum Spiritu Paraclito most High Regnans per omne saeculum. Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee Shall live and reign eternally. Author: St. Gregory the Great (540-604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale and others, from The New Office Hymn Book. There are about twenty transla- tions. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Matins from the Octave of the Epiphany until the first Sunday of Lent, and from the Sunday nearest to the Calends of October until Advent. First line of Original Text: Primo dierum omnium. 1. *'0n the first day, on which the Blessed Trinity created the world, and on which the Creator rising, after vanquishing death, liberated us, ' ' Primo die — Sunday, ihe day on which God began the creation of the world. For the Work of each of the Six Days, see the Vespers Hymns of the Psalter, Nos. 23-28. Conditor: the Creator, God the Son, who rose from the dead on Sunday. In this stanza the cre- ation of the world is ascribed to the Trinity, and then to the Son, or Word alone, of whom it was said : All things were made by Him, and without Him was made nothing that was made (John 1, 3). The divine nature, the attributes, and the external works of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity are common to all of Them. However, the Redemption of the world is the personal work of the Son, in the sense that He 41 THE PSALTER alone became incarnate and suffered and died for us. 2. "Banishing sloth afar, let us all rise quickly, and by night seek God as the Prophet commands," Ocyus, comp. of ociter. Propheta: The Prophet referred to is David, the Eoyal Psalmist. Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi (Ps. 118, 62). In noctibus extollite manus vestras in sancta, et benedicite Dominum (Ps. 133, 2). 3. ''That He may hear our prayers, and stretch forth to us His right hand, and restore us, purified from sin, to the abodes of heaven;" Dextram: The right hand is a sym- bol of power, strength; the stretching forth of the right hand signifies the exercise of power. 4. * ' That He may reward with blessed gifts all of us who sing His praises in the most hallowed time of this day, in the hours of rest. ' ' Constr. : Ut quique sacratissimo hujus diei tempore .... psallimus, (eos) donis beatis muneret. Quique: This use of quisque for quicunque or quisquis, who- soever, every one who, all that, is common in the Breviary and in ante- and post-classical Latin generally. 5. **We now also earnestly entreat Thee, Splendor of the Father, that the flames of lust, and every evil deed be far removed from us." Paterna claritas, Christ, whom St. Paul styles. Splendor Patris (cf. Heb. 1, 3; see also the opening line of Hymn 12). Actus noxius, sin. 6. ''Lest the structure of our body become foul or de- filed, and on account of its evil desires, hell with its flames should burn the more fiercely. ' ' Ignes, the fires of the pas- sions, the desires of the flesh. 7. "We beseech Thee, Redeemer of the world, that Thou wash away our sins, and generously bestow upon us the reward of eternal life." SUNDAY AT MATINS 7 Nocte surgentes IVrOCTE surgentes vigilemus IVfOW, from the slumbers of the ■*• ^ omnes, -L ' night arising, Semper in psalmis meditemur, Chant we the holy psalmody of atque David, 42 SUNDAY AT MATINS Voce concordi Domino canamus Hymns to our Master, with a voice Dulciter hymnos. concordant, Sweetly intoning. *Ut pio Regi pariter canentes. So may our Monarch pitifully Cum suis Sanctis mereamur hear us, aulam That we may merit with His Ingredi coeli, simul et perennem Saints to enter Ducere vitam. Mansions eternal, therewithal possessing Joy beatific. 'Praestet hoc nobis Deltas beata This be our portion, God forever Patris, ac Nati, pariterque sancti blessed, Spiritus, cujus resonat per om- Father eternal. Son, and Holy nam Spirit, Gloria mimdiun. Whose is the glory, which through all creation Ever resoundeth. Author: Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604). Meter: Sapphic and Adonic. Translation, a cento from The Eymner, in the meter of the original. The translation has been altered to adapt it to the Roman Breviary Text. There are about twenty translations. Liturgical Use: Matins hymn from the third Sunday after Pentecost till the Sun- day nearest the Calends of October. This is the companion hymn of Ecce jam 7ioctis, No. 10. 1. ''Bising by night, let us all keep watch and ever de- vote our minds to psalmody, and with harmonious voices let us sing sweet hymns to the Lord." P salmis: The Psalms constitute the principal part of the Divine Office. They are so arranged in the Psalter that the 150 Psalms are said each week. 2. * * That singing to the loving King, together with His Saints, we may merit to enter the royal court of heaven, and with them enjoy eternal life." 3. ''May the Blessed Deity of the Father, Son, and like- wise of the Holy Spirit, whose glory resounds throughout the whole world, grant us this." 43 THE PSALTER 8 Te Deum TE Deum laudamus: * te Dom- \¥7E praise Thee, God: we inum confitemur. ^ acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. 'Te aeternum Patrem * omnis Thee, the Eternal Father, all the terra veneratur. earth doth worship. ^Tibi omnes Angeli, * tibi coeli, To Thee all the Angels, to Thee et universae potestates: the Heavens, and all the Powers therein: *Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim, * To Thee the Cherubim and Sera- incessabili voce procla- phim with unceasing voice mant: cry aloud: 'Sanctus, * Sanctus, * Sanctus, * Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Sabaoth. 'Pleni sunt coeli et terra * ma- The heavens and the earth are jestatis gloriae tuae. full of the majesty of Thy glory. ^Te gloriosus * Apostolorum Thee, the glorious choir of the chorus. Apostles, *Te Prophetarum * laudabilis Thee, the admirable company of numerus, the Prophets, •Te Martyrum candidatus * Thee, the white-robed army of laudat exercitus. Martyrs doth praise. ^* Te per orbem terrarum * sancta Thee, the Holy Church through- confitetur Ecclesia, out the world doth confess, " Patrem * immensae ma jestatis. The Father of infinite majesty, "Venerandum tuum verum * et Thine adorable, true, and only unicum Filium, Son, "Sanctum quoque * Paraclitum Also the Holy Ghost, the Com* Spiritmn. forter. " Tu Rex gloriae * Christe. Thou, Christ, art the King of glory. 44 TE DEUM ^^ Tu Patris * sempiternus es Filius. Thou art the Everlasting Son of the Father. "Tu ad liberandum suscepturus Thou, when about to take upon hominem: * non horruisti Virginis uterum. " Tu devicto mortis aculeo : * ape- ruisti credentibus regna ccelorum. *'Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, gloria Patris. m "Judex crederis * esse venturus. Thee human nature to re- deem the world, didst not disdain the Virgin's womb. When Thou hadst overcome the sting of death, Thou didst open to believers the king- dom of heaven. Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father. Thou, we believe, art the Judge to come. ^"Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis We beseech Thee, therefore, help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood. Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints, in glory ever- lasting. Save Thy people, Lord, and bless Thine inheritance. subveni: * quos pretioso sanguine redemisti. ^^ Sterna f ac cum Sanctis tuis * in gloria numerari. "Salvum fac populum tuum Domine, * et benedic haere- ditati tuae. ^'Et rege eos, * et extolle illos usque in seternum. ^*Per singulos dies * benedicimus te. "Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum * et in saeculum saeculi. ^'Dignare Domine die isto * sine peccato nos custodire. "Miserere nostri Domine: * mi- serere nostri. And rule them, and exalt them forever. Day by day, we bless Thee. And we praise Thy Name forever; yea, forever and ever. Vouchsafe, Lord, this day, to keep us without sin. Have mercy on us, Lord; have mercy on us. 45 THE PSALTER ^'Fiat misericordia tua Domine Let Thy mercy, Lord, be upon super nos, * quemadmodum us ; even as we have hoped speravimus in te. in Thee. ^® In te Domine speravi: * non con- In Thee, Lord, have I hoped: fundar in seternum. let me not be confounded forever. Author: Probably by St. Nicetas (335-415). Liturgical Use: In general, the Te Deum is said in the Office at the end of Matins whenever the Gloria in excelsis is said at Mass. This rule is sufficiently accurate for those who use the Eoman Breviary. In addition to its liturgical use, the Te Deum is used in many extra-liturgical functions as a hymn of thankskiving on occasions of great solemnity, such as the election of a pope, the consecration of a bishop, the benedic- tion of an abbot, canonization of a saint, religious profes- sions, etc. The Te Deum is written in rhythmical prose. There are about twenty-five metrical translations and several prose versions in English. The vigorous and justly popular trans- lation by Father Walworth is given below. The Cath. Encycl, contains a scholarly article on the Te Deum. Read also the articles on St. Nicetas, Sanctus, Sab- aoth, and many others which the text readily suggests. Analysis The Te Deum consists of three distinct parts : Part I (verses 1-13) contains a hymn of praise to the blessed Trinity; the praise of Earth and of the Angelic choirs; the praise of the Church Triumphant and of the Church Militant. Part II (verses 14-21) is a hymn in praise of Christ, the Redeemer. It proclaims the glory of Christ, the Eternal Son of the Father — His incarnation, victory over death, exaltation, future coming, and terminates with a prayer of supplication for those redeemed by the Precious Blood, that they may be numbered among the Saints. Part III (verses 22-29) is composed principally of verses from the Psalms. It contains a prayer of petition for the 46 TE DEUM divine assistance and guidance; a declaration of our fidelity; a prayer for deliverance from sin during the day (about to begin) ; it closes with a prayer for mercy for those who have hoped in the Lord. In the following Notes, the numbers refer to the verses of the Te Deum: 5. Sanctus: The **Tersanctus" is found in both the Old Testament (Is. 6, 3) and in the New (Apoc. 4, 8). Supply es, art Thou. 7. Apostolorum: Note the climax: the small number of Apostles, the greater number of Prophets, the white-robed army of Martyrs, the Church throughout the world. 9. Marty rum: Only Martyrs were venerated in the early Church. The first non-Martyrs venerated in the West were Pope St. Sylvester (d. 335) and St. Martin of Tours (d. 397). Candidatus, white-robed. The Blessed in general are represented as clothed with white robes (cf. Apoc. 7, 9-14). 14. Rex gloria: David in prophecy referring to the ascen- sion of the Messias styles Him ''the King of Glory" (Pa. 23, 7-10). The whole Psalm is very beautiful. 16. Hominem = naturam humanam. This verse does not lend itself readily to translation. The difficulty is with the proper rendering of suscepturus hominem: (some texts have suscepisti, but this is immaterial). Since the Primer of 1546, translations like the following have found their way into most of our books of devotion: — "Thou, having taken upon Thee to deliver man"; ''When Thou tookest upon Thee to deliver man." It is needless to say that such renderings mean something quite different from the fol- lowing : **Thou, when about to take upon Thee man (i.e, human nature) to liberate the human race, didst not abhor the Virgin's womb." After liberandum some supply mundum, others hominem, men, the human race. Horruisti, variously rendered — fear, abhor, disdain, shrink from, etc. 17. Mortis aculeo: (cf. I Cor. 15, 55-56). 18. Dexter am Dei: a figurative expression signifying the place of highest honor, power, and glory in heaven (Ps. 109, 1 ; Mark 16, 19). Sedes: sittest, i.e., abidest, remainest. This implies no particular posture of body. 19. Crederis, passive. Thou art believed. 47 THE PSALTER 20. Redemisti: (cf. I Peter 1, 18-19) Verses 22-23 are taken verbatim from Psalm 27, 9. 22. Hcereditati tuce: Thine own ; those whom Thou hast re- deemed. 24. Per singulos dies: every day; from Psalm 144, 2. 27. Miserere: verbatim from Psalm 122, 3. 28. Fiat: verbatim from Psalm 32, 22. 29. In te: verbatim from Psalm 30, 2. The following translation preserves much of the spirit and force of the original. The seventh stanza is a render- ing of verses 20-21 by Monsignor Henry. The remaining stanzas are by Father Walworth, whose translation does not contain a rendering of verses 20-21. The numbers pre- ceding a stanza refer to the verses of the Te Deum rendered in that stanza. 1-2 Holy God, we praise Thy Name, Lord of all, we bow before Thee; All on earth Thy scepter claim. All in heaven above adore Thee; Infinite Thy vast domain. Everlasting is Thy reign. 3-6 Hark, the loud celestial hymn Angel choirs above are raising; Cherubim and Seraphim In unceasing chorus praising. Fill the heavens with sweet accord; Holy, Holy, Holy Lord! 7-10 Lo, the Apostolic train Join, Thy sacred Name to hallow: Prophets swell the loud refrain. And the white-robed Martyrs follow; And, from morn till set of sim. Through the Church the song goes on. 11-13 Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee, While in Essence only One, 48 SUNDAY AT LAUDS Undivided God wc claim Thee: And, adoring, bend the knee While we own the mystery. 14-17 Thou art King of glory, Christ; Son of God, yet born of Mary; For us sinners sacrificed, And to death a tributary: First to break the bars of death. Thou hast opened heaven to faith. 18-19 From Thy high celestial home, Judge of all, again returning, We believe that Thou shalt come In the dreadful Doomsday morning; When Thy voice shall shake the earth. And the startled dead come forth. 20-21 Therefore do we pray Thee, Lord: Help Thy servants whom, redeeming By Thy Precious Blood outpoured. Thou hast saved from Satan's scheming. Give to them eternal rest In the glory of the Blest. 22, 26, 29 Spare Thy people. Lord, we pray, By a thousand snares surrounded: Keep us without sin to-day. Never let us be confounded. Lo, I put my trust in Thee; Never, Lord, abandon rae. SUNDAY AT LAUDS ? Sterne rerum conditor AETERNE rerum Conditor, lyTAKER of all, eternal King, Noctem diemque qui regis, -■-'-■■ Who day and night about Et temporum das tempora, dost bring: Ut alleves fastidium. Who weary mortals to relieve, Dost in their times the seasons give: 49 THE PSALTER ^Nocturna lux viantibus A nocte noctem segregans, Prseco diei jam sonat, Jubarque solis evocat. ^Hoc excitatus lucifer Solvit polum caligine: Hoc omnis erronum cohors Viam nocendi deserit. *Hoc nauta vires colligit, Pontique mitescunt freta: Hoc, ipsa petra Ecclesiae, Canente, culpam diluit. "Surgamus ergo strenue: Gallus jacentes excitat, Et somnolentos increpat, Gallus negantes arguit. •Gallo canente spes redit, ^gris salus refunditur, Mucro latronis conditur, Lapsis fides revertitur. 'Jesu labantes respice, Et nos videndo corrige: Si respicis, labes cadunt, Fletuque culpa solvitur. Now the shrill cock proclaims the day, And calls the sun's awak'ning ray — The wand'ring pilgrim's guiding light, That marks the watches night by night. Roused at the note, the morning star Heaven's dusky veil uplifts afar: Night's vagrant bands no longer roam, But from their dark ways hie them home. The encouraged sailor's fears are o'er, The foaming billows rage no more: Lo! e'en the very Church's Rock Melts at the crowing of the cock. O let us then like men arise; The cock rebukes our slumbering eyes. Bestirs who still in sleep would lie. And shames who would their Lord deny. New hope his clarion-note awakes, Sickness the feeble frame forsakes, The robber sheathes his lawless sword. Faith to the fallen is restored. Look on us, Jesu, when we fall, And with Thy look our souls recall : If Thou but look, our sins are gone, And with due tears our pardon won. 60 SUNDAY AT LAUDS 'Tu lux refulge sensibus, Shed through our hearts Thy Mentisque somnum discute: piercing ray, Te nostra vox primum sonet, Our souls' dull slumber drive Et vota solvamus tibi. away: Thy Name be first on every tongue, To Thee our earliest praises sung. " Deo Patri sit gloria, All laud to God the Father be, Ejusque soli Filio, All praise, Eternal Son, to Tliee, Cum Spiritu Paraclito, All glory, as is ever meet. Nunc, et per omne saeculum. To God the holy Paraclete. Author : St. Ambrose (340-397) . Meter ; Iambic dimeter. Translation by W. J. Copeland as altered in The Hymner. There are eighteen translations. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Lauds on Sunday from the Octave of the Epiphany until the first Sunday of Lent, and from the Sunday nearest the Calends of October until Advent. The jEterne rerum Con- ditor, though written on so simple a subject as cock-crow- ing, is one of the most beautiful hymns in the Breviary. It would be a mistake, however, to infer from the simplicity of the theme, that it presents either few or slight difficulties to the translator. The eminent hymnologist, L'abbe Pimont, in his Les Hymnes du Breviaire Romam, deemed it neces- sary to give a prose translation of but this one hymn. It is one of the five Breviary hymns that Trench includes in his Sacred Latin Poetry, 1. ''Eternal Maker of the world, who rulest both the night and day, and givest a variety of seasons to relieve monotony!" Temporum, times, seasons; tempora, changes, variety. Fastidium, lit., a loathing, aversion; here, monotony, wearisomeness, humdrum. 2. '*A nocturnal light to wayfarers, separating watch from watch, the herald of the day sends forth his cry and calls forth the rays of the sun." Lux: variously rendered — light, star, moon, light of a lamp, etc. The meaning seems to be that the crowing of the cock serves for the nocturnal traveler as a lamp, a kindly guide to the habitations of men. A node noctem: nox is here used in the sense of watch — a fourth part of the night. The cock by his crowing, at mid- 51 THE PSALTER night and at dawn, separates the watches of the night. This use of nox for vigilia is not uncommon. In stanzas 3 and 4, the pronoun hoc occurs four times. In each instance it may be considered as an ablative absolute — supplying canente from the last line of the fourth stanza; or it may be translated as an ablative of instrument — By him (the cock). 3. '* While he sings, the awakened morning star disen- thralls the heavens of darkness; all the bands of night- prowlers abandon their deeds of violence. ' ' Lucifer, lit., the light-bringer, the morning star. Erronum, from erro, onis, a vagabond, vagrant. Viam, way, path, life, deeds. 4. ** While he sings, the sailor gathers new strength, the raging of the sea subsides : while he sings, the very Rock of the Church washes away his sin." Petra Ecclesice, St. Peter. Et ego dico tibi quia tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram ssdificabo ecclesiam meam (Matt. 16, 18). Culpam diluit: Prius quam gallus cantet, ter me negabis. Et egressus foras, flevit amare (Matt. 26, 75). 5. ' * Let us, therefore, rise with alacrity ; the cock awakens the sleepers, chides the drowsy, and rebukes the unwilling. ' ' Note the climax, — jacentes, somnolentos, negantes, — the sleepers, the drowsy, the unwilling; also in the verbs, — excitat, increpat, arguit, — awakens, chides, rebukes. ** Cock- crowing," says Trench, ''had for the early Christians a mys- tical significance. It said, ' The night is far spent, and the day is at hand.' And thus the cock became, in the Middle Ages, the standing emblem of the preachers of God's word. The old heathen notion that the lion could not bear the sight of the cock, easily adapted itself to this new symbolism. Satan, the roaring lion (I Peter 5, 8) fled away terrified, at the faithful preaching of God's word. Nor did it pass un- noticed, that this bird, clapping its wings upon its sides, first rouses itself, before it seeks to rouse others" {Sacred Latin Poetry, p. 244). There is a similar passage in the Regula Pastoralis Curce, III, 40, of St. Gregory the Great. 6. ''At the crowing of the cock, hope returns ; health is re- stored to the sick ; the sword of the robber is sheathed ; con- fidence returns to the fallen." JEgris salus: "Man's tem- perature is lowest and his pulse rate feeblest in the early 52 SUNDAY AT LAUDS morning hours usually between three and five. During the night the pulse rate probably drops at least ten beats .... and the temperature drops nearly two degrees from its daily climax." — James J. Walsh, M.D., Ph.D., in America, Oct. 7, 1916, p. 613. 7. ''0 Jesus, look with compassion upon the wavering, and correct us with Thy look (as Thou didst correct Peter) : if Thou dost but look, our sins vanish, and our guilt is washed away by our tears." Labantes, from lahare, to waver, to be unstable. 8. **0 Light, shine Thou into our hearts, dispel the leth- argy of the soul; may our voice first praise Thee, and to Thee may we pay our vows." Vota solvere, to keep one's promises ; to fulfill one 's vows. SUNDAY AT LAUDS 10 Ecce jam noctis ECCE jam noctis tenuatur umbra, Lux et aurorae rutilans coruscat: Supplices rerum Dominum canora Voce precemur: ^ Ut reos culpae miseratus, omnem Pellat angorem, tribuat salutem, Donet et nobis bona sempiternae Munera pacis. LO, the dim shadows of the night are waning; Lightsome and blushing, dawn of day returneth; Fervent in spirit, to the world's Creator Pray we devoutly: That He may pity sinners in their sighing, Banish all troubles, kindly health bestowing; And may He grant us, of His countless blessings, Peace that is endless. 'Praestet hoc nobis Deitas beata Patris, ac Nati, pariterque sancti Spiritus, cujus resonat per omnem Gloria mundum. This be our portion, God forever blessed, Father eternal, Son, and Holy Spirit, Whose is the glory, which through all creation Ever resoundeth. 63 THE PSALTER Author: Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604). Meteb: Sapphic and Adonic. Translation based on a translation of the Original Text, by M. J. Blacker, but here rewritten in part to adapt it to the Roman Breviary Text. There are fifteen translations. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Lauds from the third Sunday after Pentecost until the Sunday nearest the Calends of October. This is the companion hymn of Node Surgentes, No. 7. 1. "Behold, now the shadows of the night are fading away, and the ruddy light of dawn breaks forth ; suppliantly let us with harmonious voices invoke the Lord of creation," Rutilans, ruddy, rosy-fingered. 2. ''That He may have pity on those guilty of sin, that He may banish trouble, bestow health, and confer upon us the good gifts of everlasting peace." 3. The doxology as in hymn 7. 11 SUNDAY AT MATINS Somno refectis artubus SOMNO refectis artubus, Spreto cubili surgimus; Nobis, Pater, canentibus Adesse te deposcimus. 'Te lingua primum concinat, Te mentis ardor ambiat: Ut actuum sequentiura Tu, sancte, sis exordium. 'Cedant tenebrae lumini, Et nox diurno sideri, Ut culpa, quam nox intulit, Lucis labascat munere. *Precamur iidem supplices, Noxas ut omnes amputes, OUR limbs refreshed with slumber now. And sloth cast ofi", in prayer we bow; And while we sing Thy praises dear, Father, be Thou present here. To Thee our earliest morning song, To Thee our hearts' full powers belong; And Thou, O Holy One, prevent Each following action and intent. As shades at morning flee away, And night before the star of day; So each transgression of the night Be purged by Thee, celestial Light ! Cut off, we pray Thee, each offense. And every lust of thought and sense; 64 MONDAY AT LAUDS Et ore te canentium That by their lips who Thee adore Lauderis omni tempore. Thou mayst be praised forever- more. 'Praesta, Pater piissime, Grant this, Father ever One Patrique compar Unice, With Christ, Thy sole-begotten Son, Cum Spiritu Paraclito And Holy Ghost, whom all adore, Regnans per omne saeculum. Reigning and blest forevermore. Author : St. Ambrose (340-397). Metee : Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are seventeen transla- tions. 1. ''Our limbs having been refreshed with sleep, spum- ing our bed, we rise ; Father, we beseech Thee, that Thou be near us, who sing Thy praises. ' ' Spreto cubili, abl. ab- solute. 2. ''Let our tongue first praise Thee, may the ardor of our soul seek after Thee, that Thou, Holy One, mayest be the source of the actions that follow — throughout the day. ' ' Exordium, beginning, source, etc. A good morning of- fering will make God the beginning or source of all our daily actions. 3. "Let darkness give way to light, and night to the day- star, that sin, which darkness brought in, may depart with the gift (advent) of light." Light is a symbol of Christ; night and darkness are symbols of sin and of the powers of darkness. Christ is the True Light (John 1, 9) at whose rising or advent, spiritual darkness wanes. 4. "We also suppliantly pray that Thou remove all hurt- ful things, and that Thou, out of the mouths of those prais- ing Thee, mayest be forever praised." lidem: "Idem, the same, is often used where the English requires an adverb or adverbial phrase (also, too, yet, at the same time)." — Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar, 298, b. In reading iidem, elide one i and read idem. MONDAY AT LAUDS 12 Splendor paterncB gloricB SPLENDOR paternae gloria, /~\ SPLENDOR of God's glory De luce lucem proferens, ^^ bright, Thou that bringest light from light, 55 THE PSALTER Lux lucis, et fons luminis, Diem dies iiluminans: *Verusque sol illabere, Micans nitore perpeti: Jubarque sancti Spiritus Infunde nostris sensibus. 'Votis vocemus et Patrem, Patrem potentis gratise, Patrera perennis glorise: Culpam releget lubricam. *Confirmet actus strenuos: Dentes retundat invidi: Casus secundet asperos: Agenda recte dirigat. 'Mentem gubernet et regat: Sit pura nobis castitas: Fides calore ferveat, Fraudis venena nesciat. 'Christusque nobis sit cibus, Potusque noster sit fides: Laeti bibamus sobriam Profusionem Spiritus. 'Laetus dies hie transeat: Pudor sit ut diluculum: Fides velut meridies: Crepusculum mens nesciat. 'Aurora lucem provehit, Cum luce nobis prodeat In Patre totus Filius, Et totus in Verbo Pater, Light of Light, light's Living Spring, Day, all days illumining. Thou true Sim, on us Thy glance Let fall in royal radiance, The Spirit's sanctifying beam Upon our earthly senses stream. The Father too our prayers implore, Father of glory evermore, The Father of all grace and might, To banish sin from our delight: To guide whate'er we nobly do. With love all envy to subdue. To make ill -fortune turn to fair. And give us grace our wrongs to bear. Our mind be in His keeping placed. Our body true to Him and chaste, Where only faith her fire shall feed. And burn the tares of Satan's seed. And Christ to us for food shall be. From Him our drink that welleth free. The Spirit's wine, that maketh whole, And mocking not, exalts the soul. Rejoicing may this day go hence, Like virgin dawn our innocence, Like fiery noon our faith appear. Nor know the gloom of twilight drear. Morn in her rosy car is borne; Let Him come forth our Perfect Morn, The Word in God the Father One, The Father perfect in the Son. 66 MONDAY AT I.AUDS 'Deo Patri sit gloria, All laud to God the Father be; Ejusque soli Filio, All praise, Eternal Son, to Thee; Cum Spiritu Paraclito, All glory, as is ever meet. Nunc et per omne saeculum. To God the Holy Paraclete. Author: St. Ambrose (340-397). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation from The Yattendon Bymnal — a spirited translation. There are about thirty translations. The Splendor paternce gloria has been rightly styled, ''A beau- tiful morning hymn to the Holy Trinity, but especially to Christ as the Light of the World, and a prayer for help and guidance throughout the day. It is a companion and sequel to the Sterne rerum Conditor" (Julian's Diet, of Hymnology). 1. **0 Splendor of the Father's glory, bringing forth light from light, Light of Light, and Source of light, Day illuminating day ! ' ' Splendor glorice : St. Paul styles Christ : Splendor glorise et figura substantias ejus (Patris) (Heb. 1, 3). Christ is the brightness, or effulgence, of the Father's glory, and the figure, or image, of His substance. The similitude by which the Word is styled the ''Splendor of the Father's glory" is based on the sun of our solar system and the rays emanating unceasingly therefrom. The sun represents the Father ; the rays, the Son. The figure must not be understood as implying any inequality. Lux: Of Himself, Christ says: Ego sum lux mundi (John 8, 12) ; He is the "True Light" (John 1, 9) ; "the Orient from on High" (Luke 1, 78), who illuminates by His grace and by the light of faith "every man that cometh into this world" (John 1,1-9). 2. " Thou, true Sun, descend, shining with everlasting brightness, and infuse into our hearts the radiance of the Holy Spirit." Illabere, imper. of illabor. 3. "In our prayers, let us also implore the Father, the Father of eternal glory, the Father of mighty grace, that He may remove every dangerous inclination to sin." By culpa is here meant, the inclination to sin, rather than sin itself. 4. ' ' May He give us strength for manly deeds, blunt the teeth of the envious one, bring adverse events to a favor- 57 THE PSALTER able issue, and give us the grace to act wisely." Denies, teeth: fig., envy, ill-will, rage; invidi, the envious one, the devil. Invidia autem diaboli mors introivit in orbem ter- rarum (Wisd. 2, 24). 5. *'May He rule and direct our mind that our chastity remain unsullied ; may our faith glow with fervor, and may it know not the poison of error." Nobis, dat. of possession. 6. *'May Christ be our food, and faith our drink; joy- fully let us drink of the sober affluence of the Spirit." Cibus: In the literal sense, Christ is our food in the Holy Eucharist. Read the words of promise (John 6, 48-59). Profusionem: the outpouring, *' sober affluence," "tem- perate excess." The Original Text has ebrietatem, inebria- tion. The poet had in mind the outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles (Acts 2, esp. 12-17). 7. * * Joyfully may this day pass by ; may our modesty be as the dawn, our faith as the noonday sun, and may our souls know no twilight. ' ' 8. ''The aurora leads on the light; with the light may there appear to us the whole Son in the Father, and the whole Father in the Word. " TUESDAY AT MATINS 13 Consors paterni luminis CONSORS paterni luminis, r\ LIGHT of Light, Day- Lux ipse lucis, et dies, ^-^ spring bright, Noctem canendo rumpimus: Co-equal in Thy Father's light: Assiste postulantibus. Assist us, as with prayer and psalm Thy servants break the twilight calm. *Aufer tenebras mentium, All darkness from our minds Fuga catervas daemonum, dispel, Expelle somnolentiam, And turn to flight the hosts of Ne pigritantes obruat. hell: Bid sleepfulness our eyelids fly, Lest overwhelmed in sloth we lie. 68 TUESDAY AT LAUDS 'Sic Christe nobis omnibus Indulgeas credentibus, Ut prosit exorantibus, Quod praecinentes psallimus. *Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne sseculum. Jesu, Thy pardon, kind and free, Bestow on us who trust in Thee: And as Thy praises we declare, O with acceptance hear our prayer. D Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son; Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee, Doth live and reign eternally. Author: St. Ambrose (340-397). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. W. Chadwick and J. D. Chambers. There are twelve translations. 1. ''0 Sharer of the Father's Light, Thyself the Light of Light, and Day ; aid Thou Thy suppliants who interrupt the night with song." See the note on the first stanza of the preceding hymn. 2. ''Dispel the darkness of our minds, put to flight the hosts of evil spirits, drive away drowsiness lest it over- whelm the slothful. ' ' 3. ' ' So, Christ, grant pardon to all of us who believe in Thee, that what we singing express in our songs, may be profitable to Thy suppliants." Prcdcinere 3, to sing or play before, to praise. 14 TUESDAY AT LAUDS Ales diet nuntius \ LES diei nuntius •^*- Lucem propinquam prae- cinit: Nos excitator mentium Jam Christus ad vitam vocat. ^Auferte, clamat, lectulos, ^gro sopore desides: Castique, recti, ac sobrii Vigilate, jam sum proximus. AS the bird, whose clarion gay Sounds before the dawn is grey, Christ, who brings the spirit's day, Calls us, close at hand: "Wake!" He cries, "and for my sake. From your eyes dull slumbers shake ! Sober, righteous, chaste, awake! At the door I stand!" 69 THE PSALTER 'Jesum ciamus vocibus, Lord, to Thee we lift on high Flentes, precantes, sobrii: Fervent prayer and bitter cry: Intenta supplicatio Hearts aroused to pray and sigh Dormire cor mundum vetat. May not slumber more: *Tu, Christe, somnum discute: Break the sleep of Death and Time, Tu rumpe noctis vincula: Forged by Adam's ancient crime; Tu solve peccatum vetus. And the light of Eden's prime Novumque lumen ingere. To the world restore! 'Deo Patri sit gloria. Unto God the Father, Son, Ejusque soli Filio, Holy Spirit, Three in One, Cum Spiritu Paraclito One in Three, be glory done, Nunc et per omne sseculum. Now and evermore. Author: Prudentius (348-413). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by W. J. Courthope. There are twelve trans- lations. This hymn is a cento from the Hymn at Cock-Crow, the first of the twelve hymns of the Cathemerinon of Prudentius. There are twenty-five four-line stanzas in the Hymn at Cock-Crow. The Ales diei nuntius is composed of stanzas 1, 2, 21, and 25 of the complete hymn. This hymn affords a fair, but by no means an extreme, illustration of the manner in which centos have been taken from the hymna of Prudentius for Breviary use. The hymns for Lauds on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are from the Cathemerinon. It will be observed that they are replete with figurative expressions. As dark- ness and mists are symbolical of sin and unbelief, so light is a symbol of truth and of Christ. In studying these three hymns, attention should be paid to the figurative, rather than to the literal meaning of their lines. Mr. Courthope 's spirited translations preserve much of the spirit and beauty of the originals. In these translations the following stanza immediately precedes the doxology. It is not a translation of any part of the Latin text : Now before Thy throne, while we Ask, upon our bended knee, That this blessing granted be, And Thy grace implore; The above note applies equally to hymns 14, 16, and 18. 60 WEDNESDAY AT MATINS 1. "The winged herald of the day proclaims the ap- proaching light; now Christ, the awakener of souls, calls us to life." The ''winged messenger" is the cock, who in Christian symbolism is a symbol of early rising and vig- ilance. Propinquam, approaching; Lauds was said at day- break, or cock-crow, the beginning of the morning watch. Excitator mentium: Christ by His grace is the awakener of souls. 2. "Take up your beds, He cries, ye who are slothful from idle sleep, and watch ye, chaste, upright, and sober, for I am at hand." ^gro sopor e: Ye who have become slothful from idle, excessive, sickness-producing sleep. Sobrii: Sobrii estote et vigilate (I Peter 5, 8). Vigilate ergo, quia nescitis qua horaDominus vester ven turns sit (Matt. 24,42). 3. "Weeping, praying, and sober, let us, with our voices, invoke Jesus: fervent prayer forbids the pure heart to sleep." 4. "Do Thou, Christ, dispel sleep, break the bonds of night, free us from the sins of former days, and infuse new light in us. ' ' WEDNESDAY AT MATINS 15 Rerum Creator optime RERUM Creator optime, TSZ^^ madest all and dost Rectorque noster, adspice: ^ control, Nos a quiete noxia Lord, with Thy touch divine, Mersos sopore libera. Cast out the slumbers of the soul, The rest that is not Thine. ^Te, sancte Christe, poscimus, Look down, Eternal Holiness, Ignosce culpis omnibus: And wash the sins away, Ad confitendum surgimus, Of those, who, rising to confess, Morasque noctis rumpimus. Outstrip the lingering day. ^Mentes manusque tollimus. Our hearts and hands by night, Propheta sicut noctibus Lord, Nobis gerendum praecipit, We lift them in our need; Paulusque gestis censuit. As holy Psalmists give the word, And holy Paul the deed. 61 THE PSALTER * Vides malum quod fecimus: Each sin to Thee of years gone by, Occuha nostra pandimus: Each hidden stain lies bare; Preces gementes fundimus, We shrink not from Thine awful Dimitte quod peccavimus. eye, But pray that Thou wouldst spare. ^Praesta, Pater piissime, Grant this, Father, Only Son Patrique compar Unice, And Spirit, God of grace, Cum Spiritu Paraclito To whom all worship shall be Regnans per omne sseculum. done In every time and place. Author: Ascribed to Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Cardinal Newman. There are thirteen translations. There is an article on this hymn in the Cath. Encycl. 1. ''Look down, sovereign Creator of the world, and our Ruler, and deliver us, overwhelmed by sleep, from a sinful rest. ' ' The time of rest, by affording occasions of sin and temptation, may become harmful or sinful. 2. ''Thee, all-holy Christ, we implore that Thou forgive all our sins : to praise Thee, we rise and interrupt the linger- ing hours of the night." Moras, variously rendered — hours, rest, etc. ; lit., a delay, a space of time. 3. "By night we lift up our hands and hearts, as the Prophet commands us to do, and as Paul, by his deeds, sanc- tioned." St. Paul put into practice the precept of the Prophet. The Prophet is David, the Royal Psalmist, who says: In noctibus extollite manus vestras in sancta, et benedicite Dominum (Ps. 133, 2). Paulus: A reference to St. Paul in the Acts of the Apostles: Media autem nocte, Paulus et Silas orantes laudabant Deum (Acts 16, 25). The following is Father Caswell's translation of this stanza : Who, as the holy Psalmist bids. Our hands thus early raise; And in the morning sing with Paul And Silas hymns of praise. 4. ' ' Thou seest the evil that we have done ; we lay bare our secret faults ; sighing we pour forth our prayers ; par- don what we have done amiss." 62 16 WEDNESDAY AT LAUDS jNox, et tenehrcB, et nubila NOX, et tenebrae, et nubila, Confusa mundi et turbida; Lux intrat, albescit polus: Christus venit: discedite. *Caligo terrae scinditur Percussa solis spicule, Rebusque jam color redit, Vultu nitentis sideris. ^Te Christe solum novimus: Te mente pura et simplici, Flendo et canendo quaesumus, Intende nostris sensibus. *Simt multa fucis illita, Quae luce purgentur tua: Tu vera lux ccelestium Vultu sereno illumina. ^Deo Patri sit gloria, Ej usque soli Filio, Cirni Spiritu Paraclito, Nunc et per omne saeculimi. DAY is breaking, dawn is bright: Hence, vain shadows of the night! Mists that dim our mortal sight, Christ is come! Depart! Darkness routed lifts her wings As the radiance upwards springs: Through the world of wakened things Life and color dart. Thee, Q Christ, alone we know: Singing even in our woe. With pure hearts to Thee we go: On our senses shine! In Thy beams be purged away All that leads our thoughts astray ! Through our spirits, King of day, Pour Thy light divine! Unto God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Three in One, One in Three, be glory done, Now and evermore. Author: Prudentius (348-413). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by W. J. Courthope. There are seventeen translations. This hymn is a cento from the Morning Hymn of the Cathemerinon. See the note on this hymn and its translation, under Ales diei nuntius, hymn 14. 1. ** Night, darkness, and clouds, confused and disordered state of the world, depart: light enters, the sky grows bright, Christ comes." 2. ' ' The darkness of the earth is rent, pierced by a ray of the sun ; color now returns to things, at the appearance of the shining star of day." Nitentis sideris, the sun, the day- star; fig., Christ. 63 THE PSALTER 3. "Thee alone, Christ we know; with pure and simple hearts, with tears and hymns we seek Thee ; incline to our souls." Intende, give ear to, be favorably disposed towards, hasten to the help of. 4. ' ' Many things which are now bedaubed with false col- ors shall be purified by Thy light : Thou true Light of the saints, enlighten us by Thy bright countenance." Fucis, lit., rouge, lllita, from illino, bedaub, smear. For the line Tu vera lux coelestium, the Original Text has, Tu lux eoi sideris. Eoi from eous, adj., belonging to the morning, eastern. Light of the Morning Star, illume, Serenely shining, all our gloom. 17 THURSDAY AT MATINS Nox atra rerum contegit NOX atra rerum contegit Terrae colores omnium: Nos confitentes poscimus Te, juste judex cordium: THE dusky veil of night hath laid The varied hues of earth in shade; Before Thee, righteous Judge of all, We contrite in confession fall. ^Ut auferas piacula, Sordesque mentis abluas: Donesque Christe gratiam, Ut arceantur crimina. Take far away our load of sin, Our soiled minds make clean within : Thy sov'reign grace, Christ, impart. From all offence to guard our heart. 'Mens ecce torpet impia, Quam culpa mordet noxia: Obscura gestit tollere, Et te Redemptor quaerere. *Repelle tu caliginem Intrinsecus quam maxime, Ut in beato gaudeat Se collocari lumine. For lo ! our mind is dull and cold, Envenomed by sin's baneful hold: Fain would it now the darkness flee. And seek. Redeemer, unto Thee. Far from it drive the shades of night, Its inmost darkness put to flight; Till in the daylight of the Blest It joys to find itself at rest 64 THURSDAY AT LAUDS 'Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne saeculum. Almighty Father, hear our cry, Through Jesus Christ, our Lord most High, Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee, Doth live and reign eternally. Author: Ascribed to Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. W. Chad- wick. There are twelve translations. 1-2. ''Dark night hath concealed the colors of all things on earth; praising Thee we pray, just Judge of hearts, that Thou take away our sins, and wash away the stains of the soul; and grant us, Christ, Thy grace that sin may be kept afar off." 3. "Lo, the guilty soul which mortal sin holds fast is torpid ; still it longs, Redeemer, to put away its evil deeds and seek Thee. ' ' 4. ''Drive out, as much as possible, the darkness that is within, that the soul may rejoice to be established in blessed light." Mens from the preceding stanza is the subject of gaudeat. Se collocare, to establish one's self, to dwell per- manently, 18 THURSDAY AT LAUDS Lux ecce surgit auria T UX ecce surgit aurea, -" Pallens facessat caecitas. Quae nosmet in praeceps diu Errore traxit devio. ^Haec lux serenum eonferat, Purosque nos praestet sibi: Nihil loquamur subdolum: Volvamus obscurum nihil. ' Sic tota decurrat dies, Ne lingua mendax, ne manus Oculive peccent lubrici, Ne noxa corpus inquinet. SEE the golden sun arise I Let no more our darkened eyes Snare us, tangled by surprise In the maze of sin ! From false words and thoughts impure Let this Light, serene and sure, Keep our lips without secure, Keep our souls within. So may we the day-time spend, That, till life's temptations end, Tongue, nor hand, nor eye offend! One, above us all, THE PSALTER •Speculator adstat desuper, Views in His revealing ray Qui nos diebus omnibus, All we do, and think, and say, Actusque nostros prospicit Watching us from break of day A luce prima in vesperum. Till the twilight fall. 'Deo Patri sit gloria, Unto God the Father, Son, Ej usque soli Filio, Holy Spirit, Three in One, Cum Spiritu Paraclito, One in Three, be glory done, Nunc et per omne saeculum. Now and evermore. Author: Prudentius (348-413). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by W. J. Courthope. There are seventeen translations. This hymn is a cento from the Morning Hymn of the Cathemerinon of Prudentius. See the note on this hymn and its translation, under Ales diei nuntius, hymn 14. 1. ''Behold, the golden light arises; may the waning darkness, which long drew us headlong in wide-wandering error, depart." In prceceps, headlong; into great danger. It should be borne in mind that this is a hymn for Lauds, and that Lauds was said at daybreak. As the rising sun dispels the blinding darkness, so Christ, the Sun of Justice (Mai. 4, 2), dispels the darkness of sin and of unbelief. 2. * ' May this light bring us contentment, and may it pre- serve us pure for itself; may we speak nothing deceitful; may we meditate nothing dark." Sibi refers to lux (i.e., Christus). 3. '*So may the whole day run its course; that neither the tongue prone to lie, nor the hands, nor the restless eyes sin ; may no sin defile the body. ' ' 4. *'An Observer stands on high, who each day beholds us and our actions, from early morning until evening, ' * FRIDAY AT MATINS 19 Tu, Trinitatis Unitas rpU, Trinitatis Unitas, r\ THREE in One, and One in ••• Orbem potenter quae regis, ^^ Three, Attende laudis canticum Who rulest all things mightily: Quod excubantes psallimus. Bow down to hear the songs of praise Which, freed from bonds of sleep, we raise. 66 FRIDAY AT MATINS 'Nam lectulo consurgimus Noctis quieto tempore, Ut flagitemus omnium A te medelam vulnerum. ^ Quo f raude quidquid daemonum In noctibus deliquimus, Abstergat illud coelitus Tuae potestas gloriae. *Ne corpus adstet sordidum, Nee torpor instet cordium, Ne criminis contagio Tepescat ardor spiritus. ''Ob hoc, Redemptor, quaesumus, Reple tuo nos lumine. Per quod dieriun circulis Nullis ruaraus actibus. 'Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito, Regnans per omne saeculum. While lingers yet the peace of night, We rouse us from our slumbers light: That might of instant prayer may win The healing balm for wounds of sin. If, by the wiles of Satan caught, This night-time we have sinned in aught, That sin Thy glorious power to-day, From heaven descending, cleanse away. Let naught impure our bodies stain, No laggard sloth our souls detain, No taint of sin our spirits know, To chill the fervor of their glow. Wherefore, Redeemer, grant that we Fulfilled with Thine own light may be: That, in our course, from day to day. By no misdeed we fall away. Grant this, Father ever One With Christ, Thy sole-begotten Son, And Holy Ghost, whom all adore. Reigning and blest forevermore. Author: Ascribed to Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604). Metee : Iambic dimeter. Translation by G. H. Palmer and J. W. Chadwick. There are thirteen trans- lations. 1. ' * Thou Unity in Trinity, Thou who dost mightily rule the world, hearken to the canticle of praise, which we, risen from sleep, sing. ' ' 2. '*For we rise from our beds in the quiet time of the 67 THE PSALTER night, that we may ask of Thee a remedy for all our wounds. ' ' 3. ''That whatever, by the deception of the evil spirits, we have failed in during the night, the same may the power of Thy glory from heaven blot out." Quo, conj., that. Coelitus, adv., from heaven. 4. *'Lest the body become defiled and torpor of heart threaten, and the fervor of the soul be chilled by the touch of sin. ' ' 5. **We therefore beseech Thee, Redeemer, fill us with Thy light, that in the lapse of days, we may fail in none of our actions," 20 FRIDAY AT LAUDS Sterna cceli gloria A ETERNA cceli gloria, ■^^ Beata spes mortalium, Summi Tonantis Unice, Castaeque proles Virginis: 'Da dexteram surgentibus, Exsurgat et mens sobria, Flagrans et in laudem Dei Grates rependat debitas. ' Ortus ref ulget lucifer, Prseitque solem nuntius: Cadunt tenebrae noctium: Lux sancta nos illmninet. *Manensque nostris sensibus, Noctem repellat saeculi, Omnique fine temporis Purgata servet pectora. CHRIST, whose glory fills the heaven, Our only hope, in mercy given; Child of a Virgin meek and pure; Son of the Highest evermore: Grant us Thine aid Thy praise to sing, As opening days new duties bring; That with the light our life may be Renewed and sanctified by Thee. The morning star fades from the sky. The sun breaks forth; night's shadows fly : Thou, true Light, upon us shine : Our darkness turn to light divine. Within us grant Thy light to dwell; And from our souls dark sins expel ; Cleanse Thou our minds from stain of ill. And with Thy peace our bosoms fill. 68 FRIDAY AT LAUDS ^ Quaesita jam primum fides To us strong faith forever give, In corde radices agat: With joyous hope, in Thee to live; Secunda spes congaudeat. That life's rough way may ever be Qua major exstat caritas. Made strong and pure by charity. *Deo Patri sit gloria, All laud to God the Father be, Ej usque soli Filio, All praise, Eternal Son, to Thee: Cum Spiritu Paraclito, All glory, as is ever meet, Nunc, et per omne saeculum. To God the holy Paraclete, Author I Ambrosian, 5th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by John Julian. There are twelve translations. 1. *' Eternal Glory of heaven, blessed hope of mortals, the only-begotten Son of the most high Thunderer, the offspring of a chaste Virgin," Tonantis (tono 1) ''The Sovereign Thunderer's only Son." — Abp. Bagshawe. Tona- bit de coelo Dominus (II Kings 22, 14). Cf. also I Kings 2, 10;Ps. 17,14;Ps. 28, 3. 2. ''Give Thy right hand to those who rise; sober also may the soul arise, and zealous in the praise of God, return Him due thanks. ' ' Sobria, thoughtful, recollected. Grates = gratias. 3. ' ' The risen morning star shines forth, and as a herald precedes the sun; the darkness of night disappears; may the holy light illuminate us." Lovers of allegory see in John the Baptist "the morning star," "the herald" that went before the rising Sun of Justice. 4. "And dwelling in our hearts, may it dispel the dark- ness of the world, and may it preserve our hearts unsullied till the end of time." Lux sancta is the subject of the whole stanza. Noctem scbcuU, spiritual darkness, sin. 5. "First may faith long-sought strike deep its roots in our hearts ; secondly, may hope rejoice us ; but greater still than these is charity." Qua refers grammatically to spes, but in sense also to fides, and is therefore equivalent to quibus. Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria hjec; major autem horum est caritas (I Cor. 13, 13). In heaven faith will be changed into vision, hope into fruition, but charity will remain forever, 69 21 THE PSALTER SATURDAY AT MATINS SummcB Parens clementice SUMMAE Parens clementiae, Mundi regis qui machinam, Unius et substantiae, Trinusque personis Deus: ^Nostros pius cum canticis Flatus benigne suscipe: Ut corde puro sordium Te perfruamur largius. 'Lumbos, jecurque raorbidum Flaramis adure congruis, Accincti ut artus excubent Luxu remoto pessimo. *Quicumque ut horas noctium Nunc concinendo rumpimus, Ditemur omnes affatim Donis beatae patriae. 'Preesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne saeculum. GREAT God of boundless mercy hear; Thou Ruler of this earthly sphere ; In substance one, in persons three, Dread Trinity in Unity! Do Thou in love accept our lays Of mingled penitence and praise; And set our hearts from error free, More fully to rejoice in Thee. Our reins and hearts in pity heal, And with Thy chastening fires anneal; Gird Thou our loins, each passion quell, And every harmful lust expel. Now as our anthems, upward borne, Awake the silence of the morn, Enrich us with Thy gifts of grace. From heaven. Thy blissful dwell- ing-place ! Hear Thou our prayer. Almighty King! Hear Thou our praises, while we sing. Adoring with the heavenly host, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Author: Ambrosian, 7tli cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation, a cento based on Chambers. There are six- teen translations. First line of Original Text : SummcB Deus clementicB. 1-2. **0 Father of infinite mercy, Thou who rulest over the vast fabric of the universe, God of one substance, and three in person, graciously accept, loving Father (pius), our tears with our hymns of praise, that with hearts free 70 SATURDAY AT LAUDS from sin we may enjoy Thee more abundantly." Pitts is here used for the vocative, supply Parens or Deus. Or it agrees with tu the subject of suscipe — Parens, tu pius ( = benigne) suscipe. Puro, note the genitive sordium; the ablative is more common. Largius, adv., comp. of largus. 3. **Burn Thou, with becoming (holy) flames, our reins and our depraved hearts, that our well girded limbs may watch, far removed from baneful luxury." Lumbos: the loins, in which the ancients located the seat of the feelings or affections. Jecur: lit., the liver; considered formerly as the seat of the soul and affections. Accincti = prsBcincti: Sint lumbi vestri prsBcincti, et lucernae ardentes in manibus vestris (Luke 12, 35). The girding of the loins signifies an instant willingness to do the will of God. In the East where men wore long flowing garments it was necessary to gird them up by means of a belt when about to begin some work or set out on a journey. 4. ''That all of us who now interrupt the hours of night with song, may be abundantly enriched with the gifts of the blessed land." SATURDAY AT LAUDS 22 Aurora jam spar git polum AURORA jam spargit polum: HPHE dawn is sprinkling in the Terris dies illabitur: -^ east Lucis resultat spiculum : Its golden shower, as day flows in ; Discedat omne lubricum. Fast mount the pointed shafts of light: Farewell to darkness and to sin I 'Phantasma noctis exsulet: Away, ye midnight phantoms all! Mentis reatus corruat: Away, despondence and despair! Quidquid tenebris horridum Whatever guilt the night has Nox attulit culpae, cadat. brought. Now let it vanish into air. *Ut mane, quod nos ultimum So, Lord, when that last morning Hie deprecamur cernui, breaks, Looking to which we sigh and pray, 71 THE PSALTER Cum luce nobis effluat, may it to Thy minstrels prove Hoc dum canore concrepat. The dawning of a better day. *Deo Patri sit gloria, To God the Father glory be, Ej usque soli Filio, And to His sole-begotten Son; Ciun Spiritu Paraclito, Glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee, Nunc et per omne saeculum. While everlasting ages run, Author: Ambrosian, 4th or 5th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall. There are twelve translations. 1. *'The dawn now overspreads the heavens; day glides over the earth ; rays of light mount on high ; may every un- clean thing depart." 2. ''Let phantoms of the night be banished; let guilt of soul depart; whatever dreadful thing of evil the night brought with it, let it vanish with the darkness. ' ' Constr. : Quidquid horridum culpas nox attulit, tenebris cadat. 3. ''That on the last morning, together with the light, that which w^e here humbly pray for, and what accords with our song, may issue forth (come) to us." Constr. : Ut cum luce (seterna) mane (illud) ultimum nobis effluat, quod nos hie, dum hoc canore concrepat, deprecamur cernui. This stanza is very obscure. It seems to contain a reference to the present morning, and to the last morning — at the end of time. In this sense it might be rendered: "While the present morning resounds with song (canore) ^ we here with profound humility beg {deprecamur cernui) that the last morning may also dawn {effluat) for us with light eternal." Abp. Bagshawe translates mane ultimum as referring to Saturday — "On this morn of the week the last." The fol- lowing is from an anonymous translation in the Hymnal Noted: So that last morning, dread and great, Which we with trembling hope await. With blessed light for us shall glow. Who chant the song we sang below. 72 VESPERS HYMNS OF THE PSALTER The theme, or subject matter, of the Vespers hymns for the week is the work of the six days of creation as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis. The Saturday hymn, which is a hymn in honor of the Most Holy Trinity, forms the only exception. The work of each of the six days is explained in the article on Hexcemeron, in the Cath. Encycl. The authorship of these six hymns is not definitely known. The series develops in an orderly manner the work of creation, devoting four stanzas to the work of each day. There is strong probability that these hymns are the work of one and the same author, and that that author is no other than the illustrious Pope and Doctor of the Church, St. Gregory the Great (540-604). In this connection it is in- teresting to record the opinion of the editors of the care- fully edited Historical Edition of Hymns Ancient and Mod- ern (1909) : ''The set," in their opinion, "must have come from one author, and it is not improbable that that author was St. Gregory" (p. 21). And again: '"^The series as a whole is probably rightly identified with a set of hymns for every evening in the week, which Irish records describe as having been sent by St. Gregory to St. Columba. The ancient preface to Columba 's hymn Altus prosator describes the coming of St. Gregory's messengers with gifts, including a set of hymns for the evenings of the week, and the sending by St. Columba of his hymns to St. Gregory in return. The series is not unworthy of such an author, and the hymns go far to justify the tradition that ascribes to that most versatile of popes a place among the Hymn-writers" (p. XVII). See also the article on Hymnody, by Father Clemens Blume, S. J., in the Cath. Encycl., Vol. VII., p. 602. The Benedictine editors of the works of St. Gregory credit him with eight hymns [Opera, Paris, 1705) ; H. A. Daniel in his Thesaurus Hymnl. Vol. I, assigns him three others. The Lucis Creator optime given below is one of the eight hymns assigned him by the Benedictine editors. The translations of these hymns in Part I of Mr. Orby Shipley's Annus Sanctus are fro^l the Primer of 1706, and 73 THE PSALTER are in all probability the work of the poet John Dryden, who was received into the Church in 1685. 23 SUNDAY AT VESPERS Lucis Creator optime LUCIS Creator optime Lucem dierum proferens, Primordiis lucis novae, Mundi parans originem: 'Qui mane junctum vesperi Diem vocari prsecipis: Illabitur tetrimi chaos, Audi pieces cum fletibus. BLEST Creator of the light, Who mak'st the day with radiance bright. And o'er the forming world didst call The light from chaos first of all; Whose wisdom joined in meet array The morn and eve, and named them Day: Night comes with all its darkling fears ; Regard Thy people's prayers and tears. Lest, sunk in sin, and whelmed with strife. They lose the gift of endless life; While thinking but the thoughts of time. They weave new chains of woe and crime. But grant them grace that they may strain The heavenly gate and prize to gain: Each harmful lure aside to cast, And purge away each error past. O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son; Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee, Doth live and reign eternally. Author: Probably by Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 'Ne mens gravata crimine, Vitae sit exsul munere, Dum nil perenne cogitat, Seseque culpis illigat. *Coeleste pulset ostium: Vitale tollat praemiima: Vitemus omne noxium: Purgemus omne pessimum. ^Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne ssculum. MONDAY AT VESPERS 604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are twenty-one translations; Father Caswall's being more widely used than any other. There are five transla- tions in the Annus Sanctus. Theme : The work of the first day — the creation of light. Dixit Dens: Fiat lux. Et facta est lux. Et vidit Deus lucem quod esset bona; et divisit lucem a tenebris. Appelavitque lucem Diem, et tenebras Noctem; factumque est vespere et mane dies unus (Gen. 1, 3-5). 1. * * august Creator of the light, who didst bring forth the light of day, and didst begin the origin of the world with the creation of new light;" Primordiis, origin, first begin- ning. Parans (paro 1), prepare, design. Originem, creation. 2. "Who didst command that morning joined with even- ing be called Day; foul darkness descends, hear Thou our prayers with our weeping. ' ' 3. ''Lest the soul burdened with sin be deprived of the gift of life, while it thinks of nothing eternal and fetters itself with sins. ' ' Exsul, an exile, banished person ; Constr. with the abl. or gen. 4. ''Let it knock at the heavenly portal and bear away the prize of life ; let us avoid everything harmful, and purge out everything sinful." The subject is mens from the pre- ceding stanza. MONDAY AT VESPERS 24 Immense cceli Conditor IMMENSE cceli Conditor, r\ GREAT Creator of the sky, Qui mixta ne confunderent, ^-^ Who wouldest not the floods Aquae fluenta dividens, on high Coelum dedisti limitem. With earthly waters to confound, But mad'st the firmament their boiind; ^Firmans locum coelestibus, The floods above Thou didat Simulque terrse rivulis; ordain; The floods below Thou didst re- strain: 76 THE PSALTER Ut unda flammas temperet, Terrae solum ne dissipent. 'Infunde nunc, piissime, Donum perennis gratiae: Fraudis novae ne casibus No3 error atterat vetus. *Lucem fides adaugeat: Sic luminis jubar ferat: Haec van a cuncta proterat: Hanc falsa nulla comprimant. "Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne saeculum. That moisture might attemper heat, Lest the parched earth should ruin meet. Upon our souls, good Lord, bestow Thy gift of grace in endless flow: Lest some renewed deceit or wile Of former sin should us beguile. Let faith discover heav'nly light; So shall its rays direct us right: And let this faith each error chase, And never give to falsehood place. Grant this, Father, ever One With Christ, Thy sole-begotten Son, And Holy Ghost, whom all adore, Reigning and blest forevermore. Author: Probably by Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are seventeen translations. Theme : The work of the second day — the creation of the firmament, which includes the whole space between the surface of the earth and the most distant stars. This work is thus narrated by Moses : Dixit quoque Deus : Fiat firmamentum in medio aquarum, et dividat aquas ab aquis. Et fecit Deus firmamentum, divisitque aquas quae erant sub firmamento ab his, qu8B erant super firmamentum. Et factum est ita. Vocavitque Deus firmamentum Ccelum: et factum est vespere et mane dies secundus (Gen. 1, 6-8). 1. " great Creator of the heavens. Thou didst establish the sky as a boundary, dividing the floods of water, lest uniting they flow together." Fluentum, i, a stream, flood. See the article on Firmament in the Cath. Encycl, 2. ' * Thou dost establish a place for the heavenly waters, and also for the streams on earth, that water might moder- ate the heat, lest it destroy the soil of the earth." 3. * * Pour forth now, most gracious Lord, the gift of Thy never-failing grace, lest by the misfortune of some new de- ception the old error should overwhelm us." Vetus error, 76 TUESDAY AT VESPERS personified — our ancient enemy, the devil; or, former sins. 4. *'Let faith increase the light, and thus produce an effulgence of light; may it trample under foot all vain things ; may nothing false supplant it." Adaugeat, the Orig- inal Text has inveniat; Neale translated the Original Text. HcBc, sc, fides. TUESDAY AT VESPERS 25 Telluris alme Conditor TELLURIS alme Conditor, Mundi solum qui separans, Pulsis aquae molestiis, Terram dedisti immobilem: *Ut germen aptum proferens, Fulvis decora floribus, Foecunda fructu sisteret, Pastmnque gratum redderet. 'Mentis perustae vulnera Munda virore gratise: Ut facta fletu diluat, Motusque pravos atterat. ■pARTH'S mighty Maker, whose ■*-^ command Raised from the sea the solid land ; And drove each billowy heap away, And bade the earth stand firm for aye: That so, with flowers of golden hue, The seeds of each it might renew; And fruit-trees bearing fruit might yield, And pleasant pasture of the field: Our spirit's rankling wounds efface With dewy freshness of Thy grace: That grief may cleanse each deed of ill, And o'er each lust may triumph still. *Ju8sis tuis obtemperet: Nullis malis approximet: Bonis repleri gaudeat, Et mortis ictum nesciat. "Praesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne saeculimi. Let every soul Thy law obey, And keep from every evil way; Rejoice each promised good to win. And flee from every mortal sin. Hear Thou our prayer, Almighty King! Hear Thou our praises, while we sing. Adoring with the heavenly host, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! 77 THE PSALTER Author: Probably by Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation anon, in the Hymnal Noted. There are twenty translations. First line of Original Text: Telluris ingens Conditor. Theme: The work of the third day, viz., the separation of the land from the water, and the creation of every species of plant. As recorded by Moses: Dixit vero Deus: Congregentur aquae, quae sub ccelo sunt, in locum unum et appareat arida. Et factum est ita. Et vocavit Deus aridam Terram ; congre- gationesque aquarum appellavit Maria. . . . Et ait: Ger- minet terra herbam virentem et facientem semen et lignum pomiferum, f aciens f ructum juxta genus suum, cujus semen in semetipso sit super terram. Et factum est ita. Et protulit terra herbam virentem, et facientem semen juxta genua suum, lignumque faciens fructum, et habens unumquodque sementem secundum speciem suam. Et vidit Deus quod esset bonum. Et factum est vespere et mane dies tertiua (Gen. 1,9-13). 1. "Benignant Creator of the world, who didst divide the surface of the earth, and driving off the troubled waters didst firmly establish the land ; ' ' Solum, lit., ground, soil. 2. ''That it might bring forth appropriate produce, be adorned with golden flowers, become prolific in fruits, and yield agreeable sustenance." Decora and fecwida agree with terra, understood. Sisteret, in the sense of existeret. Pastum, food for men and beasts. 3. ' ' Cleanse by the freshness of Thy grace the wounds of the sin-parched soul, that it may wash away with tears its evil deeds, and suppress sinful emotions." Munda, imper. of mundare. Virore, viror, oris (from vireo 2, to be fresh, vigorous), freshness, power, vigor. Mens is the subj. of diluat and atterat. 4. ' ' May it obey Thy commands ; may it draw nigh noth- ing sinful; that it may rejoice to be filled with good, and know not the stroke of death." Mortis ictus, the stroke of death, i.e., mortal sin. The Original Text, translated above, has actum for ictum. 78 WEDNESDAY AT VESPERS 26 Cceli Deus sanctissime CCELI Deus sanctissime, Qui lucidas mundi plagas Candore pingis igneo, Augens decoro lumine: "Quarto die qui flammeara Dum solis accendis rotam, Lunee ministraa ordinem, Vagosque cursus siderum: •Ut noctibus, vel Iiunini Diremptionis terminum, Primordiis et mensium Signum dares notissimum ; *ExpelIe noctem cordium: Absterge sordes mentium: Resolve culpae vinculum: Everte moles criminum. 'Preesta, Pater piissime, Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne saeculum. OGOD, whose hand hath spread the sky, And all its shining hosts on high, And painting it with fiery light, Made it so beauteous and bright: so Thou, when the fourth day was begun, Didst frame the circle of the sun, And set the moon for ordered change. And planets for their wider range: To night and d^, by certain line, Their varying bounds Thou didst assign ; And gav'st a signal, known and meet. For months begun and months complete. Enlighten Thou the hearts of men : Polluted souls make pure again: Unloose the bands of guilt within : Remove the burden of our sin. Grant this, Father, ever One With Christ Thy sole-begotten Son, Whom, with the Spirit we adore, One God, both now and evermore. Author: Probably by Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are thirteen translations. Theme : The work of the fourth day. On the fourth day, God created the heavenly bodies that adorn the firmament. The Mosaic account of the stupendous work which the hymn endeavors to recount is narrated with wonderful simplicity in Genesis 1, 14-19; 79 THE PSALTER Dixit autem Deus: Fiant luniinaria in firmamento coeli, et dividant diem ac noctem, et sint in signa et tempora, et dies et annos: ut luceant in firmamento cceli, et illuminent terram. Et factum est ita. Feoitque Deus duo luminaria magna: luminare majus, ut prseesset diei: et luminare minus, ut praeesset nocti : et stellas. Et posuit eas in firma- mento coeli, ut lucerent super terram, et praeessent diei ac nocti, et dividerent lucem ac tenebras. Et vidit Deus quod esset bonum. Et factum est vespere et mane dies quartus. 1. ' ' Most Holy God of heaven, Thou dost adorn with fiery brilliancy the lightsome regions of the universe, and dost embellish them with becoming splendor : ' ' The light created on the first day was a vast, luminous, nebulous mass, which contracted and solidified on the fourth day, thus forming the sun and the stars. These heavenly bodies constitute the "lightsome regions" of the universe. 2. *■ * Thou, on the fourth day didst light up the fiery disk of the sun, didst appoint the orbit of the moon, and the wan- dering courses of the stars," 3. ''That Thou mightest give to nights and days a bound- ary-line of separation, and a conspicuous sign for the begin- ning of the months. ' ' The boundary line between night and day — darkness and daylight — is indicated by the sun, the moon, and by the morning and evening stars. The new moon announces the beginning of the lunar month. 4. ' ' Drive out the darkness from our hearts ; wipe away the defilements of our souls; loosen the chains of guilt j overturn the great load of our sins." THURSDAY AT VESPERS 27 MagncB Deus potentice ll/rAGNi^ Deus potentiae, r\ SOVEREIGN Lord of Na- ■I-TJ. Qui fertili nates aqua ^^ ture's might, Partim relinquis gurgiti, Who bad'st the water's birth Partiin levas in aera. divide; Part in the heavens to take their flight, And part in ocean's deep to hide; 80 mmmttiit mpimnvtt ncM^m nuummnt mtm mntnn^*^tm: fymtmtmmm*tm ttdrt ttfc* ttmnbim mmninv^M mm iimiiittntttmitmt nn^(imxmmm$m mmMxxmitmnv nmtmntxt\)ttxnihmtc^ mpitmxmmtG'f^t timimnntl«tflflmo*(i nmnwtmtx$*fm Codex Latinus— Specimen page from a Psalter executed in the Abbey of Meften, Bavaria, A.D. i^i^. THURSDAY AT VESPERS 'Demersa lymphis imprimens, Subvecta ccelis erigens: Ut stirpe ab una prodita, Diversa repleant loca: •Largire cunctis servulis, Quos mundat unda sanguinis, Nescire lapsus criminura, Nee ferre mortis taedium. *Ut culpa nullum deprimat: Nullum efferat jactantia: Elisa mens ne concidat: Elata mens ne corruat. 'Praesta, Pater piissime» Patrique compar Unice, Cum Spiritu Paraclito Regnans per omne saeculum. These low obscured, on airy wing Exalted those, that either race. Though from one element they spring, Might serve Thee in a different place. Grant, Lord, that we Thy servants all, Saved by Thy tide of cleansing Blood, No more 'neath sin's dominion fall. Nor fear the thought of death's dark flood! Thy varied love each spirit bless, The humble cheer, the high con- trol; Check in each heart its proud excess. But raise the meek and contrite soul! This boon, Father, we entreat. This blessing grant, Eternal Son, And Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, Both now, and while the ages run. Author t Probably by Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Teanslation by W. J. Cour- thope. There are fourteen translations. Theme: The work of the fifth day — the creation of the birds and fishes, both of which sprang from a common source, viz., water. The work of the fifth day is recorded in Genesis 1, 20-23 : Dixit etiam Deus : Producant aquae reptile animse viventis, et volatile super terram sub firmamento coeli. Creavitque Deus cete grandia, et omnem animam viventem atque mota- bilem, quam produxerant aquas in species suas, et omne volatile secundum genus suum. Et vidit Deus quod esset bonum. Benedixitque eis, dicens: Crescite et multipli- camini, et replete aquas maris; avesque multiplicentur super terram. Et factum est vespere et mane dies quintus. 1. **0 God of great power, who dost assign in part the 81 THE PSALTER offsprings of the fertile water, to the deep, and in part dost raise them aloft in the air;" Fertili: The water is called fruitful since it is the common source from which the natos — the birds and fishes — sprang. Natos (ex). Gurgiti, lit., a whirlpool ; the sea, the waters. 2. **Thou dost consign the fishes to the waters, and liftest up the birds on high, that animals proceeding from the same source might occupy different places." Supply cmimalia after demersa, suhvecta, and prodita. Demersa, all living creatures that make their home in the waters. Suhvecta (from suhveho, to bring up from below), the birds — brought up from the waters and assigned to the air. 3. "Grant to all Thy servants, whom the stream of Thy blood hath cleansed, to know not sinful falls, nor suffer the loathsomeness of spiritual death." Largire, imper. of largior. TJnda sanguinis: This is by some taken as equiva- lent to unda et sanguis. It would then contain a reference to the blood and water that flowed from the pierced side of Our Lord (cf. John 19, 34). 4. **Let guilt depress no one; let pride exalt no one, lest the despondent soul be disheartened, and the proud soul be ruined. ' ' FRIDAY AT VESPERS 28 Hominis superne Conditor TTOMINIS superne Conditor, "IMTAKER of man, who from Thy "■•-■■ Qui cuncta solus ordinans, -'-*-■• throne Humum jubes producere Dost order all things, God alone; Reptantis et ferae genus: By whose decree the teeming earth To reptile and to beast gave birth : *Et magna rerum corpora. The mighty forms that fill the Dictu jubentis vivida, land, Per temporum certas vices Instinct with life at Thy com- Obtemperare servulis: mand, Are given subdued to humankind For service in their rank assigned. 82 FRIDAY AT VESPERS • Repelle, quod cupidinis From all Thy servants drive away Ciente vi nos impetit, Whate'er of thought impure to-day Aut moribus se suggerit, Hath been with open action blent, Aut actibus se interserit. Or mingled with the heart's in- tent. *Da gaudiorura praemia. In heaven Thine endless joys be- Da gratiarum munera: stow, Dissolve litis vincula: And grant Thy gifts of grace Adstringe pacis foedera. below; From chains of strife our souls release, Bind fast the gentle bands of peace. "Praesta, Pater piissime, Grant this, Father, ever One Patrique compar Unice, With Christ, Thy sole-begotten Cum Spiritu Paraclito Son, Regnans per omne saeculum. Whom, with the Spirit we adore. One God, both now and evermore. Author: Probably by Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. D. Chambers, as altered in the English Hymnal. There are sixteen translations. First line of Original Text: Plasma- tor hominis Deus. Theme: The work of the sixth day — the creation of brute animals and of man (Gen. 1, 24-31). The following is verses 25 and 27 only: Et fecit Deus bestias terrae juxta species suas, et jumenta et omne rep- tile terrse in genere suo. Et vidit Deus quod esset bonum. . . . Et creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam: ad imaginem Dei creavit ilium ; masculum et f eminam creavit eos. 1. **0 august Creator of man, who alone dost dispose all things. Thou didst command that the earth bring forth reptiles and beasts." Genus reptantis=^Te-pti[isi: genus /er£E=bestiae terrse. 2. ''And at the word of the Creator, the huge bodies of created beings became instinct with life, to obey Thy servants through determined changes of time." Per certas vices temporum, i. e., while fixed periods of time shall last, man is to rule over **the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth" (Gen. 1, 26). 83 THE PSALTER 3. ** Drive from us whatever evil desire may assail us with roused up violence, whether it attaches itself to our morals or intertwines itself with our actions." Se vnter- serit, or sows itself among. Abp. Bagshawe translates the last two lines : Or mingles with our inward lives, Or in our actions plays its part. 4. ** Grant us the reward of heavenly joys; bestow upon us gifts of grace; rend asunder the chains of strife; draw closer the bonds of peace. ' ' SATURDAY AT VESPERS 29 Jam sol recedit igneus JAM sol recedit igneus: A S fades the glowing orb of day, Tu lux perennis Unites, -^ To Thee, great source of light, Nostris, beata Trinitas, we pray; Infunde lumen oordibus. Blest Three in One, to every heart Thy beams of life and love im- part. 'Te mane laudum carmine. At early dawn, at close of day, Te deprecamur vespere; To Thee our vows we humbly pay; Digneris ut te supplices May we, mid joys that never end, Laudemus inter coelites. With Thy bright Saints in homage bend. •Patri, simulque Filio, To God the Father, and the Son, Tibique sancte Spiritus, And Holy Spirit, Three in One, Sicut fuit, sit jugiter Be endless glory, as before Saeclum per omne gloria. The world began, so evermore. Author: St. Ambrose (340-397). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Potter, altered. First line of Original Text: Lux beata Trinitas. There are thirty-two translations, twenty of which are from the Roman Breviary Text. There are thirteen translations of this hymn in the Annus Sanctus, two of which are from the Original Text. This hymn is also used at Vespers on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. The Original Text is there given. It is interesting to compare the two texts. See hymn 71. 84 SPECIAL DOXOLOGIES 1. **The fiery sun now sinks to rest: Thou light eternal, Unity and Blessed Trinity, infuse Thy light into our hearts. ' ' As the daylight departs we ask that the eternal light shall not fail us. 2. *'We glorify Thee in the morning with a hymn of praise, we supplicate Thee in the evening; deign that we, Thy suppliants, may praise Thee among the Blessed." 3. Jugiter, adv., forever. SPECIAL DOXOLOGIES Special doxologies are provided in the Breviary for cer- tain feasts and seasons. They are all written in iambic dimeters, and they replace the ordinary doxologies in all hymns of the same meter. The following doxology is said from Christmas till the Epiphany, during the Octave of Corpus Christi, on the feasts of the Sacred Heart and Holy Name, and on feasts of the Blessed Virgin and during their Octaves. Jesu, tibi sit gloria, All honor, laud, and glory be. Qui natus es de Virgine, Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee; Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu, All glory, as is ever meet. In sempiterna saecula. To Father and to Paraclete. For the Epiphany and Octave Jesu, tibi sit gloria, All glory, Lord, to Thee we pay. Qui apparuisti gentibus. For Thine Epiphany to-day; Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu, All glory, as is ever meet. In sempiterna saecula. To Father and to Paraclete. la Pascbaltime Deo Patri sit gloria, To Thee who, dead, again dost live, Et Filio, qui a mortuis All glory, Lord, Thy people give; Surrexit, ac Paraclito, All glory, as is ever meet, In sempiterna ssecula. To Father and to Paraclete. For Ascensiontide Jesu, tibi sit gloria. All Glory, Lord, to Thee we pay. Qui victor in coelum redis, Ascending o'er the stars to-day; Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu, All glory, as is ever meet, In sempiterna saecula. To Father and to Paraclete. 86 THE PSALTER THE ANTIPHONS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN The Antiphons of the Blessed Virgin are four in number. In Choir, one of the Antiphons is recited at the end of cer- tain hours in accordance with the following general rules : 1. At the end of Compline, always. 2. At the end of Lauds, when no other hour is to follow. 3. When Lauds is fol- lowed by Prime and by any of the other hours, the Antiphon is said at the end of the last hour recited. 4. At the end of any hour recited in Choir when the Office is finished and the members of the Choir are to retire from the chapel. Out of Choir, an Antiphon is said at the end of Com- pline, and at the end of Lauds if the Office is to end with Lauds, otherwise at the end of the last hour recited. Read the first article on Antiphon in the Cath. Encycl. Read also the articles on: Alma Redemptoris Mater, Ave Regina, Regina Coeli, and Salve Regina. 30 Alma Redemptoris Mater \ LMA Redemptoris Mater -^^ quae pervia coeli MOTHER benign of our re- deeming Lord, Porta manes, et Stella maris, Star of the sea and portal of the succurre cadenti, skies, Surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae Unto thy fallen people help genuisti, afiford — Fallen, but striving still anew to rise. Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Thou who didst once, while Genitorem, wond'ring worlds adored, Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis Bear thy Creator, Virgin then as ab ore now, Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum by thy holy joy at Gabriel's miserere. word. Pity the sinners who before tliee bow. Author: Ascribed to Hermann Contractus (1013-1054). Meter Hexameter. Julian's Diet, of Hymnol. mentions translations by Cardinal Newman, and by Fathers Caswall and Wallace, O.S.B. For the above translation the editor 86 ANTIPHONS OF OUR LADY has to thank the distinguished scholar, the Rt. Rev. Sir David Oswald Hunter-Blair, O.S.B. Liturgical Use: Antiphon of our Blessed Lady from the Vespers of the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent to the Feast of the Purification, inclusive. * * loving Mother of the Redeemer, who dost remain the ever accessible portal of heaven, and the star of the sea, aid thy fallen people who strive to rise ; thou who, a Virgin both before and after receiving that Ave from the mouth of Gabriel, didst, while nature wondered, give birth to thy Holy Creator; have pity on us sinners." 31 Ave Regina coelorum A VE Regina coelorum, TTAIL, Queen of heaven, ■^*- Ave Domina Angelorum: •*■■■- enthroned! Salve radix, salve porta. Hail, by Angels Mistress owned! Ex qua mundo lux est orta: Root of Jesse, Gate of morn, Whence the world's true Light was born : Gaude Virgo gloriosa, Glorious Virgin, joy to thee, Super omnes speciosa, Loveliest whom in heaven they Vale, o valde decora, see: Et pro nobis Christum exora. Fairest thou where all are fair. Plead with Christ our sins to spare. AuTHOKSHip and date of composition uncertain. It has been in use since the twelfth century. Meter: Trochaic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall. There are at least four additional translations. Liturgical Use: Antiphon proper to the season after the Purification, that is, from the end of Compline of Feb. 2d (even should the Feast of the Purification be transferred) until Maundy Thursday, exclusive. **Hail, Queen of Heaven; hail. Mistress of Angels; hail, Root; hail, Portal whence came forth Light unto the world. ' ' ** Rejoice, glorious Virgin, surpassing all in beauty; we greet thee, Virgin most fair, intercede with Christ for us. ' ' Radix: "root of Jesse," i.e., an offshoot from the root 87 THE PSALTER of Jesse; a descendant of Jesse, the father of David. The Blessed Virgin was of the House of David ; Jesse therefore was one of her ancestors. Mary is a root of Jesse, but her Divine Son is the root of Jesse (cf. Is. 11, 1; Bom. 15, 12). 32 Regina coeli Icetare "DEGINA coeli laetare, alleluja, JOY to thee, Queen of heaven Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluja, Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluja, Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluja. pl^ Alleluia. He whom it was thine to bear; Alleluia. As He promised, hath arisen; Alleluia. Plead for us a pitying prayer; Alleluia. Author, unknown ; it is found in 14th cent, manuscripts. Translation by Father Caswall. There are ten transla- tions. Liturgical Use: Antiphon of Our Lady from Com- pline of Holy Saturday, inclusive, till None of the Saturday after Pentecost, inclusive. 33 Salve Regina SALVE Regina, mater miseri- cordiae, Vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevse. SAIL to the Queen who reigns above, Mother of clemency and love, Hail, thou, our hope, life, sweet- ness; we Eve's banished children cry to thee. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimariun valle. Eja ergo, advocata nostra, Illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Jestmi, benedictum fructum ventris tui, Nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria. We from this wretched vale of tears Send sighs and groans unto thy ears; Oh, then, sweet Advocate, bestow A pitying look on us below. After this exile, let us see Our Blessed Jesus, born of thee. merciful, pious Maid, gracious Mary, lend thine aid. 88 ANTIPHONS OF OUR LADY Author: Ascribed to Hermann Contractus (1013-1054). Translation" from the Primer, 1685. There are fifteen metrical translations, and the beautiful prose version which is said after every Low Mass. Liturgical Use : Antiphon of our Blessed Lady from the First Vespers of the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity until None of the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent. Since Jan. 6, 1884, the Salve Regina forms a part of the prayers which Pope Leo XIII ordered to be said after every Low Mass. 89 Part II tlf)t proper of tf^t i^eafi(on ADVENT 34 The Great Antiphons of Advent The seven Great Antiphons, or Antiphons, as they are called, are said, one each day, at the Magnificat in Vespers, from December the 17th to the 23d, inclusive. Although not written in meter, they are strikingly poetical in thought, and replete with Scriptural allusions. Each Antiphon sa- lutes the coming Messias under one of His many Scrip- tural titles, and closes with a proper petition. The au- thorship and date of composition are unknown. They are, however, at least as old as the ninth century, and probably much older. There are several translations in both prose and verse. Mr. Shipley's Annus Sanctus contains a metri- cal version by H. N. Oxenham. Read the articles on the Antiphons, and on Advent, in the Cath, Encycl, O Sapientia OSAPIENTIA, quae ex ore Al- r\ WISDOM, that proceedest tissimi prodiisti, attingens a ^^ from the mouth of the Most fine usque ad finem, fortiter High, reaching from end to end suaviterque disponens omnia: mightily, and sweetly disposing veni ad docendum nos viam all things: come and teach us the prudentise. way of prudence, Sapientia: Ego (Sapientia) ex ore Altissimi prodivi (Ecclus. 24, 5). Attingens: Attingit ergo a fine usque ad finem fortiter, et disponit omnia suaviter (Wis. 8, 1). 91 PROPER OF THE SEASON O Adonai OADONAI, et Dux domus r\ ADONAI, and Leader of the Israel, qui Moysi in igne ^^ House of Israel, who didst flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in appear unto Moses in the burning Sina legem dedisti: veni ad bush, and gavest Him the Law on redimendum nos in brachio ex- Sinai: come and redeem us by tento. Thy outstretched arm, Adonai: This is the Hebrew substitute for the ineffable name of Jehovah. It is rendered in the Vulgate by ** Do- minus, ' ' and in the Douay Bible by ' *■ Lord. " It is retained in both texts twice, viz., in Exodus 6, 3, and in Judith 16, 16. Read the foot-note on Exodus 6, 3, in the Douay Bible. See also the articles on Adonai, and Jehovah, in the Cath. Encycl. Domus Israel: The House of Israel, i.e., the Israelites, the Jews, the chosen people of God. The ex- pression occurs very often in the Old Testament, and a few times in the New. Read the article on Jacob, and the be- ginning of the article on Israelite, in the Cath. Encycl. FlammcB rubi: Apparuitque ei (Moysi) Dominus in flamma ignis de medio rubi (Exod. 3, 2). In Sina legem dedisti: Cf. Exod., beginning with chapter 19. O Radix RADIX Jesse, qui stas in /~\ ROOT of Jesse, who standest signum populorum, super ^^ as the ensign of the people, quem continebunt reges os suum, before whom kings shall not open quern Gentes deprecabuntur : veni their lips; to whom the Gentiles ad liberandum nos, jam noli shall pray: come and deliver us, tardare, tarry now no more. Radix Jesse: In die ilia, radix Jesse, qui stat in signum populorum, ipsum gentes deprecabuntur (Is. 11, 10). **Root of Jesse," i.e., a descendant from Jesse, the father of David (Rom. 15, 12). Our Lord, as the Son of the Virgin Mary, was of the House of David, hence a root of Jesse. Signum populorum: An allusion to the ensign of the Cross, around which the nations would rally. Super quem: super ipsum continebunt reges os suum (Is. 52, 15). 92 GREATER ANTIPHONS OF ADVENT O Clavls David OCLAVIS David, et sceptrum /~\ KEY of David, and Scepter domus Israel; qui aperis, et ^^ of the House of Israel; who nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo openest, and no man shutteth ; who aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de shuttest, and no man openeth: domo carceris, sedentem in tene- come and lead the captive from bris, et umbra mortis. the prison-house, and him that sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death. Clavis David: Hsec dicit Sanctus et Verus, qui habet clavem David : qui aperit, et nemo claudit : claudit, et nemo aperit (Apoc. 3, 7). Cf. also Is. 22, 22. Et sceptrum: Et Israel sceptrum hereditatis ejus (Jer. 51, 19). Et educ: et educeres de conclusione vinctum, de domo carceris seden- tes in tenebris (Is. 42, 7). O Orlens OORIENS, splendor lucis r\ ORIENT, Splendor of the astemae, et sol justitiae: veni, ^-^ Eternal Light, and Sun of et illumina sedentes in tenebris, Justice: come and enlighten them et umbra mortis. that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. Oriens: Variously rendered, dayspring, sunrise, dawn, east. It is one of the many Scriptural titles of the Mes- sias, who was to be the Light of the world (John 8, 12), the Sun of Justice (Mai. 4, 2), the Orient from on high who visited us (Luke 1, 78), and who from eternity has been the Splendor of the Father's glory (Heb. 1, 3). Splendor: Candor est enim lucis aeternae (Wis. 7, 26). Illumina: II- luminare his, qui in tenebris, et in umbra mortis sedent (Luke 1, 79). O Rex Qentium OREX Gentium, et desideratus r\ KING of the Gentiles, yea, earum, lapisque angularis, ^-^ and the desire thereof, the qui f acis utraque unum : veni, et Corner-stone that makest both one : salva horainem, quern de Ikno come and save man, whom Thou formasti. hast made out of the slime of the earth. 93 PROPER OF THE SEASON Rex Gentium: Erit radix Jesse, et qui exurget regere gentes, in eum gentes sperabunt (Rom. 15, 12; Is. 11, 10). Desideratus: et veniet desideratus cunctis gentibus (Agg. 2, 8). Lapis angularis: Christ is the Corner-stone (Eph. 2, 20). He is also our peacemaker who maketh both one (Eph. 2, 14). The Jews and Gentiles are the two who are made one. Christ died for all, and He founded a Church to save all men without distinction of race. De limo: Formavit igitur Dominus Deus hominem de limo terras (Gen. 2, 7). O Emmanuel EMMANUEL, Rex et legifer r\ EMMANUEL, our king and noster, exspectatio gentium, ^^ lawgiver, the expectation of et Salvator earum: veni ad sal- all nations and their Saviour: vandum nos Domine Deus noster. come and save us, Lord our God. Emmanuel: Cf. Matt. 1, 23. Exspectatio gentium: et ipse erit exspectatio gentium (Gen. 49, 10). Read the ar- ticle on Emmanuel, in the Cath. Encycl. The following beautiful paraphrase of five of the above Antiphons is found in a hymn which dates from the be- ginning of the eighteenth century. The translation is by J. M. Neale. 34B Vent» veni, Emmanuel VENI, veni, Emmanuel; /~\ COME, come, Emmanuel, Captivum solve Israel, ^-^ And ransom captive Israel, Qui gemit in exilio. That mourns in lonely exile here, Privatus Dei Filio. Until the Son of God appear. Gaude! gaude! Emmanuel Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel Nascetur pro te, Israel. Shall come to thee, Israel. "Veni, o Jesse Virgula; O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Ex hostis tuos imgula. Thine own from Satan's tyranny; De specu tuos tartari From depths of hell Thy people Educ, et antro barathri. save, Gaude! gaude! Emmanuel And give them victory o'er the Nascetur pro te, Israel. grave. Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, Israel. 94 ADVENT •Veni, veni, o Oriens; Solare nos adveniens; Noctis depelle nebulas Dirasque noctis tenebras. Gaude! gaude! Emmanuel Nascetur pro te, Israel. *Veni, Clavis Davidica; Regna reclude coelica; Fac iter tutum superum, Et claude vias inferum. Gaude! gaude! Emmanuel Nascetur pro te, Israel. 'Veni, veni, Adonai, Qui populo in Sinai Legem dedisti vertice In ma j estate gloriae. Gaude! gaude! Emmanuel Nascetur pro te, Israel. come, Thou Dayspring, frwn on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night. And death's dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, Israel. come, Thou Key of David, come And open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high And close the path to misery. Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, Israel. come, Adonai, Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height, In ancient times didst give the law In cloud and majesty and awe. Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, Israel. 35 Creator alme siderum CREATOR alme siderum, interna lux credentium, Jesu Redemptor omnium, Intende votis supplicum. BRIGHT Builder of the heaven- ly poles. Eternal light of faithful souls, Jesus, Redeemer of mankind. Our humble prayers vouchsafe to mind. 'Qui daemonis ne fraudibus Periret orbis, impetu Amoris actus, languidi Mundi medela factus es. Who, lest the fraud of hell's black king Should all men to destruction bring, Didst, by an act of generous love, The fainting world's physician prove. 95 PROPER OF THE SEASON 'Commune qui mundi nefas Ut expiares; ad crucem E Virginis sacrario Intacta prodis victima. *Cujus potestas gloriae, Nomenque cum primum sonat; Et coelites et inferi Tremente curvantur genu. Te deprecamur ultimae Magnum diei Judicem, Armis supernae gratiae Defende nos ab hostibus. 'Virtus, honor, laus, gloria Deo Patri cum Filio, Sancto simul Paraclito, In sseculorum ssecula. Who, that Thou mightst our ran- som pay And wash the stains of sin away, Wouldst from a Virgin's womb proceed And on the Cross a Victim bleed. Whose glorious power, whose sav- ing name No sooner any voice can frame. But heaven and earth and hell agree To honor them with trembling knee. Thee, Christ, who at the latter day Shalt be our Judge, we humbly pray Such arms of heavenly grace to send As may Thy Church from foee defend. Be glory given and honor done To God the Father and the Son And to the Holy Ghost on high, From age to age eternally. Author : Ambrosian, 7tli cent. Meter : Iambic dimeter. Translation : a cento from the Primer, 1685^ and the Even- img Office, 17 10. First line of Original Text ; Conditor ahne siderum. The Advent hymns were greatly altered by the revisers under Pope Urban VIII (1632). Only one line of this hymn was left unaltered, and only twelve words of the original were retained. Including both texts there are about thirty translations, nine of which are in Mr. Shipley's Annus Smictus, both texts being represented. Liturgical Use: Vespers hymn for Sundays and week-days during Advent. The hymns and antiphons of Advent present in a concise and admirable manner the leading ideas of that holy sea- sou. 96 ADVENT 1. '^0 Jesus, kind Creator of the stars, eternal light of the faithful, Redeemer of all, give ear to the prayers of Thy suppliants. ' ' Creator: Omnia per ipsum facta sunt : et sine ipso factum est nihil quod factum est (John 1, 3). Lux: Erat lux vera, quae illuminat omnem hominem venien- tem in hunc mundum (John 1, 9). 2. ' ' Thou wast impelled by the power of love to become a remedy for the languid world, lest mankind should perish through the cunning of the devil." Constr. Qui actus impetu amoris, factus es medela mundi languidi, ne orbis fraudibus daemonis periret. Actus=comiiiot\is. 3. *'To expiate the common guilt of mankind. Thou, a spotless Victim, didst go forth to the Cross from the sacred womb of a Virgin." 4. * ' The might of Thy glory is such that as soon as Thy name is uttered, the blessed and the damned alike bend with trembling knee." Cujus (est). Nomen: Ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur ccelestium, terrestrium et infer- norum (Philip. 2, 10). 5. ''We beseech Thee, great Judge of the last day, de- fend us from our enemies with weapons of heavenly grace. ' ' 36 Verbum supernum prodiens VERBUM supernum prodiens, /"^ELESTIAL Word, to this our E Patris astern i sinu ^ earth Qui natus orbi subvenis, Sent down from God's eternal Labente cursu temporis: clime. To save mankind by mortal birth Into a world of change and time; 'Illimiina nunc pectora, Enlighten our hearts; vain hopes Tuoque amore concrema, destroy; Ut cor caduca deserens And in Thy love's consuming fire Coeli voluptas impleat. Fill all the soul with heavenly joy, And melt the dross of low desire. 'Ut, cum tribunal Judicis So when the Judge of quick and Damnabit igni noxios, dead Shall bid His awful summons come, 97 PROPER OF THE SEASON Et vox arnica debitum To whelm the guilty aoul with Vocabit ad coelum pios. dread, And call the blessed to their home, * Non esca flammarum nigros Saved from the whirling, black Volvamur inter turbines, abyss, Vultu Dei sed compotes Forevermore to us be given Coeli fruamur gaudiis. To share the feast of saintly bliss, And see the face of God in heaven. To God the Father and the Son "Patri simulque Filio, Our songs with one accord we Tibique sancte Spiritus, raise; Sicut fuit, sit jugiter And to the Holy Spirit, One Saeclum per omne gloria. With Them, be ever equal praise. Author: Ambrosian, 5th or 6th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by W. J. Courthope. There are about thirty translations, four of which are in the Annus Sanctus. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Matins on Sundays and week-days during Advent. There is an article on this hymn in the Cath. Encycl. 1. * ' Heavenly "Word proceeding from the bosom of the Eternal Father, Thou wast born, and didst come to the aid of the world, in the fleeting course of time. ' ' Verhunij the Word, the Eternal Son (cf. John 1, 1-14). Constr.: Qui labente cursu temporis (abl. absol.) natus es (et) orbi sub- venis. 2. "Enlighten Thou our hearts and inflame them with Thy love, that the joys of heaven may fill the heart which abandons perishable things." Constr.: Ut voluptas coeli impleat cor deserens caduca. 3-4. * * That when the tribunal of the Judge shall condemn the guilty to the flames, and a friendly voice shall call the just to the heaven due to them, may we then not be cast headlong into the black whirlpool as the food of flames, but participating in the beatific vision, may we enjoy the pleasures of heaven." Dehitum: due to them, because promised to them by Christ. Constr. : Ut non volvamur esca flammarum inter nigros turbines, sed compotes vultu Dei fruamur gaudiis cceli. 9S 37 ADVENT En clara vox redarguit EN clara vox redarguit Obscura quaeque personans: Procul fugentur somnia: Ab alto Jesus promicat. 'Mens jam resurgat torpida, Non amplius jacens humi: Sidus refulget jam novum, Ut tollat omne noxium. ' En Agnus ad nos mittitur Laxare gratis debitum: Omnes simul cmn lacrimis Precemur indulgentiam: *Ut, cum secundo fulserit, Metuque mundum cinxerit, Non pro reatu puniat, Sed nos pius tunc protegat. ''Virtus, honor, laus, gloria Deo Patri cum Filio, Sancto simul Paraclito, In ssculorum ssecula. TJARK, a herald voice is call- "Christ is nigh," it seems to say; "Cast away the dreams of darkness, O ye children of the day." Startled at the solemn warning. Let the earth-bound soul arise; Christ, her Sun, all sloth dis- pelling. Shines upon the morning skies. Lo, the Lamb, so long expected, Comes with pardon down from heaven ; Let us haste, with tears of sorrow, One and all to be forgiven. So when next He comes with glory. Wrapping all the earth in fear. May He then as our defender On the clouds of heaven appear. Honor, glory, virtue, merit, To the Father and the Son, With the co-eternal Spirit, While eternal ages run. Author: Ambrosian, 5tli cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall, first line altered. First line of Original Text: Vox clara ecce intonat. There are twenty-seven translations, seven of which are from the Original Text. The Annus Sanctus contains three trans- lations. This beautiful hymn breathes the spirit of Ad- vent: it is an excellent summary of the Epistle (Rom. 13, 11-14), and of the Gospel (Luke 21, 25-33) of the first Sun- day of Advent. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Lauds on Sun- days and week-days during Advent. 1. **Lo, a clear voice exhorts, penetrating everything darksome: Let dreams be banished afar: Jesus shines forth from heaven." Clara vox: These words are probably 99 PROPER OF THE SEASON an allusion to the great preacher of penance, St. John the Baptist, who said of himself : Ego vox clamantis in deserto: dirigite viam Domini, sicut dixit Isaias propheta (John 1, 23: Is. 40, 3). Redarguit: lit., to contradict, refute; to admonish, urge to penance. This stanza might also be rendered: ''Behold, a clear penetrating voice reveals the falsity of darksome things," etc. 2. ''Let the slothful soul now rise, no longer remaining prostrate on the ground: a new star now shines forth to take away everything harmful. ' ' Sidus novum = Christus. Christ was the star that was to rise out of Jacob (Num. 24, 17), and take away the sins of the world (John 1, 29). Noxium, sinful. 3. "Behold, the Lamb is sent to us, to pay our debt gratuitously: together, let us all with tears pray for par- don." Agnus: In the Scriptures, the lamb is a most com- mon symbol of Our Lord (cf. Is. 53, 7; Jer. 11, 19; John 1, 29). 4. "That, when for the second time He comes resplen- dent and girdles the world with fear, He may not punish us according to our deserts, but may He then lovingly pro- tect us. ' ' Fulserit = fulgens advenerit. CHRISTMASTIDE 38 Jesu, Redemptor omnium JESU, Redemptor omnium, TESUS, the Ransomer of man, Quem lucis ante originem J Who, ere created light began, Parem paternae gloriae Didst from the sovereign Father Pater supremus edidit. spring, His power and glory equalling. ^Tu lumen, et splendor Patris, The Father's Light and Splendor Tu spes perennis omnium, Thou, Intende quas fundunt preces Their endless Hope to Thee that Tui per orbem servuli. bow; Accept the prayers and praise to-day That through the world Thy servants pay. 100 CHRISTMASTIDE 'Memento, rerum Conditor, Nostri quod dim corporis, Sacrata ab alvo Virginis Nascendo, formam sumpseris. *Testatur hoc prsesens dies, Currens per anni circulum. Quod solus e sinu Patris Mundi salus adveneris. 'Hunc astra, tellus, aequora, Hunc omne quod coelo subest, Salutis Auctorem novae Novo salutat cantico. * Et nos, beata quos sacri Rigavit unda sanguinis; Natalis ob diem tui Hymni tributum solvimus. 'Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu In sempiterna ssecula. Salvation's Author, call to mind How, taking form of humankind, Born of a Virgin undefiled, Thou in man's flesh becam'st a Child. Thus testifies the present day. Through every year in long array, That Thou, salvation's source alone, Proceededst from the Father's throne. The heavens above, the rolling main And all that earth's wide realms contain, With joyous voice now loudly sing The glory of their new-born King. And we who, by Thy precious Blood From sin redeemed, are marked for God, On this the day that saw Thy birth, Sing the new song of ransomed earth. Lord, the Virgin-born, to Thee Eternal praise and glory be, Whom with the Father we adore And Holy Ghost forevermore. Author: Ambrosian, 6tli cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale, Father Potter, and the Even- ing OfiQce, 1710. First line of Original Text: Christe, Re- demptor omnium. There are twenty-five translations, six of which are in the Annus Sanctus. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Vespers and Matins on Christmas Day. 1. ''Jesus, the Eedeemer of all, who, being the equal of the Father's glory, was begotten of the Sovereign Father before the beginning of light." The three Persons of the Holy Trinity are co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial. 101 PROPER OF THE SEASON 2. *'Thou light and splendor of the Father, Thou never- failing hope of all, give ear to the prayers which Thy ser- vants throughout the world pour forth." In the hymna, Christ is repeatedly styled, lux, juhar, lumen, and splen- dor Patris. Cum sit splendor glorise et figura substantiie ejus (1 Heb. 1, 3). 3. "Remember, Creator of the world, that in being born Thou didst once assume the form of our body from the sacred womb of a Virgin." 4. ''The present day (the Feast of Christmas) recurring in the course of each year, bears witness to this, that Thou alone didst come forth from the bosom of the Father, the salvation of the world." Solus = Filius unigenitus. 5. ' ' The stars, the earth, and the seas, and every creature under heaven doth greet Him with a new canticle, as the author of the new salvation." Salutis novae: the New Law with its Sacraments and other means of grace. 6. ''"We also, whom the sacred stream of Thy blood hath cleansed, pay Thee the tribute of a hymn on Thy birth- day." 39 A soils ortus cardine ASOLIS ortus cardine tpROM lands that see the sun Ad usque terrae limitem, ■■- arise Christum canamus Principem, To earth's remotest boundaries, Natum Maria Virgine. The Virgin-born to-day we sing, The Son of Mary, Christ the King. ' Beatus auctor saeculi Blest Author of this earthly frame, Servile corpus induit: To take a servant's form He came, Ut came carnem liberans, That, liberating flesh by flesh, Ne perderet quos condidit. Whom He had made might live afresh. * Cast8e Parentis viscera In that chaste parent's holy womb Coelestis intrat gratia: Celestial grace hath found its Venter Puellee bajulat home; Secreta, quae non noverat. And she, as earthly bride un- known, Yet calls that Offspring blest her own. 102 CHRISTMASTIDE •Domus pudici pectoris Templura repente fit Dei: Intacta nesciens virum, Concepit alvo Filium. 'Enititur puerpera, Quem Gabriel praedixerat, Quern ventre Matris gestiens, Baptista clausum senserat. 'Fceno jacere pertulit: Prsesepe non abhorruit: Et lacte modico pastus est, Per quem nee ales esurit. ^ Gaudet chorus coelestium, Et Angeli canunt Deo; Palamque fit pastoribus Pastor, Creator omnium. 'Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. The mansion of the modest breast Becomes a shrine where God shall rest: The pure and undefiled one Conceived in her womb the Son. That Son, that Royal Son she bore, Whom Gabriel's voice had told afore; Whom, in His mother yet con- cealed, The infant Baptist had revealed. The manger and the straw He bore, The cradle did He not abhor; By milk in infant portions fed. Who gives e'en fowls their daily bread. The heavenly chorus filled the sky. The Angels sang to God on high, What time to shepherds, watching lone, They made creation's Shepherd known. All honor, laud, and glory be, Jesu, Virgin -born to Thee: All glory, as is ever meet, To Father and to Paraclete, Author: Sedulius, 5tli cent. Meter; Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are eighteen transla- tions, two of which are in the Annus Sanctus. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Lauds on Christmas Day. This is a part (from A to G) of an alphabetical hymn, the stanzas of which begin with successive letters of the alphabet. This hymn and No. 46, Crudelis Herodes Deum, are parts of the same hymn. Together they give in verse a devout descrip- tion of the life of Christ. 1. ''From the beginning of the rising of the sun, to the uttermost bounds of the earth, let us sing Christ, the Lord, bom of the Virgin Mary." Car dine, lit., a hinge, also in 103 PROPEU OF THE SEASON astron. a pole : cardo mundi, cardo coeli. A solis ortu usque ad occasum laudabile nomen Domini (Ps. 112, 3). 2. ''The Blessed Creator of the world assumed a servile body, that by flesh, He might liberate flesh, lest He lose those whom He had created.'' Servile corpus: formam servi accipiens (Phil. 2, 7). Ut came carnem lihercms: That by His incarnation He might liberate mankind from the power of the devil. 3. ''A heavenly grace enters the bosom of the chaste Mother : the womb of a virgin bears secrets, which she had not thought of." Gratia, in the sense of the "Author of grace." Seer eta: the incarnate Son of God. Non noverat: Mary had no foreknowledge of the mystery that was to be wrought in her womb. 4. * ' The mansion of her modest bosom suddenly becomes the temple of God: unsullied, knowing not man, she con- ceived in her womb a Son." Nesciens virum, (cf. Luke 1, 34-41). 5. ''The Mother brought forth Him whom Gabriel had predicted, whom the Baptist, exulting had perceived, though still enclosed in the womb of his mother." Puerpera, from puer and par ere. Baptista gestiens: Et factum est, ut audivit salutationem Marise Elisabeth, exultavit infans in utero ejus: et repleta est Spiritu sancto Elisabeth (Luke 1, 41). The first chapter of St. Luke's Gospel is very beau- tiful. It contains two sublime canticles, the Magnificat (verses 46-55), and the Benedictus (verses 68-79). 6. "He deigned to lie on hay, nor did He disdain the crib : and He, by whose providence not even a bird suffers hunger, is fed with a little milk." Prcesepe, is, manger, crib ; this word occurs in several forms ; see Glossary. 7. "The choir of Saints rejoices, the Angels hymn their God, and the Shepherd, the Creator of all, became known to the shepherds." For the Scriptural references in this stanza, read Luke 2, 13-18. 104 40 CHRISTMASTIDE Adeste, fideles ADESTE, fideles, Lseti triumphantes ; Venite, venite in Bethlehem; Natum videte Regem Angelorum: Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus Dominum. * Deum de Deo, Lumen de lumine, Gestant puellae viscera: Deum verum, Genitum, non factum: Venite adoremus Dominum. ' Cantet nunc lo! Chorus angelorum: Cantet nunc aula ccelestium, Gloria In excelsis Deo! . Venite adoremus Dominum. COME, all ye faithful. Joyful and triumphant, hasten, hasten to Bethlehem; See in a manger The Monarch of Angels. O come let us worship Christ the Lord. God of God eternal, Light from Light proceeding, He deigns in the Virgin's womb to lie; Very God of very God, Begotten, not created. come, etc. Sing alleluia. All ye choirs of Angels; Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above, Glory to God In the highest. come, etc. Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning; To Thee, Jesus, be glory given; True Word of the Father, In our flesh appearing. come let us worship Christ the Lord. • Ergo qui natus Die hodierna, Jesu tibi sit gloria: Patris aeterni Verbum caro factum! Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus Dominum. AuTHOK unknown. 18th cent. Translation by Canon Oakeley. There are forty translations. The complete hymn consists of eight stanzas, four of which are commonly used at Benediction during Christmastide. There are four translations of this hymn in Mr. Shipley's Annus Sanctus; the one by J. C. Earle is a translation of the complete hymn. The Adeste Fideles is not found in the Breviary or Missal. It is a beautiful invitation to the faithful **to come to Bethlehem" in spirit, and worship the new-born Saviour. 105 PROPER OF THE SEASON **With the exception of the Dies Irce and the Stahat Mater," says W. J. Grattan-Flood, Mus.D., '4t is doubt- ful if there is a more popular hymn in our churches than the Adeste Fideles" {The Dolphin, Dec, 1905). The above translation is literal. In 1. 15, lo is an inter j. expressing great joy. Line 17, aula coelestium, the court of the blessed, the heavenly court. The Holy Innocents 41 Audit tyr annus anxius AUDIT tyrannus anxius Adesse regum Principem, Qui nomen Israel regat, Teneatque David regiam. *Exclamat amens nuntio: Successor instat, pellimur: Satelles, i, ferrum rape: Perfunde cunas sanguine. WITH terror doth the tyrant hear The King of kings hath come to dwell Where David's court shall widely rear A sceptered reign o'er Israel. Then cries out, raging, at the word: "He comes to stand where we have stood : Hence, soldier, and with ruthless sword Deluge the cradles deep with blood!" Quid proficit tantum nefas? Quid crimen Herodem juvat? Unus tot inter funera Impune Christus tollitur. *Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui natus es de Virgine, Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu In sempiterna saecula. What profiteth a crime so dread? What hope shall Herod's bosom sway? Alone amidst the thronging dead. The Christ is safely borne away! All glory for this blessed morn To God the Father ever be; All praise to Thee, Virgin-bom, All praise, Holy Ghost, to Thee. Author: Prudentius (348-413). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Monsignor Henry. There are eleven trans- lations. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Matins on the Feast of 106 THE HOLY INNOCENTS the Holy Innocents. This hymn is a cento from the twelfth and last poem in the Cathemerinon of Prudentius, and in its full form it contains 208 lines. First line of complete hymn: Quicumque Christum quceritis. Four beautiful centos from this hymn were included in the Breviary by Pius V (1568). One of these centos begins with the first line of the complete hymn. The following are the four centos, their composition, and their liturgical use : 1. Quicumque Christum quceritis (11. 1-4; 37-44; 85-88). Transfiguration. 2. sola magnarum urhium (11. 77-80; 5-8; 61-64; 69- 72). Epiphany. 3. Audit tyrannus anxius (11. 93-100; 133-136). Holy Innocents. 4. Salvete flores martyrum (11. 125-132). Holy Inno- cents. There is an article in the Cath. Encyl., treating of all four hymns, under the general heading: Quicumque Christum quceritis. 1. ''The anxious tyrant hears that the King of kings is come, who would rule the people of Israel and possess the royal throne of David." Tyrannus anxius: Audiens autem Herodes rex, turbatus est, et omnis Jerosolyma cum illo (Matt. 2, 3). Regum Princeps: Jesus Christ — ^the prince of the kings of the earth (Apoc. 1, 5). Nomen Israel = populus Israel. Regiam (sc. sedem). Et dabit illi Dominus Deus sedem David patris ejus (Luke 1, 32). 2. ''Kendered frantic by the message, he cries out: *A successor is at hand, we are driven away: go, executioner, take the sword, drench the cradles with blood ! ' " Satelles, sing, for pi., attendants, bodyguard, soldiers. For the Scriptural account of the massacre of the Holy Innocents, see Matt. 2, 16-18. See also the articles on Holy Innocents and Herod, in the Cath. Encycl. 3. "But what availeth so great an outrage? What profiteth Herod this crime? Among so many slain, Christ alone is safely borne away. ' ' Unus = solus. Funera, lit., funerals ; corpses, also death, esp. a violent death. 107 PROPER OF THE SEASON 42 Salvete flores Martyrum SALVETE flores Martyrum, A LL hail, ye little Martyr Quos lucis ipso in limine -^^ flowers, Christi insecutor sustulit, Sweet rosebuds cut in dawning Ceu turbo nascentes rosas. hours! When Herod sought the Christ to find Ye fell as bloom before the wind. ^Vos prima Christi victima. First victims of the Martyr bands, Grex immolatorum tener. With crowns and palms in tender Aram sub ipsam simplices hands, Palma et coronis luditis. Around the very altar, gay And innocent, ye seem to play. ^Jesu, tibi sit gloria. All honor, laud, and glory be, Qui natus es de Virgine, O Jesu, Virgin-bom to Thee; Cmn Patre et almo Spiritu, All glory, as is ever meet In sempiterna saecula. To Father and to Paraclete. Authoe: Prudentius (348-413). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Athelstan Riley. There are about twenty- five translations. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Lauds on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, This hymn is a cento from the Cathemerinon. See the Notes on the preceding hymn. 1. *'Hail, flowers of the martyrs, whom on the very threshold of life, the persecutor of Christ snatched away even as the whirlwind, the budding roses." Lucis, lit., light ; fig., life ; or in a mystical sense, Christ. 2. *'As the first sacrifice for Christ, a tender flock of victims, with sweet simplicity, ye play with your palms and crowns at the very altar side." Aram sub ipsam: The Original Text has a7ite for sub. Vidi subtus aitare animas interfectorum propter verbum Dei (Apoc. 6, 9). This stanza has been greatly admired. It presents a pic- ture of great beauty. The following is Father Caswall's translation of this hymn, of which Monsignor Henry says : "Not to speak of the beauty and fidelity of the rendering, the trochaic rhythm vividly conveys the sense of the sud- denness of the onslaught, the ruthlessness and swiftness of the destruction." {Cath. Encycl. Vol. XII, p. 607). 108 THE HOLY NAME 42B FLOWERS of martyrdom all hail! Smitten by the tyrant foe On life's threshold, — as the gale Strews the roses ere they 'blow. First to bleed for Christ, sweet lambs! What a simple death ye died! Sporting with your wreaths and palms At the very altar side! 43 Honor, glory, virtue, merit. Be to Thee, Virgin's Son! With the Father, and the Spirit, While eternal ages run. The Holy Name of Jesus VESPERS Jesti dulcis memoria JESU dulcis memoria, Dans vera cordis gaudia: Sed super mel, et omnia, Ejus dulcis praesentia. ^Nil canitur suavius, Nil auditur jucundius. Nil cogitatur dulcius, Quam Jesus Dei Filius. 'Jesu spes poenitentibus, Quam pius es petentibus! Quam bonus te quaerentibus ! Sed quid invenientibus? *Nec lingua valet dicere, Nee littera exprimere: Expertus potest credere. Quid sit Jesum diligere. "Sis Jesu nostrum gaudium. Qui es futurus praemium: Sit nostra in te gloria, Per cuncta semper saecula. JESU, the very thought of Thee With sweetness fills my breast; But sweeter far Thy face to see, And in Thy presence rest. Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame. Nor can the memory find, A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name, Saviour of mankind! O Hope of every contrite heart, O Joy of all the meek, To those who fall, how kind Thou art! How good to those who seek! But what to those who find? Ah! this Nor tongue nor pen can show: The love of Jesus, what it is None but His loved ones know. Jesu, our only joy be Thou, As Thou our prize wilt be; Jesu, be Thou our glory now. And through eternity. 109 PROPER OF THE SEASON Author: St. Bernard (1091-1153). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall. Liturgical Use: This and the two following centos are used on the Feast of the Holy Name, which is celebrated on the Sun- day between the Circumcision and the Epiphany, or failing such a Sunday, on January 2d. The complete hymn as found in the Benedictine edition of the Opera of St. Bernard contains forty-eight stanzas. There are six translations of the complete hymn. Many centos from the hymn, including the three given here for Vespers, Matins, and Lauds, have been translated more frequently. There are two translations of these three centos in Mr. Shipley's Annus Sanctus. The Jesu dulcis memoria is a hymn of surpassing sweet- ness, and it has been universally accorded a place among the greatest hymns of the Church. According to Mr. James Mearns, the assistant editor of Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology, this hymn is "The finest and most charac- teristic specimen of St. Bernard's 'subjective loveliness' and its honied sweetness vindicates his title of * Doctor Melifluus.' " Father Caswall's much admired translation preserves much of the "honied sweetness" of the original. The ascription of this hymn to St. Bernard has been called in question. Dom Pothier has discovered a copy of it in manuscripts of about the year 1070, in which it is ascribed to a Benedictine abbess. Father Blume, S.J., in the article on Hymnody in the Cath. Encycl. pronounces against its ascription to St. Bernard. On the other hand Mr. James Mearns says: "This hymn has been generally (and there seems little reason to doubt correctly) ascribed to St. Bernard." {Diet, of Hymnal.) There is an article on this hymn in the Index Vol. of the Cath. Encycl. 1. "Jesus! how sweet is the very thought! giving true joys of heart; but surpassing honey and all sweetness is His sweet presence." Supply est in lines 1 and 4. The Holy Name has Jesu m all the cases except the nom. and ace. 2. "Nothing more sweet can be sung, nothing more pleasant can be heard, nothing more lovely can be thought of, than Jesus, the Son of God." 110 THE HOLY NAME 3. *'0 Jesus, the hope of penitents, how kind art Thou to those who pray! How good to those who seek Thee! But what to those who find!" This question is answered in the following stanza. 4. ''No tongue can tell, nor can written word express it: only one who knows from experience can say what it means to love Jesus." 5. "Mayest Thou, Jesus, be our joy, as Thou wilt be our reward : in Thee be our glory forever. ' ' MATINS 44 Jesu Rex admirabilis JESU Rex admirabilis, Et triumphator nobilis, Dulcedo ineffabilis, Totus desiderabilis. •Quando cor nostrum visitas, Tunc lucet ei Veritas, Mundi vilescit vanitas, Et intus fervet caritas. 'Jesu dulcedo cordium, Fons vivus, lumen mentium, Excedens omne gaudium, Et omne desiderium. OJESU, King most wonderful Thou conqueror renowned, Thou sweetness most ineffable, In whom all joys are found! When once Thou visitest the heart, Then truth begins to shine; Then earthly vanities depart; Then kindles love divine. O Jesu, light of all below. Thou fount of life and fire, Surpassing all the joys we know, And all we can desire: *Jesum omnes agnoscite, Amorem ejus poscite: Jesum ardenter quaerite, Quaerendo inardescite. May every heart confess Thy Name, And ever Thee adore; And, seeking Thee, itself inflame To seek Thee more and more. 'Te nostra Jesu vox sonet, Thee may our tongues forever Nostri te mores exprimant, bless; Te corda nostra diligant. Thee may we love alone; Et nunc, et in perpetmmi. And ever in our lives express The image of Thine own. AuTHOESHip, Translation, etc., as in the preceding hymn. 1. " Jesus, admirable king and noble conqueror, sweet- ness ineffable, wholly to be desired." Totus, wholly, alto- gether, above all else. Ill PROPER OF THE SEASON 2. "When Thou dost visit our heart, then truth illum- inates it; the vanity of the world becomes contemptible, and charity glows within. ' ' 3. '*0 Jesus, sweetness of hearts, living fountain, light of intellects. Thou dost surpass all joys and all desires." 4. **Let all confess Jesus, let all earnestly ask for His love; let all zealously seek Jesus, and in seeking Him be- come enkindled." 5. ''Thee, Jesus, may our voices praise; may the whole course of our lives (mores) give testimony of Thee; may our hearts love Thee now and forever. ' ' LAUDS 45 Jesu decus angelicum JESU decus angelicum, In aura dulce canticum, In ore mel mirificum, In corde nectar coelicum. 'Qui te gustant, esuriunt; Qui bibunt, adhuc sitiunt; Desiderare nesciunt, Nisi Jesum, quem diligunt. '0 Jesu mi dulcissime, Spes suspirantis animae! Te quaerunt pise lacrimse, Te clamor mentis intimae. *Mane nobiscum Domine, Et nos illustra lumine; Pulsa mentis caligine, Mundum reple dulcedine. JESU, Thou the Beauty art Of Angel-worlds above; Thy name is music to the heart, Enchanting it with love. Celestial Sweetness unalloyed! Who eat Thee hunger still; Who drink of Thee still feel a void, Which naught but Thou can fill. my sweet Jesu! hear the sighs Which unto Thee I send; To Thee mine inmost spirit cries My being's hope and end! Stay with us, Lord, and with Thy light Illume the soul's abyss; Scatter the darkness of our night, And fill the world with bliss. ■^Jesu flos Matris Virginis, Amor nostras dulcedinis, Tibi laus, honor nominis, Regnum beatitudinis. Authorship, Translation, hymns. O Jesu, spotless Virgin-flower, Our life and joy; to Thee Be praise, beatitude, and power. Through all eternity. etc., as in the preceding 112 THE EPIPHANY 1. "0 Jesus, glory of the Angels, Thou art a sweet canticle to the ear, wondrous honey to the mouth, heavenly nectar to the heart." 2. ** Those who taste of Thee still hunger; those who drink of Thee still thirst; they know not to desire ought else but Jesus whom they love." Ego sum panis vitae: qui venit ad me, non esuriet : et qui credit in me, non sitiet unquam (John 6, 35). 3. **0 my most sweet Jesus, the hope of my sighing soul; loving tears and the cry of my inmost heart seek after Thee." 4. ''Stay with us, Lord, and illuminate us with Thy light; the darkness of the mind having been dispelled, fill the world with Thy sweetness. ' ' 5. ''0 Jesus, flower of the Virgin-Mother, love of our sweetness, to Thee be praise, honor of name, kingdom of blessedness." 46 The Epiphany Crudelis Herodes, Deum CRUDELIS Herodes, Deum Regem venire quid times? Non eripit mortalia, Qui regna dat ccelestia. ^ Ibant Magi, quam viderant, Stellam sequentes praeviam: Lumen requirunt lumine: Deum fatentur munere. WHY impious Herod, vainly fear That Christ the Saviour cometh here? He takes no earthly realms away Who gives the crown that lasta for aye. To greet His birth the Wise Men went, Led by the star before them sent; Called on by light, towards Light they pressed, And by their gifts their God confessed. 'Lavacra puri gurgitis Coelestis Agnus attigit: Peccata, quae non detulit, Nos abluendo sustulit. In holy Jordan's purest wave The heavenly Lamb vouchsafed to lave; That He, to whom was sin im- known. Might cleanse His people from their own. 113 PROPER OF THE SEASON * Novum genus potentiae: New miracle of power divine! Aquae rubescunt hydriae, The water reddens into wine: Vinumque jussa fundere. He spake the word: and poured Mutavit imda originem. the wave In other streams than nature gave. 'Jesu, tibi sit gloria, All glory, Lord, to Thee we pay Qui apparuisti Gentibus, For Thine Epiphany to-day: Cimi Patre, et almo Spiritu, All glory, as is ever meet, In sempiterna saecula. To Father and to Paraclete. Authoe: Sedulius, 5th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are about twenty-five translations, eight of which, including both texts, are in the Annus Sanctus. Liturgical Use : Vespers hymn on the Feast of the Epiphany. First line of Original Text: Hostis Herodes impie. The texts differ only in the first two lines. In the Original Text these lines read; Hostis Herodes impie Christimi venire quid times? This hymn is a continuation of No. 39, A solis ortus cardine. The word Epiphany signifies appearance or manifestation. This manifestation was threefold: To the Gentiles in the persons of the Magi (Matt. 2, 1-12) ; to the Jews at the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan (Mark 1, 9-11) ; to the Apostles when Christ wrought His first miracle at the mar- riage feast at Cana (John 2, 1-11). In the hymn, it will be observed that a stanza is devoted to each of the three manifestations. Read the articles on Epiphcmy, Herod, Magi and Cana, in the Cath. Encycl. 1. "Cruel Herod, why dost thou fear the coming of the Divine King? He taketh not away earthly kingdoms, who bestoweth heavenly ones." Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo (John 18, 36). 2. "The Magi proceeded, following the star, which they saw leading the way: by the aid of light, they seek the Light: by their gifts they acknowledge Him to be God." In the East it was customary when visiting kings or princes to offer them appropriate gifts. The gifts offered by the 114 THE EPIPHANY Magi were expressive of their belief in Christ's royal gen- eration, in His divine nature, and in His human nature. Gold, the noblest of the metals, hence a gift suitable for a king, was symbolical of His royal generation: frankin- cense is a symbol of prayer, and was therefore, an ac- knowledgment of His Divinity; and myrrh, which is used in embalming, was expressive of His mortality as man. 3. ''The Heavenly Lamb touched the cleansing bath of the limpid waters: by washing us, He took away (sustulit) sins which He Himself had not committed {detulit).''^ Ecce affnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccatum mundi (John 1, 29). ''It is the teaching of St. Thomas that the Baptism of Christ was the occasion when He gave to Christian Baptism its power of conferring grace; but that the necessity of this Sacrament was not intimated to men till after the Eesurrection" (Father Hunter's Outlines of Dogmatic Theology, Vol. II, p. 532). 4. "A new manifestation of power: the water of the jars becomes red, and the water which was bidden to issue forth as wine, changed its nature." Hydrice is the subject, and aqucB the genitive of contents. Constr. : Et unda (quae) jussa (est) vinum fundere, mutavit originem. The follow- ing is the Catholic poet Crashaw's beautiful epigram on the miracle at Cana; Lympha pudica Deum vidit et erubuit. The modest water saw its God and blushed. 47 O sola magnarum urbium OSDLA magnarum urbium T>ETHLEHEM, of noblest cities Major Bethlem, cui contigit ^ None can once with thee Ducem salutis coelitus compare; Incorporatum gignere. Thou alone the Lord from heaven Didst for us incarnate bear. ^ Quern Stella, quas solis rotam Fairer than the sun at morning Vincit decore, ac lumine; Was the star that told His birth; Venisse terris nuntiat To the lands their God announc- Cum came terrestri Deum. ing, Hid beneath a form of earth. 115 PROPER OF THE SEASON ^Videre postquam ilium Magi, Eoa promunt munera: Stratique votis offerunt Thus, rayrrham, et aurum regium. * Regem Deumque annuntiant Thesaurus, et fragrans odor Thuris Sabaei, ac myrrheus Pulvis sepulchrum praedocet. ^Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui apparuisti Gentibus, Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu In sempiterna ssecula. By its lambent beauty guided, See, the eastern kings appear; See them bend, their gifts to offer. Gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh. Solemn things of mystic meaning: Incense doth the God disclose; Gold a royal child proclaimeth; Myrrh a future tomb foreshows. Holy Jesu, in Thy brightness To the Gentile world displayed, With the Father and the Spirit, Endless praise to Thee be paid. Author: Prudentius (348-413). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall. There are twenty-two translations. Father CaswalPs translation is lofty, digni- fied, and musical ; it is more extensively used than all others combined. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Lauds on the Feast of the Epiphany. This hymn is a cento from the Quicumque Christum quceritis. See hymn 41. Read the articles on Bethlehem, Saba, Magi, and Epiphany, in the Cath. Encycl. 1. **0 highly favored Bethlehem, greater than the great cities, to whom it was given to bring forth from heaven the Prince of salvation, in human form." Sola, unique, singularly honored. Magnarum urbium = magnis urbibus (abl.), a Graecism. This construction is more common with pronouns than with nouns (cf. Kaulen's Handbuch zur Vulgata, pp. 258-260). 2. *'And a star which surpassed the disk of the sun in beauty and in splendor, announces to the nations that God has come clothed in earthly flesh. ' ' Quern = et. 3. *'As soon as the Magi behold Him, they bring forth their Eastern gifts; and prostrate, together with their prayers, they offer incense, myrrh, and royal gold." Videre = viderunt. Et procidentes adoraverunt eum; et apertis thesauris suis obtulerunt ei munera, aurum, thus, et myrrham (Matt. 2, 11). 4. **The gold and the fragrant odor of Sabean incense proclaim Him King and God, and the dust of myrrh fore- shadows the tomb." Sabceus, adj., from Saba, the chief 116 LENT city of Arabia Felix, celebrated for its myrrh and frank- incense. Myrrheus, adj., of myrrh, perfumed with myrrh. Reges Tharsis et insulae munera efferent; reges Arabum et Saba dona adducent (Ps. 71, 10). LENT 48 Audi benigne Conditor A UDI benigne Conditor ■^*- Nostras pieces cHm fletibus, In hoc sacro jejunio Fusas quadragenario. * Scrutator alme cordium, Infirma tu scis virium: Ad te reversis exhibe Remissionis gratiam. ^Multum quidem peccavimus, Sed parce confitentibus : Ad nominis laudem tui Confer medelam languidis. * Concede nostrum conteri Corpus per abstinentiam ; Culpae ut relinquant pabulum Jejuna corda criminum. f~\ KIND Creator, bow Thine ear ^^ To mark the cry, to know the tear Before Thy throne of mercy spent In this Thy holy fast of Lent. Our hearts are open, Lord, to Thee : Thou knowest our infirmity; Pour out on all who seek Thy face Abundance of Thy pardoning grace. Our sins are many, this we know; Spare us, good Lord, Thy mercy show; And for the honor of Thy name Our fainting souls to life reclaim. Give us the self-control that springs From discipline of outward things. That fasting inward secretly The soul may purely dwell with Thee, "Praesta beata Trinitas, Concede simplex Unitas; Ut fructuosa sint tuis Jejuniorum munera. We pray Thee, Holy Trinity, One God, unchanging Unity, That we from this our abstinence May reap the fruits of penitence. Author: Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by T. A. Lacey. There are 117 PROPER OF THE SEASON twenty-two translations, eight of which are in the Annus Sanctus. Liturgical. Use: Vespers hymn on Sundays and week-days during Lent. Read the article on Lent, in the Cath. Encycl. 1. ''Hear, loving Creator, our prayers poured forth with our tears, in this sacred forty-day fast." Constr. : Audi preces cum fletibus fusas in hoc, etc. 2. ''Loving searcher of hearts. Thou knowest the weak- ness of our strength: grant us who have turned again to Thee, the grace of pardon." In fir ma (orum) virium = infirmas vires. 3. "Much, indeed, have we sinned, but spare us confess- ing our misdeeds: for the glory of Thy Name, grant a remedy to the weak." 4. "Grant that through abstinence our bodies may be brought into subjection, so that our hearts being free from sin may abandon the food of sin." Jejuna, lit., fasting, not partaking of food; it is here followed by the genitive criminum. 5. "Grant, blessed Trinity and simple Unity, that the rewards of fasting may be profitable to Thy servants.'^ 49 Ex more docti mystic o EX more docti mystico 'T^HE fast, as taught by holy lore, Servemus hoc jejunium, •■- We keep in solemn course Deno dierum circulo once more: Ducto quater notissimo. The fast to all men known, and bound In forty days of yearly round. ^Lex et prophetae primitus The law and seers that were of Hoc praetulerunt, postmodum old Christus sacravit, omnium In divers ways this Lent foretold, Rex atque factor temporum. Which Christ, all seasons' King and Guide, In after ages sanctified. ^Utamur ergo parcius More sparing therefore let us Verbis, cibis et potibus, make The words we speak, the food we take, 118 LENT Somno, jocis, et arctius Perstemus in custodia. *Vitemus autem noxia, Quae subruunt mentes vagas: Nullumque demus callidi Hostis locum tyrannidi. 'Flectamus iram vindicem, Ploremus ante judicem, Clamemus ore supplici, Dicamus omnes cernui: ^Nostris malis offendimus Tuam Deus clementiam : EfTunde nobis desuper, Remissor, indulgentiam. ^Memento quod sumus tui, Licet caduci, plasmatis: Ne des honorem nominis Tui, precamur, alteri. ^Laxa malum quod fecimus, Auge bonum quod poscimus: Placere quo tandem tibi Possimus hie, et perpetim. 'Praesta beata Trinitas, Concede simplex Unitas, Ut fructuosa sint tuis Jejuniorum munera. Our sleep and mirth, — and closer barred Be every sense in holy guard. Avoid the evil thoughts that roll Like waters o'er the heedless soul; Nor let the foe occasion find Our souls in slavery to bind. In prayer together let us fall, And cry for mercy, one and all. And weep before the Judge's feet, And His avenging wrath entreat. Thy grace have we offended sore, By sins, God, which we deplore; But pour upon us from on high, O pardoning One, Thy clemency. Remember Thou, though frail we be. That yet Thine handiwork are we; Nor let the honor of Thy Name Be by another put to shame. Forgive the sin that we have wrought ; Increase the good that we have sought : That we at length, our wanderings o'er. May please Thee here and evermore. Grant, Thou Blessed Trinity, Grant, Essential Unity, That this our fast of forty days May work our profit and Thy praise. Author: Ascribed to Pope St. Gregory the Great (540- 604) . Meter : Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are twelve translations. Liturgical Use: Matins hymn on Sundays and week-days during Lent. 1. ' ' Taught by mystic use, let us observe this fast, which is completed in the well known tenfold round of days taken 119 PROPER OF THE SEASON four times." More my stico, sacred tradition. The Lenten fast is of very ancient, if not of apostolic origin. A similar fast was observed by the prophets Moses (Ex. 34, 28) and Elias (III Kings 19, 7-8). Deno, see denus in the Glossary. Some texts have denum (= denorum). The following is Neale's translation of this stanza rewritten in Hymns Ancient and Modern: By precepts taught of ages past. Now let us keep again the fast Which, year by year, in order meet Of forty days is made complete. 2. ''The law and the prophets first revealed this; after- wards Christ, the king and maker of all seasons, sanctified it." ifoc, sc. jejunium, the Lenten fast. Lex et prophetcs: By the law is meant the Mosaic Law, the Pentateuch; by the prophets, the later books of the Old Testament. Lex et prophetae usque ad Joannem (Luke 16, 16). 3. ''Let us, therefore, use more sparingly words, food, and drink, sleep and jests, and let us remain severely stead- fast on our guard." 4. "Moreover, let us avoid those hurtful things which subvert fickle souls; and let us give no occasion for the tyranny of the cunning foe. ' ' 5-6. "May we, weeping before the Judge, soften His avenging wrath ; let us cry aloud with suppliant voices, and prostrate let us all say: 'By our sins, God, we have offended Thy goodness; pour out upon us from on high, f orgiver of sins, Thy mercy. ' ' ' 7. "Remember that we are Thy creatures {tui plasmatis) though frail; we beseech Thee that Thou give not to an- other the honor of Thy Name." Plasmatis, the genitive denoting possession with esse; of Thy making, creation. Alteri, to Satan, the enemy of the human race. 8. "Pardon the evil we have done; increase the good for which we pray, that we may at length be able to please Thee here and in eternity." 120 50 LENT O Sol salutis, intimis OSOL salutis, intimis Jesu refulge mentibus, Dum nocte pulsa gratior Orbi dies renascitur. ^Dans tempus acceptabile, Da, lacrimarum rivulis Lavare cordis victimam, Quam laeta adurat caritas. ^Quo fonte manavit nefas, Fluent perennes lacrimae, Si virga poenitentise Cordis rigorem conterat. *Dies venit, dies tua, In qua reflorent omnia: Laetemur et nos in viam Tua reducti dextera. ' Te prona mundi machina Clemens adoret Trinitas, Et nos novi per gratiam Novum canamus canticum. JESU, salvation's Sun Divine, Within our inmost bosoms shine, With light all darkness drive away And give the world a better day. Now with mercy days of grace flow, O Lord, the gift of tears bestow. To wash our stains in every part, Whilst heavenly fire consumes the heart. Rise, crystal tears, from that same source From whence our sins derive their course; Nor cease, till hardened hearts relent, And softened by your streams, repent. Behold, the happy days return. The days of joy for them that mourn ; May we of their indulgence share. And bless the God that grants our prayer. May heaven and earth aloud proclaim The Trinity's almighty fame; And we, restored to grace, rejoice In newness both of heart and voice. Author: Ambrosian, 6tli cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation from the Primer of 1706, probably by John Dryden; first three lines altered. There are twelve trans- lations. First line of Original Text: Jam Christe sol justiticB. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Lauds on Sundays and week-days during Lent. ''In this hymn Lent is re- garded as a season of waiting and penitential preparation 121 PROPER OF THE SEASON for the Second Creation at Easter" {Diet, of Hymnology, p. 576). According to Duffield "It expresses the early Christian attitude towards God's works, connecting the looked-for Easter with the renewal of the world by spring" {Latin Hymn-Writers and Their Hymns, p. 335). 1. ''0 Jesus, Sun of salvation, shine Thou in our inmost souls, till, the night having been dispelled, more welcome day is born anew to the world. ' ' This is a hymn for Lauds, which was said at daybreak. As the sun at daybreak dis- pels the darkness, in like manner we entreat the Sun of salvation, the true Light of the world, to flood our hearts with the quickening beams of His grace. 2. '* Having given this acceptable time, grant also that we cleanse with floods of tears the victim of our heart, which may gladsome charity consume by its flames." Tenipus acceptabile, a time of grace ; Lent is preeminently a time of grace. Victima, something offered in sacrifice. There is an allusion here to the purification of the victims of sacrifice in the Old Law, and to their destruction in whole or in part by fire. Such for example were the holocausts, the peace-offerings, and the sacrifices of propitiation. So too shall **the victim which is our heart" be purified by tears of sorrow, and consumed by the flames of an ardent charity. Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile, ecce nunc dies salutis (IlCor. 6, 2). 3. "From the selfsame source whence sins arose, shall ceaseless tears arise, if but the rod of penance break the icy coldness of the heart." Fonte, "the source" is the heart of man. Ab intus enim de corde hominum malae cogi- tationes procedunt, adulteria, fornicationes, homicidia (Mark 7, 21). Virga: The rod is a symbol of chastisement, and here, of self-inflicted chastisement. 4. "The day comes, Thy day, on which all shall bloom anew; then may we too rejoice, led on the way by Thy right hand." Dies: The day alluded to may be either Judg- ment Day or the coming Easter Day. 5. "0 loving Trinity, may the whole fabric of the uni- verse humbly adore Thee, and we, renewed by Thy grace, would sing Thee a new song of praise." Prona, prostrate. 122 PASSIONTIDE 51 Vexilla Regis prodeunt VEXILLA Regis prodeunt: Fulget Crucis mysterium, Qua vita mortem pertulit, Et morte vitam protulit. ^Quae vulnerata lanceae Mucrone diro, criminum Ut nos lavaret sordibus, Manavit unda, et sanguine. 'Impleta sunt quae concinit David fideli carmine, Dicendo nationibus: Regnavit a ligno Deus. * Arbor decora et fulgida, Ornata regis purpura. Electa digno stipite Tam sancta membra tangere. "Beata, cujus brachiis Pretium pependit saeculi, Statera facta corporis, Tulitque praedam tartari. *0 Crux ave spes unica, Hoc passionis tempore Piis adauge gratiam, Reisque dele crimina. A BROAD the Regal Banners fly, •^^ Now shines the Cross's mys- tery; Upon it Life did death endure, And yet by death did life procure. Who, wounded with a direful spear. Did, purposely to wash us clear From stain of sin, pour out a flood Of precious Water mixed with Blood. That which the Prophet-King of old Hath in mysterious verse foretold, Is now accomplished, whilst we see God ruling nations from a Tree. lovely and refulgent Tree, Adorned with purpled maj-esty; Culled from a worthy stock, to bear Those Limbs which sanctified were. Blest Tree, whose happy branches bore The wealth that did the world restore ; The beam that did that Body weigh Which raised up hell's expected prey. Hail, Cross, of hopes the most sublime! Now in this mournful Passion time, Improve religious souls in grace, The sins of criminals efface. 123 PROPER OF THE SEASON 'Te, fons salutis Trinitas, Blest Trinity, salvation's spring, Collaudet omnis spiritus: May every soul Thy praises sing; Quibus Crucis victoriam To those Thou grantest conquest Largiris, adde praemiiun. by The holy Cross, rewards apply. Author: Venantius Fortunatus (530-609). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by W. K. Blount. There are about forty translations, ten of which are in Mr. Ship- ley's Annus Sanctus. According to Julian's Diet, of Hymnology the above translation, dating from 1670, is by far the best rendering of the Vexilla Regis in common use ; while J. M. Neale's translation, in various forms, is more widely used than all others put together (p. 1221). Neale's translation of the Original Text is in the Baltimore Manual of Prayers, p. 612. Liturgical Use : Vespers hymn from Passion Sunday to Wednesday of Holy Week. It is also the Vespers hymn on the Feasts of the Finding (May 3) and of the Exaltation (Sept. 14) of the Holy Cross. The Vexilla Regis was originally intended as a Processional Hymn, and it is still so used on Good Friday, when the Blessed Sacrament is carried from the Eepository to the High Altar. Neale justly styles the Vexilla Regis "a world-famous hymn" and ''one of the grandest in the treasury of the Latin Church" {Medieval Hymns p. 6). It was composed by Fortunatus on the occasion of the re- ception of a relic of the True Cross, which was sent by the Emperor Justin II to St. Eadegunde. Read Monsignor Henry's interesting article on this hymn in the Cath. Encycl. 1. "The banners of the King come forth; brightly gleams the mystery of the Cross, on which Life suffered death, and by His death, obtained for us life." Vexilla: lit. banners; here, the Cross. The vexillum was the old Roman cavalry standard, which, after Constantino, was surmounted by a Cross instead of by the Roman eagle. Mysterium: The Cross is by preeminence the symbol of man's redemption. Qua, sc. cruce. Vita: the author of life, Christ. Vitam {cBternam). 2. "He was wounded by the cruel point of a spear, and there issued forth water and blood to cleanse us from the 124 PASSIONTIDE defilements of sin." Qucb, sc. vita, from the preceding stanza. Unda et sanguine: An allusion to, — sed unns mili- tum lancea latus ejus aperuit, et continuo exivit sanguis et aqua (John 19, 34). 3. ''Now is fulfilled what David foretold in faithful song, saying to the nations: 'God has reigned from a Tree.' " A ligno: "from the wood," or, "from a tree." The reference is to Ps. 95, 10 : Dicite in gentibus quia Dominus regnavit a ligno. The words a ligno are not found in any present text of the Scriptures. They were, however, fre- quently quoted by the early Fathers; and St. Justin even accused the Jews of having erased them from the Hebrew text. If not a Scriptural, the a ligno is at least a liturgical expression still in use during Paschal time in the "Com- memoration of the Cross," in both Lauds and Vespers. "The words are probably a gloss by some early Christian scribe, transferred, in course of time, from the margin into the text" (Rev. J. M'Swiney, S.J., in his Translation of the Psalms and Canticles, p. 405). In this stanza, some texts read cecinit for concinit, dicens for dicendo, and reg- nahit for regnavit. 4. "0 beautiful and resplendent Tree adorned with the purple of the King, chosen to bear on thy worthy trunk, limbs so holy. ' ' Purpura, purple ; here, the Most Precious Blood. T anger e : to touch, come in contact with. 5. "0 blessed Tree upon whose branches hung the ransom of the world ; it was made the balance of the body, and snatched away the (expected) prey of hell." The last two lines are obscure, and are variously rendered. Pre- tium: Empti enim estis pretio magno (I Cor. 6, 20). Statera, lit., a steelyard; a balance, beam, scales; also the value of a thing, price. "Statera corporis, the payment of the body having been made; others read facta est: many read statera scbcuU, the price of the world" (March's Latin Hymns, p. 254). The following translations are good: "The price of human-kind to pay, And spoil the spoiler of his pray." — Neale 125 PROPER OF THE SEASON "Balance sublime! upon whose beam Was weighed the ransom of mankind." — Caswall The last two stanzas of the hymn are not by Fortunatus. 6. ''Hail, Cross, our only hope! In this Passiontide increase grace in the just, and for sinners, blot out their sins." 7. "May every spirit praise Thee, Trinity, Thou fount of salvation; to whom Thou gavest the victory of the Cross, grant also the reward. ' ' 52 Pange lingua gloriosi PANGE lingua gloriosi Lauream certaminis, Et super Crucis trophaeo Die triimiphum nobilem : Qualiter Redemptor orbis Immolatus vicerit. ^De parentis protoplast! Fraude Factor condolens, Quando pomi noxialis In necem morsu ruit: Ipse lignum tunc notavit, Damna ligni ut solveret. *Hoc opus nostrae salutis Ordo depoposcerat; Multiformis proditoris Ars ut artem falleret, Et medelam ferret inde, Hostis unde laeserat. * Quando venit ergo sacri Plenitudo temporis. Missus est ab arce Patris Natus, orbis Conditor; Atque ventre virginali Carne amictus prodiit. SING, my tongue, the glorious battle With completed victory rife: And above the Cross's trophy Tell the triumph of the strife: How the world's Redeemer con- quered By surrendering of His life. God, His Maker, sorely grieving That the first-made Adam fell, When he ate the fruit of sorrow. Whose reward was death and hell. Noted then this Wood, the ruin Of the ancient wood to quell. For the work of our salvation Needs would have his order so. And the multiform deceiver's Art by art would overthrow. And from thence would bring the med'cine Whence the insult of the foe. Wherefore, when the sacred ful- ness Of the appointed time was come, This world's Maker left His Father, Sent the heav'nly mansion from, And proceeded, God Incarnate, Of the Virgin's holy womb. 126 PASSIONTIDE 'Vagit infans inter arcta Conditus praesepia: Membra pannis involuta Virgo Mater alligatt Et Dei manus pedesque Stricta cingit fascia. Weeps the Infant in the manger That in Bethlehem's stable stands; And His limbs the Virgin Mother Doth compose in swaddling bands, Meetly thus in linen folding Of her God the feet and hands. 53 'Lustra sex qui jam peregit, Tempus implens corporis, Sponte libera Redemptor Passioni deditus, Agnus in Crucis levatur Immolandus stipite. ^Felle potus ecce languet: Spina, clavi, lancea Mite corpus perforarunt: Unda manat, et cruor: Terra, pontus, astra, mundus, Quo lavantur flumine! ^Crux fidelis, inter omnes Arbor una nobilis: Silva talem nulla profert Fronde, flore, germine: Dulce ferrum, dulce lignum, Dulce pondus sustinent. ^Flecte ramos arbor alta, Tensa laxa viscera, Et rigor lentescat ille, Quem dedit nativitas; Et superni membra regis Tende miti stipite. ^"Sola digna tu fuisti Ferre mundi victimam; Atque portum praeparare Area mundo naufrago, Quam sacer cruor perunxit, Fusus Agni corpore. Thirty years among us dwelling. His appointed time fulfilled, Born for this, He meets His Passion, For that this He freely willed: On the Cross the Lamb is lifted, Where His life-blood shall be spilled. He endured the nails, the spitting. Vinegar, and spear, and reed; From that holy Body broken Blood and water forth proceed: Earth, and stars, and sky, and ocean. By that flood from stain are free. Faithful Cross! above all other. One and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, None in fruit thy peers may be; Sweetest Wood and sweetest Iron! Sweetest Weight is hung on thee. Bend thy boughs, Tree of glory ! Thy relaxing sinews bend; For awhile the ancient rigor. That thy birth bestowed, suspend; And the King of heavenly beauty On thy bosom gently tend ! Thou alone wast counted worthy This world's ransom to uphold; For a shipwrecked race preparing Harbor, like the Ark of old; With the sacred Blood anointed From the smitten Iamb that rolled. 127 PROPER OF THE SEASON ^^ Sempiterna sit beatae To the Trinity be glory Trinitati gloria, Everlasting, as is meet; ^qua Patri, Filioque; Equal to the Father, equal Par decus Paraclito: To the Son, and Paraclete: Unius Trinique nomen Trinal Unity, whose praises Laudet universitas. All created things repeat. Author: Venantins Fortunatus (530-609). Meter: Trochaic tetrameter catalectic. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are about twenty-five translations, four of which are in Mr. Shipley's Annus Sanctus. Liturgical. Use : The Pange lingua is in use in both the Missal and the Breviary. Missal use: The whole hymn (eleven stanzas) is recited or sung during the "Adoration of the Cross" in the morning service on Good Friday. Breviary use : For Office use, the hymn is divided into two equal parts with a common doxology. The first five stanzas are assigned to Matins from Passion Sunday to the Wednesday of Holy Week, inclusive. The same stanzas form the Matins hymn for the Feasts of the Finding (May 3) and of the Exalta- tion (Sept. 14) of the Holy Cross. The remaining five stanzas, beginning with Lustra sex, are used in Lauds whenever the Pange lingua is used in Matins. Read the article on the Pange lingua gloriosi, in the Cath. Encycl. In the opinion of Dr. Julian, this noble hymn is *'one of the finest of the Latin Medieval Hymns, and perhaps the best of its author" [Diet, of Hymnology, p. 880). Neale places it ''in the very first class of Latin Hymns" {Medieval Hymns, p. 1). Dr. Neale 's translation above is of the Original Text. The hymn was not greatly altered by the revisers. 1. ' ' Sing, my tongue, the victory in that glorious com- bat, and, of the trophy of the Cross, sing a noble song of triumph, recounting how the Redeemer of the world, when immolated, conquered." Pange, frame, i. e., sing, celebrate in song. It has the same meaning as die in 1. 4. Daniel, in his Thes. Hymyiol. lists fourteen hymns beginning with the words Pange lingua. Law earn, victory; the Original Text has proslium, which to the revisers under Urban VIII seemed tautological. Neale, however, maintains that prcelium is the better word, for — *'It is not to the glory of 128 PASSIONTIDE the termination of Our Lord's Conflict with the devil that the poet would have us look, but to the glory of the struggle itself, as indeed he tells us at the conclusion of the verse" {Medieval Hymns, p. 4). Certaminis: The contest between Christ and Satan for the possession of the human race (cf. Gen. 3, 15). Super = de, of, about, concerning. Trophceo: Originally the trophceum was a tree stripped of its branches and adorned with the spoils of war. Representa- tions of the stumps of trees so adorned are often found on coins. The poet probably alludes to these early trophies in *^the trophy of the Cross." Later, however, the *' trophy" was a monument erected on a battle-field on the spot where the defeated enemy turned to flee (cf. Harper's Diet, of Class. Liter, and Antiq., p. 1615). 2. ** Deeply grieved by the infidelity of the first-created man, when by the eating of the fatal fruit he rushed head- long to death, the Creator Himself then chose the tree that would undo the harm wrought by the former tree." He then resolved the Cross's wood Should make that tree's sad damage good. Ipse lignum tunc notavit: There is an ancient legend that the Cross of Christ sprang from a seed or bough of the Tree of Life. In her Christia/n Life in Song, Mrs. Charles gives the following version of the legend: ''When Adam died, Seth obtained from the guardian cherubim of Para- dise a branch of the tree from which Eve ate the forbidden fruit. This he planted on Golgotha, called the place of the scull, because Adam was buried there. From this tree, as the ages rolled on, were made the ark of the testimony, the pole on which the brazen serpent was lifted up, and other instruments ; and from its wood, at length, then grown old and hard, was made the Cross. ' ' 3. ''This work the plan of our salvation demanded, that art might outwit the art of the multiform deceiver, and thence bring the remedy whence the foe wrought the in- jury." Ars, the wisdom of God; artem, the cunning of Satan. Multiformis: Satan has appeared under various forms: To Eve as a serpent (Gen. 3, 1) ; to Christ in the desert, as a man (Matt. 4, 1-10) ; to the Saints in various 129 PROPER OF THE SEASON forms; and he may appear even as an angel of light (II Cor. 11, 14). Et medelam ferret inde .... wide: This thought is beautifully expressed in the Preface of the Cross : — Qui salutem humani generis in ligno crucis consti- tuisti, ut unde mors oriebatur, inde vita resurgeret, et qui (the serpent) in ligno vincebat, in ligno quoque vinceretur. 4. ''When, therefore, the fulness of the sacred time was come, the Son, the Creator of the world, was sent forth from His Father's home, and, clothed in flesh. He came forth from a virginal womb." Plenitudo temporis: Ubi venit plenitudo temporis, misit Deus Filium suum factum ex muliere (Gal. 4, 4). Arce: heaven; the bosom of the eternal Father. Came: In human form. 5. "As an Infant, He cries, hidden in a narrow manger: the Virgin-Mother swathes His limbs wrapped up in swad- dling-clothes, and a tight band binds the hands and feet of God." The following translation of this stanza, from the Divine Office, 1763, is very beautiful : Thus God-made-Man an Infant lies, And in the manger weeping cries; His sacred limbs by Mary bound, The poorest tattered rags surround; And God's incarnate feet and hands Are closely bound with swathing-bands. — Annus Sanctus, p. 100. Conditus: some texts have positus. Note the play on the word Conditor; the infinite Gonditor of the preceding stanza is here conditus, hidden, sheltered. Fascia may be either the subject of cingit, or the ablative. In the latter case Virgo-Mater is the subj. of cingit; viz., the Virgin- Mother, with a tight band, binds the hands and feet of God. The former is preferable. 6. "When He had lived thirty years, completing the period of His earthly sojourning, the Redeemer, of His own free will, gave Himself up to His Passion, and as a Lamb to be slaughtered. He was lifted up on the tree of the Cross. ' ' Lustre»: lustrum, a period of five years: it is here the ac- cusative of time denoting how long. Sponte libera: Oblatus est quia ipse voluit, et non aperuit os suum: sicut ovis ad 130 PASSIONTIDE occisionem ducetur, et quasi agiius coram tondente se obmutescet, et non aperiet os suum (Is. 53, 7). Agnus: The Paschal Lamb of the Old Law was a most striking figure of Christ, the ''Lamb of God." Read the article on Lamb, Paschal in the Cath. Encycl. Read also Exodus 12, 3-11. 7. ''He partakes of gall; lo, He swoons: thorns, nails, and a lance pierce His tender body : water flows forth, and blood ; by which flood, the earth, the sea, the stars, and the whole world is purified." Potus: perf. part, passive, used frequently in an active sense, signifying one who has drunk or partaken of something. The allusion is to the potion offered to our Blessed Lord before His crucifixion. Et dederunt ei vinum bibere cum felle mistum. Et cum gustasset, noluit bibere. (Matt. 27, 34: cf. also Mark 15, 23.) It was customary in ancient times to offer to ane about to be crucified a potion to sustain him or to deaden his sensibilities. This drink Our Lord merely tasted. Languet: He grows weak; languet is entirely independent of felle potus. Quo lavantur flumine: Of the cleansing power of the Precious Blood, St. Thomas, in the Adoro Te devote sings : Cujus una stilla salvum facere Totum mundum quit ab omni scelere. Whereof one only drop, in Thy sweet mercy spih, Would have the power to cleanse the world from all its guilt. 8. "0 faithful (Tree of the) Cross! the one noble Tree among all trees : no forest yields thy like in foliage, flower, and fruit: sweet iron, sweet wood, that bear so sweet a burden." This stanza is one of great beauty. Fidelis: The Tree in Eden (Gen. 3, 1-7) was perfidious; the Tree on Calvary has become the very symbol of faith. What other tree can ever hope to bear foliage, flowers, and fruit of infinite worth and beauty ! 9. ' ' Bend thy limbs, lofty Tree, relax thy tense fibers, and let that hardness which thy nature gave thee, unbend; and stretch on thy softened trunk the members of the heavenly King." 10. "Thou alone wast deemed worthy to bear the Victim 131 PROPER OF THE SEASON of the world ; and as an Ark, to provide a haven for a ship- wrecked world; which (ark) the sacred blood poured forth from the body of the Lamb hath anointed." Area: "In stanza 10, the Cross seems to be regarded, by a change of figure, as a ship in which the faithful safely ride over the waves of this troublesome world, after those waves have been smoothed for them by the anointing oil that flowed from the wounds of the Lamb of God" {Diet, of Hymnology, p. 880). 11. "Eternal glory be to the Blessed Trinity; equal glory be to the Father and to the Son; equal glory to the Paraclete; may the whole world praise the Name of the One, and of the Three." The Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin the friday after passion sunday 54 Stabat Mater dolorosa STABAT Mater dolorosa Juxta Crucem lacrymosa, Dum pendebat FiHus. Cujus animam gementem, Contristatam et dolentem, Pertransivit gladius. ^D quam tristis et afflicta Fuit ilia benedicta Mater Unigeniti! Quae mcerebat, et dolebat, Pia Mater, dum videbat Nati poenas inclyti. ^Quis est homo qui non fleret, Matrem Christi si videret In tanto supplicio? Quis non posset contristari, Christi Matrem contemplari Dolentem cum Filio? AT the Cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last: Through her heart, His sorrow sharing. All His bitter anguish bearing. Now at length the sword had passed. Oh, how sad and sore distressed Was that Mother highly blest Of the sole-begotten One! Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying glorious Son. Is there one who would not weep, Whelmed in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold? Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother's pain untold? 132 PASSIONTIDE *Pro peccatis suae gentis Vidit Jesura in tormentis, Et flagellis subditum: Vidit suum dulcem Natum Moriendo desolatum, Dum emisit spiritum. ^ Eja Mater, f ons amoris. Me sentire vim doloris Fac, ut tecum lugeam: Fac, ut ardeat cor meum In amando Christum Deum Ut sibi complaceam. Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld her tender Child All with bloody scourges rent; For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation. Till His Spirit forth He sent. thou Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above. Make my heart with thine accord: Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ ray Lord. 55 ^Sancta Mater, istud agas, Crucifixi fige plagas Cordi meo valide: Tui Nati vulnerati, Tam dignati pro me pati, Poenas mecum divide. ^Fac me tecum pie flere, Crucifixo condolere, Donee ego vixero: Juxta Crucem tecum stare, Et me tibi sociare In planctu desidero. Holy Mother! pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified: Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died. Let me mingle tears with thee. Mourning Him who mourned for me, All the days that I may live: By the Cross with thee to stay; There with thee to weep and pray ; Is all I ask of thee to give. 56 * Virgo virginum praeclara, Mihi jam non sis amara, Fac me tecum plangere: Fac ut portem Christi mortem, Passionis fac consortem, Et plagas recolere. *Fac me plagis vulnerari, Fac me Cruce inebriari, Et cruore Filii. Flammis ne urar succensus, Per te, Virgo, sim defensus In die judicii. Virgin of all virgins blest! Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine; Let me, to my latest breath. In my body bear the death Of that dying Son of thine. Wounded with His every wound. Steep my soul till it hath swooned In His very Blood away; Be to me, Virgin, nigh. Lest in flames I burn and die, In that awful Judgment day. 133 PROPER OF THE SEASON ^* Christe, cum sit hinc exire, Christ, when Thou shalt call me Da per Matrem me venire hence, Ad palmam victoriae. Be Thy Mother my defence, Quando corpus morietur Be Thy Cross my victory; Fac ut animae donetur While my body here decays, Paradisi gloria. May my soul Thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee. Author I Ascribed to Jacopone da Todi, O.F.M. (d. 1306). Meter: Trochaic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall. There are more than sixty translations, three of which are in Mr. Shipley's Annus Sanctus. Father Cas- wall's translation is by far the most extensively used. Lit- urgical Use : Sequence for the Mass of the Seven Dolors on the Friday after Passion Sunday, and on the 15th of Sep- tember when another Feast of the Seven Dolors is cele- brated. For Office use, the Stabat Mater is divided into three parts for Vespers, Matins and Lauds, as follows: 54 Vespers: Stabat Mater dolorosa. 55 Matins : Sancta Mater istud agas. 56 Lauds: Virgo virginum prceclara. The Stabat Mater is recognized as the tenderest and most pathetic hymn of the Middle Ages. In the simplest, and at the same time in the most vivid manner, it represents the Blessed Mother of God plunged in grief and weeping be- neath the Cross on which her beloved Son was suffering so unmerited and so painful a death. The historical event (John 19, 25) is narrated in the first, second and fourth stanzas. The remaining stanzas are made up of reflections, affections, petitions, and resolutions arising from the con- templation of Our Lord's bitter sufferings and death. There is an excellent article on this hymn in the Cath. Encycl. The same article treats of another hymn — the Stabat Mater speciosa which is a sort of imitation of the '* Dolorosa." It represents our Blessed Mother watching beside Our Lord's cradle at Bethlehem. The two hymns are probably by the same author. The Stabat Mater speciosa is given below with a translation by that ' ' sweet and powerful ver- 134 PASSIONTIDE sifier," Denis Florence MacCarthy. Mr. MacCarthy's translations of both hymns are in the Annus Sanctus. 1. '^The sorrowful Mother stood weeping beside the Cross, while her Son hung thereon: a sword pierced her sighing, compassionate, and grief-stricken soul." Stabat: Stabant autem juxta crucem Jesu mater ejus, etc. (John 19, 25). Pertransivit gladius: Et tuam ipsius animam per- transibit gladius (Luke 2, 35). Read the beautiful Canticle of Simeon (Luke 2, 29-32). The sword of Simeon's prophecy, which was to pierce the soul of the Mother, was the sword of grief that transfixed her as she stood beside the Cross on Calvary. Mary is the "Sorrowful Mother," and her Divine Son is the "Man of Sorrows" (Is. 53 3). 2. " how sad and how afflicted was that Blessed Mother of the Only-Begotten ! How she grieved and suffered, that loving Mother, when she beheld the pains of her glorious Son." 3. "Who is there that would not weep, if he should be- hold the Mother of Christ in such great distress? Who would be able not to grieve, if he should contemplate the Mother of Christ suffering with her Son?" Constr. : Quis posset non contristari. Contemplari = si contemplaretur. 4. "For the sins of His own nation, she saw Jesus in tor- ments and subjected to stripes. She beheld her sweet Son dying, abandoned, until He yielded up the ghost." Pro peccatis suce gentis: Ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum a peccatis eorum (Matt. 1, 21). For a history of the Pas- sion of Our Lord, cf. Matt. 26-27; Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 18-19. Emisit spiritum: Jesus autem iterum damans voce magna, emisit spiritum (Matt. 27, 50). 5. "Ah, Mother, fount of love, make me feel the force of grief, make me weep with thee. Make my heart burn with the love of Christ, my God, that I may be pleasing to Him." Sibi, for ei or ipsi. This use of the pronouns is quite com- mon in Late Latin and in the Vulgate ; e. g., Matt. 16, 21 ; Mark 10, 32; Gen. 2, 18; Tobias 3, 11. 6. "Holy Mother, mayest thou bring it to pass, that the wounds of the Crucified may be deeply stamped upon my heart. Share with me the sufferings of thy wounded Son who thus deigned to suffer for me." The Prophet Zach- 135 PROPER OF THE SEASON arias had long foretold these same plagcE in the sacred members of Our Lord: Quid sunt plagae istsB in medio manuum tuarum? Et dicet: His plagatus sum in domo eorum qui diligebant me (Zach. 13, 6). The following is D. F. MacCarthy's rendering of this stanza: Blessed Mother of prediction, Stamp the marks of crucifixion Deeply on my stony heart. Ever leading where thy bleeding Son is pleading for my needing, Let me in His wounds take part. 7. *' Grant that I may devoutly weep with thee, and suf- fer with the Crucified as long as I shall live. I long to stand beside the Cross with thee, and to unite myself to thee, in thy grief." 8. ' * peerless Virgin of virgins, be not unfavorably dis- posed towards me now ; grant that I may mourn with thee. Grant that I may bear about (in my body) the death of Christ; make me a sharer in His passion, and make me mindful of His sufferings." Amarus, bitter; unkind, ill- disposed. Portem mortem Christi: A reference to II Cor. 4, 10. Fac (me) consortem. 9. * ' Grant that I may be wounded with His wounds, that I may be inebriated with the Cross and with the Blood of thy Son. That I may not be tormented by the flames of hell, may I, Virgin, be defended by thee on the day of Judgment. ' ' Succensus, from succendo 3, set on fire ; used here pleonastically. Inebriari: As in Ps. 35, 9: Inebriabun- tur ab ubertate domus tuae: et torrente voluptatis tuae potabis eos. Translation: ''They shall be inebriated (i.e., plentifully filled, sated, filled to overflowing) with the plenty of thy house ; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure." See also Ps. 22, 5. 10. ''When, Christ, the hour has come for me to depart hence, grant that through Thy Mother I may obtain the palm of victory. When my body shall die, grant that the glory of Paradise be given to my soul." 136 57 PASSIONTIDE Stabat Mater speciosa STABAT Mater speciosa Juxta foenum gaudiosa, Dum jacebat parvulus; Cujus animam gaudentem, Laetabundam et ferventera Pertransivit jubilus. ^0 quara laeta et beata Fuit ilia immaculata Mater unigeniti Quae gaudebat et ridebat, Exultabat, cum videbat Nati partum inclyti. ^ Quisquam est, qui non gauderet, Christi matrem si videret In tanto solatio? Quis non possit collaetari, Christi matrem contemplari Ludentem cum filio? *Pro peccatis suae gentis Christum vidit cum jumentis Et algori subditum; Vidit suum dulcem natum Vagientem, adoratum Vili diversorio. ^Nato Christo in prassepe Cceli cives canunt laete Cum immenso gaudio; Stabat senex cum puella Non cum verbo nee loquela Stupescentes cordibus. 'Eja, mater, fons amoris. Me sentire vim ardoris Fac, ut tecum sentiam; BY the crib wherein reposing, With His eyes in slumber closing. Lay serene her Infant-boy, Stood the beauteous Mother teeling Bliss that could not bear con- cealing. So her face o'erflowed with joy. Oh, the rapture naught could smother Of that most Immaculate Mother Of tlie sole-begotten One; When with laughing heart ex- uhing, She beheld her hopes resulting In the great birth of her Son. Who would not with gratulation See the happy consolation Of Christ's Mother undefiled? Who would not be glad surveying Christ's dear Mother bending, praying. Playing with her heavenly Child? For a sinful world's salvation, Christ her Son's humiliation She beheld ajid brooded o'er; Saw Him weak, a child, a stranger, Yet before Him in the manger Kings lie prostrate and adore. O'er that lowly manger winging. Joyful hosts from heaven were singing Canticles of holy praise; While the old man and the maiden. Speaking naught, with hearts o'erladen, Pondered on God's wondrous ways. Fount of love, forever flowing. With a burning ardor glowing. Make me, Mother, feel like thee; 137 PROPER OF THE SEASON Fac, ut ardeat cor meum In amatum Christum Deum, Ut sibi complaceam. ^ Sancta mater, istud agas, Prone introducas plagas Cordi fixas valide; Tui nati coelo lapsi, Jam dignati fceno nasci Poenas mecum divide. * Fac me vere congaudere, Jesulino cohaerere, Donee ego vixero; In me sistat ardor tui, Puerino fac me frui, Dum sum in exsilio. 'Virgo virginum praeclara, Mihi jam non sis amara, Fac me parvum rapere; Fac,utpulchrimi inf antem portem. Qui nascendo vicit mortem, Volens vitam tradere. ^"Fac me tecum satiari, Nato me inebriari, Stantem in tripudio; Inflammatus et accensus Obstupescit omnis sensus Tali me commercio. "Fac me nato custodiri, Verbo Dei praemimiri, Conservari gratia; Quando corpus morietur Fac, ut animse donetur Tui nati gloria! Let my heart, with graces gifted All on fire, to Christ be lifted, And by Him accepted be. Holy Mother, deign to bless me. With His sacred Wounds impress me. Let them in my heart abide; Since He came, thy Son, the Holy, To a birth-place, ah, so lowly, All His pains with me divide. Make me with true joy delighted, To Child- Jesus be united While my days of life endure; While an exile here sojourning. Make my heart like thine be burning With a love divine and pure. Spotless Maid and sinless Woman, Make us feel a fire in common. Make my heart's long longing sure. Virgin of all virgins highest. Prayer to thee thou ne'er denyest, Let me bear thy sweet Child too. Let me bear Him in my bosom. Lord of life, and never lose Him, Since His birth doth death subdue. Let me show forth how immense is The effect on all my senses Of an union so divine. All who in the crib revere Him, Like the shepherds watching near Him, Will attend Him through the night. By thy powerful prayers protected, Grant, Queen, that His elected May behold heaven's moving light. Make me by His birth be guarded, By God's holy word be warded. By His grace till all is done; When my body lies obstructed. Make my soul to be conducted, To the vision of thy Son. 188 PASSIONTIDE This hymn is so close an imitation of the preceding hymn that its translation will not be found difficult. The following brief notes will be found quite sufficient. The numbers refer to stanzas of the hymn. Translation by Denis Florence MacCarthy. 1. Gaudiosus = gaudens, joyful. 4. Diversorium, lit., an inn ; here a stable. 5. Senex cum puella; Joseph and Mary. Senex {cum = et) puella, hence the pi. Stupescentes, agree- ing in sense. 7. Prone introducas, etc. : Downward press and firmly fix, etc. 8. Jesulinus and puerinus, diminutives of Jesus and puer. 9. Vitam trader e: to give life to men. 10. Tripudium, joy, delight. 58 GLORIA, laus, et honor, tibi sit Rex Christe Redemptor: Cui puerile decus prompsit Hosanna pium. Gloria, laus, etc. Gloria, laus, et honor ALL glory, laud, and honor Tn Thf>P- Rprlppmpr ICina * Israel es tu Rex, Davidis et in- clyta proles: Nomine qui in Domini, Rex benedicte, venis. Gloria, laus, etc. * Ccetus in excelsis coelicus omnis, Et mortalis homo, creata simul. Gloria, laus, etc. te laudat et cuncta *Plebs Hebraea tibi cum palmis obvia venit: Cum prece, voto, hymnis, adsu- mus ecce tibi. Gloria, laus, etc. "Et tibi passuro solvebant munia laudis: Nos tibi regnanti pangimus ecce melos. Gloria, laus, etc. To Thee, Redeemer, King, To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring. Thou art the King of Israel, Thou David's royal Son, Who in the Lord's Name comest. The King and Blessed One. All glory, laud, etc. The company of Angels Are praising Thee on high. And mortal men and all things Created make reply. All glory, laud, etc. The people of the Hebrews With palms before Thee went; Our praise and prayer and anthems Before Thee we present. All glory, laud, etc. To Thee before Thy Passion They sang their hymns of praise; To Thee now high exalted Our melody we raise. All glory, laud, etc. 139 PROPER OF THE SEASON ® Hi placuere tibi, placeat devotio Thou didst accept their praises, nostra: Accept the prayers we bring, Rex bone, Rex clemens, cui bona Who in all good delightest, cuncta placent. Thou good and gracious King. Gloria, laus, etc. All glory, laud, etc. Author: Theodulf, Bishop of Orleans (b. about 760; d. 821). Meter: Elegiac. Translation by J. M. Neale. There are twelve translations, two of which are in the Annus Sanc- tus. Liturgical Use : Processional hymn on Palm Sunday. There is a pretty legend concerning the composition of this hymn. Theodulf, so runs the legend, had for some political reasons been imprisoned in a monastery in Angers. Dur- ing his incarceration he wrote this hymn, which he sang from the window of his cell when the king, Louis the Pious, was passing in the procession on Palm Sunday in 821. The hymn so moved the king that he immediately ordered that the holy bishop be set at liberty and restored to his see. The legend is now discredited on historical grounds. The hymn is based on the following passages of Scrip- ture: Ps. 117, 25-26; Matt. 21, 1-16; Mark 11, 9-10; Luke 19, 37-38 ; John 12, 12-13. This is the only instance of the use of elegiac verse in the hymns of the Church. Each stanza of this species of poetry consists of a couplet composed of a dactylic hexameter and a so-called pentameter verse. The latter is the same as the former except that it omits the last half of the third foot and of the sixth foot. In the following couplet the elegiac strophe is both imitated and described by the poet Coleridge: In the hexameter rises | the fountain's silvery column; In the pentameter aye | falling in melody back. The translation given below, which is also by J. M. Neale, is in the meter of the original. It is quite as literal as prose. The following words only will require any comment. 1. Cui . . . pium: to whom youthful beauty offers a loving hosanna. 3. Coetus codicus omnis, the whole heavenly host. 5. Munia laudis: they offered their meed of praise. Melos (neut.), hymn, song. Read the articles on Hosanna, Palm Sunday, and on Palm in Christian Symbolism, in the Cath. Encycl. 140 EASTERTIDE 58B GLORY and honor and laud be to Thee, King Christ the Redeemer! Children of old in whose praise sweetest hosannas outpoured. Israel's Monarch art Thou, and the glorious Offspring of David, Thou that approachest, a King, blest in the name of the Lord. Glory and honor and laud, etc. Glory to Thee upon high, the heavenly armies are singing; Glory to Thee upon earth, man and creation reply. Glory and honor and laud, etc. Met Thee with palms in their hands, that day the folk of the Hebrews; We with our prayers and our hymns, now to Thy presence approach. Glory and honor and laud, etc. They to Thee proffered their praise, for to herald Thy dolorous Passion ; We to the King on His throne, utter the jubilant hymn. Glory and honor and laud, etc. They were then pleasing to Thee, unto Thee our devotion be pleasing; Merciful King, kind King, who in all goodness art pleased. Glory and honor and laud, etc. EASTERTIDE The Paschal Sequence 59 VictimcB Paschali VICTIMS Paschali pHRIST the Lord is risen Laudes immolent Christiani. \^ to-day: Christians, haste your vows to pay; Offer ye your praises meet At the Paschal Victim's feet; ' Agnus redemit oves : For the sheep the Lamb hath bled, Christus innocens Patri Sinless in the sinner's stead. Reconsiliavit Christ the Lord is risen on high; Peccatores. Now he lives, no more to die. 141 PROPER OF THE SEASON ^Mors et vita duello Conflixere mirando: Dux vitae mortuus, Regnat vivus. * Die nobis, Maria, Quid vidisti in via? Sepulchrum Christi viventis, Et gloriam vidi resurgentis. ^Angelicos testes, Sudarium et vestes. Surrexit Christus spes mea: Praecedet vos in Galilaeam. 'Scimus Christum surrexisse A mortuis vere: Tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere. Amen. Alleluja. Christ, the Victim undefiled, Man to God hath reconciled; When in strange and awful strife Met together Death and Life; Christians, on this happy day Haste with joy your vows to pay. Christ the Lord is risen on high; Now He lives, no more to die. Say, wond'ring Mary, say What thou sawest on thy way. "I beheld, where Christ had lain, Empty tomb and Angels twain; I beheld the glory bright Of the risen Lord of light: Christ my hope is risen again; Now He lives, and lives to reign." Christ, who once for sinners bled, Now the first-born from the dead. Throned in endless might and power. Lives and reigns forevermore. Hail, eternal hope on high! Hail, Thou King of victory! Hail, Thou Prince of Life adored ! Help and save us, gracious Lord. AttthoR! Ascribed to Wipo, 11th cent. Transla- tion by Jane E. Leeson. There are about twenty-five trans- lations, three of which are in the Annus Sanctus. Liturgical Use: Sequence in the Mass daily from Easter Sunday to Low Sunday inclusive. For the structure, the history, and the development of this species of hymn, read the article on Prose or Sequence, in the Cath. Encycl. The same work con- tains a well written article on the Victims PaschaU. Read also the article on Lamb, Paschal. No hymns occur in the Divine Office during the last three days of Holy Week nor during Easter week. The beautiful Paschal sequence sings the praises of the risen Christ. For the purpose of treatment it may be di- vided into two parts. The first part consists of an exhorta- 142 EASTERTIDE tion to all Christians to offer sacrifices of praise to Christ, the true Paschal Lamb, the Sinless One, who by His immola- tion on the Cross reconciles sinners to His Father. Death and Life engage in a most unusual combat; the Prince of Life dies, but by His very death He triumphs and now reigns in glory. The second part is in the form of a dialogue. Mary Magdalene is appealed to as a witness of the Resur- rection, and she testifies: — **I saw the sepulcher of the liv- ing Christ, the glory of the risen Lord, the witness-angels at the tomb, the napkin and the winding-sheet." Then in an ecstasy of joy she proclaims to the Apostles : * ' Christ my hope is risen and He shall go before you into Galilee." It concludes with a testimonial of our belief in the Resurrec- tion and with a petition for mercy. The history of the Resurrection is told in John 20 ; read also the beginning of Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24. 1. ''To the Paschal Victim, let Christians offer the sac- rifice of praise." 2. * ' The Lamb hath redeemed the sheep ; Christ the Sin- less One hath reconciled sinners to His Father." 3. ''Death and Life contended in a wondrous encounter: the Prince of Life died indeed, but now reigns living. ' * 4. "Tell us, Mary, what sawest thou on the way? I saw the sepulcher of the living Christ, I saw the glory of Him that had risen. ' ' 5. "I saw the angelic witnesses, the napkin and the linen cloths. Christ, my hope, hath risen : He shall go before you into Galilee." 6. "We know in truth that Christ hath risen from the dead: Thou, victorious King, have mercy on us." Vic- timcB Paschali: cf. Exodus 12-13. Duello = bello. Conflix- erunt, fought, contended. Maria : Mary Magdalene, to whom Our Lord first appeared after His resurrection. The following is Robert Campbell's translation of the Victimce Paschali. Note the striking difference between this translation and Miss Leeson's translation above. The dif- ference is due to the meter. The two translations illustrate the hurried pace of the trochee and the stately tread of the iambus. 143 PROPER OF THE SEASON 59B VictimcB Paschali THE holy Paschal work is wrought, The Victim's praise be told, The loving Shepherd back hath brought The sheep into His fold: The Just and Innocent was slain To reconcile to God again. Death from the Lord of life hath fled — The conflict strange is o'er; Behold, He liveth that was dead. And lives forevermore: Mary, thou soughtest Him that day; Tell what thou sawest on the way. *'I saw the empty cavern's gloom, The garments of the prison. The Angel-guardians of the tomb. The glory of the Risen." We know that Christ hath burst the grave, Then, victor King, Thy people save. 60 Ad regias Agni dapes AD regias Agni dapes, Stolis araicti candidis, Post transitum Maris rubri, Christo canamus Principi: ^Divina cujus caritas Sacrum propinat sanguinem, Almique membra corporis Amor sacerdos immolat. Sparsum cruorera postibus Vastator horret Angelus: Fugitque divisum mare: Merguntur hostes fluctibus. A T the Lamb's high feast we •^^ sing Praise to our victorious King, Who hath washed us in the tide Flowing from His pierced side. Praise we Him whose love divine Gives the guests His Blood for wine, Gives His Body for the feast. Love the victim, love the priest. Where the Paschal blood is poured. Death's dark Angel sheathes his sword; Israel's hosts triumphant go Through the wave that drowns the foe. 144 EASTERTIDE * Jam Pascha nostrum Christus est, Paschalis idem victima, Et pura puris mentibus Sinceritatis azyma. 'O vera cceli victima, Sub j acta cui sunt tartara, Soluta mortis vincula, Recepta vitae praemia. 'Victor subactis inferis Trophaea Christus explicat, Cceloque aperto, subditum Regem tenebrarum trahit. ^Ut sis perenne mentibus Paschale Jesu gaudium, A morte dira criminum Vitae renatos libera. ^Deo Patri sit gloria, Et Filio, qui a mortuis Surrexit, ac Paraclito, In sempiterna saecula. Christ, the Lamb whose Blood was shed, Paschal* victim. Paschal bread; With sincerity and love Eat we manna from above. Mighty Victim from the sky, Powers of hell beneath Thee lie; Death is conquered in the fight; Thou hast brought us life and light. Now Thy banner Thou dost wave; Vanquished Satan and the grave; Angels join His praise to tell — See o'erthrown the prince of hell. Paschal triumph, Paschal joy. Only sin can this destroy; From the death of sin set free. Souls re-born, dear Lord, in Thee. Hymns of glory, songs of praise. Father, unto Thee we raise; Risen Lord, all praise to Thee, Ever with the Spirit be. Author: Ambrosian, 7th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Robert Campbell. There are about thirty translations. First line of Original Text: Ad coenam Agni providi. Liturgical Use : Vespers hymn from Low Sunday to Ascension Day. This hymn was greatly altered by the re- visers under Urban VIII (1632) ; only three lines remained unaltered. There are ten translations of this hymn in Mr. Shipley's Annus Sanctus, both texts being represented. Of the translations of the Roman Breviary Text, Mr. Camp- bell's is more extensively used than all others combined. It is not so literal as some other translations, but it is a hymn of great beauty, and it is not surprising that it is found in so many hymn books. In the Ad regias Agni dapes, there is reference to the ancient custom of administering to catechumens the sac- raments of Baptism and Holy Communion. Originally there was no Mass on Holy Saturday proper. The long but beau- 145 PROPER OF THE SEASON tiful ceremonies began Saturday evening and lasted throughout the night. The Litany and Mass were sung to- wards morning. During Mass the neophytes, vested in beautiful white robes {stolce alhce), were admitted for the first time to the "banquet of the Lamb," i.e., to the Eucharistic table. The white garments were worn during the week following Easter, and on Low Sunday the newly baptized appeared for the first time without their white robes. It is for this reason that Low Sunday is known in the language of the Church as Dommica in Albis {de- positis), i.e., the Sunday on which the newly baptized ap- peared after laying aside their white baptismal robes. Read the articles on Catechumen, Holy Saturday, Bap- tism (esp. part XV), Red Sea (esp. the last paragraph), in the Cath. Encycl. 1. '^ After the passage of the Red Sea, clothed in white robes at the royal banquet of the Lamb, let us sing to Christ our King." Stolis: The stole was originally a long, beautiful, flowing outer garment. Maris rubri: The Red Sea is a symbol of Baptism. Et omnes in Moyse baptizati sunt in nube et in mari (I Cor. 10, 2). Under the leadership of Moses, who was a figure of Christ, the Jews received Bap- tism in figure by their passage through the Red Sea. Thus also by eating of the manna, they partook in figure of the Eucharistic manna (cf. Exodus 13). The following is Father Husenbeth's translation of this stanza: Come to the regal feast displayed. In robes of purest white arrayed, The Red Sea's threatening perils past, And sing to Christ secure at last. 2. ''His divine charity gives us His sacred Blood to drink; and love, as priest, immolates the members of His august Body. ' ' 3. **The destroying Angel sees with awe the blood upon the door-posts : the sea divided flees, the foe is overwhelmed by the waters." The sprinkling of the door-posts of the Israelites with the blood of the Paschal Lamb, to preserve them from the sword of the destroying Angel, is a figure of our redemption by the Blood of Him whom the Paschal 146 EASTERTIDE Lamb prefigured (cf. Ex. 12, 22-23). Divisum mare: (cf. Ex. 14, 22-31). 4. "Now Christ is our Pasch, and the same is our Paschal victim, and the pure unleavened bread of sincerity for pure souls." Victima paschaliSfFaschalljamb. Itaque epulemur, nori in f ermento veteri, neque in fermento malitiae et nequitiae, sed in azymis sinceritatis et veritatis (I Cor. 5, 8). Leaven is a symbol of corruption, hence of sin: un- leavened bread is symbolical of purity and of freedom from corruption. 5. ''0 true Victim of heaven, by whom hell was van- quished, the bonds of death were broken, and the rewards of life regained. ' ' Cui = a quo : in the passive, this use of the dative is quite common. 6. ''Hell having been subdued, Christ as victor displays His trophies; and, heaven opened. He drags behind Him the vanquished king of darkness." Trahit (post se). 7. ''That Thou, Jesus, mayest be an everlasting Paschal joy to our hearts, deliver us re-born to life, from a dire death of sin. ' ' 61 Rex sempiterne cwlitum REX sempiterne coelitum, Rerum Creator omnium, y^qualis ante saecula Semper Parent! Filius. ^Nascente qui mundo Faber Imaginem vultus tui Tradens Adamo, nobilem Limo jugasti spiritum. 'Cum livor et fraus daemonis Foedasset humanum genus: OTHOU, the heavens' eternal King, Creator, unto Thee we sing. With God the Father ever One, Co-equal, co-eternal Son. Thy hand, when first the world began, Made in Thine ovv'n pure image man. And linked to Adam, sprung from earth, A living soul of heavenly birth. And when by craft the envious foe Had marred Thy noblest work below, 147 PROPER OF THE SEASON Tu carne amictus, perditam Formam reformas Artifex. * Qui natus olim e Virgine, Nunc e sepulcro nasceris Tecumque nos a mortuis Jubes sepultos surgere. ''Qui pastor aeternus gregem Aqua lavas Baptismatis: Haec est lavacrum mentium; Haec est sepulcrum criminum. ® Nobis diu qui debitae Redemptor affixus Cruci, Nostrae dedisti prodigus Pretium salutis sanguinem. ^Ut sis perenne mentibus Paschale, Jesu, gaudium, A morte dira criminum Vitae renatos libera. 'Deo Patri sit gloria, Et Filio, qui a mortuis Surrexit, ac Paraclito, In sempiterna saecula. Clothed in our flesh, Thou didst restore The image Thou hadst made before. Once wast Thou born of Mary's womb; And now, new-born from out the tomb, Christ, Thou bidd'st us rise with Thee From death to immortality. Eternal Shepherd, Thou dost lave Thy flock in pure baptismal wave — That mystic bath, that grave of sin, Where ransomed souls new life begin. Redeemer, Thou for us didst deign To hang upon the Cross of pain, And give for us the lavish price Of Thine own Blood in sacrifice. Grant, Lord, in Thee each faithful mind Unceasing Paschal joy may find; And from the death of sin set free Souls newly born to life by Thee. To Thee, once dead, who now dost live. All glory. Lord, Thy people give. Whom, with the Father, we adore, And Holy Ghost forevermore. Author: Ambrosian, 6th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation a cento. There are ten translations. Lit- urgical Use : Matins liymn from Low Sunday till Ascension Day. This hymn is a revision of the Original Text, Rex ceterne Domine, the first line of which was, in the revision of 1568, altered to Rex sempiterne Domine (Benedictine Breviary Text) ; this in turn was altered in 1632 to the 148 EASTERTIDE Roman Breviary Text, Rex sempiterne ccelitum. In its orig- inal form, it contained sixteen stanzas. It is mentioned in the Rule of Aurelianus of Aries (d. 555) and by St. Bede (d. 735) in his De Arte Metrica. 1. ''0 eternal King of the blessed. Creator of all things, Son ever equal to the Father, before all ages : ' ' The hymn is addressed to the Son by whom all things were made (cf. John 1, 1-14; Col. 1,12-22). Coelitum, from codes, itis. 2. ' ' Who as Creator, when the world was made, didst be- stow upon Adam the image of Thy countenance, and didst yoke a noble spirit with the slime of the earth." Imago: Faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram (Gen. 1, 26). Formavit igitur Dominus Deus hominem de limo terrae, et inspiravit in faciem ejus spiraculum vitae, et f actus est homo in animam viventem (Gen. 2, 7). 3. ' ' When the envy and deception of the devil had disfig- ured the human race. Thou, the Maker, clothed in flesh didst restore the lost form." Formam, beauty. Livor = invidia, envy, malice. 4. ''As Thou wast once born of a Virgin, so art Thou now born from the tomb ; and Thou dost bid us buried with Thee, to arise from the dead." (cf. Rom. 6, 4.) 5. * ' Thou art the eternal Shepherd who dost cleanse Thy flock in the waters of Baptism: that is the laver of souls, that is the sepulcher of sin." The purification of the soul by washing is a common figure in the Old Testament. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea : et a peccato meo munda me (Ps. 50, 4). 6. "As Redeemer fastened to the Cross, which was long our due, Thou didst lavishly give Thy Blood as the price of our salvation." Debitcs agrees with cruci; on account of our sins, the Cross (i.e., crucifixion) was long and justly due us. 7. ''That Thou, Jesus, mayest be an everlasting Paschal joy to our hearts, deliver us re-born to life, from a dire death of sin. ' ' 149 62 PROPER OF THE SEASON Aurora ccelum purpurat AURORA coelum purpurat, i^ther resultat laudibus, Mundus triumphans jubilat, Horrens avernus inf remit: ^Rex ille dum fortissimus De mortis inferno specu Patrum senatum liberum Educit ad vitae jubar. 'Cujus sepulchrum plurimo Custode signabat lapis, Victor triumphat, et suo Mortem sepulchro funerat. *Sat funeri, sat lacrimis, Sat est datum doloribus: Surrexit exstinctor necis, Clamat coruscans Angelus. 'Ut sis perenne mentibus Paschale Jesu gaudium, A morte dira criminum VitSB renatos libera. •Deo Patri sit gloria, Et Filio, qui a mortuis Surrexit, ac Paraclito, In sempiterna saecula. THE morn had spread her crimson rays. When rang the skies with shouts of praise; Earth joined the joyful hymn to swell, That brought despair to van- quished hell. He comes victorious from the grave, The Lord omnipotent to save, And brings with Him to light of day The Saints who long imprisoned lay. Vain is the cavern's three-fold ward — The stone, the seal, the armed guard ; O death, no more thine arm we fear, The Victor's tomb is now thy bier. Let hymns of joy to grief succeed, We know that Christ is risen indeed; We hear His white-robed Angel's voice. And in our risen Lord rejoice. With Christ we died, with Christ we rose, When at the font His name we chose; Dh, let not sin our robes defile. And turn to grief the Paschal smile. To God the Father let us sing. To God the Son, our risen King, And equally let us adore The Spirit, God forevermore. 150 EASTERTIDE Author: Ambrosian, 4th or 5th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Robert Campbell. Liturgical Use: Hymn at Lauds from Low Sunday to the Ascension. In its complete form this hymn comprises forty-four lines. For Breviary use it is divided into three parts. These parts are given here as Hymns 62, 63 and 64. In each hymn the stanza beginning Tu sis perennis mentium and the doxology form no part of the original hymn. The hymn was greatly altered by the revisers under Urban VIII (1632). The first lines of the three parts of the Original Text and of the Roman Breviary Text are as follows ; Roman Breviary Text Original Text 62 Aurora caelum purpurat Aurora lucis rutilat 63 Tristes erant Apostoli Tristes erant Apostoli 64 Paschale mundo gaudium Claro Paschali gaudio Including both texts, there are twenty-seven translations of No. 62 ; there are about fifteen translations each of the Nos. 63 and 64. The Annus Sanctus contains four transla- tions, one of which is from the Original Text. It also con- tains two translations of Sermone blando angelus, which be- gins with the sixth stanza of the Original Text. There is an article on Aurora lucis rutilat in the Cath. Encycl. It is worthy of note that this is the only instance in the Cath. Encycl. in which the first line of the Original Text is used as a title instead of the first line of the Revised Text of Urban VIII — the Roman Breviary Text. Liturgical Use: No. 62 is the hymn for Lauds from Low Sunday to the Ascension. No. 63 is assigned to Vespers and Matins, and No. 64 to Lauds, in the Common Office of Apostles and Evangelists during Paschal Time. 1. *'The dawn is purpling the sky; the air resounds with hymns of praise; the exulting earth shouts for joy; trem- bling hell rages. ' ' 2. ''While He the almighty King leads forth the liber- ated host of the fathers from the darksome cavern of death to the light of life. ' ' Inferno specu = Limbo. There is an article on Limbo in the Cath. Encycl. Senatus, a council of elders j a body of venerable and distinguished persons such 151 PROPER OF THE SEASON as the patriarchs, prophets, etc., who awaited in Limbo the coming of the Messias. 3. ''Whose sepulcher, surrounded by an ample guard, a stone seals ; (nevertheless) as a conqueror He triumphs, and He buries death in His own sepulcher. ' ' Illi autem abeuntes munierunt sepulchrum, signantes lapidem cum custodibus (Matt. 27, 66). Absorpta est mors in victoria. Ubi est, mors, victoria tuaf Ubi est, mors, stimulus tuus? ( I Cor. 15, 54-55). 4. "Enough of death, enough of tears, enough of sor- rows! The conqueror of death has risen, the resplendent Angel cries." Sat = satis: Enough time have ye given to death, to weeping and to sorrows. Exstinctor, destroyer, annihilator. 5. ''That Thou, Jesus, mayest be the everlasting Paschal joy of our hearts, deliver us re-born to life, from a dire death of sin." 63 Tristes erant Apostoli TRISTES erant Apostoli De Christi acerbo funere, Quera morte crudelissima Servi necarant impii. ^Sermone verax Angelus Mulieribus praedixerat: Mox ore Christus gaudium Gregi feret fidelium. 'Ad anxios Apostolos Currunt statim dum nuntiae, Illae micantis obvia Christi tenent vestigia. WHILE Christ's disciples, grieving, sad, Their Master's painful death deplore, Whom faithless servants' cruel hands, Had bathed in His own crimson gore; Quick from the happy realms above. An Angel comes on joyful wing, And to the women tells the joy That to His flock their Lord will bring. As they with eager steps make haste, Their joyous message to repeat, Their Master's glorious form they see, And falling clasp His sacred feet. 152 EASTERTIDE * Galilseas ad alta montium Se conferunt Apostoli, Jesuque, voti compotes, Almo beantur lumine. ^Ut sis perenne mentibus Paschale Jesu gaudium; A morte dira criniinum Vitae renatos libera. 'Dec Patri sit gloria, Et Filio, qui a mortuis Surrexit, ac Paraclito, In sempiterna saecula. Cheered by this tale, His faithful flock The Galilean mount ascend. And there with loving awe behold Their heart's sole wish, their truest friend. That Thou mayst be our Paschal joy Through happy, never-ending years. Thine own poor children, Jesu, free From sin's sad death with all its fears. To God the Father, and the Son, Who rose from death, glad praisQ repeat; Let equal praise be ever sung To God the Holy Paraclete. This is a continuation of the preceding hymn. Transla- tion by Father Potter. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Vespers and Matins in the Common Office of Apostles and Evangel- ists in Eastertide. 1. ''The Apostles were sad over the bitter interment of Christ, whom impious servants had slain by a most cruel death." Servi impii, the Jews. 2. ''The Angel, truthful in speech, had foretold to the women : ' Soon by word of mouth shall Christ bring joy to the flock of the faithful.' " Respondens autem Angelus dixit mulieribus : Nolite timere vos : scio enim, quod Jesum, qui crucifixus est, quaeritis. Non est hie ; surrexit enim sicut dixit (Matt. 28, 5-6). 3. "While they forthwith as messengers are hastening to the anxious Apostles, they clasp the feet of the radiant Christ meeting them on the way. ' ' Vestigia, lit., footsteps, footprints : obvia agrees with vestigia. Et exierunt cito de monumento cum timore et gaudio magno, currentes nun- tiare discipulis ejus. Et ecce Jesus occurrit illis, dicens: Avete. IllaB autem accesserunt, et tenuerunt pedes ejus, et adoraverunt eum (Matt. 28, 8-9). 153 PROPER OF THE SEASON 4. '*To the mountain heights of Galilee the Apostles be- take themselves: and their wish is fulfilled; they are made happy by the kindly light of Jesus." Ad alta montium = ad altos montes. Altum, i, a height. Undecim autem dis- cipuli abierunt in Galilaeam in montem, ubi constituerat illis Jesus (Matt. 28, 16). 5. ^'That Thou, Jesus, mayest be an everlasting Paschal joy to our hearts, deliver us re-born to life, from a dire death of sin." 64 Paschale mundo gaudium PASCHALE mundo gaudium Sol nuntiat formosior. Cum luce fulgentem nova Jesmn vident Apostoli. w ITH the fair sun of Easter morn The world's excelling joy is born, When, bright with new and greater grace, The Apostles see the Saviour's face. ^In carne Christi vulnera Micare tamquam sidera Mirantur, et quidquid vident Testes fideles prsedicant. They in their Lord's fair flesh descry The wounds that shine as stars on high, And, wondering, faithful witness bear. And all that they have seen de- clare. ^ Rex Christe clementissime, Tu corda nostra posside: Ut lingua grates debitas Tuo rependat nomini. *Ut sis perenne mentibus Paschale Jesu gaudium; A morte dira criminum Vitae renatos libera. Christ, most loving King, we pray, Possess our inmost hearts to-day, While grateful lips with glad ac- claim Sing fervent praises to Thy Name. Lord Jesu, that Thou mayest be Our Easter joy eternally, Our souls from death of sin set free That they, new born, may live to Thee, 154 EASTERTIDE ^ Deo Patri sit gloria, To God the Father, and the Son, Et Filio, qui a mortuis From death arisen, praise be Surrexit, ac Paraclito, done: In sempiterna saecula. With God the Holy Ghost on high Henceforth to all eternity. This is a continuation of the two preceding hymns. Translation by Alan G. McDougall. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Lauds in the Common Office of Apostles and Evangelists in Eastertide. 1. **A more beauteous sun proclaims to the world the joys of Easter, when the Apostles behold Jesus resplendent with a new light. ' ' The ' ' new light ' ' is that which emanates from His glorified body. The sun is now "more beauteous" for at His death it was darkened. 2. "They wonder to see the wounds in the flesh of Christ shine like stars, and what they see, as faithful wit- nesses, they proclaim." Vulnera: That the marks of the nails and spear were plainly visible in the glorified body of Christ is evident from the testimony of St. Thomas (cf. John 20, 27-28). 3. "0 Christ, King most merciful, possess Thou our hearts, that our tongues may return due thanks to Thy Name. ' ' 4. "That Thou, Jesus, mayest be the everlasting Paschal joy of our hearts, deliver us re-born to life, from a dire death of sin." 65 Salutis humancB Sator SALUTIS humanse Sator, TITAIL, Thou who man's Re- Jesu, voluptas cordium, -"--^ deemer art, Orbis redempti Conditor, Jesu, the joy of every heart; Et casta lux amantium: Great Maker of the world's wide frame, And purest love's delight and flame: ''Qua victus es dementia, What nameless mercy Thee o'er- Ut nostra ferres crimina? came, To bear our load of sin and shame? 155 PROPER OF THE SEASON Mortem subires innocens, A morte nos ut toUeres? ^Perrumpis infernum chaos; Vinctis catenas detrahis; Victor triumpho nobili Ad dexteram Patris sedes. *Te cogat indulgentia, Ut damna nostra sarcias Tuique vultus compotes Dites beato lumine. ^Tu dux ad astra, et semita, Sis meta nostris cordibus, Sis lacrymarum gaudimn, Sis dulce vitae praemium. For guiltless, Thou Thy life didst give, That sinful erring man might live. The realms of woe are forced by Thee, Its captives from their chains set free; And Thou, amid Thy ransomed train, At God's right hand dost victor reign. Let mercy sweet with Thee prevail, To cure the wounds we now be- wail; Oh, bless us with Thy holy sight, And fill us with eternal light. Our guide, our way to heavenly rest. Be Thou the aim of every breast; Be Thou the soother of our tears, Our sweet reward above the spheres. Authoe: Ambrosian, 7th or Sth cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Potter. First line of Orig- inal Text: Jesu nostra redemptio. The Annus Sanctus con- tains eight translations of this hymn, both texts being rep- resented. In all there are about thirty translations. Lit- urgical Use: Vespers hymn from the Ascension to Pente- cost. 1. '*0 Jesus, Author of man's salvation, the delight of our hearts, the Creator of the world redeemed, and chaste light of those that love Thee." Sator, lit., a sower, planter: ** Sower of Life's immortal seed." — Caswall. 2. ''By what mercy wert Thou overcome that Thou wouldst bear our sins, and innocent, wouldst suffer death to free us from death?" Ipse autem vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras, attritus est propter scelera nostra (Is. 53, 5). 3. ' ' Thou didst break open the lower regions, and remove 156 EASTERTIDE the chains of them that were bound; as a conqueror in a noble triumph, Thou dost now sit at the right hand of the Father.^' Infernum chaos, Limbo ; '*He descended into hell" (Creed). Ad dexteram Patris sedes: Dixit Dominus Dom- ino meo: sede a dextris meis (Ps. 109, 1; Matt. 22, 44); Dominus = Pater; Domino = Filio; sede, abide, be. The expression ''sit Thou at my right hand" signifies the place of highest honor, but it implies no particular posture of body. 4. ''May Thy mercy constrain Thee to repair our loss, and in the contemplation of Thy countenance, mayest Thou gladden us with blessed light." Vultus compotes, partici- pating in the beatific vision. See the article on Beatific Vision, and Part III of the article on Heaven, in the Cath. Encycl. 5. ' ' Thou guide and way to heaven, be Thou the goal of our hearts, our joy in tears, the sweet reward of life." Semita = via: Ego sum via, et Veritas et vita (John 14, 6). 66 /Eterne Rex altissime AETERNE Rex altissime, Redemptor et fidelium, Cui mors pererapta detulit Summae triumphum gloriae. ^Ascendis orbes siderum, Quo te vocabat coelitus Collata, non humanitus, Rerum potestas omnium. ^Ut trina rerum machina, Coelestium, terrestrium, Et inferorum condita, Flectat genu jam subdita. ETERNAL Monarch, King most High, Whose Blood hath brought re- demption nigh, By whom the death of Death was wrought, And conquering grace's battle fought : Ascending by the starry road. This day Thou wentest home to God, By Heaven to power unending called, And by no human hand installed. That so, in nature's triple frame, Each heavenly and each earthly name, And things in hell's abyss ab- horred, May bend the knee and own Him Lord. 157 PROPER OF THE SEASON *Tremunt videntes Angeli Versam vicem mortalium: Peccat caro, mundat caro, Regnat Deus Dei caro. 'Sis ipse nostrum gaudium, Manens olympo praemium, Mundi regis qui fabricam, Mundana vincens gaudia. ®Hinc te precantes quaesumus, Ignosce culpis omnibus, Et corda sursum subleva Ad te superna gratia. ^Ut cum repente coeperis Clarere nube judicis, Poenas repellas debitas, Reddas coronas perditas. 'Jesu, tibi sit gloria, Qui victor in coelum redis, Cum Patre, et almo Spiritu, In sempiterna saecula. Yea, Angels tremble when they see How changed is our humanity; That Flesh hath purged what flesh had stained, And God, the flesh of God, hath reigned. Be Thou our joy, mighty Lord, As Thou wilt be our great re- ward; Earth's joys to Thee are nothing worth, Thou joy and crown of heaven and earth. To Thee we therefore humbly pray That Thou wouldst purge our sins away. And draw our hearts by cords of grace To Thy celestial dwelling-place. So when the Judgment day shall come. And all must rise to meet their doom, Thou wilt remit the debts we owe. And our lost crowns again be- stow. All glory, Lord, to Thee we pay, Ascending o'er the stars to-day; All glory, as is ever meet, To Father and to Paraclete. Author : Ambrosian, 5th cent. Meter : Iambic dimeter. Translation by J. M. Neale and others. There are fifteen translations. Liturgical Use : Hymn for Matins from As- cension to Pentecost. 1. **0 eternal and sovereign King, and Redeemer of the faithful, to whom the annihilation of death brought a tri- umph of the greatest glory:" 2. *'Thou didst ascend above the orbits of the stars, whither the sovereignty over all things summoned Thee, which sovereignty was given Thee from heaven, not by 158 WHITSUNTIDE men.** Ccelitus, adv. from above, by the Father. Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo et in terra (Matt. 28, 18). 3. "So that the threefold fabric of the universe, creatures {condita) of heaven, of earth, and of hell, may now in sub- mission bend the knee to Thee." Condita ■= creata. Machina, order, structure, fabric, kingdom. Ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectatur ccelestium, terrestrium, et infernorum (Phil. 2, 10). 4. **The Angels tremble, beholding the altered lot of mortals : flesh sinned. Flesh cleanses from sin, the God-Man reigns as God." Dei caro: lit., "the flesh of God reigns as God." Vicem, lot, estate, condition; versam, changed, re- versed. 5. "Be Thou Thyself our joy, our abiding reward in heaven. Thou who, surpassing all earthly joys, dost rule over the fabric of the universe. ' ' 6. ' ' Therefore, praying we beseech Thee, pardon all our sins, and by Thy heavenly grace raise aloft our hearts to Thee." 7. "That when Thou dost unexpectedly begin to shine in splendor on a cloud as judge. Thou mayest remit the pun- ishments due, and restore our lost crowns." Et tunc vide- bunt Filium hominis venientem in nube cum potestate magna, et majestate (Luke 21, 27). WHITSUNTIDE 67 Veni, Sancte Spiritus VENI, Sancte Spiritus, H^^^ SPIRIT, come and shine Et emitte ccelitus '^-■- On our souls with beams Lucis tuse radium. divine, Veni pater pauperum, Issuing from Thy radiance bright. Veni dator munerum, Come, Father of the poor, Veni lumen cordium. Ever bounteous of Thy store, Come, our hearts' unfailing light. ^Consolator optime. Come, Consoler, kindest, best, Dulcis hospes animae, Come, our bosom's dearest guest, Dulce refrigerium. Sweet refreshment, sweet repose. 159 PROPER OF THE SEASON In labore requies, In aestu temperies. In fletu solatium. ^0 lux beatissima, Reple cordis intima Tuorum fidelium. Sine tuo numine, Nihil est in homine. Nihil est innoxium. *Lava quod est sordidum, Riga quod est aridum, Sana quod est saucium. Flecte quod est rigidum, Fove quod est frigidum, Rege quod est devium. ''Da tuis fidelibus, In te confidentibus, Sacrum septenariura. Da virtutis meritiun, Da salutis exitum, Da perenne gaudium. Rest in labor, coolness sweet, Tempering the burning heat, Truest comfort of our woes. divinest light, impart Unto every faithful heart Plenteous streams from love's bright flood. But for Thy blest Deity, Nothing pure in man could be; Nothing harmless, nothing good. Wash away each sinful stain; Gently shed Thy gracious rain On the dry and fruitless soul. Heal each wound and bend each will, Warm our hearts benumbed and chill. All our wayward steps control. Unto all Thy faithful just, Who in Thee confide and trust. Deign the sevenfold gift to send. Grant us virtue's blest increase. Grant a death of hope and peace, Grant the joys that never end. Author: Probably by Pope Innocent III (1161-1216). Meter : Trochaic dimeter catalectic. Translation by Father Aylward, O.P. There are about forty translations ; of these Father Caswall's is the most widely used. There are six translations in the Annus Sanctus. Liturgical Use: Se- quence for Whitsunday and throughout the octave. In me- dieval times the Veni Sancte Spiritus was known as ''The Golden Sequence." In the opinion of critics it is justly re- garded as one of the greatest masterpieces of sacred Latin poetry. Trench considers it the loveliest of all the hymns in the whole circle of sacred Latin poetry, and adds that it could only have been composed by one who had been ac- quainted with many sorrows, and also with many consola- tions {Sacred Latin Poetry, p. 195). "The Sequence for Whitsunday," says Dr. Gihr, ''can have come but from a heart wholly inflamed with the fire of the Holy Ghost. It is 160 WHITSUNTIDE an incomparable hymn, breathing of the sweetness of Para- dise, and regaling us with heaven's sweetest fragrance. Only the soul buried in deep recollection can suspect and taste the wealth of deep thought and affections this Pente- cost hymn contains, and that, too, in a form remarkable as much for beauty as for brevity" {The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, p. 464). There is an article on the Veni Sancte Spiritus, in the Cath. Encycl. In studying this hymn the richness of the rhyme is deserv- ing of special note. In each of the six-line stanzas, lines 1 and 2, 3 and 6, 4 and 5 rhyme ; and every third line through- out the hymn ends in ium. The introductory and thrice repeated Veni in the first stanza is expressive of the intense longing of a world- buffeted, sin-harried soul for the advent of the "best con- soler. ' ' The similar repetition of the verb Da in the closing stanza is equally expressive of earnestness and of loving confidence in the ''giver of gifts." 1. "Come Holy Spirit, and send forth from heaven the ray of Thy light. Come, Father of the poor; come, giver of gifts; come, light of hearts." Pater pauperum, i.e., the poor in spirit (Matt. 5, 3) who may either be destitute of the goods of this world, or detached from them, "as having nothing, and possessing all things" (II Cor. 6, 10). Dator munerum: The Holy Spirit is the dispenser of the countless gifts or graces which Christ merited for us. 2. "Thou best consoler, sweet guest of the soul, sweet coolness: in labor, rest; in heat, refreshment; in tears, solace." Consolator, the Latin rendering of the Greek Paraclitus, consoler, comforter. 3. "0 most blessed Light, fill Thou the inmost recesses of the hearts of Thy faithful! Without Thy divine as- sistance there is nothing in man, nothing harmless." 4. "Cleanse what is base, bedew what is parched, heal what is wounded ; bend what is rigid, warm what is chilled, guide what is astray." Lava, wash — by Baptism and Penance; riga, bedew with Thy grace; sana, heal what is wounded by sin; fleet e, bend what is fixed — the stubborn will; fove, warm what is cold — our hearts; rege, guide sinners. 161 PROPER OF THE SEASON 5. ''Give to Thy faithful confiding in Thee Thy sevenfold gifts. Give them the reward of virtue ; give them the death of safety (a happy death) ; give them eternal joy. ' ' Sacrum septenarium, the sacred sevenfold gifts, viz., wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and the fear of the Lord (cf. Is. 11, 2-3). 68 Veni Creator Spiritus VENI Creator Spiritus, Mentes tuorum visita, Imple superna gratia, Quae tu creasti pectora. CREATOR-SPIRIT, all-Divine, Come, visit every soul of Thine, And fill with Thy celestial flame The hearts which Thou Thyself didst frame. Qui diceris Paraclitus, Altissimi donum Dei, Eons vivus, ignis, caritas, Et spiritalis unctio. ^ Tu septif ormis munere. Digitus paternae dexterae, Tu rite promissum Patris, Sermone ditans guttura. *Accende lumen sensibus: Infimde amorem cordibus: Infirma nostri corporis Virtute firmans perpeti. 'Hostem repellas longius, Pacemque dones protinus: Ductore sic te praevio, Vitemus omne noxium. O gift of God, Thine is the sweet Consoling name of Paraclete — And spring of life and fire and love And unction flowing from above. The mystic sevenfold gifts are Thine, Finger of God's right hand divine; The Father's promise sent to teach The tongue a rich and heavenly speech. Kindle with fire brought from above Each sense, and fill our hearts with love; And grant our flesh, so weak and frail, The strength of Thine which can- not fail. Drive far away our deadly foe. And grant us Thy true peace to know; So we, led by Thy guidance still, May safely pass through every ill. 162 WHITSUNTIDE ' Per te sciamus da Patrem, To us, through Thee, the grace be Noscamus atque Filium; shown Teque utriusque Spiritum To know the Father and the Son; Credamus orani tempore. And Spirit of Them both, may we Forever rest our faith in Thee. ^Deo Patri sit gloria. To Sire and Son be praises meet, Et Filio, qui a mortuis And to the Holy Paraclete; Surrexit, ac Paraclito, And may Christ send us from In saeculorum saecula. above That Holy Spirit's gift of love. Author: Probably by Rabanus Maurus (776-856). Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Aylward, O.P. There are about sixty translations, eight of which are in the Annus Sanctus. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Vespers and Terce on Whitsunday and throughout the octave. Terce (the 3d hour, 9:00 A. M.) was the hour on which the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles (Acts 2, 15). The hymn is used on many other solemn occasions in liturgical and extra-liturgical functions as an invocation to the Holy Spirit. With the exception of the Te Deum, there is probably no other hymn so extensively used in the Church as the Veni Creator Spiritus. The authorship has been variously ascribed to Rabanus Maurus, Charlemagne, St. Ambrose, and to St. Gregory the Great. Read the articles on the Veni Creator Spiritus, Paraclete, and on Holy Ghost, in the Cath. Encyd. 1. ' ' Come, Creator Spirit, visit the souls of Thy children, and fill with heavenly grace the hearts which Thou hast made." Creator: The three Divine Persons concur equally in their external operation; thus the Father created, the Son created, and the Holy Ghost created. 2. *'Thou who art called the Paraclete, the gift of God most high, the living fountain, fire, love, and spiritual unction." Paraclitus: the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit; a Greek word signifying — the consoler, comforter. In the Scriptures the word occurs only in St. John 14, 16 ; 14, 26 ; 15, 26; 16, 7. Donum: The Holy Spirit is called the ''gift of God most high. ' ' To receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2, 38) is equivalent to receiving the Holy Ghost with 163 PROPER OF THE SEASON His gifts. Fons vivus: Sed aqua, quam ego dabo ei, fiet in eo fons aquse salientis in vitam seternam (John 4, 14). Ignis: Earthly fire illuminates, enkindles, consumes, and purifies from dross ; so too, in its nature, is the fire of the Holy Spirit — enlightening, love-enkindling, sin-destroying, and purifying. This fire manifests itself in works of charity, and especially in preaching with zeal and fervor the word of God. Caritas: Deus caritas est, et qui manet in caritate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo (I John 4, 16). Spiritalis — Spiritualis ; The grace of God is called unction or anointing because the effects produced by it in the spiritual order are analogous to those produced by oint- ment in the natural order. It cools, refreshes, exhilarates, strengthens, heals, enriches, etc. 3. ''Thou art sevenfold in Thy gifts, the finger of the Father's right hand; Thou art the express promise of the Father, endowing tongues with speech." Septifonnis: The seven gifts of the Holy Ghost are enumerated by the Prophet Isaias : Et requiescet super eum spiritus Domini ; spiritus sapientias et intellectus, spiritus consilii et forti- tudinis, spiritus scientiaB et pietatis, et replebit eum spiritus timoris Domini (Is. 11, 2-3). Digitus Dei: The Holy Spirit is called the "finger of God" as may be seen from the fol- lowing parallel passages: Si in digito Dei ejicio daemonia (Luke 11, 20). Si autem ego in Spiritu Dei ejicio daemones (Matt. 12, 28). Rite, explicit, distinctly stated. Promis- sum, i = promissio. Et ego mitto promissum Patris mei in vos (Luke 24, 49). Sed expectarent promissionem Patris (Acts 1, 4). Sermone: A reference to the gift of tongues (Acts 2,4). 4. ''Enkindle Thy light within our minds, infuse Thy love into our hearts ; strengthen the weakness of our flesh by Thy never-failing power. ' ' 5. "Drive far away our enemy, and forthwith grant us peace; so that while Thou leadest the way as our guide, we may avoid everything harmful." 6. "Grant that through Thee we may know the Father; through Thee, the Son ; and may we ever believe in Thee, the Spirit of Them both." 164 69 WHITSUNTIDE Jam Christus astra ascenderat JAM Christus astra ascenderat, Reversus unde venerat, Patris fruendum munere Sanctum daturus Spiritum. Solemnis urgebat dies, Quo mystico septemplici Orbis volutus septies. Signal beata tempora. ^Cum lucis hora tertia Repente mundus intonat, Apostolis orantibus Deum venire nuntiat. *De Patris ergo lumine Decorus ignis almus est, Qui fida Christi pectora Galore Verbi compleat. 'Impleta gaudent viscera, Afflata sancto Spiritu, Vocesque diversas sonant, Fantur Dei magnalia. 'Notique cunctis Gentibus, Graecis, Latinis, Barbaris, Simulque demirantibus, Linguis loquuntur omnium. NOW Christ, ascending whence He came. Had mounted o'er the starry frame, The Holy Ghost on man below, The Father's promise, to bestow. The solemn time was drawing nigh. Replete with heav'nly mystery. On seven days' sevenfold circles borne, That first and blessed Whitsun- morn. When the third hour shone all around, There came a rushing mighty sound. And told the Apostles, while in prayer. That, as was promised, God was there. Forth from the Father's light it came. That beautiful and kindly flame: To fill with fervor of His word The spirits faithful to their Lord. With joy the Apostles' breasts are fired. By God the Holy Ghost inspired: And straight, in divers kinds of speech. The wondrous works of God they preach. To men of every race they speak, Alike Barbarian, Roman, Greek: From the same lips, with awe and fear, All men their native accents hear. 165 PROPER OF THE SEASON 'Judaea tunc incredula, But Juda's sons, e'en faithless yet, Vesana torvo spiritu, With mad infuriate rage beset, Madere musto sobrios To mock Christ's followers com- Christi fideles increpat. bine, As drunken all with new-made wine. *Sed editis miraculis When lo! with signs and mighty Occurrit et docet Petrus, deeds, Falsum profari perfidos, Stands Peter in the midst, and Joele teste comprobans. pleads; Confounding their malignant lie By Joel's ancient prophecy. ' Deo Patri sit gloria, To God the Father let us sing, Et Filio, qui a mortuis To God the Son, our risen King, Surrexit, ac Paraclito, And equally let us adore In saeculorum saecula. The Spirit, God forevermore. Author: Ambrosian, 4th cent. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation : First four stanzas by J. M. Neale ; remainder by G. H. Palmer and J. W. Doran. There are about fifteen translations, three of which are in the Annus Sanc- tus. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Matins on Whitsunday and throughout the octave. The hymn is a metrical setting of Acts 2, 1-16. 1. *' Christ had already ascended on high, returning whence He came, that He might send the Holy Spirit, who was to be received as the gift of the Father." Fruendum: fut. part, of fruor, signifying one who or that which is to be enjoyed; here rather in the sense of ''to be imparted.'' Munere, by the liberality, generosity, etc. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son, and was sent by the Father and the Son. 2. ' ' The solemn day drew nigh, on which the earth, hav- ing revolved seven times in the mystical sevenfold, an- nounces the blessed time." Dies, Pentecost. Septemplici = hebdomas, a period of seven days. It is styled mystical because of the well known mysterious significance of the number seven. The meaning of the stanza is that seven times seven revolutions of the earth take place between Easter and Pentecost. The Pentecost of the Jews was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the Passover or Jewish 1G6 WHITSUNTIDE Easter. The Easter and Pentecost of the Jews were figures of the Christian festivals. The Pentecost of the Old Law was the festival on which was celebrated the 'ingathering" of, and also the thanksgiving for the harvest (cf. Ex. 34, 22; Dent. 16, 9-10). See also the article on Whitsunday, in the Cath. Encycl. Behold the appointed morn appear In solemn mystery sublime! Seven times sevenfold this earthly sphere Revolving, marked the blessed time. — /. D, Chambers. 3. "When at the third hour of day the whole world sud- denly resounds, and announces to the praying Apostles that God is come." Deum = Spiritum Sanctum. 4. '*0f the Father's light, therefore, is that beauteous, kindly flame, which fills with the fervor of the Word the hearts of those believing in Christ." Fidus is generally followed by the dative, but in poetry also by the genitive. Or, fida pectora, Christ's faithful souls. Colore verbi: This may be interpreted as in Neale's version, viz. *'To fill with fervor of His word." It would then refer to the gift of fervid eloquence with which the Apostles were endowed. Or Verhum might preferably be rendered: the Word, the eternal Son of God. Note the following: To warm each faithful breast below With Christ, the Lord's all-quickening glow. — Father Aylward. 5. ** Filled therewith (so. colore verbi), their hearts, in- spired by the Holy Ghost, rejoice, and speaking divers tongues, they proclaim the wondrous works of God." 6. *'At one and the same time, they (each one) spoke to the astonished people in the tongues of all, and they were understood by all, Greeks, Romans, and Barbarians." Noti {sunt). Cwictis, etc., are in the dative with the pas- sive, not the ablative. Read the article on Tongues, Gift of, in the Coth. Encycl. 7. "Then faithless Judea, rendered insane by its savage spirit, accuses the sober, faithful followers of Christ of being drunk with new wine." Judcea, i.e., the Jews. 167 PROPER OF THE SEASON 8. *'But by the miracles wrought, Peter opposes them, and shows that the perfidious Jews speak falsely, proving it by the testimony of Joel" (cf. Joel 2, 28). 70 Beata nobis gaudia BEATA nobis gaudia Anni reduxit orbita, Cum Spiritus Paraclitus Illapsus est Apostolis. * Ignis vibrante lumine Linguae figuram detulit, Verbis ut assent proflui, £t caritate fervidi. ^Linguis loquuntur omnium, Turbae pavent Gentilium: Musto madere deputant, Quos Spiritus repleverat. *Patrata sunt haec mystice, Paschae peracto tempore, Sacro dierum circulo. Quo lege fit remissio. 'Te nunc Deus piissime Vultu precamur cernuo, lUapsa nobis coelitus Largire dona Spiritus. ' Dudum sacrata pectora Tua replesti gratia: Dimitte nostra crimina, £t da quieta tempora. ROUND roll the weeks our hearts to greet. With blissful joy returning; For lo! the Holy Paraclete On twelve bright brows sits burn- ing: With quivering flame He lights on each. In fashion like a tongue, to teach That eloquent they are of speech, Their hearts with true love yearn- ing. While with all tongues they speak to all. The nations deem them maddened, And drunk with wine the Prophets call, Whom God's good Spirit glad- dened; A marvel this — in mystery done — The holy Paschaltide outrun. By numbers told, whose reckoning won Remission for the saddened. God most Holy, Thee we pray, With reverent brow low bending. Grant us the Spirit's gifts to-day — The gifts from heaven descending; And, since. Thy grace hath deigned to bide Within our breasts once sanctified. Deign, Lord, to cast our sins aside, Henceforth calm seasons sending. 168 WHITSUNTIDE ^Deo Patri sit gloria, To God the Father, laud and Et Filio, qui a mortuis praise, Surrexit, ac Paraclito, Praise to the Son be given; In saeculorum saecula. Praise to the Spirit of all grace, The fount of graces seven — As was of old, all worlds before. Is now and shall be evermore. When time and change are spent and o'er — All praise in earth and heaven. Author: Ascribed to St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers (d. 368), but on insufficient evidence. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by W. J. Blew. There are about twenty trans- lations. The Annus Sanctus contains three translations, and a fragment of a fourth. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Lauds on Whitsunday and throughout the octave. 1. ''The circle of the year has again brought back to U3 blessed joys, when the Spirit, the Comforter, came down upon the Apostles." 2. ''The fire with tremulous flame assumed the shape of a tongue, that they might be eloquent in speech and fervent in charity." Et apparuerunt illis dispertitte linguae tam- quam ignis, seditque supra singulos eorum (Acts 2, 3). 3. ' ' Speaking in the tongues of all, the multitudes of the Gentiles are amazed: they deemed as drunk with new wine, those whom the Holy Ghost had filled." 4. "These things were wrought mystically, when the Paschal time was completed, in the sacred circle of days in which by law remission occurred. ' ' Circulo = numero, as in the Original Text. Remissio: The allusion is to the annus remissionis (Ezech. 46, 17), or Year of Jubilee, which in the Old Law occurred every fifty years (cf. Lev. 25). During the Year of Jubilee, debts were remitted, slaves liberated, etc. Read the article on Jubilee, in the Cath. Encycl. Read also the article on Sabbatical Year, as both are referred to in Lev. 25. 5. "With bowed heads, we now beseech Thee, most loving God, to bestow upon us the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which were sent down from heaven." Largire, imper. of largior. 169 PROPER OF THE SEASON 6. "Formerly Thou didst fill with Thy grace sacred breasts; pardon now our sins and grant us peaceful days." The first two lines of this stanza may refer either to our own breasts sanctified in Baptism, or to the breasts of the Apostles which were sanctified in so wondrous a manner on the day of Pentecost. Note the elaborate English doxology. 71 Trinity Sunday O lux beata Trinitas OLUX beata Trinitas, Et principalis Unitas, Jam sol recedet igneus, Infunde lumen cordibus. ^Te mane laudimi carmine, Te deprecemur vespere : Te nostra supplex gloria Per cuncta laudet saecula. TRINITY of blessed light, Unity of princely might, The fiery sun now goes his way; Shed Thou within our hearts Thy ray. To morning song of Thee our praise. To Thee our evening prayer we raise; Thy glory suppliant we adore Forever and forevermore. 'Deo Patri sit gloria, All laud to God the Father be; Ejusque soli Filio, All praise, Eternal Son, to Thee; Cum Spiritu Paraclito, All glory, as is ever meet, Et nunc et in perpetuum. To God the Holy Paraclete. Liturgical Use : Vespers hymn for the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. The Roman Breviary text of this hymn is the same as that of the Vespers hymn for Saturday, No. 29, with the substitution of amor em for lumen in 1. 4. The text given above is the Original Text with a translation of the same by J. M. Neale. Compare the above Latin text with the Revised Text, hymn 29. 72 SummcB Parens clementite SUMM.^ Parens clementiae, Mundi regis qui machinam, Unius et substantias, Trinusque personis Deus, OGOD, by whose command is swayed This ordered world which Thou hast made; Parent of heavenly clemency. In nature One, in persons Three; 170 TRINITY SUNDAY ^ Da dexteram surgentibus, Exurgat ut mens sobria, Flagrans et in laudem Dei Grates rependat debitas. 'Deo Patri sit gloria, Natoque Patris unico, Cum Spiritu Paraclito, In sempiterna saecula. Assist us while our minds we raise, Inflamed with Thy immortal praise; That with our sober thoughts, we may Forever our thanksgiving pay. May age by age Thy wonders tell, Eternal praise Thy works reveal. And sing with the celestial host The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Matins on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Translation in the Primer, 1706, probably by John Dryden. This hymn is a cento from hymns already treated. The first stanza is from Hymn 21 ; the second, from Hymn 20. 73 Tu, Trinitatis Unitas TU, Trinitatis Unitas, Orbem potenter quae regis, Attende laudis canticum. Quod excubantes psallimus. ^Drtus refulget lucifer, Praeitque solem nuntius: Cadunt tenebrae noctium: Lux sancta nos illuminet. *Deo Patri sit gloria, Ej usque soli Filio, Cum Spiritu Paraclito, Nunc et per omne saeculum. OTHOU, who dost all nature sway. Dread Trinity in Unity, Accept the trembling praise we pay To Thy eternal majesty. The star that heralds in the dawn Is slowly fading in the skies; The darkness melts — Thou true Light, Upon our darkened souls arise. To God the Father glory be. And to the sole-begotten Son, And Holy Ghost co-equally. While everlasting ages run. Liturgical Use: Hymn for Lauds on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. Translation by Father Caswall. This hymn is a cento from hymns already treated. The first stanza is from Hymn 19; the second, from Hymn 20. 171 74 PROPER OF THE SEASON O DeuSy ego amo te ODEUS, ego amo te, Nee amo te, ut salves me, Aut quia non amantes te i^terno pimis igne. ^ Tu, tu, mi Jesu, totum me Amplexus es in cruce; Tulisti clavos, lanceam, Multamque ignominiam. 'Innumeros dolores, Sudores, et angores, Et mortem, et haec propter me, Ac pro me peccatore. *Cur igitur non amem te, Jesu amantissime, Non, ut in ccelo salves me, Aut ne aeternum damnes me, '^Nec praemii ullius spe, Sed sicut tu amasti me? Sic amo et amabo te, Solum quia Rex meus es, Et solum quia Deus es. TI/TY God, I love Thee, not be- ■'-"■*• cause I hope for heaven thereby; Nor yet since they who love Thee not Must bum eternally. Thou, my Jesus, Thou didst me Upon the Cross embrace; For me didst bear the nails and spear. And manifold disgrace; And griefs and torments number- less. And sweat of agony; E'en death itself; and all for one Who was Thine enemy. Then why, blessed Jesus Christ, Should I not love Thee well. Not for the sake of winning heaven. Or of escaping hell; Not with the hope of gaining aught. Not seeking a reward; But as Thyself hast loved me, O ever-loving Lord? E'en so I love Thee, and will love. And in Thy praise will sing. Solely because Thou art my God, And my eternal King. Author: St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552). **It seems fairly certain that the original was a Spanish or Portuguese sonnet, and was written by St. Francis Xavier in the East Indies about 1546" {Diet, of Hymnology, p. 1679). There are several Latin versions ; the author of the above version is not known. Meter: Iambic dimeter. Translation by Father Caswall. There are about twenty-five translations. 172 CORPUS CHRISTI Although this hymn is not found in the Breviary or Missal it is deservedly very popular. There is an article on Deus ego amo te in the Cath. Encycl. The article treats of two Latin hymns beginning with the same first line ; both hymns are attributed to St. Francis Xavier. Of these hymns Dr. Duffield says: "They are transfused and shot through by a personal sense of absorption into the divine love, w^hich has fused and crystallized them in its fiercest heat. ' ' And to their author, he pays this beautiful tribute: "It is impossible to study his life without a con- viction there was in it a devout and gallant purpose to bless the world .... And in the two hymns which bear his name we are able to discover that fine attar which is the precious residuum of many crushed and fragrant aspira- tions, which grew above the thorns of sharp trial and were strewn at last upon the wind-swept beach of that poor Pisgah island from which he truly beheld the distant Land" {Latin Hymn-Writers and Their Hymns, pp. 298-315). The hymn offers no difficulty to the translator. Corpus Christi preliminary observations The next five hymns are the great Eucharistic hymns of St. Thomas Aquinas (1227-1274). They were written at the request of Pope Urban IV, on the occasion of the insti- tution of the Feast of Corpus Christi in 1264. The hymns of the Angelic Doctor are remarkable for their smoothness and clearness, and for their logical conciseness and dog- matic precision. They are pervaded throughout by a spirit of the profoundest piety so characteristic of the Angel of the Schools. It is fitting that a great Doctor of the Church and a great Saint should have confined his hymn-writing to a single subject, and that, the sweetest and profoundest of all subjects, the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. The hymns taken collectively contain an admirable sum- mary of the Catholic doctrine of the Holy Eucharist. "The Lauda Sion," says Archbishop Bagshawe, is in itself "a condensed compendium of exact theology" {Breviary 173 PROPER OF THE SEASON Hymns and Missal Sequences, Preface). Several of the clear-cut, doctrinal statements that are found in the Lauda Sion occur again and again in the other hymns. To obviate repetitions in the Notes, and to afford additional aids to the proper understanding of the hymns, the following doc- trinal statements from authoritative sources may be found useful : 1. * 'It has always been believed in the Church of God that immediately after the consecration, the true Body of Our Lord and His true Blood exist under the species of bread and wine, together with His Soul and Divinity: the Body under the species of bread, and the Blood under the species of wine, by force of the words; but the Body under the species of wane, and the Blood under the species of bread, and the Soul under both by force of the natural connection and concomitance by which the parts of the Lord Christ, who rose from the dead to die no more, are linked together : and the Divinity by reason of Its admirable Hypostatic Union with the Body and Soul. Wherefore it is most true that there is as much contained under either species as under both, for Christ exists whole and entire under the species of bread, and under every part of the species, whole too and entire under the species of wine and under its parts" (Council of Trent, Sess. 13, Ch. 3. Quoted from the Outlines of Dogmatic Theology, by Father Hunter, S.J. Vol. 3, p. 258). 2. The following is from the Profession of Faith of Pope Pius IV, which was drawn up shortly after the conclusion of the Council of Trent: *'I profess .... that in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, there is truly, really, and substantially, the Body and Blood, together with the Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that there is made a conversion of the whole substance of the bread into the Body, and of the w^hole substance of the wine into the Blood ; which conversion the Catholic Church calls Transubstantiation. I also confess, that under either kind alone, Christ is received whole and entire, and a true Sacrament" (From Father Devine's The Creed Explained, p. 55). 3. ''Since the species of bread and wine are not the 174 CORPUS CHRISTI proper, but only the assumed species of the Body and Blood of Christ, what is done to the species cannot there- fore be said to be done to the Body and Blood of Christ itself. If, for instance, the former are divided or broken, the Body of Christ is not thereby divided or broken. But as the Body of Christ exists permanently under the species, and is really present wherever the species are, it is actually borne from place to place, as are the species. We may rightly say, however, that the Sacrament is broken {fracto demum sacramento) ; for the species are an essential part of the Sacrament" (Father "Wilmer's Handbook of the Christian Religion, p. 334). 4. ''Every day the Eucharistic mysteries place Our Lord in a state analogous to that which He took upon Himself in the Incarnation. The Eucharistic species subsist in- dependently of their proper substance, as the human nature of the Word Incarnate subsisted independently of His natural personality. . . . Not without reason does the Church, in her offices and Eucharistic hymns, constantly bring these two mysteries together, the Incarnation and Transubstantiation" (From The Eucharistic Life of Christ, in Father Matthew Russell's Jesus Is Waiting, p. 87). The following paragraph expresses briefly and authoritatively the teaching of the Church concerning the Incarnation and the Person of Christ. 5. ''But it is also necessary for eternal salvation, that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the right faith is, that we believe and confess, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is both God and man. He is God of the substance of His Father, begotten before the world; and He is man of the substance of His Mother, born in the world. Perfect God and perfect man ; of rational soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father according to His Divinity; less than the Father according to His humanity. Who, although He is both God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. One, not by the conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by the assuming of human nature unto God. One altogether, not by con- fusion of substance, but by unity of person. For as the rational soul and the body constitutes one man, so God and 175 PROPER OF THE SEASON man is one Christ'* (From the Creed of St. Athanasius). Such was the Christ who was born for ns at Bethlehem; the Good Shepherd who sought out the lost sheep of the house of Israel; the great High Priest who gave Himself to His disciples with His own hands at the Last Supper; and who as Priest and Victim offered Himself on Calvary, and daily offers Himself on countless altars from the rising till the setting of the sun. 6. "Christ is entirely present under each species and under each particle of either species. Christ is entirely present — with His flesh and blood, His body and soul. His manhood and Godhead under each species. Christ gave His disciples the same body that He possessed, and on our altars bread is changed into the same body which is now glorified in heaven ; for the words : This is My body, would not be true, unless the bread were changed into the living body of Christ as it now exists. So, too, the wine is changed into the blood of the living Christ. But where the body of the living Christ is there is also His blood, and His soul, and divinity; and where His blood is there is also His body, soul, and divinity — the entire Christ." '^ Christ is wholly present in each particle of either species so that he who receives one particle of the host receives the whole Christ" (Wilmer's Handbook, p. 334). 7. The parallel passages in the Scriptures referring directly to the Institution of the Holy Eucharist are the following: St. Matt. 26, 26-28; St. Mark 14, 22-24; St. Luke 22, 19-20; St. Paul I Cor. 11, 23-25. The following is from St. Luke: ''And taking bread, he gave thanks, and broke, and gave to them, saying: This is my body which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me. In like manner the chalice also, after he had supped, saying: This is the chalice, the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you." See also the words of promise (St. John 6, 48-59) which were uttered by Our Lord about one year before the institution of the Holy Eucharist. 8. Types: By types, in the Scriptures, are meant such persons and things in the Old Law as prefigured persons and things in the New. The Old Law itself and the various sacrifices it prescribed were but the types or shadows, not 176 i lftaf:3\6rmnmi ^mfrfHliafiaittud( ^Jui^cmcc^nouit onidJliitq^cDflUa U <^ tiut.aiitQui5|)nat fitiiincmminta^a^mdiiii, dotriburtiU'cirCll numitaij.CDfiitbinuirftqiJff ntiiDbdhI mifericDcdiafuI; ; - J\!ntl