Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Tempus Paschale: Ad Tertiam: Ambrosius: notanda

Walpole: Augustine definitely says that Ambrose wrote this hymn ; see de Natura et Gratia 63 quem Spiritum memoratus episcopus etiam precibus impetrandum admonet, ubi in hymno dicit : notisque praestat sedulis sanctum mereri Spiritum. Even without his authority we might know from the style and from the treatment of the subject- matter that it came from Ambrose.  Caesarius of Arles, in his Regula ad virgines, and Aurelian both appoint it to be sung in primo die paschae ad tertiam, the latter adding cotidianis . . .diebus (i.e. on week days as opposed to Sundays and festivals) ad tertiam sex psalmos dicite antiphonam, ymnum lam surgit hora tertia.

Iam surgit hora tértia, (1)
qua Christus ascéndit crucem;
nil ínsolens mens cógitet, (2)
inténdat afféctum precis. (3)

Qui corde Christum súscipit, (4)
innóxium sensum gerit
votísque præstat sédulis
Sanctum meréri Spíritum. (5)

Hæc hora, quæ finem dedit (6)
diri vetérno críminis;
hinc iam beáta témpora
cœpére Christi grátia.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,
qui morte victa prænites,
cum Patre et almo Spíritu,
in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

 1. surgit is used of time; 2. nil insolens:  'no proud thought’;  the hour of Christ's humiliation is no season for this. 3. inténdat afféctum:  appears to mean' the mind to pray '; intendere:  to apply oneself to it, to give all one's attention to it;  4.  This we are invited to do by a reminder of what happen toke place at the third hour. 5. meréri: 'win,' ' obtain' ; Augustine quotes these lines to shew that Ambrose held the belief that men can do nothing without the grace of God. Clearly he had no idea that mereri could be used against him in the sense of ' to merit'; 6. Walpole does not include this verse but Walsh and Husch have it: finem… críminis: the people before Christ , defaced by original sin, are now cleansed; Walsh and Husch read for the last two lines of this stanza: mortisque regnum diruit/ culpamque ab aevo sustulit;


Now rises the third hour, when Christ ascends the cross; let the mind think no haughty thoughts, but be intent on the love of prayer. He who receives Christ in his heart carries no harmful feelings, but with watchful prayers merits the Holy Spirit.  This is the hour which put to an end the old grievous sins; now is the blessed season, when the grace of Christ begins. O Jesus, to you be glory, shining by your victory over death, with the Father and loving Spirit, in eternal ages. Amen

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