Wednesday: Weeks II & IV: Spe nos fidéque dívites/ For St. Anthony

Lauds: 5^th-6^th Centuries

Appointed by Caesarius for Prime but later at Matins on Wednesday.

Fulgéntis auctor ǽtheris,

qui lunam lumen nóctibus,

solem diérum cúrsibus

certo fundásti trámite,

Nox atra iam depéllitur,

mundi nitor renáscitur,

novúsque iam mentis vigor

dulces in actus érigit.

Laudes sonáre iam tuas

dies relátus ádmonet,

vultúsque cæli blándior

nostra serénat péctora.

Vitémus omne lúbricum,

declínet prava spíritus,

vitam facta non ínquinent,

linguam culpa non ímplicet;

Sed, sol diem dum cónficit,

fides profúnda férveat,

spes ad promíssa próvocet,

Christo coniúngat caritas

Author of the glittering sky, you established in a secure orbit the moon as light for night, the sun for the course of day. Dark night now is driven away, the brightness of the world is reborn, now new strength of mind directs us in pleasing deeds. Day returned admonishes us to sing your praises and the countenance of the more pleasant sky brightens our hearts. Let us shun all deceit, the spirit decline crooked things, our actions not indict our life, faults not entangle the tongue. But, while the sun makes the day, may deep faith burn, hope call us to the divine promises, love join us to Christ. 

When the Office of Readings is said in the daytime: 10^th Century

Christe, lux vera, bónitas et vita,

gáudium mundi, píetas imménsa,

qui nos a morte vívido salvásti

sánguine tuo,

Insere tuum, pétimus, amórem

méntibus nostris, fídei refúnde

lumen ætérnum, caritátis auge

dilectiónem.

Procul a nobis pérfidus absístat

Satan, a tuis víribus confráctus;

Sanctus assístat Spíritus, a tua

sede demíssus. Amen

O Christ, the true light, goodness and life, the joy of the world, immense love, who saves us from living death by your blood. Put love in our souls, pour out the eternal light of faith, increase our love of charity. May envious Satan, broken by your strength,  be far from us; May the Holy Spirit, sent down from your throne, come to our aid. Amen.

Vespers:  novus

Sol, ecce, lentus óccidens

montes et arva et ǽquora

mæstus relínquit, ínnovat

sed lucis omen crástinæ,

Mirántibus mortálibus

sic te, Creátor próvide,

leges vicésque témporum

umbris dedísse et lúmini.

Ac dum, ténebris ǽthera

siléntio preméntibus,

vigor labórum déficit,

quies cupíta quǽritur,

Spe nos fidéque dívites

tui beámur lúmine

Verbi, quod est a sǽculis

splendor patérnæ glóriæ.

Est ille sol qui nésciat

ortum vel umquam vésperum;

quo terra gestit cóntegi,

quo cæli in ævum iúbilant.

Hac nos seréna pérpetim

da luce tandem pérfrui,

cum Nato et almo Spíritu

tibi novántes cántica. Amen.

Behold the sun slowly setting, now sadly abandons mountains, fields and streams but makes anew a sign of tomorrow’s light. To astonished mortals, you, the Creator providentially give the rules and changes of time, shadows and light. And while, the darkness remains in the silent sky, strength for work declines, quiet is desired and sought. May we be blessed by the light of your Word, made rich with hope and faith, the eternal brightness of the Father’s glory. This is the Sun, which knows no setting, no evening, by which the earth hastens to be covered, by which the heavens rejoice forever. By this peaceful light grant that at last we may enjoy singing to you a new hymn. with the Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Common of Religious

Ad Officium lectionis & ad Vesperas: novus

Læti coléntes fámulum

qui te perfécte cóluit,

tibi gratánter, Dómine,

amóris hymnum prómimus.

Christi fidélis assecla,

ultro relíquit gáudia

cuncta quæ mundus éxhibet

fugáces atque cópias.

Tibi se vovit súbditum

humilitáte obœdiens,

Christi, carnis mundítie,

sponsi æmulátor vírginum.

Tibi placére géstiit

tibíque adhæsit únice,

mentem, verba vel ópera

amóris fovens ígnibus.

His caritátis vínculis

in terris tibi déditus,

liber ad astra iúgiter

triumphatúrus pródiit.

Eius exémplis éxcitos

da gradi nos alácriter,

ut te cum Nato et Spíritu

laudémus hymnis cælicis. Amen.

Joyfully we honor your servant, who honored you perfectly, O Lord, to you we gratefully offer a hymn of love. A faithful follower of Christ,  he freely renounced all joys which the world can give and its fleeting wealth. He vowed submission to you, humbly obedient, in chastity of flesh he imitated Christ the spouse of virgins. Eager to please you, he clung to you only, fostering mind, words and deeds with the fire of love. Through these bonds of love he dedicated himself to you on earth,  unencumbered he went on perpetually to triumph among the stars. Grant that we, aroused by his example might step forward quickly that we may with heavenly hymns praise you with the Son and Spirit. Amen.

Ad Laudes matutinas: novus

O redemptóris píetas colénda,

quæ Patri exóptans hómines dicári,

Spíritus miro varióque ducis

  péctora nutu!

Quos tua lympha facis esse natos

ex Deo vero, nova vis in illis

grátiam crebro dare caritátis

  gérmina, Christe.

Tu vocas: currunt álacres vocáti,

ábdicant cunctis, duce te voléntes,

calle regáli crucis, usque solum

  quærere Patrem.

Cælitus fervens ita sanctus iste

víribus totis tibi amánter hæsit,

atque virtútum cúpiit tenére

  cúlmina læta.

Laus Patri summo, tibi, Christe princeps,

Flámini Sancto párilis resúltet,

parva qui danti, bona corde magno

  céntupla fertis. Amen.

O worthy love of the Redeemer, which desires that men be called to the Father, you lead them in the wondrous and varied ways of the Spirit, by beckoning the heart.  Those whom you have made sons of the true God by your baptismal waters, you often wish to give grace by new seeds of love, O Christ. You call and those called run quickly,  leaving everything behind, taking you as their leader, on the royal road of the cross, to seek the Father alone. On fire for heaven, so this saint lovingly adhered to you with all his might and desired to grasp the happy pinnacle of the virtues. May praise resound to the highest Father and to you, O princely Christ,  equally to the fiery Spirit, who grants to the poor of a pure heart to bring forth goods a hundredfold. Amen.