Saturday: II & IV

Lauds : 7th -8th Centuries:

In an early MS this hymn is appointed for Saturday at Matins. The current breviary uses stanzas 1-3 and 10 of ten stanzas in the original. 

Diei luce reddita,

laetis gratisque vocibus

Dei canamus gloriam,

Christi fatentes gratiam,

Per quem creator omnium

diem noctemque condidit,

aeterna lege sanciens

ut semper succedant sibi.

Tu vera lux fidelium, (1)

quem lex veterna non tenet,

noctis nec ortu succidens,

aeterno fulgens lumine.

Praesta, Pater ingenite,

totum ducamus iugiter

Christo placentes hunc diem

Sancto repleti Spiritu. Amen

1.    Walpole: ‘thou the true light of the faithful, shining with eternal light, who art not bound by the ancient law, nor by the rising of each successive night’.

2.      Walsh and Husch:  lex veterna is not the Old Testament but alteration of light and darkness in the natural order.

As the light of day is returned, with joyful and grateful voices let us sing of God’s glory, confessing the grace of Christ. Through whom the creator of all made day and night, ordaining by an eternal law that one should succeed the other. True light of the faithful, whom the ancient law could not restrain, nor could the rising of the night, he who glows with eternal light.  Grant, O great Father, that we pass this whole day ever pleasing Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

When the Office of Readings is said in the daytime: 14th Century (?)

Deus de nullo véniens,

Deus de Deo pródiens,

Deus ab his progrédiens,

in nos veni subvéniens.

Tu nostrum desidérium,

tu sis amor et gáudium;

in te nostra cupíditas

et sit in te iucúnditas.

Pater, cunctórum Dómine,

cum Génito de Vírgine,

intus et in circúitu

nos rege Sancto Spíritu.

Meménto, Sancta Trínitas,

quod tua fecit bónitas,

creándo prius hóminem,

recreándo per sánguinem.

Nam quos creávit Unitas,

redémit Christi cáritas;

patiéndo tunc díligens,

nunc díligat nos éligens.

Tríadi sanctæ gáudium,

pax, virtus et impérium,

decus, omnipoténtia,

laus, honor, reveréntia. Amen.

God from nothing coming forth, God begotten of God, God proceeding from both, come to help us. You are our desire, you are love and joy, may our yearning be for you and our happiness be in you. Father, Lord of all, with the Offspring of the Virgin, by the Holy Spirit govern us inwardly and outwardly. Remember, Holy Trinity, what your goodness has created, first by creating man, then by redeeming him with your blood. For what Unity created, the love of Christ redeemed, once loving us by showing patience, now loving us by choosing us. Joy to the Holy Trinity, peace, strength, and authority, respect, almighty power, praise, honor and reverence. Amen.

Vespers : St. Ambrose

Walpole: Ambrose probably wrote it for daily use throughout the  year and Ambrosian MSS give as rubric simply  hymnus uespertinalis. It was adopted into the later hymnary and there assigned to vespers on Saturday. 'Its general use is on Saturdays from that preceding the 1st Sunday after the Octave of the Epiphany to the Saturday before Quadragesima Sunday, both inclusive ; and from the Saturday preceding the 1st Sunday in August to Advent.' (Julian p. 290.)

Deus, creátor ómnium

políque rector, véstiens

diem decóro lúmine,

noctem sopóris grátia,

Artus solútos ut quies

reddat labóris úsui

mentésque fessas állevet

luctúsque solvat ánxios,

Grates perácto iam die

et noctis exórtu preces,

voti reos ut ádiuves,

hymnum canéntes sólvimus.

Te cordis ima cóncinant,

te vox canóra cóncrepet,

te díligat castus amor,

te mens adóret sóbria,

Ut cum profúnda cláuserit

diem calígo nóctium,

fides ténebras nésciat

et nox fide relúceat.

Christum rogámus et Patrem,

Christi Patrísque Spíritum;

unum potens per ómnia,

fove precántes, Trínitas. Amen.

O God, Creator of all, Ruler of the sky, vesting the day with beauteous light, night with the grace of rest. That quiet might loosen limbs and restore us for work and relieve weary minds, relax anxious grief. Grateful for the day that has passed and urged by the prayers of night, we sing and offer you a hymn that you would us keep our vows. May our inmost hearts sing to you, the tuneful voice resound, chaste desire love you, sober minds adore you. That when the deep darkness of night covers the day, faith may know no darkness and night may sparkle with faith. We ask this of Christ and his Father and the Spirit of Christ and the Father, one power through all things, O Trinity, favor those who pray. Amen.