St. Andrew, Apostle

At Lauds: St. Peter Damian

Captátor olim píscium,

iam nunc piscátor hóminum,

tuis, Andréa, rétibus

mundi nos rape flúctibus.

Germánus Petri córpore

nec mortis dispar órdine;

quos una caro génuit,

crux cælo fratres édidit.

O germen venerábile,

o par coróna glóriæ!

Ecclésiæ patres pii

crucis sunt æque fílii.

Ad Iesum fratri prævius

indéxque vitæ strénuus,

et nobis esto míseris

beáti dux itíneris.

Fratris comes egrégius,

Ecclésias impénsius

da caritáte exércitas

pastóri Petro súbditas.

Vir Christo dilectíssime,

amóre fac nos cúrrere,

ut læti adépti pátriam

Deo canámus glóriam. Amen.

O Andrew, who once caught fish, now you are a fisher of men: with your nets rescue us from the raging waves of the world.  Brother of Peter in the flesh and you did not suffer a different kind of death from him: Born of one flesh the cross made you brothers in heaven. O venerable common seed!  O equal crown of glory! Holy Fathers of the Church.  Equally sons of the Cross. You came to Jesus before your brother, strong proof of your character, also be for us in our misery a guide on the road blessed. Extraordinary companion to your brother, grant to the churches under the shepherd Peter that they be moved by immense love. O Man greatly loved by Christ, make us to run in love that joyfully reaching our fatherland we may sing God’s glory. Amen.

Vespers: 10^th Century?

Exsúltet cælum láudibus,

resúltet terra gáudiis:

Apostolórum glóriam

sacra canunt sollémnia.

Vos, sæcli iusti iúdices

et vera mundi lúmina,

votis precámur córdium,

audíte preces súpplicum.

Qui cælum verbo cláuditis

serásque eius sólvitis,

nos a peccátis ómnibus

sólvite iussu, quæsumus.

Quorum præcépto súbditur

salus et languor ómnium,

sanáte ægros móribus,

nos reddéntes virtútibus,

Ut, cum iudex advénerit

Christus in fine sæculi,

nos sempitérni gáudii

fáciat esse cómpotes.

Deo sint laudes glóriæ,

qui dat nos evangélicis

per vos doctrínis ínstrui

et prósequi cæléstia. Amen.

May heaven exult with praises, earth resound with joy: holy solemnities sing the glory of the Apostles. Who with a word close the doors to heaven and loosen its bars: we beseech you at your command absolve us from all our sins. By your decree ill health and the sickness are subdued: heal the sick and restore us to strength of life. That when Christ the Judge will come at the end of time, he will grant us to share in everlasting joys. Praises of glory be to God, who granted that through you we be instructed in the teaching of the Gospel and attain heaven. Amen

Cassiodorus on Psalm 30: “we must note that the psalm is the fourth of those which make brief mention of the Lord’s passion and resurrection”.

Cassiodorus on Psalm 30: “we must note that the psalm is the fourth of those which make brief mention of the Lord’s passion and resurrection”. 

6. Into thy hands I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth. Let us consider why the words which the gospel-text utters are set here, for the gospel too says: Into thy hands I commend my spirit; and bowing his head he gave up the ghost. Undoubtedly this is so that you may realize that here too the same Man was speaking who was to say the same words when set on the cross many centuries later. Into thy hands means "Into Your truth, where You always perform kind and just deeds." So, He commends to the Father that treasure beyond reckoning, that soul which did the Father's will with equal dedication. So, it was right that such a spirit be commended to One so great to raise it. Then He attests that He was redeemed. But let us see at what price; it was that stated by Paul: He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant: You see how great the price was, that He lowered His majesty to the level of human flesh. He emptied Himself to fill things human with things heavenly. But so that you might clearly realize that this was the Lord, He added His identity, the God of truth. In a unique sense He is the God of those who love truth and are not compounded with any falsehood.

St. Albert the Great on the Psalms: Psalm 44(45)

3. Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee forever.

You are the most handsome of all men; charm flows from your lips. God, the Supreme Being, has blessed you from eternity.

45:2.1 Here is commendation of the groom, from four aspects, as the Gloss proposes: (1) beauty, (2) power: "Put on your sword", (3) authority of judging: "Your throne", (4) dress or adornment: "Myrrh and aloes". The first has three points: (1) beauty, (2) the radiation of this beauty to others: "grace is poured", (3) the reward for these two: "therefore God blessed". The idea is: He speaks prophetically, I will speak to the king, You are beautiful, without any interior stain of sin —Is 53:9 = 1 Pet 2:22 who did not commit sin. —Augustine: The true and highest beauty is justice. —Jer 23:6 This is the name they will call him: Yahweh our justice. And this above the sons of men, since he surpasses all in beauty. Angels are not mentioned, even though he is more beautiful than all the angels, because the comparison is made within his own human species. —Augustine: He was among the sons of men, from the sons of men, and ahead of the sons of men.

Note, with Cassiodorus, that he is speaking here of the beauty of the mind, not of the body. So the word "beautiful" does not refer to radiating with the color of milk or shining with blond hair or having an outstanding build, but that he had no sin —Is 53:2 He had no form or charm. —Augustine seems to point out a contradiction: He found in us much that is dirty, yet loved us, while if we find something dirty in him we should not love it, because he is beautiful in the very fact that he took on flesh. Response: He was truly beautiful, even according to his humanity, and Cassiodorus does not deny this, but he wants to say that the Prophet is not speaking about that beauty, because of Prov 31:30 Charm is a lie and beauty is vanity. Rather, he is speaking about mental beauty. The passage from Isaiah refers to his condition in the Passion, when he was smeared with the dirty spit of the Jews and he was pale while dying on the cross. So he was ugly to the unbelievers, but to the believers he is always beautiful. —Augustine: To you who believe he is beautiful everywhere: beautiful in the hands of his parents, beautiful in his miracles, beautiful as he was scourged, beautiful as he gave up his soul, beautiful as he took it back, beautiful on the wood, beautiful in the tomb, beautiful in heaven. But, because beauty if not sufficient unless it can overflow and beautify others, he adds:

The grace of the doctrine of truth, which you spread to others so that they may become beautiful, is abundantly poured on your lips, not only on your lips, but on your whole face —Judith 15?? You are very wonderful, Lord, and your face is full of grace. But the soul who speaks here may focus on the beauty of the lips because it is ready for a kiss that will bring some of that grace —Cant 1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. —Cant 8:1 Who will give you to me as a brother sucking the breasts of my mother. Then if I find you outside I can kiss you and no one will despise me. Note the abundance of the effusion, since everything that came from his lips was grace —Augustine: Grace is poured on your lips when you cure the sick with a word, when you order the sea to be quiet, when you tell the winds to be silent, when you order a fever to go away, when you call Lazarus forth, and he comes out when called and listens to you. Everything that you speak is perfected by the grace of your lips —John 7:46 Never has a man spoken like this. —Qoheleth 8:4 The word of the king is sovereign. —Mat 7:29 He taught them as one having power, not like the Scribes and Pharisees.

Because you are beautiful and good and useful to others, therefore God has blessed you, who is greater than you as a man —Heb 7:7 It is incontrovertible that the lesser is blessed by the greater. And that, not with a sinister blessing, as Esau received (Gen 27:39-40), which is one of temporal prosperity, but forever, giving you the kingdom without end —Luke 1:33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.

St. Augustine on Psalm 41(42) run like the hart: the first psalm at Lauds

St. Augustine on Psalm 41(42) run like the hart

Run to the fountain; long for the fountain; but do it not anyhow, be not satisfied with running like any ordinary animal; run thou like the hart. What is meant by like the hart? Let there be no sloth in your running; run with all your might: long for the fountain with all your might. For we find in the hart an emblem of swiftness.

3. But perhaps Scripture meant us to consider in the stag not this point only, but another also. Hear what else there is in the hart. It destroys serpents, and after the killing of serpents, it is inflamed with thirst yet more violent; having destroyed serpents, it runs to the water-brooks, with thirst more keen than before. The serpents are your vices, destroy the serpents of iniquity; then will you long yet more for the Fountain of Truth. Perhaps avarice whispers in your ear some dark counsel, hisses against the word of God, hisses against the commandment of God. And since it is said to you, Disregard this or that thing, if you prefer working iniquity to despising some temporal good, you choose to be bitten by a serpent, rather than destroy it. Whilst, therefore, you are yet indulgent to your vice, your covetousness or your appetite, when am I to find in you a longing such as this, that might make you run to the water-brooks?...

4. There is another point to be observed in the hart. It is reported of stags...that when they either wander in the herds, or when they are swimming to reach some other parts of the earth, that they support the burdens of their heads on each other, in such a manner as that one takes the lead, and others follow, resting their heads upon him, as again others who follow do upon them, and others in succession to the very end of the herd; but the one who took the lead in bearing the burden of their heads, when tired, returns to the rear, and rests himself after his fatigue by supporting his head just as did the others; by thus supporting what is burdensome, each in turn, they both accomplish their journey, and do not abandon each other. Are they not a kind of harts that the Apostle addresses, saying, Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the Law of Christ? Galatians 6:2 ...

5. My soul is thirsty for the living God Psalm 41:2. What I am saying, that as the hart pants after the water-brooks, so longs my soul after You, O God, means this, My soul is thirsty for the living God. For what is it thirsty? When shall I come and appear before God? This it is for which I am thirsty, to come and to appear before Him. I am thirsty in my pilgrimage, in my running; I shall be filled on my arrival. But When shall I come? And this, which is soon in the sight of God, is late to our longing. When shall I come and appear before God? This too proceeds from that longing, of which in another place comes that cry, One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Wherefore so? That I may behold (he says) the beauty of the Lord. When shall I come and appear before the Lord?...

St. Basil the Great: Homily on Psalm 1: The value of psalmody

St. Basil the Great: Homily on Psalm 1: The value of psalmody

Everything in the scripture has been divinely inspired, and has its uses. The Holy Spirit has dictated it in such a way that everyone can choose from it, as from a dispensary open to all, the remedy suited to his malady. Great harm, it is written, by its healing touch may yet be assuaged. The Psalter contains in itself whatever is good in all other books. It foretells the future, it recalls facts of history, it gives rules of life, it suggests practical attitudes of mind. Briefly, it is a treasure-house of good doctrine from which all can draw; it gives carefully what will be useful for each individual. It cures all the old wounds of the soul and brings a speedy cure for fresh ones. It heals all that is sick and preserves what is in good health. It suppresses completely, as far as possible, the interior movements which in so many ways, in human life, tyrannize over souls; and it does this in so charming and pleasing a manner as to bring health to the soul. For the Holy Spirit well knows that humanity does not easily tend to virtue, and our eagerness for the pleasurable makes us neglect the right path. Then what does he do? He gives his instructions melodiously, so that, without our knowing it, the teaching of the words will sink into us with the charm and sweetness of the sounds. It is what good doctors often do when they have to give a disagreeable medicine to an invalid without appetite: they smear some honey on the edge of the glass.

Psalmody gives tranquility to souls, brings peace by mastering surging thoughts. It calms anger and represses concupiscence. Psalmody strengthens friendship, unites those who are estranged, reconciles those who are angry, for who could consider as an enemy one who united his voice with his in praise of God? Psalmody also gives the greatest of goods, charity: it unites all into one choir. It puts the devils to flight and insures the help of the angels. It is a protection against the fears of night-time, a rest in the work of the day. It strengthens children, adorns the young, consoles the aged and beautifies women. It peoples solitude, it stills agitated assemblies. It is the voice of the Church. It gives splendor to festivals. It gives rise to the sadness which comes from God; from a heart of stone it can draw tears.

Psalmody is the occupation of the angels, it is the life of heaven, it is the spiritual sacrifice. It contains true theology: the prophecies of the Incarnation, the threats of judgement, the hope of resurrection, the fear of punishment, the promise of glory, the revelation of mysteries—all these are gathered up in the book of Psalms, a great treasure-house open to all the world.

THE SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING: Encyclical letter of Pope Pius Xl Nature and extent of the kingdom of Christ

The foundation of this power and dignity of our Lord is rightly indicated by Cyril of Alexandria. "Christ," he says, "has dominion over all creatures, a dominion not seized by violence nor usurped, but his by essence and by nature'. His kingship is founded upon the ineffable hypostatic union. From this it follows not only that Christ is to be adored by angels and men, but that to him as man angels and men are subject, and must recognize his empire; by reason of the hypostatic union Christ has power over all creatures. But a thought that must give us even greater joy and consolation is this, that Christ is our king by acquired, as well as by natural right; for he is our Redeemer. Would that they who forget what they have cost their Savior might recall the words: You were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Iamb unspotted and undefiled. We are no longer our own property, for Christ has purchased us with a great price;4 our very bodies are members o]

Christ.

Let us briefly explain the nature and meaning of this lordship of Christ. It consists, we need scarcely say, in a threefold power which is essential to lordship. This is sufficiently clear from the scriptural testimony already adduced concerning the universal dominion of our Redeemer, and moreover it is a dogma of faith that Jesus Christ was given to man, not only as our Redeemer, but also as a lawgiver, to whom obedience is due. Not only do the gospels tell us that he made laws, but they present him to us in the act of making them. Those who keep them show their love for their divine Master, and he promises that they shall remain in his love. He claimed judicial power as received from his Father, when the Jews accused him of breaking the sabbath by the miraculous cure of a sick man. The Father, instead of passing judgement on any man himself, has left all judgement to the Son. In this power is included the right of rewarding and punishing all men living, for this right is inseparable from that of judging. Executive power, too, belongs to Christ, for all must obey his commands; none may escape them, nor the sanctions he has imposed.

It would be a grave error, on the other hand, to say that Christ has no authority whatever in civil affairs, since by virtue of the absolute empire over all creatures committed to him by the Father, all things are in his power. Nor is there any difference in this matter between the individual and the family or the state; for all men, whether collectively or individually, are under the dominion of Christ. In him is the salvation of the individual, in him is the salvation of society. Salvation is not to be found elsewhere; this alone of all names under heaven has been appointed to men as the one by which we needs must be saved. He is the author of happiness and true prosperity for every man and for every nation. "For a nation is happy when its citizens are happy. What else is a nation but a number of men living in concord?"

Oh, what happiness would be ours if all men, individuals, families and nations, would but let themselves be governed by Christ! "Then at length will many ills be cured; then will the law regain its former authority, peace with all its blessings be restored”.

DOMINI NOSTRI IESU CHRISTI UNIVERSORUM REGIS

At I & II Vespers: Victorius Genovesi

DOMINI NOSTRI IESU CHRISTI UNIVERSORUM REGIS

Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe

[The first] stanza lauds a fourfold kingship in Christ. (a) The kingship of time (sæculorum). "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever" (l Tim. l: 17). (b) The kingship of nations (gentium). "Who shall not fear Thee, O King of nations?" (Jer. 10:7.) (c) The kingship of human souls, wills (mentium). "Shall not my soul be subject to God? For from Him is my salvation" (Ps. 61:2). (d) The kingship of human hearts (cordium). "For Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion forever" (Ps. 72:26). "There never was, nor ever will be, a man loved so much and so universally as Jesus Christ" (Encyclical Quas Primas) Aquinas Byrnes OP.

Te sæculórum príncipem,

te, Christe, regem géntium,

te méntium, te córdium

unum fatémur árbitrum.

Quem prona adórant ágmina

hymnísque laudant cælitum,

te nos ovántes ómnium

regem suprémum dícimus.

O Christe, princeps pácifer,

mentes rebélles súbice,

tuóque amóre dévios

ovíle in unum cóngrega.

Ad hoc cruénta ab árbore

pendes apértis brácchiis,

diráque fossum cúspide

cor igne flagrans éxhibes.

Ad hoc in aris ábderis

vini dapísque imágine,

fundens salútem fíliis

transverberáto péctore.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui cuncta amóre témperas,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

We acknowledge you, O Christ, Ruler of the ages, King of the nations, only Judge of minds and hearts. You before whom the hosts of heaven fall down, worship and laud with hymns, while we salute you as supreme King of all. O Christ, Prince of peace, you make subject rebellious minds and by your love gather to one fold those who wandered away. For this with open arms you hung upon the bloody tree and revealed a heart burning with love and pierced with the harsh spear. For this you hide on altars under the form of wine and food, pouring out from your pierced side salvation for your sons. O Jesus, to you be glory, who moderates all things in your love, with the Father and nourishing Spirit, through all ages. Amen.

At the Office of Readings: 12^th – 13^th Centuries (Formerly Matins of the Holy Name)

Iesu, rex admirábilis,

et triumphátor nóbilis,

dulcédo ineffábilis,

totus desiderábilis:

Rex virtútum, rex glóriæ,

rex insígnis victóriæ,

Iesu, largítor grátiæ,

honor cæléstis cúriæ:

Te cæli chorus prædicat

et tuas laudes réplicat.

Iesus orbem lætíficat

et nos Deo pacíficat.

Iesus in pace ímperat,

quæ omnem sensum súperat,

hanc semper mens desíderat

et illo frui próperat.

Iam prosequámur láudibus

Iesum, hymnis et précibus,

ut nos donet cæléstibus

cum ipso frui sédibus.

Iesu, flos matris vírginis,

amor nostræ dulcédinis,

laus tibi sine términis,

regnum beatitúdinis. Amen.

O Jesus, wondrous King and noble victor, ineffable sweetness, all that can be desired.  King of hosts, King of glory, King of great victory, Giver of grace, Jesus, the pride of the heavenly courts. The choir of heaven proclaims you and repeats your praises. Jesus makes glad the world and reconciles us to God. Jesus reigns in the peace, which passes all understanding; this the mind desires and longs to enjoy. Let us follow Jesus with praise, hymns and prayers that he may grant us to enjoy with him the heavenly habitations. O Jesus, Flower of the Virgin Mother, the sweetness of our love, praise be to you without end in the kingdom of the blessed.  Amen.

At Lauds: Victorius Genovesi 1967 (Formerly Matins of Christ the King)

Ætérna imágo Altíssimi,

Lumen, Deus, de Lúmine,

tibi, Redémptor, glória,

honor, potéstas régia.

Tu solus ante sæcula

spes atque centrum témporum;

tibi voléntes súbdimur,

qui iure cunctis ímperas.

Tu flos pudícæ Vírginis,

nostræ caput propáginis,

lapis cadúcus vértice

ac mole terras óccupans.

Diro tyránno súbdita,

damnáta stirps mortálium

per te refrégit víncula

sibíque cælum víndicat.

Doctor, sacérdos, légifer,

præfers notátum sánguine

in veste «Princeps príncipum

regúmque rex altíssimus».

Patri, tibi, Paráclito

sit, Christe, perpes glória,

qui nos redémptos sánguine

ad regna cæli pértrahis. Amen.

Eternal Image of the Most High God, Light from Light, to you, O Redeemer, glory, honor, and royal power.  You alone are before the ages, the hope and very center of time; we desire to be subject to you,  who rule all things by right. You are the flower of the humble Virgin, the head of our race, the stone that fell from on high and filled the earth with your greatness.  The condemned line of mortal men, subject to a harsh tyrant, through you broke the chains and claimed heaven for themselves.  Teacher, Priest, and Lawgiver, bearing on your garment the notice written in blood: “Prince of princes, King of kings most high. To you, O Christ, to the Father and the Comforter, be endless glory, who redeemed us by your blood, and lead us to the kingdom of heaven. Amen.