Wednesday: Weeks I & III

 

Wednesday: Weeks I & III

Lauds: Prudentius

Nox et tenébræ et núbila,

confúsa mundi et túrbida,

lux intrat, albéscit polus:

Christus venit; discédite.

Calígo terræ scínditur

percússa solis spículo,

rebúsque iam color redit

vultu niténtis síderis.

Sic nostra mox obscúritas

fraudísque pectus cónscium,

ruptis retéctum núbibus,

regnánte palléscet Deo.

Te, Christe, solum nóvimus,

te mente pura et símplici

rogáre curváto genu

flendo et canéndo díscimus.

Inténde nostris sénsibus

vitámque totam díspice:

sunt multa fucis íllita

quæ luce purgéntur tua.

Light enters, the sky turns white; Christ comes. Night and darkness and clouds, confusion in the world and turmoil: depart! The darkness of the earth is cut in two and pierced by the ray of the sun, color returns to things, faced with the brilliant star of day. Thus our darkness is rent and the heart realizes its deceit, clouds are ruptured and opened up, under the rule of God the darkness pales. You, O Christ alone we know: with a pure and simple mind we learn to ask you on bended knee with tears and singing.  Attend to our thoughts and consider our whole life: many things are obscured by appearances, which are purged by your light.

When the Office of Readings is said in the daytime: 13^th-14^th Centuries

Scientiárum Dómino,

sit tibi iubilátio,

qui nostra vides íntima

tuáque foves grátia.

Qui bonum, pastor óptime,

dum servas, quæris pérditum,

in páscuis ubérrimis

nos iunge piis grégibus,

Ne terror iræ iúdicis

nos hædis iungat réprobis,

sed simus temet iúdice

oves ætérnæ páscuæ.

Tibi, Redémptor, glória,

honor, virtus, victória,

regnánti super ómnia

per sæculórum sæcula. Amen.

To the Lord of all knowledge be jubilant praise, you see our inmost self and care for us by your grace. O Shepherd best, while you preserve the good, you search out the lost:  join us as well to holy flocks in fertile pastures. May no fear of an angry judge unite us with condemned goats but by the Judge himself may we be sheep of the eternal pasture. To you, O redeemer, glory, honor, power, victory, ruling over all, through the ages of ages. Amen.

Vespers: St. Gregory the Great?

Cæli Deus sanctíssime,

qui lúcidum centrum poli

candóre pingis ígneo

augens decóri lúmina. (1)

Quarto die qui flámmeam

solis rotam constítuens,

lunæ minístras órdini

vagos recúrsus síderum. (2)

Ut nóctibus vel lúmini

diremptiónis términum,

primórdiis et ménsium

signum dares notíssimum:

Illúmina cor hóminum,

abstérge sordes méntium,

resólve culpæ vínculum,

evérte moles críminum.

 O most holy God of heaven, who with sparkling  fire paint the bright center of the sky, increasing it with beautiful light. Who on the fourth day created the flaming rotation of the sun, you established the order for the moon, the wandering courses of the stars. That night or light might have separate limits and to give a clear sign of the beginning of the months. Enlighten the heart of men, wash the foulness of our minds, release the chains of guilt, overturn the mass of sins. 

Walpole: "The first two stanzas contain relative clauses concerning God and the creation of the sun, moon and stars. The third stanza contains a final clause, and not until the last stanza is the prayer uttered to which all the first part of the hymn has been leading up".

1. Gen. 1:14:   Dixit autem Deus: Fiant luminaria in firmamento cæli, et dividant diem ac noctem, et sint in signa et tempora, et dies et annos: 2. Gen. 1:16: Fecitque Deus duo luminaria magna: luminare majus, ut præesset diei: et luminare minus, ut præesset nocti: et stellas.