Ad Vesperas: in Officio
dominicali: Gregorius Magnus?
Generally
appointed for Vespers, sometimes Lauds, even in one case for Terce (Walpole).
Audi,
benígne Cónditor,
nostras
preces cum flétibus, (1)
sacráta
in abstinéntia
fusas
quadragenária.
Scrutátor
alme córdium, (2)
infírma
tu scis vírium; (3)
ad
te revérsis éxhibe
remissiónis
grátiam.
Multum
quidem peccávimus,
sed
parce confiténtibus,
tuíque
laude nóminis (4)
confer
medélam lánguidis.
Sic
corpus extra cónteri (5)
dona
per abstinéntiam,
ieiúnet
ut mens sóbria
a
labe prorsus críminum.
Præsta,
beáta Trínitas,
concéde,
simplex Unitas,
ut
fructuósa sint tuis
hæc
parcitátis múnera. Amen.
1. Cf. Ambrose, Aeterne
rerum conditor: fletuque culpa solvitor;
Prudentius, Nox et tenebrae et nublia: flendo
et canendo quaesumus; Rex aeterne Domine: hymnum deflentes canimus; Christe, precamur adnue: mixtaque voces fletibus; Summae Deus
clementiae: fletus, benigne, suscipe;
Lucis creator optime: audi preces cum
fletibus; Telluris ingens conditor: ut
facta fletu diluat; Vox clara ecce intonate: vocem demus cum lacrimis
(Walpole).
2. Scutator cordium: Rom. 8:27: “[God] that searches hearts” (scrutatur corda) (Walsh and Husch);
Ambrose, Hex. VI.44: scrutator cordis
occulta (Walpole).
3. Oxymoron: infirma cordium: ‘weakness of our
strength’ (Walpole).
4. Altered from: ad laudem tui nominis.
5. “By afflicting our
bodies with fasting we starve our minds from committing sin” (Walsh and Husch).
O Kind Creator, hear our prayers mixed with
tears poured out in this holy forty-day fast.
O sustaining Searcher of hearts, you know the weakness of our strength;
show to us who have turned back to you the remission of our sins. Indeed we
have sinned much but spare those who confess their sins; to the praise of your
name grant healing to the sick. Grant that our bodies may be outwardly broken
through abstinence that a temperate mind may fast from falling headlong into
sin. Grant, O Blessed Trinity, give, O simple Unity, to those who are yours the
fruitful rewards of fasting. Amen.
In Officio feriali:
saec. X
Iesu,
quadragenáriæ
dicátor
abstinéntiæ, (1)
qui
ob salútem méntium (2)
præcéperas
ieiúnium,
Adésto
nunc Ecclésiæ, (3)
adésto
pæniténtiæ,
qua
supplicámus cérnui (4)
peccáta
nostra dílui.
Tu
retroácta crímina
tua
remítte grátia
et
a futúris ádhibe
custódiam
mitíssime,
Ut,
expiáti ánnuis
compunctiónis
áctibus,
tendámus
ad paschália
digne
colénda gáudia.
Te
rerum univérsitas,
clemens,
adóret, Trínitas,
et
nos novi per véniam
novum
canámus cánticum. Amen.
1. Dicator = ‘magistrate, one who dictates’;
2. ‘who with a view to the
health of the soul didst in the days of old hallow this fast’ (Walpole)
3. The second stanza of the
original has been dropped: quo paradiso
redderes/servata parsimonia/ quos inde gastrimargiae/ huc inlecebra depulit.
4. The final two lines of
this stanza are altered from the original: quae
pro suis excessibus/ orat profusis feltibus.
O Jesus, who established these forty days of
abstinence, who decreed this fast for the salvation of souls: Be present with
thy Church, assist our penitence, by which, we humbly pray, that our sins may
be washed away. By your grace forgive us our past sins and gently guard us
against future sins.: that cleansed by these yearly acts of contrition we may be
prepared to celebrate Easter with worthy joy.
All things worship you, O merciful Trinity, and made new by your pardon
we sing a new song. Amen.
Ad
Officium lectionis: in Officio dominicali: Gregorius Magnus?
Generally
appointed for Nocturns, sometimes Vespers (Walpole).
Ex
more docti mýstico (1)
servémus
abstinéntiam, (2)
deno
diérum círculo
ducto
quater notíssimo.
Lex
et prophétæ prímitus (3)
hanc
prætulérunt, póstmodum
Christus
sacrávit, ómnium
rex
atque factor témporum.
Utámur
ergo párcius (4)
verbis,
cibis et pótibus,
somno,
iocis et árctius
perstémus
in custódia.
Vitémus
autem péssima
quæ
súbruunt mentes vagas,
nullúmque
demus cállido (5)
hosti
locum tyránnidis.
Præsta,
beáta Trínitas, (6)
concéde,
simplex Unitas,
ut
fructuósa sint tuis
hæc
parcitátis múnera. Amen.
1
1. Ex
more = ‘by the custom’
(Walpole); mystico because the forty
days of Lent are associated
with cleansing and purifying: the forty days
of the flood, Moses fasting forty days before
meeting God, Elijah’s fast and that of Jesus ((Walsh
and Husch).
2. Original: servemus en ieiunium: denum for
deno.
3. Lex
et prophetae … Christus sacravit: Gen.
7:12; Ex. 34:28; 3 Kings 19:8; Mk. 1:13.
4. Rule of St. Benedict 49: abstention from
food, drink, sleep, conversation, joking
5. Cf. Eph. 4:27: nolite locum dare diabolo.
6. Four stanzas are omitted from the
original:
In Officio lectionis feriali:
saec. X
Nunc
tempus acceptábile (1)
fulget
datum divínitus,
ut
sanet orbem lánguidum
medéla
parsimóniæ. (2)
Christi
decóro lúmine
dies
salútis émicat,
dum
corda culpis sáucia
refórmat
abstinéntia.
Hanc
mente nos et córpore,
Deus,
tenére pérfice,
ut
appetámus próspero
perénne
pascha tránsitu.
Te
rerum univérsitas,
clemens,
adóret, Trínitas,
et
nos novi per véniam
novum
canámus cánticum. Amen.
1. 2 Cor. 6:2
2.
parsimóniæ = fast.
Now
the acceptable time, given by God, flashes forth to heal the infirm world with
the remedy of frugality. The day of
salvation glimmers with the beautiful light of Christ, while abstinence
restores hearts wounded by guilt. O God, keep us perfect in soul and body, that
we may ever hunger for the coming of the happy paschal feast. All things
worship you, O merciful Trinity, and made new by your pardon we sing a new
song. Amen.
Ad laudes matutinas: in Offcio dominicalis: Gregorius Magnus?
PRECEMUR omnes cernui,
clamemus atque singuli,
ploremus ante iudicem, (1)
flectamus iram vindicem
Nostris malis offendimus
tuam, Deus, clementiam;
effunde nobis desuper,
remissor, indulgentiam. (2)
Memento quod sumus tui,
licet caduci, plasmatis;
ne des honorem nominis
tui, precamur, alteri.
Laxa malum quod fecimus,
auge bonum quod poscimus,
placere quo tandem tibi
possimus hic et perpetim.
Præsta,
beáta Trínitas,
concéde,
simplex Unitas,
ut
fructuósa sint tuis
hæc
parcitátis múnera. Amen.
1. Cf. Audi,
benígne Cónditor, note 1.
2. 1.
remíssor: cf. second deleted
stanza Ex more docti mýstico: remíssor,
indulgéntiam
Let
us all pray on bended knee and each of us cry out, imploring and weeping before
the angry and avenging judge. With our evil ways we have offended your mercy, O
God; O Redeemer pour out on us your pardon from above. Remember that we belong to you, although we
are weak, you made us; we pray do not give the honor of your name to
another. Forgive the evil we have done,
increase the good we seek and by which we are able to please you here and
always. Grant, O Blessed Trinity, give,
O simple Unity, to those who are yours the fruitful rewards of fasting. Amen.
In Officio feriali:
saec. VI
Iam,
Christe, sol iustítiæ, (1)
mentis
dehíscant ténebræ, (2)
virtútum
ut lux rédeat,
terris
diem cum réparas.
Dans
tempus acceptábile (3)
et
pænitens cor tríbue,
convértat
ut benígnitas (4)
quos
longa suffert píetas;
Quiddámque
pæniténtiæ
da
ferre, quo fit démptio,
maióre
tuo múnere,
culpárum
quamvis grándium.
Dies
venit, dies tua, (5)
per
quam reflórent ómnia;
lætémur
in hac ut tuæ (6)
per
hanc redúcti grátiæ.
Te
rerum univérsitas,
clemens,
adóret, Trínitas,
et
nos novi per véniam
novum
canámus cánticum. Amen. (7)
1. Mal. 4:2: orietur vobis timentibus
nomen meum sol iustitiae
2.
Dehíscant = ‘part, sunder’ (Walpole)
3.
2 Cor. 6.2
4.
Rom. 2:4: the goodness of God leads you to penance.
5.
Dies = Easter
6.
Ps. 117:24: haec est
dies quam fecit Dominus, exultemus et laetemur in ea.
7. Apoc. 14:3: cantabunt quasi canticum ante sedem.
Now,
O Christ, Sun of righteousness, let the
darkness of the mind be rent, that the
light of the virtues may return, when you restore day to the world. You grant
the acceptable time; give us a penitent
heart, that your kindness may convert those whom your love has long endured.
Grant us to bear some penitential severity that our sin, however great, be
removed by your greater gift. The day comes, your day, through which all things
flourish; we rejoice in that day through which we are returned to your grace. All things worship you, O merciful Trinity,
and made new by your pardon we sing a new song. Amen.
Ad Tertiam: saec. VIII
Dei
fide, qua vívimus, (1)
qua
spe perénni crédimus,
per
caritátis grátiam
Christi
canámus glóriam,
Qui
ductus hora tértia (2)
ad
passiónis hóstiam,
crucis
ferens suspéndia
ovem
redúxit pérditam. (3)
Precémur
ergo súbditi,
redemptióne
líberi,
ut
éruat a sæculo
quos
solvit a chirógrapho.
Christum
rogámus et Patrem,
Christi
Patrísque Spíritum;
unum
potens per ómnia,
fove
precántes, Trínitas. Amen.
1.
Three theological virtues: 1 Cor. 13:13: Nunc autem manent fides, spes, caritas, tria
hæc: major autem horum est caritas. Cf. Aeterna
Christi munera:
devote sanctorum fides,
invicta spes credentium,
perfecta Christi caritas
mundi triumphat principem.
Fulgentis
auctor aetheris:
Sed sol diem dum conficit,
fides profunda ferveat,
spes ad promissa provocet,
Christo conjungat caritas.
2. Mk 15:25: erat autem hora tertia et crucifixerunt eum.
3. Reference to the
penitent thief: Lk. 23:43.
4.
a chirógrapho: Col. 2:14: delens quod adversum nos erat chirografum
decretis quod erat contrarium nobis
Faith
in God, by which we live, in eternal hope by which we believe, through the
grace of love we sing the glory of Christ.
Who was lead at the third hour to the sacrifice of the passion, bearing the gibbet of the cross he returned
the lost sheep. We humbly pray therefore
that delivered by his redemption he would rescue from the world those he freed
from the charge. We ask Christ and the Father and the Spirit of Christ and the
Father, one power through all things, O Trinity, cherish those who pray to you.
Amen.
Ad Sextam: saec. VIII
Qua
Christus hora sítiit (1)
crucem
vel in qua súbiit,
quos
præstat in hac psállere
ditet
siti iustítiæ.
Simul
sit his esúries,
quam
ipse de se sátiet,
crimen
sit ut fastídium (2)
virtúsque
desidérium.
Charísma
Sancti Spíritus
sic
ínfluat psalléntibus,
ut
carnis æstus frígeat
et
mentis algor férveat.
Christum
rogámus et Patrem,
Christi
Patrísque Spíritum;
unum
potens per ómnia,
fove
precántes, Trínitas. Amen.
1.
Walpole says that the ‘thirst’ may refer to Joh. 4:6: erat autem ibi fons Iacob Iesus ergo
fatigatus ex itinere sedebat sic super fontem hora erat quasi sexta or to
Joh. 19.28: postea sciens Iesus quia iam
omnia consummata sunt ut consummaretur scriptura dicit sitio. In any case
the hymn prays that ‘he may enrich us with a thirst for righteousness”.
2.
fastidium = ‘a loathsome thing’
(Walpole)
The hour when Christ thirsted or submitted
himself to the cross, when he grants those who sing this hour to be enriched
with a thirst for righteousness. At the
same time may they hunger that Christ might fill them with himself that wearied
by sin they may desire virtue. May the
gifts of the Holy Spirit so pour down upon those who praise you that the heat
of flesh may grow cold and cold souls might
become fervent. We ask Christ and
the Father and the Spirit of Christ and the Father, one power through all
things, O Trinity, cherish those who pray to you. Amen.
Ad Nonam: saec. VIII
Ternis
ter horis númerus
nobis
sacrátus pánditur, (1)
sanctóque
Iesu nómine
munus
precémur véniæ.
Latrónis,
en, conféssio (2)
Christi
merétur grátiam;
laus
nostra vel devótio
mercétur
indulgéntiam. (3)
Mors
per crucem nunc ínterit
et
post tenébras lux redit;
horror
dehíscat críminum,
splendor
nitéscat méntium.
Christum
rogámus et Patrem,
Christi
Patrísque Spíritum;
unum
potens per ómnia,
fove
precántes, Trínitas. Amen.
1. The number ‘three’ is
holy because it refers to the Trinity.
2. Walpole: “the robber’s acknowledgement
wins Christ’s grace, may our praise and devotion procure us pardon”.
3.
Mercétur = ‘procure’ not ‘purchase’
(Walpole)
The holy number of the third of the three hours
is reached and by the holy name of Jesus we beg the gift of pardon. Behold the
confession of the thief merited the grace of Christ; may our praise and
devotion purchase forgiveness. Now death perishes through the cross and after
darkness light returns; the fear of sin
is purged, the splendor of souls shines.
We ask Christ and the Father and the Spirit of Christ and the Father,
one power through all things, O Trinity, cherish those who pray to you. Amen
