Mozarabic Advent Hymn for Sundays at Lauds

 Mozarabic Advent Hymn for Sundays at Lauds

Cunctôrum Rex omnípotens,

Mundum salvâre véniens,

Formam assúmpsit córporis

Nostræ similitúdinis.

   Qui regnat cum Altíssimo,

Vírginis intrat úterum,

Nascitûrus in córpore,

Mortis víncula disrúmpere.

   Gentes erant in ténebris.

Vidérunt lumen fulgôris,

Cùm Salvâtor advénerit

Redímere, quos cóndidit.

   Quem olim Vatum præscia

Cecinérunt orácula,

Nunc véniet in glória,

Nostra ut curet vúlnera.

   Lætêmur nunc in Dómino

Simul in Dei Fílio.

Paráti eum suscípere

Advéntus sui glóriâ.

   R/. Amen.

The almighty King of all things, coming to save the world, took the form of a body in our likeness. He, who reigns with the Most High, enters the womb of the Virgin, he will be born bodily to break the bonds of death. The nations which were in in darkness will see a shining light, when the Savior comes to redeem those whom he created. The One, whom the prophets once sung in foretelling prophecy,  now comes in glory to heal our wounds. Let us now rejoice in the Lord and in the Son of God, prepared to receive Him in the glory of his advent. Amen.

Wednesday: Weeks II & IV: Spe nos fidéque dívites

Lauds: 5^th-6^th Century

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 calls us to the divine promises, love joins 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.

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. Mat 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 your light of the Word, with hope and rich with faith, the eternal brightness of the Father’s glory. The Sun, which knows no setting, no evening, by which the earth hastens to be covered, by which rejoice forever. By this peaceful light grant that at last enjoy with the Son and Holy Spirit, singing to anew. Amen.

Advent

I & II Vespers: 9^th Century

Walpole: Blume {Analecta LI p. 47) says that the contents of this hymn apply less to the Advent season than the other Advent hymns, perhaps it was not originally meant for Advent. Walsh & Hatch: It is allocated to Advent in view of stanza 3.

Cónditor alme síderum, (1)

ætérna lux credéntium,

Christe, redémptor ómnium,

exáudi preces súpplicum.

Qui cóndolens intéritu (2)

mortis períre sæculum,

salvásti mundum lánguidum,

donans reis remédium,

Vergénte mundi véspere, (3)

uti sponsus de thálamo, (4)

egréssus honestíssima

Vírginis matris cláusula.

Cuius forti poténtiæ

genu curvántur ómnia; (5)

cæléstia, terréstria

nutu faténtur súbdita.

Te, Sancte, fide quæsumus,

ventúre iudex sæculi,

consérva nos in témpore

hostis a telo pérfidi.

1.     Walpole: slderum the heavenly bodies, including the sun and moon.  The word strikes the keynote of the hymn, forecasting the light which Christ, Himself the eternal light, was to bring into the world.

2.    WH: interitu mortis: "In the extinction of death," the moral death incurred by Adam's sin.

3.      Walpole: ' When the world's evening was drawing to a close,'; WH: The coming of Christ is visualized as the end of the old world and the beginning of the new. See Hbr 9:26: "He has appeared once for all at the end of the age  to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself"

4.  WH: evocation of Ps 18:6, "tamquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo" (as a bridegroom coming out of his bridechamber).

5.  So Phlp 2:10-11: "Ut in nomine Iesu omne genu flectat caelestium, terrestrium et infernorum, et omnis lin-gua confiteatur quia Dominus Iesus Christus in gloria est Dei Patris."

O kind Creator of the stars, eternal light of the faithful, Christ, redeemer of all men, hear the prayers of those who humbly entreat you. Who grieve that the world should die and perish, did save the sick world, granting a remedy to the guilty. When the world drew near to evening, as a bridegroom going forth from the wedding bed, you came forth the virgin mother’s most honorable womb. Before your strength of power, all in heaven and earth must bend the knee and confess that they are subject to your command. We beseech you, O Holy one, who will come to judge the world, preserve us in the present time from the weapons of the faithless enemy.

Lauds: 10^th Century

Walpole: This hymn was generally appointed for Matins in Advent, but according to date and locality its use varied. Thus in the Mozarabic breviary it was sung at Vespers on the Wednesday infra hebdomadam I Adventus {Analecta XXVII. p. 65). It is largely based on the Advent Epistle Rom. xiii. 1 1 f. and Gospel Lk. xxi. 25 f.

Vox clara ecce íntonat, (1) (2)

obscúra quæque íncrepat:

procul fugéntur sómnia;

ab æthre Christus prómicat.

Mens iam resúrgat tórpida

quæ sorde exstat sáucia;

sidus refúlget iam novum, (3)

ut tollat omne nóxium. (4)

E sursum Agnus míttitur (5)

laxáre gratis débitum;

omnes pro indulgéntia (6)

vocem demus cum lácrimis,

Secúndo ut cum fúlserit

mundúmque horror cínxerit,

non pro reátu púniat, (7)

sed nos pius tunc prótegat.

Summo Parénti glória

Natóque sit victória,

et Flámini laus débita

per sæculórum sæcula. Amen.

1.       Walpole: The voice is that of the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, Joh. i. 23.

2.      intonat 'resounds loudly'

3.      sidus i.e. Christ. ' Morning Star' of Rev. xxii. 16.

4.      noxium ‘guilt’

5.      sursum ‘from on high’;

6.      pro indulgentia ‘for pardon’

7.      pro reatu ‘ according to our guilt’

Now loud voice of the Baptist thunders, all darkness is rebuked; sleep flees afar, Christ shines forth from heaven. Now the sluggish mind, still wounded by impurity, awakes, already a new star shines to take away all harm. From heaven a Lamb is sent to free us from our debt, let us all weep and cry out for pardon. That when for a second time he shines and horror grips the world, he will not punish us  for our guilt but in his holiness protect us. To the highest Father glory, to the Son victory, to the flaming Spirit  due praise through all ages. Amen

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

Milfull; use Matins or Lauds

Verbum supérnum pródiens, (1)

a Patre lumen éxiens,

qui natus orbi súbvenis

cursu declívi témporis: (2)

Illúmina nunc péctora

tuóque amóre cóncrema;

audíta per præcónia (3)

sint pulsa tandem lúbrica.

Iudéxque cum post áderis

rimári facta péctoris,

reddens vicem pro ábditis

iustísque regnum pro bonis,

Non demum artémur malis (4)

pro qualitáte críminis,

sed cum beátis compotes (5)

simus perénnes cælites.

1.   St. Thomas Aquinas borrows this line for the beginning of his famous Eucharistic hymn.

2.   Walpole: the writer takes  the N.T. view that the incarnation came in the end of the world's history; declívi ‘sloping towards evening, as if the sun were past its zenith

3.  audita... praeconia i.e. when Thy coming is proclaimed as it were by a herald (praeco).

4.      ' Oh let us not be punished according to the heinousness of our guilt.'

5.      Compotes ‘of the number of those of who have obtained’.

The Word proceeding from on high,  the Light coming from the Father, born to rescue the world at the end of time.  Enlighten now our hearts burning with your love, when the proclamation is heard, finally deceit is driven off. And when you come as our judge to search out the deeds of the heart,  rendering to each for hidden sins, and the kingdom to the righteous for good deeds.  In the end may we not be crushed for the quality of our evil sins but in the company of the blessed we may  be eternally citizens of heaven.