Wednesday: Weeks I & III

Lauds: Prudentius

Walpole: The poem from which [this hymn] is taken, Cathemerinon II, is entitled hymnus matutinus and consists of 28 stanzas. Its central thought is the contrast between the night of dark deeds and the light of Christ.  (nec teste quisquam lumine \ peccare constanter potest). The poet prays that we may be enabled to walk as children of the light. Rom. xiii. 12 f. might be taken as the text.

Nox et tenébræ et núbila,

confúsa mundi et túrbida,

lux intrat, albéscit polus:

Christus venit; discédite. (1)

Calígo terræ scínditur (2)

percússa solis spículo,

rebúsque iam color redit

vultu niténtis síderis. (3)

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 (4)

quæ luce purgéntur tua.

1.       discedite] a common formula, bidding all uninitiated or obnoxious

persons to depart from a sacrifice ;

2.      The darkness is regarded as a substantial ' cloak ' or ' veil ' thrown

over things.

3.      'Under the countenance of the shining star of day,' viz, the sun.

4.      fucus was firstly a sea- weed found off Crete, from which a kind

of red dye was made,

Light enters, the sky grows bright; 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: 13th-14th 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?

Walpole: Appointed for Vespers on Wednesday, based on Gen. i. 14-19, the fourth day of the creation. Note the structure of the hymn. 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.

Cæli Deus sanctíssime,

qui lúcidum centrum poli (1)

candóre pingis ígneo

augens decóri lúmina.  (2)

Quarto die qui flámmeam

solis rotam constítuens, (3)

lunæ minístras órdini

vagos recúrsus síderum. (4)

Ut nóctibus vel lúmini

diremptiónis términum,

primórdiis et ménsium

signum dares notíssimum:

Illúmina cor hóminum,

abstérge sordes méntium,

resólve culpæ vínculum,

evérte moles críminum.

1.       lucidum centrum shining centre of the sky 'sun, or to be exact the spot where

the sun is fixed.

2.      'enhancing it with beauteous light,'

3.      solis rotam 'the disk of the sun’

4.      vagos The fixed stars are included are included, returning to their stations at the appointed time. They are regarded as waiting upon the moon, their mistress.

 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.