Dominica Pentecostes

Ad Officium lectionis: Adamus a S. Victore?

Sr. Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ,  translator of the Adam of Saint-Victor Sequences, accepts his authorship of this hymn ( Cf. Dallas Medieval Texts and Translations 18).  The hymn is assigned to Monday in the Octave of Pentecost. It is composed of stanzas 1 & 2, 15, 18, 19 & 20 of the original twenty stanzas.

Lux iucúnda, lux insígnis,

qua de throno missus ignis

in Christi discípulos,

Corda replet, linguas ditat,

ad concórdes nos invítat

cordis, linguæ módulos.

Consolátor alme, veni,

linguas rege, corda leni:

nihil fellis aut venéni

sub tua præséntia.

Nova facti creatúra,

te laudámus mente pura,

grátiæ nunc, sed natúra

prius iræ fílii.

Tu qui dator es et donum,

nostri cordis omne bonum,

cor ad laudem redde pronum,

nostræ linguæ formans sonum

in tua præcónia.

Tu nos purges a peccátis,

auctor ipse pietátis,

et in Christo renovátis

da perféctæ novitátis

plena nobis gáudia. Amen.

Happy light, noble light, fire sent down from the throne upon Christ’s disciples.  He fills hearts, enriches tongues, he invites us to harmony of heart and melodies of tongue. Nourishing Comforter, come, govern language, soothe hearts, under your presence there is nothing bitter or venomous. Made a new creation we praise you with pure minds, now sons of grace, but formerly by nature sons of wrath.  You who are both the giver and the gift, every good of our hearts, guide our hearts to humble praise, shaping  the sound of our tongues for your glory. Cleanse us from our sins, yourself the author of love and renew us in Christ: grant to us full joys in perfect conversion. Amen.

Ad Laudes matutinas: saec. VI

Milfull:  “assigned by the Canterbury Hymnal to Matins, by  the Winchester Hymnal to Lauds”.

Beáta nobis gáudia

anni redúxit órbita,

cum Spíritus Paráclitus

effúlsit in discípulos.

Ignis vibránte lúmine

linguæ figúram détulit,

verbis ut essent próflui

et caritáte férvidi.

Linguis loquúntur ómnium;

turbæ pavent gentílium,

musto madére députant,

quos Spíritus repléverat.

Patráta sunt hæc mýstice

Paschæ perácto témpore,

sacro diérum número,

quo lege fit remíssio.

Te nunc, Deus piíssime,

vultu precámur cérnuo:

illápsa nobis cælitus

largíre dona, o Spíritus.

Dudum sacráta péctora

tua replésti grátia;

dimítte nunc peccámina

et da quiéta témpora.

Blessed joys to us, the orbit of the year returns, when the Spirit Comforter shines on the disciples. Fire flashing light takes the form of a tongue, that their words might flow and their love burn. They speak every language, the crowd of gentiles quake in fear, they think those the Spirit filled to be drunk with wine. When the time of Easter had ended, these things were done mystically, by the sacred number of days when according to the law remission is given. Now, O most Holy God, we humbly pray, grant that the gifts of the Spirit may come down upon us from heaven. Now that you have filled our sanctified hearts with grace, forgive us our sins and a time of peace.

Terce: saec. IX

Previously in the Roman Breviary Veni, creator Spiritus was sung at Terce in place of Nunc, Sanctus, nobis, Spiritus on Pentecost and during its Octave. However, this hymn represents an earlier usage, e.g. the Canterbury Hymnal. 

Iam Christus astra ascénderat,

regréssus unde vénerat,

promíssa Patris múnera,

Sanctum datúrus Spíritum,

Cum hora felix tértia

repénte mundo íntonat,

Apóstolis orántibus

Deum venísse núntians.

De Patris ergo lúmine

decórus ignis almus est,

qui fida Christi péctora

calóre verbi cómpleat.

Descénde, Sancte Spíritus,

ac nostra corda altária

orna tibi virtútibus,

tibíque templa dédica.

Per te sciámus da Patrem

noscámus atque Fílium,

te utriúsque Spíritum

credámus omni témpore. Amen.

Now Christ has climbed the stars, returning to where he had come from, that he might give to us the Father’s promise of the Holy Spirit. At the third hour  suddenly the world thundered,  announcing that God had come, while the apostles prayed.  From the light of the Father there is a beautiful strengthening fire which fills the hearts which trust in Christ with the burning word.  Come down, O Holy Spirit, adorn the altar of our hearts with the virtues and make of them a temple dedicated to you.

The hymn for Vespers is Veni, creator Spiritus used after the Ascension through Vespers II of Pentecost Sunday.