SACRATISSIMI CORDIS IESU

Fr. Connelly:

The hymns for this feast, usually dated to eighteenth century, are 'evidently the work of the same author', His name is not known. From Henry, Eucharistica, p. 235, the following appreciation: 'Their play of fancy and of imagination, their rhetorical finish, their condensed phraseology, give clear intimations of a skill which has profited by the models constructed by St Ambrose. They abound, too, in Biblical allusions, every stanza recalling some type, or figure, or prophecy, or fulfilment.' However true this may be in other respects, it is scarcely true in the reference to St Ambrose. A hymn is something to be sung, and a good hymn is, among other things, easily singable. St Ambrose's hymns satisfy these requirements, while these do not; and by that criterion they are not good hymns.

Ad I & II Vesperas: Philippus Bruni

Formerly used at Matins.

Auctor beáte sæculi,

Christe, Redémptor ómnium,

lumen Patris de lúmine

Deúsque verus de Deo:

Amor coégit te tuus

mortále corpus súmere, (1)

ut, novus Adam, rédderes (2)

quod vetus ille abstúlerat:

Ille amor, almus ártifex

terræ marísque et síderum,

erráta patrum míserans

et nostra rumpens víncula.

Non corde discédat tuo

vis illa amóris íncliti:

hoc fonte gentes háuriant

remissiónis grátiam.

Ad hoc acérbam lánceam

passúmque ad hoc est vúlnera,

ut nos laváret sórdibus

unda fluénte et sánguine.

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui corde fundis grátiam,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

1.       mortale: man’s, human; 2. Cf. Romans 5:12-21;

Blessed creator of the world, O Christ, redeemer of all, light from the light of the Father, and true God from God.  Your love compelled you to take a mortal body that you as the new Adam might restore what the old Adam took away.  That love, O generous maker of the earth and the seas and stars,  caused you to have mercy  on our first parents’ errors and to break our chains.  May the flow of  the power of that glorious love not cease to flow; may the nations drink form that from that fountain the grace of remission of sins. For this you suffered the sharp lance and for this the wounding that it might cleanse us from our sins by the flow of water and blood. To you, O Jesus, be glory, who poured from your heart grace, with the Father and strengthening Spirit, in eternal ages. Amen.

Ad Officium lectionis: Philippus Bruni

Formerly used at Lauds

Cor, arca legem cóntinens

non servitútis véteris, (1)

sed grátiæ, sed véniæ,

sed et misericórdiæ;

Cor, sanctuárium novi

intemerátum fœderis,

templum vetústo sánctius (2)

velúmque scisso utílius: (3)

Te vulnerátum caritas (4)

ictu paténti vóluit, (5)

amóris invisíbilis

ut venerémur vúlnera.

Hoc sub amóris sýmbolo (6)

passus cruénta et mýstica,(7)

utrúmque sacrifícium

Christus sacérdos óbtulit.

Quis non amántem rédamet? (8)

quis non redémptus díligat

et caritáte iúgiter

hærére Christo géstiat?

Iesu, tibi sit glória,

qui corde fundis grátiam,

cum Patre et almo Spíritu,

in sempitérna sæcula. Amen.

1.       temple more holy than the one of old, vetusto sc. templo.

2.      The Heart is called a temple as signifying here the humanity of our Lord in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead; cf. Col. 2, 9. A temple essentially is a place where God dwells.

3.      The Heart is called a veil with reference to the opening of our Lord's side. The torn veil in the Temple exposed to view the mysterious and sacred objects of Jewish worship. The opening of our Lord's side disclosed to men the mysteries of the new Law.

4.      Te refers to our Lord through the word Cor, which is the subject of the address of the first eight lines.

5.      ictu patenti; with an open wound, perhaps patenti=patefacienti, i.e. with a wound which disclosed. Thus man would be given visible proof and a visible symbol of His invisible love;

St John is the only one to describe the opening of our Lord's side and is also alone in recording that after the resurrection our Lord showed His side as well as His hands and feet; cf. Luke 24, 40 and John 20, 20 and 27. It is John also who especially connects caritas and amor with our Lord (cf. lines 9, 11 and 13 Of this hymn), and is the special advocate of love of our Lord. Thus, devotion to the Sacred Heart may in a special way be traced back to the beloved disciple.

6.      hoc. . . symbolo, i.e. the Heart.

7.      The victim, passus, on the cross, cruenta, and at the last supper, mystica. Utrumque refers to cruenta and mystica. The identity of Priest and Victim is stated in line 16; cf. also 149, 13—20.

8.     The hymn owes much in thought and expression to St Bonaventure; cf. Vulneratum est ut per vulnus visibile, vulnus amoris invisibile videamus. . . .  Quis illud cor tam vulneratum non diligat? quis tam amans (sc. cor) non redamet? . . . Nos igitur adhuc in carne manentes, quantum possumus, amantem redamemus.

Your heart contains the law, not the of law of slavery, but the law of grace, of pardon and of mercy.  Your hear is the undefiled sanctuary of the new covenant, a holier temple than the old one, a veil more profitable than the one that was torn. Love desired that you be wounded with a blow that opens you, invisible love that we might worship your wounds. Under this symbol of love, Christ suffered cruelly and mystically, as a priest he offered a twofold sacrifice. Who would not respond in love of one who loves this way? Who redeemed would not love and in love cleave always to Christ?  O Jesus, to you be glory, who from your heart poured out grace, with the Father and strengthening Spirit, in eternal ages. Amen.

Ad Laudes matutinas: Bernardus claravallensis?

Iesu, auctor cleméntiæ,

totíus spes lætítiæ,

dulcóris fons et grátiæ,

veræ cordis delíciæ:

Iesu, spes pæniténtibus,

quam pius es peténtibus,

quam bonus te quæréntibus;

sed quid inveniéntibus?

Tua, Iesu, diléctio,

grata mentis reféctio,

replet sine fastídio,

dans famem desidério.

O Iesu dilectíssime,

spes suspirántis ánimæ,

te quærunt piæ lácrimæ,

te clamor mentis íntimæ.

Mane nobíscum, Dómine,

Mane novum cum lúmine,

pulsa noctis calígine

mundum replens dulcédine.

Iesu, summa benígnitas,

mira cordis iucúnditas,

incomprehénsa bónitas,

tua nos stringit cáritas.

Iesu, flos Matris vírginis,

amor nostræ dulcédinis,

laus tibi sine términis,

regnum beatitúdinis. Amen.

 O Jesus, author of mercy, the hope of complete joy and source of sweet grace and the true delight of the heart. O Jesus, hope of the penitent, how loving to those who ask you in prayer, how good to those who seek you; but what do they find? Your love, O Jesus, pleasing refreshment of the soul, he fills without weariness,  satisfying our hunger with desire. O most loving Jesus, hope of those who aspire for you, holy tears seek you, cry to you from deep inside the soul. Abide with us, O Lord, in the morning with the new light, drive away the darkness of night, filling the world with your sweetness.  O Jesus, highest kindness, wondrous joy of the heart, limitless goodness, your love urges us on. O Jesus, flower of the virgin Mother, love of our sweetness, praise to you without end in the kingdom blessed. Amen.