Byrne: Use: Lauds of the dedication of a church.
l. "Christ the cornerstone was sent to be the
foundation, and He is bound in both joints of the wall: whom holy Sion received
and, believing in Him, she endures." Angularis. Cf. scriptural
references before stanza I of Urbs Jerusalem beata. "Behold I will
lay in Sion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that shall believe in
Him, shall not be confounded" 1 Pet, 2:6). Sion. Generally, the term Sion
is used Of the Church militant, while Jerusalem is used of the Church
triumphant, Utroque. Christ is the cornerstone on which both walls (i.e.
Jews and Gentiles) were united and on which both rested and were supported,
forming only one edifice (MacEviIIy, Exposition of the Epistles, Eph, 2:20).
2. "All this city, sacred and beloved of God,
is full of melodies in praise and sonorous jubilation: she extols with fervor
the God who is one and three." It may be noted here that some hymnologists
(e.g.. Neale) consider this stanza to have been the conclusion of the original
hymn; others e.g., Trench) hold a contrary view. Trinum, unicum. Cf. I
Jo tn 5:7. Modulis. Cf. Apoc. 4:8.
3. "In this temple, O God most high, be
present when Thou art invoked; and in Thy merciful goodness receive our
prayers; here pour out forever Thy abundant blessing." Templo, the
particular church, the dedication of which we are celebrating. Vota, the
desires or wishes that underlie all prayer. Infunde. "Try Me in
this, saith the Lord: if I open not unto you the floodgates of heaven. and pour
you out a blessing even to abundance" (Mal. 3:10).
4. 4. "Here
may all merit to obtain the things requested and to retain forever with the
saints the things granted, and to enter paradise when taken to their
rest." Requiem. Heaven is frequently styled a place of everlasting rest.
"And the Lord will give thee rest continually, and will fill thy soul with
brightness" (Isa. 58: Il).
Christ, the cornerstone, was made the foundation,
who joined together the walls, which holy Zion received and in which she abides
in confidence. The whole city, sacred to God and beloved by him, filled with
music of praise and joyful song, fervently proclaims God, the three and one.
Into this temple, O most high God, come and in your good mercy receive the
requests of our prayers; here ever pour out your great blessing. Here may all
be worthy to have their petitions answered and to possess what they ask and with
the saints forever enter paradise and be taken into rest.
O Christ, the life-giving ruler of all, may the
people’s humble prayer resound in your churches at this time of the year when
the celebration of your feast comes around again. This is the place which is called the court
of the great King and the gate of heaven bright, which receives all seeking the
fatherland of life. This holy temple gathers your people, this holy place
continuously enriches them with the sacraments; it feeds them with the heavenly
food of eternal life. We beseech you, therefore, O God, that you pleased to
guide with your presence your servants, who celebrate with great love the joys
of your temple. Equal praise to the heavenly Father, and to you, holy King,
through the ages; may the Holy Spirit resound though all the world. Amen.
Walpole: This grand old hymn, full of poetical
feeling though rugged enough as to its prosody, was written in VI- Vlllth cent,
if we may judge by its metre and the character of its rhymes. The main idea is
taken from Rev. xxi. 2, some of its imagery from Is. xxviii. 16 and i Pet. ii.
5 f. …This hymn is the ultimate source of inspiration to all the many hymns
concerning the New Jerusalem.
1. ' Blessed city called
Jerusalem, (that is to say) the vision of peace.'
2.
vivis
ex lapidibus I Pet. ii. 4: Ad
quem accedentes lapidem vivum, ab hominibus quidem reprobatum, a Deo autem
electum, et honorificatum:et ipsi tamquam lapides vivi superædificamini, domus
spiritualis, sacerdotium sanctum, offerre spirituales hostias, acceptabiles Deo
per Jesum Christum.
3. ' adorned by angels as a
bride (is adorned) by her attendants,'
4. Rev. XXI. 21: Et duodecim
portæ, duodecim margaritæ sunt, per singulas: et singulæ portæ erant ex
singulis margaritis: et platea civitatis aurum mundum, tamquam vitrum
perlucidum.
Byrne: Author:Use: Vespers and Matins of the
dedication of a church.
Note. This hymn is based on several passages of
Scripture which are given here for convenient reference. (a) "But you are
come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to the company of many thousands of angels" Heb. 12:22. (b) "And
I John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" Apoc. 21:2 (C) “be you
also as living stones built up,like to clear glass. . . And the foundations of
the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. . . . And
the twelve gates are twelve pearls. . . . And the gates thereof shall not be
shut by day" (Apoc. 21:18, 19, 21, 25). (e) "But you are fellow
citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God, built upon the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone:
in whom all the building, being framed together, groweth up into an holy temple
in the Lord. In whom also you are built together into an habitation of God in
the Spirit" (Eph. 2:19—22).'
1.
Jerusalem,
the blessed city, called the vision of peace. which is built up in heaven of
living stones, and surrounded by angels as a bride by her retinue." The
first three stanzas make up one sentence. In Hebrew the word
"Jerusalem" has the meaning of "city, or habitation, of
peace." Beata, blessed, holy. Dicta, one of the names given
to heaven where the just soul "shall delight in abundance of peace"
(Ps. 36: I l). Vivis lapidibus. souls of men, "spirits of the just
made perfect" (Heb. J2: 23).
2. "Newly coming from heaven, prepared for
the nuptial chamber, so that as a bride she may be united to her Lord: her streets
and walls are of purest gold.' Nova agrees with Jerusalem above.
3. "Her gates glitter with pearls, her inmost
shrines are wide open: and everyone who is persecuted in this world for the
name of Christ is conducted thither in virtue of His merits." Meritorum,
of Christ, 'by whose grace you are saved" (Eph. 2:5). Premitur.
"Blessed are they that suffer persecution for jus• tice' sake: for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:10).
4."The stones, polished by blows and
afflictions, are fitted to their places by the hands of the Builder: they are
arranged to remain in the sacred mansions." Expoliti. "Through
many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:21). Artificis.
"Whose builder and maker is God" (Heb.11:0). Ædificiis. 'In My Father's house there are many mansions.
I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2).
Blessed city Jerusalem, called vision of peace,
which was built in heaven from living stones, crowned by the angels, like a
noble bride. Coming down from heaven prepared for the nuptial bed, a virgin
joined to the Lord, her streets and walls made from purest gold. Her gates
bright with pearls, her inner places of the temple opened and by virtue of
merits all are lead there who in this world suffered for the name of Christ.
The stones are struck, pressed and polished, arranged for their place by the
hands of the craftsman; designed to remain forever in the holy buildings. Glory
and honor to God most high and to the Son equally and the flaming Spirit:
praise and power through endless ages. Amen.
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