Memorial of St. Mary on Saturday II

 

 

The Office of Readings: attributed to Venantius Fortunatus ?

These two hymns were originally one hymn. The authorship of Fortunatus is disputed, although there is agreement that if it is not by Fortunatus, it is by a very good imitator.

 

Quem terra, pontus, æthera

colunt, adórant, prædicant

trinam regéntem máchinam,

claustrum Maríæ báiulat.

 

Cui luna, sol et ómnia

desérviunt per témpora,

perfúsa cæli grátia

gestant puéllæ víscera.

 

Beáta mater múnere,

cuius, supérnus ártifex,

mundum pugíllo cóntinens,

ventris sub arca clausus est.

 

Beáta cæli núntio,

fecúnda Sancto Spíritu,

desiderátus géntibus

cuius per alvum fusus est.

 

He, whom earth, sea and sky revere, adore and proclaim, who rules the world’s threefold fabric, was carried in the womb of Mary. He whom moon and sun and all things in due season serve, within the Maiden’s womb is borne, a womb filled with heavenly grace.  Blessed the Mother by whose grace the creator from on high, holding the world in his fist, was enclosed in the ark of her body. Blessed is she by the heavenly messenger:  made fertile by  the Holy Spirit and the Desire of the nations came forth  from her womb.

 

John Mason Neale

 

The God Whom earth, and sea, and sky,

Adore, and laud, and magnify,

Who o’er their threefold fabric reigns,

The virgin’s spotless womb contains.

 

 The God Whose will by moon and sun

And all things in due course is done,

Is borne upon a maiden’s breast,

By fullest heavenly grace possest.

 

How blest the mother, in whose shrine

The great Artificer Divine,

Whose hand contains the earth and sky,

Vouchsafed, as in His ark, to lie!

 

Blest, in the message Gabriel brought;

Blest, by the work the Spirit wrought:

From whom the Great Desire of earth

Took human flesh and human birth. 

 

Lauds

 

O gloriósa dómina

excélsa super sídera,

qui te creávit próvide,

lactas sacráto úbere.

 

Quod Eva tristis ábstulit,

tu reddis almo gérmine;

intrent ut astra flébiles,

sternis benígna sémitam.

 

Tu regis alti iánua

et porta lucis fúlgida;

vitam datam per Vírginem,

gentes redémptæ, pláudite.

 

 

O glorious Lady exalted above the stars; He, who providentially created you, you nurse with your sacred breast. What sad Eve took away you return by your nourishing seed; that weak men might go to the stars you kindly provide a path. You are the door of the high King, the brightly shining gate to light; applaud, nations redeemed, that life is given through a virgin.

 

Percy Dearmer

 

O glorious Maid, exalted far

beyond the light of burning star,

from him who made thee thou hast won

grace to be Mother of his Son.

 

That which was lost in hapless Eve

thy holy Scion did retrieve;

the tear-worn sons of Adam's race

through thee have seen the heavenly place.

 

Thou wast the gate of heaven's high Lord,

the door through which the light hath poured.

Christians rejoice, for through a Maid

to all mankind is life conveyed!