Homily by S. Bernard, Abbot, in Praise of the Virgin Mary

Mary addressed the Son, God and Lord of Angels, saying, Son, why have you so dealt with us? Who among the Angels would thus dare? It is enough for them, and more than enough, that, while they are spirits by creation, by grace they are both made and called Angels, as David witnesses: Who makes his Angels spirits. But Mary, knowing herself to be his Mother, with confidence named this Majesty, Son, he whom they serve with reverence: neither did God disdain to be called what he had deigned to become. For a little later it is written: And he was subject unto them. Who, unto whom? God to man, God, I say, unto whom Angels are subject, whom Principalities and Powers adore, he was subject to Mary.

Come and marvel at these things and say which is the greater wonder, the infinite loving-kindness of the Son, or the pre-eminent honor of the parents. Each is amazing, each is marvelous: that God should comply with man is an unparalleled example of humility; that man should have dominion over God is a unique exaltation. In special praise of virgins, we sing that they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. What praise would you deem worthy for the one who leads him? Learn, O man, to obey; learn, O earth, to submit; learn, O dust, to comply. The Evangelist is speaking of the Creator, and he says, And he was subject unto them: there is no question of doubt: to Mary and to Joseph. Then blush, you creature of ashes! God humbles himself, do you exalt yourself? God subjects himself to men, and do you want to lord it over them, to set yourself over your Creator?

Vesperas I & II: Prudentius

A.S. Walpole: Cathemerinon IX, from which 23 is a cento, is entitled hymnus omnis horae. At every hour of every day should a believer be mindful of Christ, who is the A and O, the beginning and the end. Prudentius therefore praises Him as the creator of all things, as the everlasting Son of the Father's love begotten. He then briefly but graphically relates the chief wonders of His earthly life.  

Milfull: (in the English tradition): This hymn was in use at Christmas and Candlemas . . . for 1^st Vespers of St. Stephen and Compline of the Octave of Christmas, the Vigil of Epiphany, the Vigil of the Purification and the Purification itself.

Corde natus ex Paréntis

ante mundi exórdium,

Alpha et Omega vocátus,

ipse fons et cláusula

ómnium quæ sunt, fuérunt

quæque post futúra sunt.

  

Córporis formam cadúci,

membra morti obnóxia

índuit, ne gens períret

primoplásti ex gérmine,

mérserat quam lex profúndo

noxiális tártaro.

O beátus ortus ille,

Virgo cum puérpera

édidit nostram salútem

feta Sancto Spíritu,

et puer redémptor orbis

os sacrátum prótulit.

Ecce, quem vates vetústis

concinébant sæculis,

quem prophetárum fidéles

páginæ spopónderant,

émicat promíssus olim:

cuncta colláudent eum!

Glóriam Patri melódis

personémus vócibus;

glóriam Christo canámus,

matre nato vírgine,

inclitóque sempitérnam

glóriam Paráclito. Amen.

Born from the heart of the Father before the beginning of the world, called Alpha and Omega, himself the source and the end of all which exist, have existed and which afterwards shall exist. Clothed in the form of the frail body, his members subject to death, that the people not perish from the seed of the firstborn Adam whom the law of death submerged in deepest hell.  O blessed birth from the childbearing Virgin, made fertile by the Holy Spirit, which brought forth our salvation and the Child, the Redeemer of the world revealed his face. Behold him of whom the ancient seers sang through the centuries, him whom before the writing of the faithful prophets had promised, let all things praise him.  With melodious voices let us sing the glory of the Father, chant glory to Christ, born of a Virgin Mother and eternal glory to the great Paraclete. Amen.

Officium lectionis: saec. VII-VIII

The first part of this hymn, under the title Agnoscat omne saeculum (attributed by some to Fortunatus), was and is used for 2nd Vespers for the Annunciation. 

Radix Iesse flóruit

et virga fructum édidit;

fecúnda partum prótulit

et virgo mater pérmanet.

Præsæpe poni pértulit

qui lucis auctor éxstitit;

cum Patre cælos cóndidit,

sub matre pannos índuit.

Legem dedit qui sæculo,

cuius decem præcépta sunt,

dignándo factus est homo

sub legis esse vínculo.

Iam lux salúsque náscitur,

nox díffugit, mors víncitur;

veníte, gentes, crédite:

Deum María prótulit.

The root of Jesse has flowered and the branch has given forth fruit; the fertile Mother has borne a Son, yet remains a Virgin. He endures the manger, he who is the Creator of light; with his Father he created the heavens but he is clothed in diapers by his Mother. He who gave the Law to the world, the ten commandments, condescends to be made man, to be constrained by the chain of the Law.  Now light and salvation are born, night flees and death is conquered; come, you nations, believe: Mary has given birth to God.

Laudes: saec. IX

Walpole: a fragment of an alphabetical hymn the rest of which has been lost. In the Mozarabic use, to judge by the rubric: in alia festivitate non dicitur, only on die sanctae Mariae.

Fit porta Christi pérvia

omni reférta grátia,

transítque rex, et pérmanet

clausa, ut fuit, per sæcula.

Summi Paréntis Fílius

procéssit aula Vírginis,

sponsus, redémptor, cónditor

suæ gigas Ecclésiæ:

Honor matris et gáudium,

imménsa spes credéntium,

lapis de monte véniens

mundúmque replens grátia.

Exsúltet omnis ánima,

quod nunc salvátor géntium

advénit mundi Dóminus

redímere quos cóndidit.

Christo sit omnis glória,

quem Pater Deum génuit,

quem Virgo mater édidit

fecúnda Sancto Spíritu. Amen.

A path is made through the gate of Christ, Mary full of all grace, through her the King has passed and she remains closed, as it was and ever shall be. The Son of the most-high Father came forth from the Virgin’s womb, Bridegroom, Redeemer, Giant of his Church.  The honor and joy of his Mother, the great hope of believers, the stone falling down from the mountain, filling the world with grace. Let every soul exult, for now the Savior of the nations, the Lord of the world comes to redeem what he created. To Christ be all glory, whom the Father begot, whom the Virgin Mother brought forth, herself made fertile by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

December 29th DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF THE NATIVITY: Bede

 

 

The reading of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke

At that time the shepherds were saying to one another, ''Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste. And so forth.

 

Homily of St. Bede the Venerable, Priest

 

With happy joy, indeed, did these shepherds hasten to see that which they had heard, and because they instantly sought the Savior with an ardent and faithful love, they merited to find Him whom they sought. But they also have shown by their words as well as their deeds with what effort of mind the shepherds of intelligent flocks, yea, all the faithful must seek Christ. "Let us go over to Bethlehem," they say, "and let us see this word that is come to pass." Therefore, dearest brethren, let us also go over in thought to Bethlehem, the city of David, and in love recall to our minds that there the Word was made flesh, and let us celebrate His Incarnation with honors worthy of Him. Having thrown off carnal desires, let us with all the desire of our mind go over to the heavenly Bethlehem, that is, the house of living bread, not made by hands, but eternal in heaven, and in love let us recall that the Word was made flesh. Thither He has ascended in the flesh; there He sits on the right hand of God the Father. Let us follow Him with the whole force of our strength and by careful mortification of heart and body let us merit to see Him reigning on the throne of His Father, Him whom they saw crying in the manger.

 

"And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger." The shepherds came in haste and found God born as man, together with the ministers of his nativity. Let us hasten too, my brethren, not with footsteps, but by the advances of good works, to see the same glorified humanity together with the same ministers remunerated with a reward worthy of their services; let us hasten to see him refulgent with the divine Majesty of His Father and of Himself. Lot ug hasten, I say, for such happiness is not to be sought with "loth and torpor, but the footsteps of Christ must be eagerly followed. For, offering His hand, He desires to help our course delights to hear from us: "Draw us, we will run after thee the odor of thy ointments." Therefore, let us follow swiftly the strides of virtue that we may merit to possess. Let no one be tardy in converting to the Lord; let no one put it off from day to day; let us beseech Him through all things and before things that He direct our steps according to His word and let not injustice dominate over us.

 

"And seeing, they understood the word that had been spoken t0 them concerning this Child." Let us also, most dearly beloved brethren hasten in the meantime to perceive by a loving faith to embrace with complete love those things that are said to us concerning our Savior, true God and Man, so that by this we may be able to comprehend Him perfectly in the future vision of knowledge. For this is not only and the true life of the blessed, only of men, but even of the angels, to look continually upon of their Creator, which was so ardently desired by the Psalmist who said: "My soul hath thirsted after the living God, when shall I come and appear before the face of God? The Psalmist has shown that the vision of Him alone, and not of the things of earth, could satisfy his desire when "I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear." But since neither the idle nor the slothful, but those who perspire in works of virtue, are worthy of divine contemplation, he carefully premised these words: “But as for me, I will appear before thy sight in justice.:

 

 

 

Vespers I & II: 6^th Century

Christe, redemptor omnium,

ex Patre, Patris Unice, 

solus ante principium

natus ineffabíliter,

Tu lumen, tu splendor Patris,

tu spes perénnis ómnium,

inténde quas fundunt preces

tui per orbem sérvuli.

Salútis auctor, récole

quod nostri quondam córporis,

ex illibáta Vírgine

nascéndo, formam súmpseris.

Hic præsens testátur dies,

currens per anni círculum,

quod solus a sede Patris

mundi salus advéneris;

Hunc cælum, terra, hunc mare,

hunc omne quod in eis est,

auctórem advéntus tui

laudat exsúltans cántico.

Nos quoque, qui sancto tuo

redémpti sumus sánguine,

ob diem natális tui

hymnum novum concínimus.

O Christ, Redeemer of all, the Father’s only Son, alone begotten ineffably before world began. You the light and splendor of the Father, You the eternal hope of all men, attend to the prayers which thy servants pour forth in all the world. Remember, O Author of our salvation, that once you took the form of our body and were born from the spotless Virgin. This present day gives witness in the passing cycle of the year that you alone came from the throne of the Father as the salvation of the world.  Him sky, earth, Him sea, Him all that is in them praise , exulting in song the coming of their creator. We too, who have been redeemed by your holy blood, on the day of your birth together sing a new hymn.

The Office of  Readings: novus

Candor ætérnæ Deitátis alme,

Christe, tu lumen, vénia atque vita

ádvenis, morbis hóminum medéla,

  porta salútis.

Intonat terræ chorus angelórum

cælicum carmen, nova sæcla dicens,

glóriam Patri, generíque nostro

  gáudia pacis.

Qui iaces parvus dóminans et orbi,

Virginis fructus sine labe sanctæ,

Christe, iam mundo potiáris omni,

  semper amándus.

Násceris cælos pátriam datúrus,

unus e nobis, caro nostra factus;

ínnova mentes, trahe caritátis

  péctora vinclis.

Cœtus exsúltans canit ecce noster,

ángelis læto sociátus ore,

et Patri tecum parilíque Amóri

  cántica laudis. Amen.

Loving Splendor of eternal Divinity, O Christ, you come as light, pardon and life, healing the sickness of men, the gate of salvation.  O earth the choir of angels thunder a heavenly song, proclaiming a new age, glory to the Father and the joy of peace to our race. You who lie but a baby rule the world, the fruit of the holy Virgin without sin, O Christ, ever-loved, now you rule all the world.  You are born to giver us heaven as our fatherland, one of us, made our flesh, lead our hearts with chains of love. Behold our assembly rejoicing sings gladly with the angels a canticle of praise to the Father with you, O Christ, and equally to the Spirit, the Bond of Love. Amen.

Or Christe, redémptor ómnium (as in the Monastic Breviary) for those who are not fans of Dom Anselmo.

Lauds: Sedulius

A solis ortus cárdine

adúsque terræ límitem

Christum canámus príncipem,

natum María Vírgine.

Beátus auctor sæculi

servíle corpus índuit,

ut carne carnem líberans

non pérderet quod cóndidit.

Clausæ paréntis víscera

cæléstis intrat grátia;

venter puéllæ báiulat

secréta quæ non nóverat.

Domus pudíci péctoris

templum repénte fit Dei;

intácta nésciens virum

verbo concépit Fílium.

Eníxa est puérpera

quem Gábriel prædíxerat,

quem matris alvo géstiens

clausus Ioánnes sénserat.

Feno iacére pértulit,

præsépe non abhórruit,

parvóque lacte pastus est

per quem nec ales ésurit.

Gaudet chorus cæléstium

et ángeli canunt Deum,

palámque fit pastóribus

pastor, creátor ómnium.

From the point of the rising sun to the end of the earth we sing of the Christ the Prince born of the Virgin Mary. The blessed Maker of the world took our servile body that delivering flesh by flesh that what he had created would not be destroyed. Heavenly grace enters and is enclosed within the womb of his Mother; the girl’s stomach bears mysteries which does not understand. The home of a pure heart suddenly becomes the temple of God; she untouched and knowing not man, conceived the Son by a word. She brought forth by human birth him, whom Gabriel had foretold, the one whom John enclosed in his mother’s womb leaping for joy acknowledged. The child endured the bed of hay, he did not abhor the manger and he, who lets not the birds hunger is feed with a little milk.  The choir of heavenly beings rejoice and angels sing to God and before the shepherds there is the Shepherd, the Creator of all.

Hymn: St. Thomas the Apostle

 

Ad Laudes matutinas: novus

Qui luce splendes órdinis

apostolórum máxima,

Thoma, benígnus áccipe

laudes tibi quas pángimus.

Te lúcidis in sédibus

amóre Christus cóllocat;

amóre promptus éxpetis

tu pro Magístro cómmori.

Te torquet et diléctio

narrántibus cum frátribus

vis certus esse, vísere,

palpáre Iesu vúlnera.

Quantóque cordis gáudio

ipsum misértum cónspicis,

Deúmque dicis crédulus,

fervóre adórans péctoris!

Nobísque qui non vídimus

per te fides fit ácrior,

fit æstus et poténtior

quo Christi amórem quærimus.

Christo sit omnis glória,

qui te rogánte præbeat

nobis fide ambulántibus

ipsum vidére pérpetim. Amen.

O Thomas, you who in the order of the apostles, shine with the greatest light, kindly accept the praises we sing to you. Christ in his love places you among the resplendent thrones; you compelled by love desire to die for your Master. But love also compels you, when your brothers relate the good news, to see for certain, to see and touch the wounds of Jesus. How much joy of heart you have when you see his mercy, and you believing proclaim him God and worship him with a fervent heart. For us, who do not see, through you our faith is made stronger, our fervor is made more powerful by which we seek the love of Christ. To Christ be all glory, that by your intercession he may make us walking by faith to behold him forever. Amen.

After 16 December

 

 

Office of Readings: St. Ambrose

 

Milfull: Winchester Hymnal at Christmas Matins; Canterbury on Advent 3^rd, 4^th and Christmas Vigil; “This is Ambrose’s Christmas hymn Indende qui regis without the first verse."

 

Veni, redémptor géntium,

osténde partum Vírginis;

mirétur omne sæculum:

talis decet partus Deum.

 

Non ex viríli sémine,

sed mýstico spirámine

Verbum Dei factum est caro

fructúsque ventris flóruit.

 

Alvus tuméscit Vírginis,

claustrum pudóris pérmanet,

vexílla virtútum micant,

versátur in templo Deus.

 

Procédat e thálamo suo,

pudóris aula régia,

géminæ gigas substántiæ

alácris ut currat viam.

 

Æquális ætérno Patri,

carnis tropæo cíngere,

infírma nostri córporis

virtúte firmans pérpeti.

 

Præsépe iam fulget tuum

luménque nox spirat novum,

quod nulla nox intérpolet

fidéque iugi lúceat.

 

 

Come, O Redeemer of the nations, reveal your virgin birth; all the world marvels that such a birth befits God. No from the seed of man but from mystical breath the Word of God was made flesh and the fruit of the womb flourished. The Virgin’s womb grows large, the enclosure remains pure, the banners of the virtues shine, God enters his temple. He goes forth from the wedding chamber, the royal halls of modesty, a hero of twofold substance, he swiftly runs his course. Equal to the eternal Father, girded with the trophy of the flesh, strengthening the weakness of our bodies with infinite power. Even now your manger shines and night breathes a new light, which no night may interrupt,

and shines with the highest faith.

 

 

Vespers: 10^th Century

 

Verbum salútis ómnium,

Patris ab ore pródiens,

Virgo beáta, súscipe

casto, María, víscere.

 

Te nunc illústrat cælitus

umbra fecúndi Spíritus,

gestes ut Christum Dóminum,

æquálem Patri Fílium.

 

Hæc est sacráti iánua

templi seráta iúgiter,

soli suprémo Príncipi

pandens beáta límina.

 

Olim promíssus vátibus,

natus ante lucíferum,

quem Gábriel annúntiat,

terris descéndit Dóminus.

 

Læténtur simul ángeli,

omnes exsúltent pópuli:

excélsus venit húmilis

salváre quod períerat.

 

The Word of the salvation of all, proceeding from the mouth of the Father, receive, O blessed Virgin Mary, in your chaste womb. Now the heavenly, fertile Spirit has overshadowed you with light that you might give birth to Christ the Lord, to the Son equal to the Father.  This gate of the holy temple, long closed, now its blessed threshold is opened by the only supreme Ruler. Once promised through the prophets, born before the morning star, Gabriel announced, the Lord who descends to earth.  Let angels rejoice together, all the people exult; the Most High comes in humility to save that which has been lost.