IN PASSIONE S. IOANNIS BAPTISTÆ

 

 

 

Ad Officium lectionis & Ad Vesperas: Beda Venerabilis

 

Præcéssor almus grátiæ

et veritátis ángelus,

lucérna Christi et pérpetis

evangelísta lúminis,

 

Prophetíæ præcónia,

quæ voce, vita et áctibus

cantáverat, hæc ástruit

mortis sacræ signáculo.

 

Nam nascitúrum sæculis,

nascéndo quem prævénerat,

sed et datórem próprii

monstráverat baptísmatis,

 

Huiúsce mortem innóxiam,

qua vita mundo est réddita,

signat sui præságio

baptísta martyr sánguinis.

 

Præsta, Pater piíssime,

sequi Ioánnis sémitas,

metámus ut pleníssime

ætérna Christi múnera. Amen.

 

Loving forerunner of grace and angel of truth, lamp of Christ and preacher of perpetual light, the proclamation of prophecy, which he sang in voice, life and deeds, he confirmed by the sign of a holy death. For he was to be born to the world John preceded in birth and also revealed as the giver of   his own baptism. The martyr Baptist  by his blood prefigures the innocent death  by which life is restored to the world. Grant us , O Father most holy, to follow the path of John, that we may reap fully the eternal gifts of Christ. Amen.

 

Ad Laudes matutinas: Paulus Diaconus

 

O nimis felix meritíque celsi,

nésciens labem nívei pudóris,

præpotens martyr eremíque cultor,

  máxime vatum.

 

Nunc potens nostri méritis opímis

péctoris duros lápides repélle,

ásperum planans iter, et refléxos

  dírige calles,

 

Ut pius mundi sator et redémptor,

méntibus pulsa mácula polítis,

rite dignétur véniens sacrátos

  pónere gressus.

 

Láudibus cives célebrant supérni

te, Deus simplex paritérque trine;

súpplices ac nos véniam precámur:

  parce redémptis. Amen.

 

O mighty martyr, cultivator of solitude, greatest of the prophets, exceedingly blessed and worthy of heaven, knowing no fall from your snow-white purity. Now powerful in your great merits, drive away the hard stones of our hearts, making its way smooth and its crooked paths straight.  That when the holy Creator and Redeemer of the world comes, in souls polished and with stains removed, he might make his holy way rightly and worthily.   May the citizens of heaven praise you, God simple and equally three; but we humbly pray pardon: spare the redeemed. Amen

S. BERNARDI, ABBATIS ET ECCLESIÆ DOCTORIS

 

S. BERNARDI, ABBATIS ET ECCLESIÆ DOCTORIS

Ad Laudes matutinas & vesperas: novus (LofH)

Bernárde, gemma cælitum,

laudes, tibi quas pángimus,

in nostra verte gáudia

salútis atque múnera.

Te Christus ussit íntimo

dilectiónis vúlnere

Sponsæque fecit próvidus

scutum, colúmnam, lámpada.

Almus dedit te Spíritus

os veritátis prófluum

et angelórum pábuli

arcána mella próferens.

Amóris æstu cándidi

te Virgo Mater ímbuit,

quam nemo te facúndius

vel prædicávit áltius.

Te quæsiérunt árbitrum

reges, magístri, præsules,

cultórque solitúdinis

fama replésti sæculum.

Sit Trinitáti glória,

quæ se vidéndam lárgiens,

tecum benígna gáudio

nos det perénni pérfrui. Amen.

 

O Bernard, precious gem among those who dwell in heaven, reward the praises, which we sing to you, in our joy and with gifts of salvation.  Christ inflamed you with a wound of interior love, and in his providence made you the shield, the pillar and lamp of his bride, the Church. The life-giving Spirit gave you a fluent voice to speak the truth and reveal sweetly the hidden things of the angels’ food. The Virgin Mother filled you with bright fervor of love, whom no one preached more eloquently and more deeply than you. Kings, judges and prelates sought your counsel, lover of solitude, yet you filled the world with your fame. To the Trinity be glory, who granted you to see himself, with you kindly grant that we may enjoy him with eternal happiness. Amen.

IN ASSUMPTIONE BEATÆ MARIÆ VIRGINIS-updated

 

 

Two of the hymns for the Assumption in the LH are from St. Peter Damian. Fr. Owen Blum, OFM, (St. Peter Damian, His teaching on the Spiritual) says that the hymn for Lauds is the best of his hymns, but “of a didactic character and showing little of the fervent appeal of St. Bernard”. But his prose is superb (from a Homily on the Nativity of Mary):

 

 

whatever is said of you by mortal man does not equal the merits of your dignity. For human frailty cannot worthily aspire to proclaim her whom an exceeding grace has raised above the angels. We beseech you, most loving Mother of goodness and mercy, that we who rejoice in singing your praises here on earth, may merit to have the aid of your intercession in heaven ; that, as through you the Son of God deigned to come down to us, so may we be able through you to come to union with Him.

 

 

 

Ad I  &  II  Vesperas: Petrus Damianus

 

Gáudium mundi, nova stella cæli,

prócreans solem, páriens paréntem,

da manum lapsis, fer opem cadúcis,

  virgo María.

 

Te Deo factam liquet esse scalam

qua tenens summa petit Altus ima;

nos ad excélsi remeáre cæli

  cúlmina dona.

 

Te beatórum chorus angelórum,

te prophetárum et apostolórum

ordo prælátam sibi cernit unam

  post Deitátem.

 

Laus sit excélsæ Tríadi perénnis,

quæ tibi, Virgo, tríbuit corónam,

atque regínam statuítque nostram

  próvida matrem. Amen.

 

Joy of the world, new star of heaven, giving birth to the sun, bearing the parent, give your hand to those slipping, help the fallen, O Virgin Mary. God made you to be the certain ladder, by which the Highest keeping its height could seek the lowest; grant that we may return to the summit of highest heaven.  The choir of Blessed angels, the order of prophets and apostles acknowledge you singularly favored before themselves, after God.  Everlasting praise to the Trinity on high, who granted you, O Virgin, a crown, and established you as our queen and watchful mother. Amen.

 

Ad Officium lectionis: Petrus Damianus

 

Auróra velut fúlgida,

ad cæli meat cúlmina

ut sol María spléndida,

tamquam luna pulchérrima.

 

Regína mundi hódie

thronum conscéndit glóriæ,

illum eníxa Fílium

qui est ante lucíferum.

 

Assúmpta super ángelos

omnésque choros cælitum,

cuncta sanctórum mérita

transcéndit una fémina.

 

Quem fóverat in grémio,

locárat in præsépio,

nunc regem super ómnia

Patris videt in glória.

 

Pro nobis, Virgo vírginum,

tuum depósce Fílium,

per quam nostra suscéperat,

ut sua nobis præbeat.

 

Sit laus Patri cum Fílio

et Spíritu Paráclito,

qui te præ cunctis cælica

exornavérunt glória. Amen.

 

 

As the glittering dawn Mary arises to the height of heaven, sparkling like the sun, most beautiful like the moon.  Today the Queen of the world ascends to her throne of glory, she who gave birth to that Son, who was before the daystar. This women alone is taken above the angels and over all the heavenly hosts; she surpasses the merits of all of the saints. Him, whom she has cherished at her bosom, she puts in a manger; now she sees him King over all in the glory of the Father. O Virgin of virgins, pray to your Son for us, through you he received what is ours that he might give to us what is his.  Praise to the Father with the Son and Comforter Spirit, who before all adorned you with heavenly glory. Amen.

 

Ad Laudes matutinas: Victorius Genovesi

 

Connelly: “As with other modern hymns, the studied effects of the Humanists replace the lyricism and inspiration of the older hymns”.

 

 

Solis, O Virgo, rádiis amícta,

bis caput senis redimíta stellis,

luna cui præbet pédibus scabéllum,

  ínclita fulges.

 

Mortis, inférni domitríxque culpæ,

ássides Christo studiósa nostri,

teque regínam célebrat poténtem

  terra polúsque.

 

Asseclas diæ fídei tuére;

díssitos adduc ad ovíle sacrum;

quas diu gentes tegit umbra mortis

  úndique coge.

 

Sóntibus mitis véniam precáre,

ádiuva flentes, ínopes et ægros,

spes mica cunctis per acúta vitæ

  certa salútis.

 

Laus sit excélsæ Tríadi perénnis,

quæ tibi, Virgo, tríbuit corónam,

atque regínam statuítque nostram

  próvida matrem. Amen.

 

O Virgin, clothed with the radiant sun, her head garlanded with twice six stars, the moon serving her as a footstool, you gloriously shine.  Ruling over death and guilty hell, anxious for our good you are enthroned next to Christ, earth and heaven celebrate you as their mighty queen.  Watch over your children by godly faith, bring back the scattered to the holy fold; gather from all the nations those so long covered by the shadow of death. With gentle prayers implore pardon for the guilty, help those who weep, the needy and the sick, shine on all in the difficulties of life the sure hope of salvation. Everlasting praise to the Trinity on high, who granted you, O Virgin, a crown, and established you as our queen and watchful mother. Amen.

 

 

O quam glorifica: another medieval Assumption Hymn

 

Milfull: Hymn sung on the Assumption and assigned to Vespers; also at Vespers for Nativity BVM in collector of H;  Hours of Our Lady Vespers, Lauds and Compline.

 

 

O quam glorifica luce coruscas,

Stirpis Davidicae regia proles!

Sublimis residens, Virgo Maria,

Supra caeligenas aetheris omnes.

 

Tu cum virgineo mater honore,

Caelorum Domino pectoris aulam

Sacris visceribus casta parasti;

Natus hinc Deus est corpore Christus.

 

Quem cunctus venerans orbis adorat,

Cui nunc rite genuflectitur omne;

A quo te, petimus, subveniente,

Abjectis tenebris, gaudia lucis.

 

Hoc largire Pater luminis omnis,

Natum per proprium, Flamine sacro,

Qui tecum nitida vivit in aethra

Regnans, ac moderans saecula cuncta.

  Amen.

 

O how you shine with glorious light, royal offspring of the David’s stock, O Virgin Mary, dwelling above, above all the citizens of heaven.

 

You, a mother with virginal honor, chastely ready in your holy womb, the court of your heart for heaven’s Lord; thus was born Christ, God in the flesh:

 

He Whom all the world adores with veneration, to Whom now every knee is rightly bent;

with your help we implore from Him the joys of light, with all darkness dispelled.

 

Grant this, O Father of all light, through Your own Son, in the Holy Spirit, Who lives with You in the shining heavens, ruling and governing all the ages. Amen.

S. Laurence

 

Collects

1962

Da nobis, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus: vitiórum nostrórum flammas exstínguere; qui beáto Lauréntio tribuísti tormentórum suórum incéndia superáre.

Grant us, we beseech thee, Almighty God, grace to quench the flames of our sins: as thou didst endue blessed Laurence with power to overcome the fire of his torments.

 2002

Deus, cuius caritátis ardóre beátus Lauréntius servítio cláruit fidélis et martýrio gloriósus, fac nos amáre quod amávit et ópere exercére quod dócuit.

 O God, by whose charity blessed Laurence shined forth in faithful service and was glorious in martyrdom: grant that we may love what he loved and do the works which he taught.

Both these prayers are commendable but in quite different ways: 1962 we need grace to quench sin; in 2002 we are encouraged to practice charity, as St. Laurence did. Probably the collects should trade places: the new collect for the Extra-ordinary Form and the old collect for the Novus Ordo.

Sermon by S. Leo the Great: Sermon 85: On the Birthday of S. Laurence

 THEN the power of the  heathen was raging  against Christ's chosen members, and was especially seeking out those in priestly orders, the wicked persecutor bore down on the Levite Laurence, who was pre-eminent in distributing the Church's substance, as well as in ministering the sacraments; the persecutor promised himself a two-fold booty from one man, for if he could make him hand over the holy funds, he would also make him an apostate from the true religion.

THIS man, then, was furnished with a double motive, greed for money, and hatred of the truth: avarice, for he would seize the treasure, wickedness for he would rob Christ. He orders the spotless minister of the sanctuary to bring him the Church's wealth, which he so greedily desires. The most chaste Levite, to show him where that treasure lay, brought him a great crowd of the holy poor, on whose food and clothing he had invested those resources so that they could never be lost; for they were all the more safe, for the holy way in which they had been spent.

THUS frustrated, the robber rages, and seething with hatred for a religion which had appointed such use for wealth, he tries to steal a higher treasure from him in whose hands he found no money; he attempts to rob him of that wealth which made him rich in holiness. He orders Laurence to renounce Christ, and prepares fearful tortures to overcome the Levite's most steadfast strength of soul; when the first tortures are of no avail worse ones follow. He orders his lacerated limbs, cut by many stripes, to be roasted over a fire; so that the torture should be more severe and the suffering prolonged, his body was to be turned from side to side on the gridiron, the bars Of which were themselves burning hot by reason of the slow fire beneath

O RAGING cruelty, gaining nothing, obtaining nothing! That which can die is withdrawn from thy tortures, and Laurence goes forth to heaven, while thou failest with thy flames. The love of Christ could not be overcome by flames. The fire which licked around him was slower than that which burned within. Thou didst rage, O persecutor of a martyr; thou didst rage, and by increasing his tortures thou didst help him to his palm. For what could thy imagination find that was not conducive to the victor's glory, when the very instruments of torture turned to the honor of his triumph? Let us rejoice, therefore, with spiritual joy, beloved brethren, and in the most happy end of this illustrious man let us glory in the Lord, who is wonderful in his Saints, in whom he hath given us both help and example. He hath thus made his glory to shine throughout the world, that from the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same, amidst the shining brightness of the Levitical lights, as Jerusalem is made glorious by Stephen, so Rome is made illustrious by Laurence.

 Ad Laudes matutinas: Prudentius

 To give Prudentius credit for this hymn is no great favor to such an accomplished, learned and skillful poet. This hymn is pieced together from various lines from Prudentius’ Peristephanon II with, one suspects, some tinkering from Dom Anselmo’s team. The result is a very obscure and difficult to translate hymn. However, Walpole’s suggestion (noted on a somewhat different centoization)  is helpful: The first two lines are explained by the preceding passage of the original, the sense of which is: the one glory formerly lacking to Rome, now given up to Christ, was the final subjugation of foul Jove, not by the turbulent might of Cossus, Camillus, or Caesar, but by the not bloodless strife of the martyr Lawrence”  (Early Latin Hymns p. 138).  Would that this notion were more clearly expressed in the office hymn.

 

 

In mártyris Lauréntii

non incruénto prœlio,

armáta pugnávit Fides

próprii cruóris pródiga.

 

Hic primus e septem viris

qui stant ad aram próximi,

levíta sublímis gradu

et céteris præstántior.

 

Hic dímicans fortíssimus

non ense præcínxit latus,

hostíle sed ferrum retro

torquens in auctórem tulit.

 

Sic, sancte Laurénti, tuam

nos passiónem quærimus;

quod quisque supplex póstulat,

fert impetrátum próspere,

 

Dum cæli inenarrábili

alléctus urbi múniceps,

ætérnæ in arce cúriæ

gestas corónam cívicam.

 

Honor Patri cum Fílio

et Spíritu Paráclito,

qui nos tuis suffrágiis

ditent perénni láurea. Amen.

 

In the not bloodless strife of the martyr Laurence, armed with faith he fought, his own blood prodigally shed.  He was the first of seven men, standing next to the altar, a lofty deacon by rank, surpassing all the others. This most courageous fighter girded no sword at his side, but taking the enemy’s sword in  his back, bore the torture with calm authority.  Thus, O holy Laurence, we seek a passion like yours; may, what each humble soul asks of you, succeed and prosper.  Chosen a fellow-citizen of the city of ineffable heaven,  in height of the eternal court you wear a civic crown. Honor to the Father with the Son and Spirit Paraclete, who by your prayers, O Laurence, enriches us with eternal laurels.  Amen.

 

Ad Officium lectionis & Vesperas: Petrus Damianus

 

Mártyris Christi cólimus triúmphum,

dona qui mundi peritúra spernit,

fert opem nudis, aliménta, nummos

  tradit egénis.

 

Igne torquétur, stábili tenóre

cordis accénsus súperat mináces

ígnium flammas in amóre vitæ

  semper opímæ.

 

Spíritum sumpsit chorus angelórum,

íntulit cælo bene laureándum,

ut scelus laxet hóminum, precándo

  omnipoténtem.

 

Súpplici voto rogitámus ergo

ómnibus, martyr, véniam precéris,

cordis ardóres, fídei tenácem

  usque vigórem.

 

Glóriam Patri resonémus omnes,

eius et Nato modulémur apte,

cum quibus regnat simul et creátor

  Spíritus almus. Amen.

 

We celebrate the triumph of a martyr of Christ, who spurned the passing gifts of the world, brought help to the naked, handed over to the needy food and money.  Tortured by fire, he stood strong, his heart enkindled, overcoming the menacing flames of fire, for the sake of his love for abundant life. The choir of angels receives his spirit, he wears well the victory laurels rightly given by heaven to loosen the sins of men by praying to God almighty. Therefore, O martyr, we humbly ask that you pray pardon for all, for fervent hearts, tenacious faith, and strength. Let us all resound glory to the Father and sing rightly of his Son, with whom the Spirit Creator rules. Amen.

Our Lady of the Snows

 

Our Lady of the Snows

City of God, how high the claim is made for thee, and divinely in the Spirit has David sung to us of thee: openly, as I think, and without hesitation, calling that city of the great King which truly was chosen and stands before all others, not by the pre-eminence of its buildings or lofty hills, but which stands out by the greatness of its divine virtues and its uprising purity: I mean Mary, the most chaste and immaculate Mother Of God, where the King of kings and Lord Of lords pitched his tent, or rather, where the whole plenitude of Deity is embodied and dwells. This is that glorious city, this is the spiritual Sion. And this, I think it is, that David by divine presage foretold.

But even if someone should call her dwelling place the glorious city he would not be going beyond the bounds of truth or propriety. For if she is counted to be the living city of Christ the King, it is only right that her most holy temple, whose dedication we celebrate today, should be, and should be called, the glorious city. Not a city, that is, which enrolls its people under the power of an earthly and a mortal king; but under a heavenly one who leads his followers to everlasting life and gives them his own kingdom.

But when you hear this word Dedication do not think of new buildings and recent constructions, but rather of a renewal in the spirit whereby our inner man lays aside the old garment all rent and torn with sin and putting on the new one Of piety orders his life in a new kind of existence. Then does the Virgin undefiled take joy in us, if renewed in virtue and pious and devout behavior we take a chaste joy in the chaste feast of her the most chaste, and as though approaching her quite close we thus enter her august temple and arrange in order, and change for the better all things: in thought, word and deed. But let mercy come before all else, that mercy by which God is served, so that renewed in body and in soul, we may in a new way celebrate this feast-day of the Dedication of the most pure Mother of God.

Sermon for the dedication of the Church of our Lady.