Greater Feria (Wednesday)

Wednesday 23 December 2009

FERIA QUARTA INFRA HEBD. IV ADVENTUS
Greater Feria
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II, Preces; Mag. Ant. 'O Emmanuel')

"O Emmanuel"

"O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, Desire of all nations and their Salvation: Come and save us, O Lord our God."

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"We adore thee, O Emmanuel! in this thy journey, and we reverence the fidelity wherewith thou fulfillest all that the prophets have written of thee, for thou wouldst give to thy people the certainty of thy being the Messias, by showing them, that all the marks whereby he was to be known, are to be found in thee. And now, the hour is near; all is ready for thy Birth; come, then, and save us; come, that thou mayest not only be called our Emmanuel, but our Jesus, that is, He that saves us."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

And to finish off, a recording of the great Advent hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel:

For more on the history of the hymn, please see this article by the great chant expert Mary Berry, reproduced at NLM here.

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
  

Greater Feria (Tuesday)

Tuesday 22 December 2009

FERIA TERTIA INFRA HEBD. IV ADVENTUS
Greater Feria
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II; Mag. Ant. 'O Rex')

"O Rex Gentium"

"O King of Nations, and their Desire; the Cornerstone, who makest both one: Come and save mankind, whom thou formedst of clay."

Dom Gueranger continues to reflect on Mary's journey to Bethlehem carrying the unborn Jesus. How, he asks, will her human heart bear simultaneously the intensity of a mother's love for her baby and the love of a creature for her God.

"But thou supportest her, O thou the Desired of Nations! for thou, too, longest for that happy Birth, which is to give the earth its Saviour, and to men that Cornerstone, which will unite them all into one family. Dearest King! be thou blessed for all these wonders of thy power and goodness. Come speedily, we beseech thee, come and save us, for we are dear to thee, as creatures that have been formed by thy divine hands. Yes Come for thy creation has grown degenerate; it is lost; death has taken possession of it: take it thou again into thy almighty hands, and give it a new creation; save it; for thou hast not ceased to take pleasure in and love thy own work."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?

St Thomas, Apostle

Monday 21 December 2009

S. THOMÆ, APOSTOLI
St Thomas, Apostle
2nd Class, Red
(Mag. Ant. 'O Oriens';
2nd Vespers of St Thomas, w. commem. of feria)


Oremus:

Da nobis, quæsumus, Dómine, beáti Apóstoli tui Thomæ solemnitátibus gloriári: ut ejus semper et patrocíniis sublevémur; et fidem cóngrua devotióne sectémur. Per Dóminum.

Let us pray.

Grant us, we beseech thee, O Lord, to glory in the solemn festival of blessed Thomas, thine Apostle, that we may both be helped continually by his patronage and imitate his faith with befitting devotion. Through.

~~*~~

"O Oriens"

"O Day-Spring, Brightness of the Light everlasting, and Sun of righteousness: Come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death."

In his commentary on the fifth great 'O' antiphon, Dom Guéranger directly addresses Jesus in Mary's womb, there hidden and unrecognised as she makes her way with Joseph among the crowds on the journey to their native town, "there to be enrolled as the Edict commands". He imagines the indifference with which Mary and Joseph are regarded, if indeed they are noticed at all. Therefore it is no surprise that passeres-by give no thought to the Child, who is obviously so soon to be born.

"And yet this Child is thyself, O Sun of Justice! Oh! increase our Faith, but increase too our love.....Dearest Jesus! who thus traversest the world thou hast created, and who forcest not the honage of thy creatures, we wish to keep near thee during the rest of this thy journey: we kiss the footsteps of Her that carries thee in her womb; we will not leave thee, until we arrive together with thee at Bethlehem, that House of Bread, where, at last, our eyes will see thee, O splendour of eternal light, our Lord and our God!"

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?

(image: The Incredulity of St Thomas by Caravaggio)

Fourth Sunday in Advent

Sunday 20 December 2009

DOMINICA IV ADVENTUS
Fourth Sunday in Advent
(Rorate Sunday)
1st Class, Violet
(Mag. Ant. 'O Clavis David')


Oremus.

Excita, quæsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni : et magna nobis virtúte succúrre; ut per auxílium grátiæ tuæ, quod nostra peccáta præpédiunt, indulgéntia tuæ propitiatiónis accéleret : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy power, and come; make haste to our aid with thy great might ; that, by the help of thy grace, that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by thy merciful forgiveness.

Who livest and reignest.

~~*~~

"Jesus' public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan. (Cf. Lk 3. 23; Acts 1. 22) John preaches 'a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.' (Lk 3. 3) A crowd of sinners (Cf. Lk 3. 10-14; Mt 3. 7; 21. 32) --tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes--come to be baptized by him. 'Then Jesus appears.' The Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven proclaims, 'This is my beloved Son.' (Mt 3. 13-17) This is the manifestation ("Epiphany") of Jesus as Messiah of Israel and Son of God." (CCC 535)

~~*~~

"O Clavis David"

"O Key of David, Scepter of the house of Israel; that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth: come, and bring forth from the prisionhouse the captive, who sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death."


Dom Guéranger reflects:

"....thy Mother's womb affords thee the sweetest rest, and thou receivest from her the profoundest adoration and the tenderest love. But, dear Jesus, it is thine own blessed will that thou leave this loved abode. Thou hast, O Eternal Light, to shine in the midst of this world's darkness, this prison where the Captive, whom thou art come to deliver sits in the shadow of death. Open his prison-gates by the all-powerful Key. And who is this Captive, but the human race, the slave of error and vice? Who is this Captive, but the heart of man, which is thrall to the very passions it blushes to obey? Oh! come and set at liberty the world thou has enriched by thy grace, and the creatures whom thou has made to be thine own Brethren."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

~~*~~

Please note: on Sunday 20th December there will be Solemn Latin Vespers and Benediction at 6.30pm at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Balornock, Glasgow. All are welcome to join the Schola - now ending its inaugural year - for this opportunity to pray with the ancient music of the Church.

Please see edinburghschola.blogspot.com for updates and further information.

Links:

• Goffine, The Church's Year, fourth Sunday in Advent
  
• Guéranger, L'Année Liturgique, "4ème Dimanche Avent"
• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
  
• Gregorian Chant Propers
• chantblog
• Vultus Christi: Ave Maria, gratia plena, on the Sunday of the B.V.M. in Advent
  

(image: breviary.net)

Ember Saturday in Advent

Saturday 19 December 2009

SABBATO QUATUOR TEMPORUM
Ember Saturday in Advent
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II, Preces at Lauds only;
Mag. Ant. 'O Radix';
1st Vespers of IV Sunday Advent)

Oremus.

Deus, qui cónspicis, quia ex nostra pravitáte afflígimur : concéde propítius ; ut ex tua visitatióne consolémur : Qui vivis et regnas.

Let us pray.

O God, who seest us to be sorely afflicted by reason of the frailty of our mortal nature : grant, we beseech thee, that we may be relieved by thy gracious visitation.

Who livest and reignest with the Father.

~~*~~

"O Radix Jesse"

"O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall stop their mouths, whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not."

Most commonly the following passages are cited as sources for this:
he following passages as sources:

Isaias 11:1: And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.

Isaias 11:10: In that day the root of Jesse, who standeth for an ensign of the people, him the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulchre shall be glorious.

Micha 5:1: Now shalt thou be laid waste, O daughter of the robber: they have laid siege against us, with a rod shall they strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

However, Isaiah 11:10, Romans 15:12, and Revelation 5:5, are also sometimes cited.

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"Go forward, O Mother of God and Mother of Men!......our hearts are with thee and count thy steps.....Come, then, O Root of Jesse thus hid in this ark of purity; thou wilt soon appear before thy people as the 'standard' around which all that would conquer must rally. Then, their enemies, the kings of the world, will be silenced, and the nations will offer thee their prayers. Hasten thy coming, dear Jesus! come and conquer all our enemies and deliver us."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Links:

• Goffine, The Church's Year, Ember Saturday in Advent
• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
• NLM: The Tree of Jesse (new!)
• NLM: Saturday of Twelve Lessons (new!)
  

(image: catholic-resources.org, illustrating Lk. 3:1-6, the Gospel for both this and the IVth Sunday in Advent)

Ember Friday in Advent

Friday 18 December 2009

FERIA SEXTA QUATUOR TEMPORUM
Ember Friday in Advent
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II, Preces; Mag. Ant. 'O Adonai')


Oremus.

Excita, quæsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni : ut hi, qui in tua pietáte confídunt, ab omni cítius adversitáte liberéntur : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

Stir up thy power, O Lord, we beseech thee, and come: that we, who put our trust and confidence in thy mercy, may speedily be delivered from all our adversities.

Who livest and reignest with the Father.

Through.

~~*~~

"O Adonai"

"O Adonai and Leader of the house of Israel, who appearedst in the Bush of Moses in a flame of fire, and gavest him the law in Sinai: Come and deliver us with an outstretched arm."

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"......thou comest not to terrify, but to save us.

"Thy chaste Mother........prepares for thee, O Sun of Justice! the humble swathing-bands, wherewith to cover thy nakedness, and protect thee, the Creator of the world, from the cold of that mid-night hour of thy Nativity! Thus it is that thou willest to deliver us from the slavery of our pride, and show man that thy divine arm is never stronger than when he thinks it powerless and still. Everything is prepared, then, dear Jesus! thy swathing-bands are ready for thy infant limbs! come to Bethlehem, and redeem us from the hands our our enemies."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• Goffine, The Church's Year, Ember Friday in Advent
• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
• Vultus Christi: Ember Friday in Advent (new!)
  

(image: breviary.net)

Greater Feria (Thursday)

Thursday 17 December 2009

FERIA QUINTA INFRA HEB. IV ADVENTUS
Greater Feria (Thursday)
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II; Mag. Ant. 'O Sapientia')

Oremus.

Excita, quæsumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni : et magna nobis virtúte succúrre; ut per auxílium grátiæ tuæ, quod nostra peccáta præpédiunt, indulgéntia tuæ propitiatiónis accéleret : Qui vivis.

Let us pray.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy power, and come; make haste to our aid with thy great might ; that, by the help of thy grace, that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by thy merciful forgiveness. Who livest.

~~*~~

Today begins the “'O' Antiphons”, a collection of antiphons sung with the Magnificat at Vespers from 17 to 23 December in the Roman Rite, date back at least to the reign of Charlemagne, and there is an English poem based on them by Cynewulf (fl. 8th century). The well-known Advent hymn, “O come, O come, Emmanuel” (Veni, veni, Emanuel), is a metrical text based on the antiphons.

The initial letters of the antiphons,

ignoring the ‘O’, spell out the reverse acrostic, ‘SARCORE’ – ‘ero cras’, ‘I shall be [with you] tomorrow’, a hidden counterpart of the joyful iteration of ‘cras’ which rings like a bell through the liturgy of the last week of Advent.

(The New Oxford Book of Carols, ed. Hugh Keyte and Andrew Parrott, p. 45)

For December 17

O Sapientia,
quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter,
suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom,
who proceeds from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching out mightily from end to end,
and sweetly arranging all things:
come to teach us the way of prudence.

(English translations of the Latin taken from the Dominican Life website.)

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

~~*~~

Please note: on Thursday 17th December there will be Solemn Latin Vespers and Benediction at 5.00pm (please note the altered time) in St Mary's RC Cathedral, Edinburgh (Scotland) to celebrate this feast.

All are welcome to join the Schola for this opportunity to pray with the ancient music of the Church.

This is the twelfth of monthly sung Vespers sung by the new Edinburgh Schola. Please see edinburghschola.blogspot.com for updates and further information.

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?

(image: Wikimedia Commons; text: The Confessing Reader)

"O Emmanuel"

Tuesday 23 December 2008

"O Emmanuel"

"O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, Desire of all nations and their Salvation: Come and save us, O Lord our God."

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"We adore thee, O Emmanuel! in this thy journey, and we reverence the fidelity wherewith thou fulfillest all that the prophets have written of thee, for thou wouldst give to thy people the certainty of thy being the Messias, by showing them, that all the marks whereby he was to be known, are to be found in thee. And now, the hour is near; all is ready for thy Birth; come, then, and save us; come, that thou mayest not only be called our Emmanuel, but our Jesus, that is, He that saves us."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

And to finish off, a recording of the great Advent hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel:

For more on the history of the hymn, please see this article by the great chant expert Mary Berry, reproduced at NLM here.

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
  

(image: chantblog)

"O Rex Gentium"

Monday 22 December 2008

"O Rex Gentium"

"O King of Nations, and their Desire; the Cornerstone, who makest both one: Come and save mankind, whom thou formedst of clay."

Dom Gueranger continues to reflect on Mary's journey to Bethlehem carrying the unborn Jesus. How, he asks, will her human heart bear simultaneously the intensity of a mother's love for her baby and the love of a creature for her God.

"But thou supportest her, O thou the Desired of Nations! for thou, too, longest for that happy Birth, which is to give the earth its Saviour, and to men that Cornerstone, which will unite them all into one family. Dearest King! be thou blessed for all these wonders of thy power and goodness. Come speedily, we beseech thee, come and save us, for we are dear to thee, as creatures that have been formed by thy divine hands. Yes Come for thy creation has grown degenerate; it is lost; death has taken possession of it: take it thou again into thy almighty hands, and give it a new creation; save it; for thou hast not ceased to take pleasure in and love thy own work."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
  

(image: chantblog)

"O Oriens"

Sunday 21 December 2008

"O Oriens"

"O Day-Spring, Brightness of the Light everlasting, and Sun of righteousness: Come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death."

In his commentary on the fifth great 'O' antiphon, Dom Guéranger directly addresses Jesus in Mary's womb, there hidden and unrecognised as she makes her way with Joseph among the crowds on the journey to their native town, "there to be enrolled as the Edict commands". He imagines the indifference with which Mary and Joseph are regarded, if indeed they are noticed at all. Therefore it is no surprise that passeres-by give no thought to the Child, who is obviously so soon to be born.

"And yet this Child is thyself, O Sun of Justice! Oh! increase our Faith, but increase too our love.....Dearest Jesus! who thus traversest the world thou hast created, and who forcest not the honage of thy creatures, we wish to keep near thee during the rest of this thy journey: we kiss the footsteps of Her that carries thee in her womb; we will not leave thee, until we arrive together with thee at Bethlehem, that House of Bread, where, at last, our eyes will see thee, O splendour of eternal light, our Lord and our God!"

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?

(image: chantblog)

"O Clavis David"

Saturday 20 December 2008

"O Clavis David"

"O Key of David, Scepter of the house of Israel; that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth: come, and bring forth from the prisionhouse the captive, who sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death."


Dom Guéranger reflects:

"....thy Mother's womb affords thee the sweetest rest, and thou receivest from her the profoundest adoration and the tenderest love. But, dear Jesus, it is thine own blessed will that thou leave this loved abode. Thou hast, O Eternal Light, to shine in the midst of this world's darkness, this prison where the Captive, whom thou art come to deliver sits in the shadow of death. Open his prison-gates by the all-powerful Key. And who is this Captive, but the human race, the slave of error and vice? Who is this Captive, but the heart of man, which is thrall to the very passions it blushes to obey? Oh! come and set at liberty the world thou has enriched by thy grace, and the creatures whom thou has made to be thine own Brethren."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?

(image: chantblog)

"O Radix Jesse"

Friday 19 December 2008

"O Radix Jesse"

"O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall stop their mouths, whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not."

Most commonly the following passages are cited as sources for this:
he following passages as sources:

Isaias 11:1: And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.

Isaias 11:10: In that day the root of Jesse, who standeth for an ensign of the people, him the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulchre shall be glorious.

Micha 5:1: Now shalt thou be laid waste, O daughter of the robber: they have laid siege against us, with a rod shall they strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

However, Isaiah 11:10, Romans 15:12, and Revelation 5:5, are also sometimes cited.

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"Go forward, O Mother of God and Mother of Men!......our hearts are with thee and count thy steps.....Come, then, O Root of Jesse thus hid in this ark of purity; thou wilt soon appear before thy people as the 'standard' around which all that would conquer must rally. Then, their enemies, the kings of the world, will be silenced, and the nations will offer thee their prayers. Hasten thy coming, dear Jesus! come and conquer all our enemies and deliver us."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?

(image: chantblog)

"O Adonai"

Thursday 18 December 2008

"O Adonai"

"O Adonai and Leader of the house of Israel, who appearedst in the Bush of Moses in a flame of fire, and gavest him the law in Sinai: Come and deliver us with an outstretched arm."

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"......thou comest not to terrify, but to save us.

"Thy chaste Mother........prepares for thee, O Sun of Justice! the humble swathing-bands, wherewith to cover thy nakedness, and protect thee, the Creator of the world, from the cold of that mid-night hour of thy Nativity! Thus it is that thou willest to deliver us from the slavery of our pride, and show man that thy divine arm is never stronger than when he thinks it powerless and still. Everything is prepared, then, dear Jesus! thy swathing-bands are ready for thy infant limbs! come to Bethlehem, and redeem us from the hands our our enemies."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
  

(image: chantblog)

A teacher's Reflection on the first 'O' Antiphon: 'O Sapientia'

To read this follow sidebar link to Jane's French Oasis blog. Reflections relating to the other 'O' antiphons will follow daily until December 23rd.

"O Sapientia"

The seven days leading up to the vigil of the Nativity are called the "Great Ferias" of Advent. They are likely most well known for the so-called "O Antiphons" used at evening prayer in various liturgical Christian traditions.

Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture. They are:

• December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
• December 18: O Adonai (O Adonai)
• December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
• December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
• December 21: O Oriens (O Morning Star)
• December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the nations)
• December 23: O Emmanuel (O Emmanuel)

The hymn "O come, O come, Emmanuel" (in Latin, Veni Emmanuel) is a lyrical paraphrase of these antiphons.

In his L'Année Liturgique, Dom Prosper Guéranger notes thus:

"The Church enters to-day on the seven days which precede the Vigil of Christmas, and which are known in the liturgy under the name of the Greater Ferias. The ordinary of the Advent Office becomes more solemn; the antiphons of the psalms, both for Lauds and the Hours of the day, are proper, and allude expressly to the great coming. Every day, at Vespers, is sung a solemn antiphon, consisting of a fervent prayer to the Messias, whom it addresses by one of the titles given Him in the sacred Scriptures.

In the Roman Church, there are seven of these antiphons, one for each of the greater ferias. They are commonly called the O's of Advent, because they all begin with that interjection."

~~*~~

Wednesday 17 December 2008

"O Sapentia"

"O Wisdom, which camest out of the mouth of the most High, and reachest from one end to another, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence."

Dom Gueranger concludes his commentary on the first great 'O' antiphon:

"Thou choosest Bethlehem for thy birthplace, because (it) signifies 'the House of Bread'. In this, thou teachest us that thou art our 'Bread'. The nourishment and support of our life. With God as our food, we cannot die. O Wisdom of the Father, Living Bread that hast descended from heaven, come speedily into us, that thus we may approach to thee and be enlightened by thy light, and by that prudence which leads to salvation."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Link:

• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
  

(image: chantblog)