O sacrum convivium

"O sacred banquet,
in which Christ
is received,
the memory of His Passion
is renewed,
the mind
is filled with grace,
and a pledge
of future glory
given to us."
O sacrum convivium,
in quo Christus sumitur:
recolitur memoria
passionis eius;
mens impletur gratia
et futurae gloriae
nobis pignus datur.

Today many places celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi - the Body (and Blood) of Christ

(adapted from a post originally on A Penitent Blogger)

Pentecost

Veni, Sancte Spiritus
reple tuorum corda fidelium,
et tui amoris in eis accende.

V. Emitte Spiritum tuum et creabuntur.
R. Et renovabis faciem terrae.

Oremus

Deus,
qui corda fidelium
Sancti Spiritus illustratione docuisti.
Da nobis in eodem Spiritu recta sapere,
et de eius semper consolatione gaudere.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
Amen.

Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Thy faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray:
O GOD,
Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise,
and ever rejoice in His consolation.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

"Eternal God, eternal Trinity...

"...you have made the blood of Christ so precious
through his sharing in your divine nature.

"You are a mystery as deep as the sea;
the more I search, the more I find,
and the more I find the more I search for you.

"But I can never be satisfied;
what I receive will ever leave me desiring more.

"When you fill my soul
I have an even greater hunger,
and I grow more famished for your light.

"I desire above all to see you,
the true light, as you really are.

"I have tasted and seen
the depth of your mystery
and the beauty of your creation
with the light of my understanding.

"I have clothed myself with your likeness
and have seen what I shall be.

"Eternal Father,
you have given me a share in your power
and the wisdom that Christ claims as his own,
and your Holy Spirit has given me
the desire to love you.

"You are my Creator, eternal Trinity,
and I am your creature.


"You have made of me a new creation
in the blood of your Son,
and I know that you are moved with love
at the beauty of your creation,
for you have enlightened me.

"Eternal Trinity, Godhead,
mystery deep as the sea,
you could give me no greater gift
than the gift of yourself.

"For you are a fire ever burning
and never consumed,
which itself consumes
all the selfish love that fills my being.


"Yes, you are a fire
that takes away the coldness,
illuminates the mind with its light
and causes me to know your truth.

"By this light,
reflected as it were in a mirror,
I recognise that you are the highest good,
one we can neither comprehend
nor fathom.

"And I know
that you are beauty and wisdom itself.

"The food of angels,
you gave yourself to man
in the fire of your love.

"You are the garment
which covers our nakedness,
and in our hunger
you are a satisfying food,
for you are sweetness
and in you
there is no taste of bitterness,
O triune God!"

From the dialogue On Divine Providence
by Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor
on her Feast Day
in today's Office of Readings

(from a precious post)

Exsultet

Exultet iam angelica turba caelorum:
exultent divina mysteria:
et pro tanti Regis victoria
tuba insonet salutaris.

Exult now O ye angelic throngs of the heavens:
Exult O ye divine mysteries:
and let the saving trumpet resound
for the victory of so great a King.

Gaudeat et tellus tantis irradiata fulgoribus:
et, aeterni Regis splendore illustrata,
totius orbis se sentiat amisisse caliginem.

Let the earthly realm also be joyful,
made radiant by such flashings like lightning:
and, made bright with the splendor of the eternal King,
let it perceive
that it has dismissed the entire world’s gloom.

Laetetur et mater Ecclesia,
tanti luminis adornata fulgoribus:
et magnis populorum vocibus haec aula resultet.

Let Mother Church rejoice as well,
adorned with the blazes of so great a light:
and let this royal hall ring
with the great voices of the peoples.

Quapropter astantes vos, fratres carissimi,
ad tam miram huius sancti luminis claritatem,
una mecum, quaeso,
Dei omnipotentis misericordiam invocate.

Wherefore, most beloved brothers and sisters,
you here present to such a wondrous brightness
of this holy light,
I beseech you, together with me
invoke the mercy of Almighty God.

Ut, qui me non meis meritis
intra Levitarum numerum dignatus est aggregare,
luminis sui claritatem infundens,
cerei huius laudem implere perficiat.

Let Him who deigned to gather me
in among the number of the Levites,
by no merits of mine,
while pouring forth the glory of His own light
enable me to bring to fullness
the praise of this waxen candle.

Vers. Dominus vobiscum.
Resp. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Vers. Sursum corda.
Resp. Habemus ad Dominum.
Vers. Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
Resp. Dignum et iustum est.

V: The Lord be with you!
R: And with your spirit!
V: Raise your hearts on high!
R: We now have them present to the Lord!
V: Let us then give thanks to the Lord our God!
R: This is worthy and just!

Vere dignum et iustum est,
invisibilem Deum Patrem omnipotentem
Filiumque eius unigenitum,
Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum,
toto cordis ac mentis affectu
et vocis ministerio personare.
Qui pro nobis aeterno Patri Adae debitum solvit,
et veteris piaculi cautionem pio cruore detersit.

Truly it is worthy and just
to resound forth with the whole of the heart,
disposition of mind,
and by the ministry of the voice,
the invisible God the Father Almighty,
and His Only-begotten Son
our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who, on our behalf,
resolved Adam’s debt to the Eternal Father
and cleansed with dutiful bloodshed
the bond of the ancient crime.

Haec sunt enim festa paschalia,
in quibus verus ille Agnus occiditur,
cuius sanguine postes fidelium consecrantur.

For these are the Paschal holy days,
in which that true Lamb is slain,
by Whose Blood the doorposts of the faithful are consecrated.

Haec nox est,
in qua primum patres nostros, filios Israel
eductos de Aegypto,
Mare Rubrum sicco vestigio transire fecisti.

This is the night
in which first of all You caused our forefathers,
the children of Israel brought forth from Egypt,
to pass dry shod through the Red Sea.

Haec igitur nox est,
quae peccatorum tenebras columnae illuminatione purgavit.

This is the night
which purged the darkness of sins by the illumination of the pillar.

Haec nox est,
quae hodie per universum mundum in Christo credentes,
a vitiis saeculi et caligine peccatorum segregatos,
reddit gratiae, sociat sanctitati.

This is the night
which today restores to grace
and unites in sanctity throughout the world
Christ’s believers,
separated from the vices of the world
and the darkness of sins.

Haec nox est,
in qua, destructis vinculis mortis,
Christus ab inferis victor ascendit.
Nihil enim nobis nasci profuit,
nisi redimi profuisset.

This is the night
in which, once the chains of death were undone,
Christ the victor arose from the nether realm.
For it would have profited us nothing to have been born,
unless it had been fitting for us to be redeemed.

O mira circa nos tuae pietatis dignatio!
O inaestimabilis dilectio caritatis:
ut servum redimeres, Filium tradidisti!
O certe necessarium Adae peccatum,
quod Christi morte deletum est!
O felix culpa,
quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!

O wondrous condescension of Your dutiful concern for us!
O inestimable affection of sacrificial love:
You delivered up Your Son that You might redeem the slave!
O truly needful sin of Adam,
that was blotted out by the death of Christ!
O happy fault,
that merited to have such and so great a Redeemer!

O vere beata nox,
quae sola meruit scire tempus et horam,
in qua Christus ab inferis resurrexit!
Haec nox est, de qua scriptum est:
Et nox sicut dies illuminabitur:
et nox illuminatio mea in deliciis meis.

O truly blessed night,
that alone deserved to know the time and hour
in which Christ rose again from the nether world!
This is the night about which it was written:
And night shall be made as bright as day:
and night is as my brightness for me.

Huius igitur sanctificatio noctis fugat scelera,
culpas lavat:
et reddit innocentiam lapsis
et maestis laetitiam.
Fugat odia, concordiam parat
et curvat imperia.

Therefore the sanctification of this night
puts to flight all wickedness,
cleanses sins,
and restores innocence to the fallen
and gladness to the sorrowful.
It drives away hatreds,
procures concord,
and makes dominions bend.

O vere beata nox,
in qua terrenis caelestia,
humanis divina iunguntur!

O truly blessed night,
in which heavenly things
are joined to those of earth,
the divine to the human!

In huius igitur noctis gratia, suscipe, sancte Pater,
laudis huius sacrificium vespertinum,
quod tibi in hac cerei oblatione sollemni,
per ministrorum manus
de operibus apum, sacrosancta reddit Ecclesia.

Therefore, in this night of grace,
accept, O Holy Father,
the evening sacrifice of this praise,
which Holy Church renders to You
in the solemn offering of this waxen candle
by the hands of Your ministers from the work of bees.

Sed iam columnae huius praeconia novimus,
quam in honorem Dei rutilans ignis accendit.
Qui, licet sit divisus in partes,
mutuati tamen luminis detrimenta non novit.
Alitur enim liquantibus ceris,
quas in substantiam pretiosae huius lampadis
apis mater eduxit.

We are knowing now the proclamations of this column,
which glowing fire kindles in honor of God.
Which fire, although it is divided into parts,
is knowing no loss from its light being lent out.
For it is nourished by the melting streams of wax,
which the mother bee produced
for the substance of this precious torch.

Oramus ergo te, Domine,
ut cereus iste in honorem tui nominis consecratus,
ad noctis huius caliginem destruendam,
indeficiens perseveret.

Therefore, we beseech You, O Lord,
that this waxen candle, consecrated in honor of Your name,
may continue unfailing to dispel the darkness of this night.

Et in odorem suavitatis acceptus,
supernis luminaribus misceatur.

And once it is accepted as a placating sacrifice,
may it be mingled with the heavenly lights.

Flammas eius lucifer matutinus inveniat:
Ille, inquam, lucifer, qui nescit occasum:
Christus Filius tuus,
qui, regressus ab inferis, humano generi serenus illuxit,
et vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum.

Let the morning star meet with its flame:
that very star, I say, which knows no setting:
Christ your Son
Who, having returned from the nether realm,
broke serene like the dawn upon the human race,
and now lives and reigns forever and ever.

AMEN.



The great hymn of the Easter Vigil

(translation by Fr.Z)

(from a previous post)

I sought him

whom my heart loves-

I sought him
but I did not find him.

I will rise then
and go about the city;

in the streets and crossings
I will seek
Him whom my heart loves.

I sought him
but I did not find him.
Song of Songs 3:1b-2
(from an earlier Holy Saturday post)

My God, my God...

why hast thou forsaken me?

Why art thou so far from helping me,
from the words of my groaning?


O my God, I cry by day,
but thou dost not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.


Yet thou art holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.

In thee our fathers trusted;

they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

To thee they cried, and were saved;
in thee they trusted,
and were not disappointed.




But I am a worm, and no man;


scorned by men, and despised by the people.


All who see me mock at me,
they make mouths at me,


"He committed his cause to the LORD;
let him deliver him, let him rescue him,
for he delights in him!"

Yet thou art he who took me from the womb;


thou didst keep me safe
upon my mother's breasts.
Upon thee was I cast from my birth,

and since my mother bore me
thou hast been my God.

Be not far from me,
for trouble is near

and there is none to help.

Many bulls encompass me,


strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;


my heart is like wax,
it is melted within my breast;

my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue cleaves to my jaws;
thou dost lay me in the dust of death.


Yea, dogs are round about me;


a company of evildoers encircle me;

they have pierced my hands and feet—



















I can count all my bones--


they stare and gloat over me;


they divide my garments among them,

and for my raiment they cast lots.


But thou, O LORD, be not far off!

O thou my help, hasten to my aid!

Deliver my soul from the sword,
my life from the power of the dog!


Save me
from the mouth of the lion,
my afflicted soul
from the horns of the wild oxen!

I will tell of thy name to my brethren;

in the midst of the congregation
I will praise thee:

You who fear the LORD, praise him!
all you sons of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!

For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted;

and he has not hid his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.


From thee comes my praise
in the great congregation;
my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the LORD!

May your hearts live for ever!



All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the LORD;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.

For dominion belongs to the LORD,
and he rules over the nations.

Yea, to him
shall all the proud of the earth bow down;

before him
shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and he who cannot keep himself alive.


Posterity shall serve him;

men shall tell of the Lord
to the coming generation,

and proclaim his deliverance
to a people yet unborn,

that he has wrought it.

Acclaim, O tongue, the mystery

Of the glorious Body
And of the precious Blood
That, in ransom for the world,
The fruit of a generous womb,
The King of nations, shed.

To us given, for us born
From a Virgin pure,
And, brought into the world
To spread the seed of the Word,
He ended His stay
In a wondrous way.

On the night of the Last Supper,
Reclining with his brothers,
Observing the Law fully,
The food prescribed by Law,
This food to the Twelve
He gave with His own hands.

The Word Made Flesh made true bread
Become flesh at His word,
Made wine the Blood of Christ.
And if our senses fail
To strengthen a sincere heart
Faith alone will suffice.

So great a sacrament, therefore,
Let us venerate on our knees
And the old ritual
To the new Rite yield.
May faith supply
What our senses lack.

To the Father and to the Begotten
Praise and jubilation,
Salvation, honor and power
And blessing be;
And to the One who proceeds from Both
Equally be praise.
Amen


Pange, lingua, gloriosi
Corporis mysterium
Sanguinisque pretiosi,
Quem in mundi pretium,
Fructus ventris generosi,
Rex effudit gentium.

Nobis datus, nobis natus,
Ex intacta Virgine,
Et in mundo conversatus,
Sparso verbi semine
Sui moras incolatus
Miro clausit ordine.

In supremae nocte coenae
Recumbens cum fratribus,
Observata lege plene
Cibis in legalibus,
Cibum turbae duodenae
Se dat suis manibus

Verbum caro panem verum
Verbo carnem efficit;
Fit sanguis Christi merum.
Et si sensus deficit,
Ad firmandum cor sincerum
Sola fides sufficit.

Tantum ergo sacramentum
Venereumur cernui.
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui.
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.

Genitori genitoque
Laus et jubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio.
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio.

Amen.

S. Thomas Aquinas

(traditionally sung on Holy Thursday night as well as during Eucharistic expositions and processions)

(from an earlier post)

Let us go together to meet Christ

"Let us go together to meet Christ on the Mount of Olives.

"Today he returns from Bethany and proceeds of his own free will toward his holy and blessed passion, to consummate the mystery of our salvation.

"He who came down from heaven to raise us from the depths of sin, to raise us with himself, we are told in Scripture, above every sovereignty, authority and power, and every other name that can be named, now comes of his own free will to make his journey to Jerusalem.

"He comes without pomp or ostentation. As the psalmist says: He will not dispute or raise his voice to make it heard in the streets. He will be meek and humble, and he will make his entry in simplicity.

"Let us run to accompany him as he hastens toward his passion, and imitate those who met him then, not by covering his path with garments, olive branches or palms, but by doing all we can to prostrate ourselves before him by being humble and by trying to live as he would wish.

"Then we shall be able to receive the Word at his coming, and God, whom no limits can contain, will be within us."
From a sermon by Saint Andrew of Crete, bishop
(in today's Office of the Readings)

Two men went up to the temple to pray

"one was a Pharisee
and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position
and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you
that I am not like the rest of humanity
greedy, dishonest, adulterous
or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.'

"But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'"

(Luke 18:10-13 - from today's Gospel)

I arise today

Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength
of Christ's birth and His baptism,
Through the strength
of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength
of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength
of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun, Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning, Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea, Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

I summon today all these powers
between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power
that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells
of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge
that corrupts man's body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me,
Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ
in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ
in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation
(St. Patrick's Breastplate)