PSALM 121. I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord. Our feet were standing in thy courts, O Jerusalem! Our heart loves and confides in thee, O Mary. Mary is like to Jerusalem that is built as a City; which is compact together. For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the Name of the Lord. Because seats sat there in judgment; seats upon the house of David; and Mary is of a kingly race. : Pray ye, through Mary, for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem and may abundance be on them that love thee, O Church of our God! The voice of Mary: Let peace be in thy strength, O thou new Sion! and abundance in thy towers. I, a daughter of Israel, for the sake of my brethren and of my neighbours, spoke peace of thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for thee. ANT. In the Bush seen by Moses as burning yet unconsumed, we recognise the preservation of thy glorious virginity. O Mother of God! intercede for us. ANT. The Root of Jesse hath budded; the Star hath risen out of Jacob; a Virgin Lætatus sum in his quæ dicta sunt mihi:* In domum Domini ibimus. Stantes erant pedes nostri: * in atriis tuis Jerusalem. Jerusalem quæ ædificatur ut civitas: * cujus participatio ejus in idipsum. Illuc enim ascenderunt tribus, tribus Domini: * testimonium Israel ad confitendum Nomini Domini. Quia illic sederunt sedes in judicio: sedes super domum David. Rogate quæ ad pacem sunt Jerusalem: * et abundantia diligentibus te. Fiat pax in virtute tua : * et abundantia in turribus tuis. Propter fratres meos et proximos meos : * loquebar pacem de te. Propter domum Domini Dei nostri : * quæsivi bona tibi. ANT. Rubum, quem viderat Moyses incombustum, conservatam agnovimus tuam laudabilem virginitatem: Dei Genitrix, intercede pro nobis. ANT. Germinavit radix Jesse; orta est stella ex Jacob; Virgo peperit Salvato rem te laudamus, Deus hath brought forth the Saviour. O Lord our God! we noster. praise thee. PSALM 126. Nisi Dominus ædificaverit Unless the Lord build the domum: * in vanum laboraverunt qui ædificant eam. Nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem : * frustra vigilat qui custodit eam. Vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere:* surgite postquam sederitis, qui manducatis panem doloris. * Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum : ecce hæreditas Domini, filii: merces, fructus ventris. Sicut sagittæ in manu potentis: ita filii excusso rum. Beatus vir, qui implevit desiderium suum ex ipsis: * non confundetur cum loquetur inimicis suis in porta. ANT. Germinavit radix Jesse; orta est stella ex Jacob; Virgo peperit Salvatorem te laudamus, Deus noster. ANT. Ecce Maria genuit nobis Salvatorem, quem Joannes videns exclamavit, dicens: Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi, alleluia. House, they labour in vain that build it. Unless the Lord keep the City, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it. It is vain for you to rise before light; rise ye after you have sitten, you that eat of the bread of sorrow. When he shall give sleep to his beloved: behold the inheritance of the Lord are children; the reward, the fruit of the womb. As arrows in the hand of the mighty, so the children of them that have been shaken. Blessed is the man that hath filled his desire with them; he shall not be confounded when he shall speak to his enemies in the gate. ANT. The Root of Jesse hath budded; the Star hath risen out of Jacob; a Virgin hath brought forth the Saviour. O Lord our God! we praise thee. ANT. LO! Mary hath brought forth a Saviour unto us, whom John seeing exclaimed: Behold the Lamb of God! Behold him that taketh away the sins of the world, alleluia. PSALM 147. Lauda, Jerusalem, Dominum: * lauda Deum tuum, Sion. Praise the Lord, O Mary, thou true Jerusalem: 0 Mary, O Sion ever holy, praise thy God. Because he hath strengthened against sin the bolts of thy gates: he hath blessed thy children within thee. Who hath placed peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the fat of corn, with Jesus, who is the Bread of life. Who sendeth forth by thee his Word to the earth; his Word runneth swiftly. Who giveth snow like wool; scattereth mists like ashes. He sendeth his crystal like morsels: who shall stand before the face of his cold? He shall send forth his Word by Mary, and shall melt them: his spirit shall breathe, and the waters shall run. Who declareth his Word to Jacob his justices and judgments to Israel. He hath not done in like manner to every nation; and his judgments he hath not made manifest to them. ANT. LO! Mary hath brought forth a Saviour unto us, whom John seeing exclaimed: Behold the Lamb of God! Behold him that taketh away the sins of the world, alleluia. Qui emittit eloquium suum terræ: * velociter currit sermo ejus. Qui dat nivem sicut lanam: * nebulam sicut cinerem spargit. Mittit crystallum suam sicut buccellas : * ante faciem frigoris ejus quis sustinebit? Emittet verbum suum, et liquefaciet ea: * flabit spiritus ejus, et fluent aquæ. Qui annuntiat verbum suum Jacob: * justitias, et judicia sua Israel. Non fecit taliter omni nationi: * et judicia sua non manifestavit eis. ANT. Ecce Maria genuit nobis Salvatorem, quem Joannes videns exclamavit, dicens: Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi, alleluia. CAPITULUM. (Tit. II.) The grace of God our Saviour hath appeared to all men, instructing us, that denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and godly, in this world. Apparuit gratia Dei Salvatoris nostri omnibus hominibus, erudiens nos, ut abnegantes impietatem et sæcularia desideria, sobrie, et juste, et pie vivamus in hoc sæculo. Then is sung the Hymn of Christmas Day, Jesu, Redemptor omnium, as in page 130. This Station is at St. Mary's across the Tiber. It was but just, that this Basilica should receive such an honour, for it is the most ancient of all the Churches raised by the devotion of the Faithful of Rome, in honour of our Blessed Lady. It was consecrated in the 3rd century, by St. Callixtus, on the site of the ancient Taberna Meritoria, celebrated, even among the Pagans, for the fountain of Oil which sprang up in that spot, in the reign of Augustus, and flowed into the Tiber. The piety of the Christians interpreted this as a symbol of the Christ that was afterwards born; and the Basilica is sometimes called, even to this day, Fons Olei. The Introit is that of the Third Mass of Christmas Day, as are also most of the portions that are chanted by the Choir. It celebrates the Birth of the Child who is born unto us, and is to-day eight days old. INTROIT. A Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us and the government is upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called the Angel of the great Counsel. Ps. Sing to the Lord a new canticle for he hath done wonderful things. . Glory, &c. A Child. Puer natus est nobis, et Filius datus est nobis: cujus imperium super humerum ejus; et vocabitur nomen ejus magni Consilii Angelus. Ps. Cantate Domino canticum novum: quia mirabilia fecit. . Gloria Patri. Puer. In the Collect, the Church celebrates the Fruitful Virginity of the Mother of God, and shows Mary to us as the source whence God poured out upon mankind the blessing of the Incarnation. She expresses to God himself the hopes we have in the intercession of this privileged creature. COLLECT. O God, who by the fruitful Virginity of Blessed Mary, hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beseech thee, that we may experience Her intercession, by whom we received the Author of Life, our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son. Who liveth, &c. Deus, qui salutis æternæ, beatæ Mariæ virginitate fœcunda, humano generi præmia præstitisti: tribue, quæsumus, ut ipsam pro nobis intercedere sentiamus, per quam meruimus auctorem vitæ suscipere Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium tuum. Qui . tecum. |