PSALM 121 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. Ne timeas, Maria: invenisti gratiam apud Dominum; ecce concipies et paries filium, alleluia. ANT. Dabit ei Dominus PASCH, TIME. I. 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. Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God: behold thou shalt conceive, and shalt bring forth a son, Alleluia. ANT. And the Lord shall 2A sedem David patris ejus, et regnabit in æternum, alleluia. give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign for ever, alleluia. PSALM 126 Nisi Dominus ædificave- Unless the Lord build the rit domum: in vanum labo- house, they labour in vain that raverunt qui ædificant eam. build it. 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. Dabit ei Dominus sedem David patris ejus, et regnabit in æternum, alleluia. ANT. Ecce ancilla Domini: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum, alleluia. 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. And the Lord shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign for ever, alleluia. ANT. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word, alleluia. PSALM Lauda, Jerusalem, Dominum: lauda Deum tuum, Sion. 147 Praise the Lord, O Mary, thou true Jerusalem: 0 Mary, O Sion ever holy, praise thy God. Qui emittit eloquium suum terræ: velociter currit sermo ejus. Qui dat nivem sicut lanam: nebulam sicut cinerem spargit. Mittit crystallum suam sicut bucellas: 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 ancilla Domini: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum, alleluia. 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 his judgements to Israel. He hath not done in like manner to every nation; and his judgements he hath not made manifest to them. ANT. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word, alleluia. CAPITULUM (Is. VII) Ecce virgo concipiet et pariet filium, et vocabitur nomen ejus Emmanuel. Butyrum et mel comedet, ut sciat reprobare malum, et eligere bonum. Behold a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and honey, that he may know to refuse the evil, and to choose the good. Ave, maris stella, Dei Mater alma, Atque semper Virgo, Felix cœli porta. Sumens illud Ave Gabrielis ore, Funda nos in pace, Mutans Evæ nomen. HYMN Solve vincla reis, Virgo singularis, Sit laus Deo Patri, Amen. V. Ave Maria, gratia plena, alleluia. R. Dominus tecum, alleluia. * Hail, Star of the sea! Blessed Mother of God, yet ever a Virgin! O happy gate of heaven! Thou that didst receive the Ave from Gabriel's lips, confirm us in peace, and so let Eva be changed into an Ave of blessing for us. Loose the sinner's chains, bring light to the blind, drive from us our evils, and ask all good things for us. Show thyself a Mother, and offer our prayers to Him, who would be born of thee, when born for us. O incomparable Virgin, and meekest of the meek, obtain us the forgiveness of our sins, and make us meek and chaste. Obtain us purity of life, and a safe pilgrimage; that we may be united with thee in the blissful vision of Jesus. Praise be to God the Father, and to the Lord Jesus, and to the Holy Ghost: to the Three one self-same praise. Amen. V. Hail Mary, full of grace, alleluia. Ry. The Lord is with thee, alleluia. ANTIPHON OF THE Magnificat Spiritus Sanctus in te The Holy Ghost shall come In monastic churches it is preceded by this Responsory:B. breve. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ. * Alleluia, alleluia. Angelus. V. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto. * Alleluia. Gloria Patri. Angelus. descendet, Maria, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi, alleluia. OREMUS Deus, qui de beatæ Mariæ Virginis utero, Verbum tuum, Angelo nuntiante, carnem suscipere voluisti: præsta supplicibus tuis, ut qui vere eam Genitricem Dei credimus, ejus apud te intercessionibus adjuvemur. Per eumdem. upon thee, O Mary, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee, alleluia. LET US PRAY O God, who wast pleased that thy Word, when the Angel delivered his message, should take flesh in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, give ear to our humble petitions, and grant that we who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her prayers. Through the same, &c. Then is made a commemoration of Low Sunday, as in page 346. MASS The Church has taken most of the chants of today's Mass from the forty-fourth Psalm, wherein the royal prophet celebrates the mystery of the Incarnation. In the Introit, she greets Mary as the Queen of the human race, to whom every creature should pay respectful homage. It was her virginity that fitted Mary to become the Mother of God. This virtue will be imitated in the Church, and each generation will produce thousands of holy virgins, who will walk in the footsteps of her that is their Mother and their model. INTROIT Vultum tuum deprecabuntur omnes divites plebis: adducentur Regi virgines post eam: proximæ ejus adducentur tibi in lætitia et exsultatione, Alleluia, alleluia. All the rich among the people shall entreat thy countenance: after her shall virgins be brought to the King: her neighbours shall be brought to thee in joy and gladness. Alleluia, alleluia, |