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| Violet |
Fast and Full Abstinence |
| Prope est jam Dominus; venite, adoremus. |
The Lord is now nigh: come, let us adore. |
THE CHURCH does not read anything from the Prophet Isaias today; she merely gives, in the Office of Matins, a sentence of that chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel which relates the mystery of our Lady’s Visitation: and to this she subjoins a fragment of St. Ambrose’s Homily upon that passage. The considerations and affections with which this important event of our Lady’s life ought to inspire the faithful shall be given further on, in the Proper of the Saints.
The Station for today is in the Church of the Holy Apostles, which many suppose to have been first built by Constantine, and in which the glorious bodies of the two holy Apostles Philip and James the Less, buried under the altar, await the second Coming of Him who chose them as his cooperators in the work of the first, and who, on the last day, will give them to sit upon thrones near his own, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel.
That we may the better conform to the intentions of our Holy Mother the Church, who offers to our contemplation the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin, let us recite the following Hymn, composed in honor of this Mystery, during the ages of faith:
A PROSE IN HONOR OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
(Taken from the ancient Roman-French Missals) |
Ave, Verbi Dei parens,
Virginis humilitas
Ave, omni nodo carens,
Humilis virginitas. |
Hail, Mother of the divine Word! Hail, most humble and most spotless Virgin! |
Gaude, quæ sic gravidaris,
Nec gravaris Filio:
Gaude quæ sic oneraris
Onere gratissimo. |
Rejoice, thou Mother of a Son who supports thee! Rejoice, thy burden is a burden most sweet to bear! |
Salve, Jesse stirpe orta,
Virgula fructifera.
Salve, clausa templi porta,
Soli Deo pervia. |
Hail, Branch of Jesse, Fruit-bearing Branch! Hail, Gate of the Temple, closed to all but God! |
Plaude, vellus Gedeonis,
Rore madens Pneumatis.
Plaude, pellis Salomonis,
Pulchrior præ cæteris. |
Be glad, thou Fleece of Gedeon, full of the dew of the Holy Spirit! Be glad, thou tent of Solomon, of all the first in beauty! |
Vale, Jacob micans stella,
Circumlustrans maria.
Vale, consignata cella,
Rubus in vi flammea. |
Hail, shining Star of Jacob, lighting up the sea! Hail, thou sealed-up Sanctuary, thou Burning Bush! |
Euge, sole quod amieta
Solem gignis stellula.
Euge, quod sis præelecta,
Scala cœli fulgida. |
What bliss is thine, that thou the humble Star shouldst be clad with the Sun, and then bring forth the Sun! What bliss is thine, that thou shouldst be elected the bright Ladder reaching up to heaven. |
Pange, aurora consurgens
Luce novi sideris;
Pange, arca trina ferens
Charismata miseris. |
Sing to thy God, thou Aurora rising in the light of the new Star! Sing, thou Ark of the covenant, bearing unto us sinners thy three treasures. |
Eia! magnificat tua
Jesum Christum anima;
Eia! tecum ut laudemus
Ora, dulcis Maria. Amen. |
Oh! let thy soul magnify Jesus! and oh! sweet Mary, pray that, with thee, we too may magnify him. Amen. |
PRAYER FROM THE GALLICAN SACRAMENTARY
(In Adventu Domini, Collect) |
| Purifica, Domine Deus, Pater omnipotens, pectorum arcana nostrorum, cunctasque propitius maculas ablue peccatorum: ac præsta, Domine, ut benedictione pietatis tuæ a nostris criminibus mundati, metuendum terribilemque Adventum Domini nostri Jesu Christi exspectemus interriti. |
O Lord God, Father Almighty, purify the recesses of our heart, and mercifully wash away all the stains of our sins; and grant, O Lord, that cleansed from our sins by thy merciful blessing, we may await in confidence the dread and terrible Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
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