Virgin and martyr of Alexandria and of the Holy Mountain of Sinai. Her Mass is Loquebar. At Matins earlier, three lessons of the Prophet Zacharias in the 1st nocturn-- we are rapidly running out of time before Advent begins-- and tomorrow, two or three lessons in the 1st nocturn from the Prophet Malachias, the last of them.
A glorious Dawn, deep glowing crimson and scarlet, for a while, through the eastern clouds. Attending to the old rhyme, perhaps this does signal a winter storm.
Lectio 4
Catharina, nobilis virgo Alexandrina, a prima ætate stúdia liberalium artium cum fidei ardore conjungens, brevi ad eam sanctitátis et doctrinæ perfectiónem pervenit, ut, decem et octo annos nata, eruditíssimum quemque superaret. Quæ cum Maximíni jussu multos, propter christianæ religiónis professiónem varie tormentis cruciatos, ad supplícium rapi vidéret, non dubitanter ipsum adiit Maximinum, eique nefariam immanitátem objíciens, sapientíssimis ratiónibus Christi fidem ad salútem necessariam esse affirmavit.
R. Propter veritátem, et mansuetúdinem, et justítiam:
* Et dedúcet te mirabíliter déxtera tua.
V. Spécie tua et pulchritúdine tua inténde, próspere procéde, et regna.
R. Et dedúcet te mirabíliter déxtera tua.
Lectio 5
Cujus prudéntiam Maximinus admiratus, retineri eam jubet, accersitis undique doctíssimis homínibus, magnisque propositis præmiis, qui convictam Catharinam a Christi fide ad idolórum cultum perduxissent. Quod contra áccidit. Nam plures philosophi, qui ad eam coarguéndam convenerant, vi ac subtilitate ejus disputatiónis tanto Jesu Christi amóre sunt incénsi, ut pro illo mori non dubitaverint. Quam ob rem Maximinus blanditiis ac promissis Catharinam de senténtia dedúcere aggréditur; verum, id frustra fíeri intélligens, verbéribus affectam plumbátisque contusam, dies undecim sine cibo ac potu inclusam tenet in carcere.
R. Dilexísti justítiam, et odísti iniquitátem:
* Proptérea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, óleo lætítiæ.
V. Propter veritátem, et mansuetúdinem, et justítiam.
R. Proptérea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, óleo lætítiæ.
Lectio 6
Quo témpore Maximíni uxor et Porphyrius belli dux, visendæ Vírginis causa carcerem ingressi, et ejusdem prædicatióne in Jesum Christum credéntes, póstea martyrio coronáti sunt. Interim Catharina edúcitur e custódia; et rota expedítur, crebris et acutis præfixa gládiis, ut Vírginis corpus crudelíssime dilacerarétur. Quæ máchina, brevi Catharinæ oratióne, confracta est; eoque miraculo multi Christi fidem suscepérunt. Ipse Maximinus, in impietáte et crudelitate obstinatior, Catharinam secúri pércuti imperat. Quæ, fortiter dato cápite, ad duplicátum virginitátis et martyrii præmium evolávit septimo Kalendas Decembris; cujus corpus ab Angelis in Sina, Arábiæ monte, mirabíliter collocátum est.
R. Afferéntur Regi vírgines post eam, próximæ ejus;
* Afferéntur tibi in lætítia et exsultatióne.
V. Spécie tua et pulchritúdine tua; inténde, próspere procéde, et regna.
R. Afferéntur tibi in lætítia et exsultatióne.
V. Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
R. Afferéntur tibi in lætítia et exsultatióne.
Am listening to the radio, and Arvo Pärt's The Deer's Cry is being broadcast. Lovely-- the text, it is more or less the conclusion of the Lorica of Saint Patrick ("Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me... Christ in every ear that hears me").
It is M Durodié who is celebrant this morning.
Introitus. Ps. 118, 46-47. Loquébar de testimóniis tuis in conspéctu regum, et non confundébar: et meditábar in mandátis tuis, quæ diléxi nimis. Ps. ibid., 1. Beáti immaculáti in via: qui ámbulant in lege Dómini. ℣. Glória Patri.
Oratio. Deus, qui dedísti legem Móysi in summitáte montis Sínai, et in eódem loco per sanctos Angelos tuos corpus beátæ Catharínæ Vírginis et Mártyris tuæ mirabíliter collocásti: præsta, quǽsumus; ut, ejus méritis et intercessióne, ad montem, qui Christus est, perveníre valeámus: Qui tecum.
Léctio libri Sapiéntiæ.
Eccli. 51, 1-8 et 12.
Confitébor tibi, Dómine, Rex, et collaudábo te Deum, Salvatórem meum. Confitébor nómini tuo: quóniam adjútor et protéctor factus es mihi, et liberásti corpus meum a perditióne, a láqueo línguæ iníquæ et a lábiis operántium mendácium, et in conspéctu astántium factus es mihi adjutor. Et liberasti me secúndum multitúdinem misericórdiæ nóminis tui a rugiéntibus, præparátis ad escam, de mánibus quæréntium ánimam meam, et de portis tribulatiónum, quæ circumdedérunt me: a pressúra flammæ, quæ circúmdedit me, et in médio ignis non sum æstuáta: de altitúdine ventris inferi, et a lingua coinquináta, et a verbo mendácii, a rege iníquo, et a lingua injústa: laudábit usque ad mortem ánima mea Dóminum: quóniam éruis sustinéntes te, et líberas eos de mánibus géntium, Dómine, Deus noster.
Graduale. Ps. 44, 8. Dilexísti justítiam, et odísti iniquitátem. ℣. Proptérea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, óleo lætítiæ.
Allelúja, allelúja. ℣. Ibid., 15 et 16. Adducántur Regi Vírgines post eam: próximæ ejus afferéntur tibi in lætítia. Allelúja.
✠ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthǽum.
Matth. 25, 1-13.
In illo témpore: Dixit Jesus discípulis suis parábolam hanc: Simile erit regnum cœlórum decem virgínibus: quæ, accipiéntes lámpades suas, exiérunt óbviam sponso et sponsæ. Quinque autem ex eis erant fátuæ, et quinque prudéntes: sed quinque fátuæ, accéptis lampádibus, non sumpsérunt óleum secum: prudéntes vero accepérunt óleum in vasis suis cum lampádibus. Horam autem faciénte sponso, dormitavérunt omnes et dormiérunt. Média autem nocte clamor factus est: Ecce, sponsus venit, exíte óbviam ei. Tunc surrexérunt omnes vírgines illae, et ornavérunt lámpades suas. Fátuæ autem sapiéntibus dixérunt: Date nobis de óleo vestro: quia lámpades nostræ exstinguúntur. Respondérunt prudéntes, dicéntes: Ne forte non suffíciat nobis et vobis, ite pótius ad vendéntes, et émite vobis. Dum autem irent émere, venit sponsus: et quæ parátæ erant, intravérunt cum eo ad núptias, et clausa est jánua. Novíssime vero véniunt et réliquæ vírgines, dicéntes: Dómine, Dómine, áperi nobis. At ille respóndens, ait: Amen, dico vobis, néscio vos. Vigiláte ítaque, quia nescítis diem neque horam.
Matth. 25, 1-13.
In illo témpore: Dixit Jesus discípulis suis parábolam hanc: Simile erit regnum cœlórum decem virgínibus: quæ, accipiéntes lámpades suas, exiérunt óbviam sponso et sponsæ. Quinque autem ex eis erant fátuæ, et quinque prudéntes: sed quinque fátuæ, accéptis lampádibus, non sumpsérunt óleum secum: prudéntes vero accepérunt óleum in vasis suis cum lampádibus. Horam autem faciénte sponso, dormitavérunt omnes et dormiérunt. Média autem nocte clamor factus est: Ecce, sponsus venit, exíte óbviam ei. Tunc surrexérunt omnes vírgines illae, et ornavérunt lámpades suas. Fátuæ autem sapiéntibus dixérunt: Date nobis de óleo vestro: quia lámpades nostræ exstinguúntur. Respondérunt prudéntes, dicéntes: Ne forte non suffíciat nobis et vobis, ite pótius ad vendéntes, et émite vobis. Dum autem irent émere, venit sponsus: et quæ parátæ erant, intravérunt cum eo ad núptias, et clausa est jánua. Novíssime vero véniunt et réliquæ vírgines, dicéntes: Dómine, Dómine, áperi nobis. At ille respóndens, ait: Amen, dico vobis, néscio vos. Vigiláte ítaque, quia nescítis diem neque horam.
Offertorium. Ps. 44, 15 et 16. Afferéntur Regi Vírgines post eam: próximæ ejus afferéntur tibi in lætítia et exsultatióne: adducántur in templum Regi Dómino.
Secreta. Súscipe, Dómine, múnera, quæ in beátæ Catharínæ Vírginis et Mártyris tuæ sollemnitáte deférimus: cujus nos confídimus patrocínio liberári. Per Dóminum.
Communio. Ps. 118, 78 et 80. Confundántur supérbi, quia injúste iniquitátem fecérunt in me: ego autem in mandátis tuis exercébor, in tuis justificatiónibus, ut non confúndar.
Postcommunio. Auxiliéntur nobis, Dómine, sumpta mystéria: et, intercedénte beáta Catharína Vírgine et Mártyre tua, sempitérna fáciant protectióne gaudére. Per Dóminum.
Saint Gregory's homily on today's Gospel. The 'Marquess of Bute translation' is what is used at Divinum Officium, I believe, although it's a long while since I checked (I did just look at the Archive version and certainly these lessons are taken from Bute); Dr Tribe noted its availability online.
Lectio VII Dearly beloved brethren oftentimes do I warn you to fly corrupt conversation, and to keep yourselves unspotted from the world. But the portion which is this day read from the Holy Gospel doth oblige me to say that even to these good things which ye do, ye must needs take all careful heed. Look ye well to it, that, when ye work righteousness, ye do it not as seeking the praise and admiration of men, for if the lust of praise do once creep in, that which seemeth so fair without, loseth its reward within. Behold how the Redeemer speaketh of these ten virgins. He calleth them all virgins, yet entered not all of them into the door of blessedness, for there were some of them who sought outwardly the honour of virginity, but would take no oil within their vessels with their lamps. Lectio VIII First of all, it is for us to ask What is the kingdom of Heaven? And wherefore shall the same be likened unto ten virgins, whereof, albeit five were wise, yet five were foolish. For if the kingdom of heaven be such that there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie (Apoc. 21,27), how can it be like unto five virgins which were foolish? But we must know that, in the word of God, the kingdom of heaven doth oftentimes signify the Church as she now is, touching the which the Lord saith in another place " The Son of Man shall send forth His Angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend." (Matt13,41). In that kingdom of Blessedness, wherein peace shall have her perfect reign, there shall be nothing found that offendeth for the angels to gather out. Lectio IX The body of every man doth consist of five senses, and five being doubled, is ten. Forasmuch, therefore, as the whole body of the faithful doth consist of two sexes, the Holy Church is likened unto ten virgins. And forasmuch as in the Church the good are for the present mingled with the bad, and the reprobate with the elect, it is rightly said that, of the ten virgins, five are wise and five are foolish. There are many who have self-control, which do keep themselves from lusting after things outward, whose hope beareth them to things inward, who chastise the flesh, who long with intense home-sickness for their Fatherland which is in heaven, who seek an eternal reward, and who will not to receive for their labours the praise of men. These are they who reckon their glory, not in the mouths of men, but in the testimony of their own conscience. And many there be likewise who afflict the body by self-control, and yet who seek for their self-control applause from men.
Do Thou grant that we may be counted in the number of the prudent virgins, Lord. Amen.
Sexto Kalendas Decembris, Saturday. I want to link to two articles at New Liturgical Movement by Dr DiPippo about Saint Catherine's feast, here from 2020, and here dated just yesterday. While I myself am willing (as should be obvious to anyone who reads here) to accept as fact what the millennial liturgical and devotional tradition proposes as fact, at the same time, eh, historical science is also a valid approach to the truth: I worship the munificence of the divine Goodness in His Saints, and while I know that the individual differences of their persons are in fact real and significant, well, their cult does rather all meld together into one glorious mosaic.
LDVM
Comments
Post a Comment