Quóniam Angelis suis mandávit de te, ut custódiant te in ómnibus viis tuis: in mánibus portábunt te, ne umquam offéndas ad lápidem pedem tuum....

Deus, qui Ecclésiam tuam ánnua quadragesimáli observatióne puríficas: præsta famíliæ tuæ; ut, quod a te obtinére abstinéndo nítitur, hoc bonis opéribus exsequátur. Per Dóminum.

Deus, qui beáto Petro Apóstolo tuo, collátis clávibus regni cœléstis, ligándi atque solvéndi pontifícium tradidísti: concéde; ut, intercessiónis ejus auxílio, a peccatórum nostrórum néxibus liberémur: Qui vivis.

Deus, qui multitúdinem géntium beáti Pauli Apóstoli prædicatióne docuísti: da nobis, quǽsumus; ut, cujus commemoratiónem cólimus, ejus apud te patrocínia sentiámus. Per Dóminum.

Today is the 1st Sunday of Lent and the Mass is Invocabit me et ego exaudiam eum. It is also the feast of the Cathedra of the Apostle Saint Peter at Antioch; the Mass is Statuit ei Dominus testamentum pacis (as on the feast of the Apostle's Cathedra at Rome last month). Before 1939, it will have been transferred to tomorrow, in 1939 it is commemorated, and in and after 1955 it was not celebrated because of the Sunday (or because of the Lenten Sunday; I'm not sure). 

The page of the Schola Sainte-Sainte-Cécile is here; the livret for Holy Mass is here and those for Vespers and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament are here and here.

The Roman Martyrology today, for the 7th day before the Kalends of March.

Statio ad Sanctum Joannem in Laterano

Introitus. Ps. 90, 15 et 16. Invocábit me, et ego exáudiam eum: erípiam eum, et glorificábo eum: longitúdine diérum adimplébo eum. Ps. ibid., 1. Qui hábitat in adjutório Altíssimi, in protectióne Dei cœli commorábitur. ℣. Glória Patri.

Kyrie.

Oratio. Deus, qui Ecclésiam tuam ánnua quadragesimáli observatióne puríficas: præsta famíliæ tuæ; ut, quod a te obtinére abstinéndo nítitur, hoc bonis opéribus exsequátur. Per Dóminum.

Oratio. Deus, qui beáto Petro Apóstolo tuo, collátis clávibus regni cœléstis, ligándi atque solvéndi pontifícium tradidísti: concéde; ut, intercessiónis ejus auxílio, a peccatórum nostrórum néxibus liberémur: Qui vivis. 

Oratio. Deus, qui multitúdinem géntium beáti Pauli Apóstoli prædicatióne docuísti: da nobis, quǽsumus; ut, cujus commemoratiónem cólimus, ejus apud te patrocínia sentiámus. Per Dóminum.

Léctio Epístolæ beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Corínthios.
2 Cor. 6, 1-10.
Fratres: Exhortámur vos, ne in vácuum grátiam Dei recipiátis. Ait enim: Témpore accépto exaudívi te, et in die salútis adjúvi te. Ecce, nunc tempus acceptábile, ecce, nunc dies salútis. Némini dantes ullam offensiónem, ut non vituperétur ministérium nostrum: sed in ómnibus exhibeámus nosmetípsos sicut Dei minístros, in multa patiéntia, in tribulatiónibus, in necessitátibus, in angústiis, in plagis, in carcéribus, in seditiónibus, in labóribus, in vigíliis, in jejúniis, in castitáte, in sciéntia, in longanimitáte, in suavitáte, in Spíritu Sancto, in caritáte non ficta, in verbo veritátis, in virtúte Dei, per arma justítiæ a dextris et a sinístris: per glóriam et ignobilitátem: per infámiam et bonam famam: ut seductóres et veráces: sicut qui ignóti et cógniti: quasi moriéntes et ecce, vívimus: ut castigáti et non mortificáti: quasi tristes, semper autem gaudéntes: sicut egentes, multos autem locupletántes: tamquam nihil habéntes et ómnia possidéntes.

Graduale. Ps. 90, 11-12. Angelis suis Deus mandávit de te, ut custódiant te in ómnibus viis tuis. ℣. In mánibus portábunt te, ne umquam offéndas ad lápidem pedem tuum.

Tractus. Ibid., 1-7 et 11-16. Qui hábitat in adjutório Altíssimi, in protectióne Dei cœli commorántur. ℣. Dicet Dómino: Suscéptor meus es tu et refúgium meum: Deus meus, sperábo in eum. ℣. Quóniam ipse liberávit me de láqueo venántium et a verbo áspero. ℣. Scápulis suis obumbrábit tibi, et sub pennis ejus sperábis. ℣. Scuto circúmdabit te véritas ejus: non timébis a timóre noctúrno. ℣. A sagítta volánte per diem, a negótio perambulánte in ténebris, a ruína et dæmónio meridiáno. ℣. Cadent a látere tuo mille, et decem mília a dextris tuis: tibi autem non appropinquábit. ℣. Quóniam Angelis suis mandávit de te, ut custódiant te in ómnibus viis tuis. ℣. In mánibus portábunt te, ne umquam offéndas ad lápidem pedem tuum. ℣. Super áspidem et basilíscum ambulábis, et conculcábis leónem et dracónem. ℣. Quóniam in me sperávit, liberábo eum: prótegam eum, quóniam cognóvit nomen meum. ℣. Invocábit me, et ego exáudiam eum: cum ipso sum in tribulatióne. ℣. Erípiam eum et glorificábo eum: longitúdine diérum adimplébo eum, et osténdam illi salutáre meum.

✠ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthǽum.
Matth. 4, 1-11.
In illo témpore: Ductus est Jesus in desértum a Spíritu, ut tentarétur a diábolo. Et cum jejunásset quadragínta diébus et quadragínta nóctibus, postea esúriit. Et accédens tentátor, dixit ei: Si Fílius Dei es, dic, ut lápides isti panes fiant. Qui respóndens, dixit: Scriptum est: Non in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo, quod procédit de ore Dei. Tunc assúmpsit eum diábolus in sanctam civitátem, et státuit eum super pinnáculum templi, et dixit ei: Si Fílius Dei es, mitte te deórsum. Scriptum est enim: Quia Angelis suis mandávit de te, et in mánibus tollent te, ne forte offéndas ad lápidem pedem tuum. Ait illi Jesus: Rursum scriptum est: Non tentábis Dóminum, Deum tuum. Iterum assúmpsit eum diábolus in montem excélsum valde: et ostendit ei ómnia regna mundi et glóriam eórum, et dixit ei: Hæc ómnia tibi dabo, si cadens adoráveris me. Tunc dicit ei Jesus: Vade, Sátana; scriptum est enim: Dóminum, Deum tuum, adorábis, et illi soli sérvies. Tunc relíquit eum diábolus: et ecce, Angeli accessérunt et ministrábant ei.

Credo.

Offertorium. Ps. 90, 4-5. Scápulis suis obumbrábit tibi Dóminus, et sub pennis ejus sperábis: scuto circúmdabit te véritas ejus.

The Secreta remains unchanged from the centuries prior to the extension of the season to the Dies Cinerum.

Secreta. Sacrifícium quadragesimális inítii sollémniter immolámus, te, Dómine, deprecántes: ut, cum epulárum restrictióne carnálium, a noxiis quoque voluptátibus lemperémus. Per Dóminum.

Secreta. Ecclésiæ tuæ, quǽsumus, Dómine, preces et hóstias beáti Petri Apóstoli comméndet orátio: ut, quod pro illíus glória celebrámus, nobis prosit ad véniam. Per Dóminum.

Secreta. Apóstoli tui Pauli précibus, Dómine, plebis tuæ dona sanctífica: ut, quæ tibi tuo grata sunt institúto, gratióra fiant  patrocínio supplicántis. Per Dóminum.

Præfatio de Quadragesima.

Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutáre, nos tibi semper et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine, sancte Pater, omnípotens ætérne Deus: Qui corporáli ieiúnio vítia cómprimis, mentem élevas, virtútem largíris et prǽmia: per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Per quem majestátem tuam laudant Angeli, adórant Dominatiónes, tremunt Potestátes. Cæli cælorúmque Virtútes, ac beáta Séraphim, sócia exsultatióne concélebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces, ut admítti iúbeas, deprecámur, súpplici confessióne dicéntes:

Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei.

Communio. Ps. 90, 4-5. Scápulis suis obumbrábit tibi Dóminus, et sub pennis ejus sperábis: scuto circúmdabit te véritas ejus.

Postcommunio. Qui nos, Dómine, sacraménti libátio sancta restáuret: et a vetustáte purgátos, in mystérii salutáris fáciat transíre consórtium. Per Dóminum.

Postcommunio. Lætíficet nos, Dómine, munus oblátum: ut, sicut in Apóstolo tuo Petro te mirábilem prædicámus; sic per illum tuæ sumámus indulgéntiæ largitátem. Per Dóminum.

Postcommunio. Sanctificáti, Dómine, salutári mystério: quǽsumus; ut nobis ejus non desit orátio, cujus nos donásti patrocínio gubernari. Per Dóminum.

The Neumz commentary for today features the Introit, Invocabit me et ego exaudiam eum, which the Pauline Rite conserves.

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent, a liturgical season that symbolizes a struggle that we will carry out for forty days, a path of conversion that we will travel until we reach the definitive transformation at Easter, the definitive victory. Today, we proclaim the Gospel of the Lord’s temptations in the desert. The Church introduces us to its mystery with the chant of Psalm 90, Qui habitat in adjutorio Altissimi, the psalm of the temptations of Christ, a psalm that St. Bernard commented on extensively, for it has the spirituality that is appropriate to the one who takes refuge in the shelter of the Lord. All the chants of the Proper of today’s Mass are taken from this psalm, a unique peculiarity in the liturgy. From among the chants of the Proper, in Neumz we have chosen the Introit Invocabit me. The entire psalm speaks in the third person, and it is with this person that the Devil identifies himself in order to deceive Christ. However, although all the exhortations to trust could be used with deceit by the Devil, the end of the psalm leaves no room for doubt: it is an oracle of God, of the Father who, suddenly changing from the third person to the first person, now is God the Father who speaks to us. And, it is He who proclaims the words of this Introit, in verses 15 and 16: Invocábit me, et ego exáudiam eum, he shall call upon me, and I will answer him. It is very rare that in the text of an Introit God takes the word to speak to us directly. Here, God promises that he will grant victory to all those who entrust themselves to him. These two verses are like the opening of the drama of the temptation of our Lord, which is the theme of all today’s chants. The Father enters the scene and announces what is about to happen. They, therefore, apply first and foremost to Christ. But, as the drama continues and extends to all the members of Christ, it is the process of divine help in the struggle that is waged, at one time or another in each one of us, that the Father describes and envelops with his words full of consolation. Therefore, it is not only about Christ, his struggle, and his Father’s loving promise but also about all of us. As we enter the holy forty days of Lent, we are invited above all to deepen our prayer life and the quality of our relationship with God. It is this quality that will give us the strength to fight the spiritual battle and resist temptation.

The success of this penitential journey that begins for us comes from the gaze of the Eternal Father, tender and powerful, which is directed to the Beloved Son, and by extension, to us. This Introit sums up our spiritual attitudes during Lent to one thing: trust, expressed in the verb invocabit me. It is a trust full of love that rises towards heaven, filled with our abandonment and offerings, but fundamentally, it is an act of trust. The divine action, on the other hand, is translated by a sequence of actions of the Father upon us: “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him [from the pit of sin]; I will deliver him and glorify him; with length of days I will gratify him” (Psalm 90:15-16). However, before reaching the eternal Light, we must compensate, repair, and atone for the sins that have offended the Lord. And for this, penance, wrapped in the love and trust of the words of this Introit, will prepare us to celebrate the Paschal Mystery.

As for the melody, it is composed in mode VIII, and it constantly moves between the fundamental, the Sol, and the dominant, the Do. With this, it manages to build a firm framework that accompanies the promises that in the chant are made. The solemnity and fullness of mode VIII are perfectly suited to the person of the Father. It is He who speaks to His Son, and through Him to all of us, and His words are clothed with an authority, a solemnity that best suits the colors proper to mode VIII.

The intonation already shows the tone of firmness, starting and resting on the fundamental note, the Sol, and tracing a beautiful arc with Sol-Do-Sol, which will mark the majority of the incises of this piece. Invocabit me, He shall call upon me, the composer invites us to look to the heights of the mode, the Do, up to there rises our call to the Eternal Father who observes us here below, on the Sol, in the low range. Note in the accent of the word the leap of a fourth full of total confidence, safety, a melodic gesture of great adoration with this magnificent torculus resupinus, Sol-Do-Si-Do, which also confers with the semitonal interval a loving tenderness, a closeness between the Lord and the praying person. After that, the melody descends reverently and firmly to the low register and in the pronoun me it rests on the Sol to close this first incise. In the following, et ego exaudiam eum, and I will answer him, the Sol-Do-Sol arc is traced again, this time more elaborated. After the introduction with a reverent porrectus on et, with great assurance, firmness, and confidence, the melody rises from the Sol to the Do to rest momentarily on the Si in a scandicus flexus, Sol-La-Do-Si, which brings us back to the high range. The composer insists on the use of the semitonal interval, which brings that touch of closeness between the Lord and the prayerful one (As a matter of fact, in the Graduale Novum the melodic restitution is Sol-La-Do-Si Si, the Si instead of Do in the final syllable of ego and the first syllable of exaudiam).

The tristropha in the accent of the word exaudiam amplify the Do, the dominant, symbolizing the listening of the Father in the heights. He leans His ear to listen to our supplications, like the melodic descent from the Do to the Sol in the posttonic syllable of exaudiam masterfully manifests; prayers that rise up to Him, like the magnificent and solemn quilismatic movement in the last syllable of exaudiam, Sol-La-Si-Do, the only one in the piece. From the Do, the melodic movement bows with fervent devotion in eum, in an elegant descent of thirds, Do-La-Si-Sol Sol, and concludes like this the first phrase, where everything is certainty and confidence. He will invoke me and I will listen to him, there is not the slightest doubt.

In eripiam eum, I will deliver him, the first incise of the second phrase begins in a very similar way with the same reverent porrectus, La-Fa-Sol, but this time with a direct, firm, impetuous leap of a fourth, Sol-Do, in the accent of eripiam with the Do amplified in unison. The word closes with a beautiful descent of thirds, Do-Do La- La-Fa-La, with a porrectus on the last syllable similar to a genuflection. The incise ends with a cadential formula full of confident hope in eum that will sound again symmetrically in the two incises of the third phrase, in dierum, and in eum. However it may be, there is a certain melodic-textual insistence on the pronoun eum, like we are seeing in each incise that relates to all the verbs that are in first person and in future tense: I and he, the Father speaks to his Beloved Son, and to us, by extension, and speaks to us with future promises received with full confidence and hope. In the following incise, et glorificabo eum, and I will glorify him, the same turn of phrase as in ego (with the restitution of the Si of the Graduale Novum) is utilized again: it is the beginning of that spiritual elevation towards the Father, the semitonal closeness, Si-Do, the loving tenderness between the creature and its Creator resounds again. The culmination of this elevation comes in the accent of the verb, where a melodic twist characteristic of the Lenten tracts and the canticles of the Easter Vigil resound, Si-Re Mi-Do Do-La, La-Sol. What a sublime compositional wink! Already from this first Sunday of Lent, we can glimpse the crown of glorification from Easter that resounds in the Lenten tracts, small moments of encouragement, which encourage us to persevere on the way and to be able to chant radiantly the Easter Light in the canticles of the Vigil. This second phrase concludes like the first with the pronoun eum, with a very similar melodic turn, a very reverent porrectus flexus.

The last phrase of this Introit seems to be the content of the glorification. In longitudine dierum, with length of days, it has the particularity of making the reverse journey that is made in the rest of the piece: the melody moves from the high to the low range. The melodic movement moves around the Do in longitudine, musically lengthening even more the meaning of the word (observe in that sense the masterful use of the tristropha to close the word) and ends by descending steadily to the Sol in dierum. Here, the cadential formula of eripiam eum reappears, and it also appears again in the final cadence in eum. The composer thus relates the final prize, eternity, longitudine dierum, to its addressee, eum, to him.

In the final incise of the Introit, in adimplebo eum, l will gratify him, the melody rises with great enthusiasm at the beginning with a salicus, Sol-La-Si, and from the neumatic cut in the La of the accent, it also descends firmly again, by thirds, to the Mi, a degree unknown in the piece until now: The word closes as it began, with a very enthusiastic melodic ascent with another salicus, Mi-Sol-La. The melodic movement draws masterfully in this word that final prize, glorification, eternity, which descends to us, penetrates to the depths of the being, and elevates us. Furthermore, thanks to this turn, the atmosphere of firm security is reinforced, since the entire sound spectrum of mode VIII is covered, which uses the high register but also the low register, around the fundamental. From the La in eum, the cadential formula that structures and gives cohesion to this piece sounds for the last time. An exceptional musical colophon in this last incise, adimplebo eum, I will gratify him, shines with force the fullness that chants that word, the triumph after the struggle.

✠    ✠    ✠

Concéde, miséricors Deus, fragilitáti nostræ præsídium; ut, qui sanctæ Dei Genitrícis memóriam ágimus; intercessiónis ejus auxílio, a nostris iniquitátibus resurgámus. Per Christum Dóminum nóstrum.

Deus, a quo sancta desidéria, recta consília, et justa sunt ópera: da servis tuis illam, quam mundus dare non potest, pacem; ut et corda nostra mandátis tuis dédita, et hóstium subláta formídine, témpora sint tua protectióne tranquílla. Per Dóminum.

Deus, qui caritátis dona per grátiam Sancti Spíritus tuórum fidélium córdibus infudísti: da fámulis et famulábus tuis, pro quibus tuam deprecámur cleméntiam, salútem mentis et córporis; ut te tota virtúte díligant, et quæ tibi plácita sunt, tota dilectióne perfíciant. Per Dóminum.

Laus Deo Virginique Matri