Ego autem non quæro glóriam meam: est, qui quærat et júdicet: amen, amen, dico vobis: si quis sermónem meum serváverit, mortem non vidébit in ætérnum...

Quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus, familiam tuam propítius réspice: ut, te largiénte, regátur in córpore; et, te servánte, custodiátur in mente. Per Dóminum.

Today is Passion Sunday, the 5th Sunday in Lent, and the Mass is Judica me Deus et discerne causam meam. The Schola Saint-Cécile's page for today is here. The livret for the Holy Mass is here, and those for Vespers are here and here.

The Roman Martyrology today, for tomorrow the 10th day before the Kalends of April.

Ab hac Dominica usque ad Feriam V in Cena Domini inclusive, in Missis de Tempore non dicitur Psalmus Júdica ante Confessionem, neque Glória Patri ad Introitum et post Psalmum Lavábo.

Introitus. Ps. 42, 1-2. Júdica me, Deus, et discérne causam meam de gente non sancta: ab homine iníquo et dolóso éripe me: quia tu es Deus meus et fortitúdo mea. Ps. ibid., 3. Emítte lucem tuam et veritátem tuam: ipsa me de duxérunt et adduxérunt in montem sanctum tuum et in tabernácula tua. Júdica me.

Kyrie.

Oratio. Quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus, familiam tuam propítius réspice: ut, te largiénte, regátur in córpore; et, te servánte, custodiátur in mente. Per Dóminum.

Ab hac die usque ad Sabbatum in Albis inclusive, Oratio pro Temporum diversitate assignata erit sequens:

2. contra persecutores Ecclesiæ.

Oratio. Ecclésiæ tuæ, quǽsumus, Dómine, preces placátus admítte: ut, destrúctis adversitátibus et erróribus univérsis, secúra tibi sérviat libertáte. Per Dóminum.

Vel 2. pro Papa.

Oratio. Deus, ómnium fidélium pastor et rector, fámulum tuum Leonem, quem pastórem Ecclésiæ tuæ præésse voluísti, propítius réspice: da ei, quǽsumus, verbo et exémplo, quibus præest, profícere; ut ad vitam, una cum grege sibi crédito, pervéniat sempitérnam. Per Dóminum.

Non dicitur tertia Oratio.

Léctio Epístolæ beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Hebrǽos.
Hebr. 9, 11-15.
Fratres: Christus assístens Pontifex futurórum bonórum, per ámplius et perféctius tabernáculum non manufáctum, id est, non hujus creatiónis: neque per sánguinem hircórum aut vitulórum, sed per próprium sánguinem introívit semel in Sancta, ætérna redemptióne invénta. Si enim sanguis hircórum et taurórum, et cinis vítulæ aspérsus, inquinátos sanctíficat ad emundatiónem carnis: quanto magis sanguis Christi, qui per Spíritum Sanctum semetípsum óbtulit immaculátum Deo, emundábit consciéntiam nostram ab opéribus mórtuis, ad serviéndum Deo vivénti? Et ideo novi Testaménti mediátor est: ut, morte intercedénte, in redemptiónem eárum prævaricatiónum, quæ erant sub prióri Testaménto, repromissiónem accípiant, qui vocáti sunt ætérnæ hereditátis, in Christo Jesu, Dómino nostro.

Graduale. Ps. 142, 9 et 10. Eripe me, Dómine, de inimícis meis: doce me fácere voluntátem tuam. ℣. Ps. 17, 48-49. Liberátor meus, Dómine, de géntibus iracúndis: ab insurgéntibus in me exaltábis me: a viro iníquo erípies me.

Tractus. Ps. 128, 1-4. Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea. ℣. Dicat nunc Israël: sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea. ℣. Etenim non potuérunt mihi: supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres. ℣. Prolongavérunt iniquitátes suas: Dóminus justus cóncidit cervíces peccatórum.

✠ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Joánnem.
Joann. 8, 46-59.
In illo témpore: Dicébat Jesus turbis Judæórum: Quis ex vobis árguet me de peccáto? Si veritátem dico vobis, quare non créditis mihi? Qui ex Deo est, verba Dei audit. Proptérea vos non audítis, quia ex Deo non estis. Respondérunt ergo Judǽi et dixérunt ei: Nonne benedícimus nos, quia Samaritánus es tu, et dæmónium habes? Respóndit Jesus: Ego dæmónium non hábeo, sed honorífico Patrem meum, et vos inhonorástis me. Ego autem non quæro glóriam meam: est, qui quærat et júdicet. Amen, amen, dico vobis: si quis sermónem meum serváverit, mortem non vidébit in ætérnum. Dixérunt ergo Judǽi: Nunc cognóvimus, quia dæmónium habes. Abraham mórtuus est et Prophétæ; et tu dicis: Si quis sermónem meum serváverit, non gustábit mortem in ætérnum. Numquid tu major es patre nostro Abraham, qui mórtuus est? et Prophétæ mórtui sunt. Quem teípsum facis? Respóndit Jesus: Si ego glorífico meípsum, glória mea nihil est: est Pater meus, qui gloríficat me, quem vos dícitis, quia Deus vester est, et non cognovístis eum: ego autem novi eum: et si díxero, quia non scio eum, ero símilis vobis, mendax. Sed scio eum et sermónem ejus servo. Abraham pater vester exsultávit, ut vidéret diem meum: vidit, et gavísus est. Dixérunt ergo Judǽi ad eum: Quinquagínta annos nondum habes, et Abraham vidísti? Dixit eis Jesus: Amen, amen, dico vobis, antequam Abraham fíeret, ego sum. Tulérunt ergo lápides, ut jácerent in eum: Jesus autem abscóndit se, et exívit de templo.

Credo.

The Offertorium remains this antiphon in the Pauline Rite and was featured by Neumz for today. Have copied that commentary infra.

Offertorium. Ps.118, 17 et 107. Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: retríbue servo tuo: vivam, et custódiam sermónes tuos: vivífica me secúndum verbum tuum, Dómine.

Secreta. Hæc múnera, quǽsumus Dómine, ei víncula nostræ pravitátis absólvant, et tuæ nobis misericórdiæ dona concílient. Per Dóminum.

2. contra persecutores Ecclesiæ.

Secreta. Prótege nos, Dómine, tuis mystériis serviéntes: ut, divínis rebus inhæréntes, et córpore tibi famulémur et mente. Per Dóminum.

Vel 2. pro Papa.

Secreta. Oblátis, quǽsumus, Dómine, placáre munéribus: ci fámulum tuum Leonem, quem pastórem Ecclésiæ tuæ præésse voluísti, assídua protectióne gubérna. Per Dóminum.

Præfatio de Cruce; quæ dicitur usque ad Feriam V in Cena Domini inclusive, juxta Rubricas.

Vere dignum et iustum est, æquum et salutáre, nos tibi semper et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine sancte, Pater omnípotens, ætérne Deus: Qui salútem humáni géneris in ligno Crucis constituísti: ut, unde mors oriebátur, inde vita resúrgeret: et, qui in ligno vincébat, in ligno quoque vincerétur: per Christum, Dóminum nostrum. Per quem maiestátem 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. 1 Cor. 11, 24 et 25. Hoc corpus, quod pro vobis tradétur: hic calix novi Testaménti est in meo sánguine, dicit Dóminus: hoc fácite, quotiescúmque súmitis, in meam commemoratiónem.

Postcommunio. Adésto nobis, Dómine, Deus noster: et, quos tuis mystériis recreásti, perpétuis defénde subsidiis. Per Dóminum.

2. contra persecutores Ecclesiæ.

Postcommunio. Quǽsumus, Dómine, Deus noster: ut, quos divína tríbuis participatióne gaudére, humánis non sinas subjacére perículis. Per Dóminum.

Vel 2. pro Papa.

Postcommunio. Hæc nos, quǽsumus, Dómine, divíni sacraménti percéptio prótegat: et fámulum tuum Leonem, quem pastórem Ecclésiæ tuæ præésse voluísti; una cum commísso sibi grege, salvet semper et múniat. Per Dóminum.

From Neumz for today: Confitebor tibi Domine in toto corde meo.

Today we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent. We are two weeks away from Easter and it will be Palm Sunday next week, the gateway to Holy Week. However, on this Sunday we are helped to fix our eyes on Jesus, on his way to the cross, and to the new life and Resurrection. In Neumz, we have chosen for the occasion the offertory Confitebor tibi Domine. The text is taken from Psalm 118, which is a rework of verses 7, 10, 17, and 25. Here, the composer has partially used the versicles to construct a new text (versicle 17 is the only one copied entirely): “I will confess to you, Lord, with my whole heart. Repay your servant, revive me; and I will keep your words. Revive me according to your word, Lord.” Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: retríbue servo tuo: vivam, et custódiam sermónes tuos: vivífica me secúndum verbum tuum, Dómine.

The soul longs for the life of the resurrection, the life that through grace, and then glory, Christ communicates to us in his mystical body. Thus, this new textual composition appears as a chant of joy, the soul is filled with happiness and the fullness of being with the Lord: What is chanted is this happiness, one that is so simple and so intimate of being with Him, receiving His love, and giving Him His love, that is what enlivens this whole offertory chant.

As for the melody, it is composed in mode I, it majestically expresses the joy of the soul. Indeed, both the praise of the first phrase and the prayer of the other two, are imbued with the force of an overflowing joy, but at the same time full of peace, a contemplative and inner joy, as the soul sings only for its Creator.

The piece begins with a typical intonation of mode I, confitebor tibi Domine, I will confess to you, Lord. The composer magnificently underlines the accent of the first verb of the composition with that majestic leap of a fifth, Re-La, so characteristic of the authentic protus. In this first part, the melodic movement settles in the heights of the mode, the La shines with the ornamentation of the Do, the summit of the piece, in tibi, the gaze is set on the Lord. In addition, the B-flat confers a touch of closeness and also of loving tenderness that is released from the prayerful one before the joy of contemplating the magnificence of the Lord. In tibi also appears a very beautiful reverence: note the leap of a fourth, Do-Sol, which gives way to the posttonic syllable, with a brilliant porrectus in which the prayerful person with immense devotion prostrates himself before the Lord, just before invoking him in Domine. It should be noted that the vocative Domine, which makes explicit the pronoun tibi, has been added to the original text. The accent of Domine is treated with great fervor, the melody stops briefly on the first La, a neumatic cut in the notation rises to the Do to reverently descend again to the La where it ends up settling to close the word, La Do-Si-La La-Si-La La. This melodic turn, which envelops the word with fervent devotion, will reappear in the piece, as we will see later.

In the last incise of this first phrase, in toto corde meo, with my whole heart, the joy overflows again in the accent of toto: the melody ascends steadily by thirds, Fa La Do, and after descending to the La, it rises again to the Do in a magnificent quilismatic movement. The heart of the prayerful cantor beats strongly. The whole heart is shaken by divine Love, from top to bottom, as the melody sings, in an agile movement practically by thirds, from the high Do to the low Re, to finally settle on the Fa that closes the adjective toto. In corde, already in the low register, the prayerful one contemplates the joy in the interior of his heart, in the depths of his soul where nests that ineffable happiness of feeling united to the Lord. It is worth mentioning the tristropha in the Fa, which amplifies that inner joy, the Fa continues to resonate in the posttonic syllable and beautifully adorns the fundamental Re in the cadential formula of meo that closes this first phrase. The entire melodic passage of this incise is utilized again almost identically in the final incise, in verbum tuum Domine, to your word, Lord, as we will see later.

The second phrase begins with a prayer in which the prayerful one humbly asks to be filled, to be filled with the Lord. Thus, in retribue servo tuo, Repay your servant, the melody rises steadily from the Re to the La, observe the salicus, Re-Fa-Sol in the accent of the imperative retribue. The dominant resounds again embellished by the B-flat, conferring a certain pleading tone to this prayer. In the final posttonic syllable, the melody descends with immense reverence and humility, in a turn by thirds that resumes that of the final syllable of toto, La-Fa-Re-Fa. In servo tuo, from the the low Re, the melody rises again with firmness, by thirds, until crowning this ascent in the La and momentarily appeasing in the Fa that closes this first incise. In the prayerful one, there is a swinging back and forth between the exterior joy that overflows his being and the immense interior joy of knowing that he is in communion with the Lord. In vivam et custodiam, I will live and keep (your words), we observe a masterful compositional wink. Thanks to the divine action, the prayer is filled with grace, and his faith is increased. This divine intervention is materialized in the piece by taking up again the melodic turn that makes the Domine vocative of the first phrase shine, the Do-Si-La La-Si-La La, which resounds with small variations in the accent of vivam and custodiam: in vivam reinvigorated with a quilismatic movement restored in the Graduale Novum version and in custodiam it is shown with a touch of humility in the reverence of the porrectus La-Sol-La. The Do reappears, the Lord reappears implicitly in these two verbs giving us Life and enlightening us on our way so that we can serve Him In the last incise of this second part, sermones tuos, your words, the melodic movement continues with that impulse full of joy, it is a promise that the prayerful one makes to God, and that he chants fully satisfied as if the Lord’s help gives a glimpse of an even happier future. An agile salicus, Fa-Sol-La raises the melody to the dominant in the accent of the word sermones and then this word closes with a beautiful melodic turn that condenses with great fervor the previous joy in a sublime way: the Do sounds again, the La is adorned with a masterful quilismatic movement and the B-flat confers that unique touch of tenderness and closeness with the Lord, in the heights of the mode. This second part closes in tuos with a cadential formula that, as we are seeing, structures the three parts of this offertory, on this occasion not around the Re like in the first and third parts, but around the Fa, Fa-Sol-La-Sol-Fa-Sol Sol-Fa.

The last part also begins with an imperative, vivifica me, Revive me, prolongs that joy in the prayerful one. Observe the admirable swaying of the accent of vivifica, Fa-La-Do-La-Do, reminiscent of the melodic movement of in toto. After a reverent melodic descent with a leap of a fourth, Do-Sol, the melody returns to the low range: in me, the prayerful one contemplates in the depths of his soul that immense grace in his whole being that he receives from the Lord, the Love that floods his heart. The tristropha reappears like in corde, the tristropha in Fa materializes musically each of those pulsations in our being that amplify our inner joy: the prayerful one sings and praises the Lord and this makes his whole being vibrate. The last incise, secundum verbum tuum Domine, according to your word Lord, begins with a very fervent and devout movement in the low range: the quilismatic movement solemnizes the accent of secundum and the masterful descending step-by-step movement, Fa-Mi-Re Mi-Re-Do Re-Do, embodies with three sublime reverences this devotion, this veneration in the prayerful cantor, this gratitude in the depths of his soul, touching the low Do, a degree that reappears only in this passage. In verbum, the melody ascends with great force and firmness, with a leap of a fourth, Do-Fa, and then by thirds from the low Do to the high Do, the entire scope of this offertory is encompassed, the Word fills it all. And after that, from that Do, it returns to the low register with another masterful melodic descent, a series of torculi, almost all in thirds, Do-La-Fa-Re. The melodic movement touches the Re and then settles on the Fa, a solid degree in this way, where the tristropha reappears for the third time. If we observe in detail, in reality, what the composer is looking for in his composition is to unite the heart of the prayerful soul, in toto corde meo, with my whole heart to your Word, Lord, verbum tuum Domine. In fact, with some slight variations, he uses the same melodic turn, of great beauty, in toto corde meo and in verbum tuum Domine, which is the one that vivifies me, a pronoun linked to these turns by the common use of the tristropha. In the final cadence at the end of the Confitebor offertory, we can add that the prayer is filled with the peace-filled grace of a love that nothing disturbs and has become the soul’s whole life. The prayer sings and praises the Lord in that sublime dialogue between the creature and its Creator, and it is in the liturgy, which is the voice of the Church, as Dom Prosper Guéranger would say, “that the Word of God that inhabits us, that vivifies us, is incarnated and sublimated by the chant.” We could even dare to say: Verbum cantus factus est! And the Word became song!

✠    ✠    ✠

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

Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux, Saint-Eugène-Sainte-Cécile, Maxime Kovalevsky, Diego de Las Muelas