Alleluia, post dies octo, jánuis clausis, stetit Jesus in médio discipulórum suórum, et dixit: Pax vobis, alleluia...

Præsta, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus: ut, qui paschália festa perégimus, hæc, te largiénte, móribus et vita teneámus. Per Dóminum.

Today is the Octave of Easter, Dominica in Albis, and the Mass is Quasi modo geniti infantes alleluia.

The Schola Saint-Cécile's page for today is here. The libellus for Holy Mass is here, and that for Vespers and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament is here. Of note is that at Saint-Eugène, the (a rite? no idea whence this is sourced) rite in albis deponendis is celebrated at the font before the Introitus: the neophytes lay aside their baptismal albs and receive a final Easter blessing. It looks to me like over half of the total number have been able to be present for this last office of their first Easter as Christians.

The Roman Martyrology today, for tomorrow the Ides of April.

Statio ad Sanctum Pancratium

The Neumz commentary today is on this Introitus, Quasi modo geniti infantes alleluia; I've added it infra after the Mass texts.

Introitus. 1. Petri 2, 2. Quasi modo géniti infántes, allelúja: rationabiles, sine dolo lac concupíscite, allelúja, allelúja allelúja. Ps. 80, 2. Exsultáte Deo, adjutóri nostro: jubiláte Deo Jacob. V. Glória Patri.

Dicitur Glória in excélsis in hac et sequéntibus Dominicis post Pascha, etiam quando infra hebdomadam resumitur Missa Dominicæ præcedentis.

Kyrie, Gloria.

Oratio. Præsta, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus: ut, qui paschália festa perégimus, hæc te largiénte móribus et vita teneámus. Per Dominum. 

Léctio Epístolæ beáti Joannis Apóstoli.
1. Joann. 5, 4-10.
Caríssimi: Omne, quod natum est ex Deo, vincit mundum: et hæc est victoria, quæ vincit mundum, fides nostra. Quis est, qui vincit mundum, nisi qui credit, quóniam Jesus est Fílius Dei? Hic est, qui venit per aquam et sánguinem, Jesus Christus: non in aqua solum, sed in aqua et sánguine. Et Spíritus est, qui testificátur, quóniam Christus est véritas. Quóniam tres sunt, qui testimónium dant in cœlo: Pater, Verbum, et Spíritus Sanctus: et hi tres unum sunt. Et tres sunt, qui testimónium dant in terra: Spíritus, et aqua, et sanguis: et hi tres unum sunt. Si testimónium hóminum accípimus, testimónium Dei maius est: quóniam hoc est testimónium Dei, quod maius est: quóniam testificátus est de Fílio suo. Qui credit in Fílium Dei, habet testimónium Dei in se.

Allelúja, allelúja. V. Matth. 28, 7. In die resurrectiónis meæ, dicit Dóminus, præcédam vos in Galilǽam.

Allelúja. V. Joann. 20, 26. Post dies octo, jánuis clausis, stetit Jesus in médio discipulórum suórum, et dixit: Pax vobis. Allelúja.

✠ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Joánnem.
Joann. 20, 19-31.
In illo témpore: Cum sero esset die illo, una sabbatórum, et fores essent clausæ, ubi erant discípuli congregáti propter metum Judæórum: venit Jesus, et stetit in médio, et dixit eis: Pax vobis. Et cum hoc dixísset, osténdit eis manus et latus. Gavísi sunt ergo discípuli, viso Dómino. Dixit ergo eis íterum: Pax vobis. Sicut misit me Pater, et ego mitto vos. Hæc cum dixísset, insufflávit, et dixit eis: Accipite Spíritum Sanctum: quorum remiseritis peccáta, remittúntur eis; et quorum retinuéritis, reténta sunt. Thomas autem unus ex duódecim, qui dícitur Dídymus, non erat cum eis, quando venit Jesus. Dixérunt ergo ei alii discípuli: Vídimus Dóminum. Ille autem dixit eis: Nisi vídero in mánibus ejus fixúram clavórum, et mittam dígitum meum in locum clavórum, et mittam manum meam in latus ejus, non credam. Et post dies octo, íterum erant discípuli ejus intus, et Thomas cum eis. Venit Jesus, jánuis clausis, et stetit in médio, et dixit: Pax vobis. Deinde dicit Thomæ: Infer dígitum tuum huc et vide manus meas, et affer manum tuam et mitte in latus meum: et noli esse incrédulus, sed fidélis. Respóndit Thomas et dixit ei: Dóminus meus et Deus meus. Dixit ei Jesus: Quia vidísti me, Thoma, credidísti: beáti, qui non vidérunt, et credidérunt. Multa quidem et alia signa fecit Jesus in conspéctu discipulórum suórum, quæ non sunt scripta in libro hoc. Hæc autem scripta sunt, ut credátis, quia Jesus est Christus, Fílius Dei: et ut credéntes vitam habeátis in nómine ejus.

Credo.

Offertorium. Matth. 28, 2, 5 et 6. Angelus Dómini descéndit de cœlo, et dixit muliéribus: Quem quǽritis, surréxit, sicut dixit, allelúja.

Secreta. Suscipe múnera, Dómine, quǽsumus, exsultántis Ecclésiæ: et, cui causam tanti gáudii præstitísti, perpétuæ fructum concéde lætítiæ. Per Dóminum.

Præfatio Paschalis, in qua dicitur: in hoc potíssimum gloriosius prædicáre.

Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutáre: Te quidem, Dómine, omni témpore, sed in hac potíssimum die gloriósius prædicáre, cum Pascha nostrum immolátus est Christus. Ipse enim verus est Agnus, qui ábstulit peccáta mundi. Qui mortem nostram moriéndo destrúxit, et vitam resurgéndo reparávit. Et ideo cum Angelis et Archángelis, cum Thronis et Dominatiónibus, cumque omni milítia cæléstis exércitus, hymnum glóriae tuæ cánimus, sine fine dicéntes:

Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei.

Communio. Joann. 20, 27. Mitte manum tuam, et cognósce loca clavórum, allelúja: et noli esse incrédulus, sed fidélis, alleluia, allelúja.

Postcommunio. Quǽsumus, Dómine, Deus noster: ut sacrosáncta mystéria, quæ pro reparatiónis nostræ munímine contulísti; et præsens nobis remédium esse fácias et futúrum. Per Dóminum.

Tempore Paschali, a Dominica in Albis usque ad Feriam VI post Octavam Ascensionis inclusive, quando dicendæ sint, juxta Rubricas, Orationes pro diversitate Temporum assignatæ, etiam infra Octavas, erunt sequentes, excepta tamen 2. Oratione, quæ in Missis de beata Maria Virg. et in iis, in quibus de eadem fit Commemoratio, necnon in Missa votiva de Omnibus Sanctis, dicitur de Spiritu Sancto.

2. de S. Maria.

Oratio. Concéde nos fámulos tuos, quǽsumus, Dómine Deus, perpétua mentis et corporis sanitáte gaudére: et, gloriósa beátæ Maríæ semper Vírginis intercessióne, a præsénti liberári tristítia, et ætérna pérfrui lætítia. (Per Dóminum nostrum.)

Secreta. Tua, Dómine, propitiatióne, et beátæ Maríæ semper Vírginis intercessióne, ad perpétuam atque præséntem hæc oblátio nobis profíciat prosperitátem et pacem. (Per Dóminum nostrum.)

Postcommunio. Sumptis, Dómine, salútis nostræ subsídiis: da, quǽsumus, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírginis patrocíniis nos ubique prótegi; in cujus veneratióne hæc tuæ obtúlimus majestáti. (Per Dóminum.)

3. contra persecutores Ecclesiæ.

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

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

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

Vel 3. 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.

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

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

Today's commentary from Neumz, on the Introit shared by the Traditional Rite and the Pauline Rite, Quasi modo geniti infantes alleluia.

We begin this week with the Second Sunday of Easter, also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. It is the first Sunday after Easter, and with which the “Octave of Easter” ends. It is called “Quasimodo Sunday”, in virtue of the first words of the Introit of this day. It is also known as “Thomas Sunday”, after the apostle Thomas, who doubted the Resurrection in spite of Christ’s appearance to his apostles. This Sunday is also called in albis (deponendis), because on this day the “neophytes” (new Christians) traditionally shed the white garments they wore at their baptism ceremony at the Easter Vigil. In English, the term “Low Sunday” is used to differentiate it from Easter or “High Sunday”. Another Latin name, “Pascha clausum”, is preserved in French, “Pâques ferme” and in Dutch or Flemish, “Beloken Pasen”.

To celebrate this Second Sunday of Easter, we at Neumz have chosen the entrance chant Quasi modo. The text is taken from the First Epistle of St. Peter 2:2 and was undoubtedly addressed to the newly baptized in its day. On the Sunday when, for the first time, they take their place in the life of the Christian community, the Church wants to repeat it as a mother’s advice to her new children: they have been born of the water of baptism, but, like newborns, they are still weak. They need to grow in their mother’s womb, where they will be nourished by the Eucharist. We also find here the expression of the great liturgical thought: from baptism to the Eucharist. In the words of Dom Prosper Guéranger and as he used to say, “They are tender children full of simplicity, desirous of the spiritual milk of faith of the Holy Church, which will make them strong and sincere.’

When we are baptized, we receive, by the very virtue of the sacrament, something of the supernatural vigor that keeps us with our eyes fixed on the Father and the Holy Spirit, in contemplation and love. This vigor impels us to love one another: it is the sanctifying grace that works through Faith, Hope and Charity; a new vital force that is added to that which we have received by nature and that makes us truly “like newborns” when we come out of Baptism, quasi modo geniti infantes.

Rationabiles sine dolo lac concupiscite, with spiritual milk and without impurity. This vital force is very weak at the beginning, so in order to develop, it needs substantial and adequate nourishment. On the supernatural, mystical level, the milk refers to the Eucharist, which the neophytes have just received for the first time. This nourishment, fruit of the passion and resurrection of Christ, is sufficient to nourish Christians until adulthood, until the fullness of Christian life, until eternal life. The Church offers this spiritual milk in two forms: the Word of God and the Eucharist. It is up to each one to take it and assimilate it. Having become spiritual beings, born to the life of the Spirit of Christ, let us desire the true and pure nourishment and let us sing with immense joy: quasi modo geniti infantes.

As for the melody, composed in mode VI, sextus devotus, as the ancients used to say, it is very simple, practically reduced to the Re-La, with some ornamentation in the low Do, and a strong preeminence of the fundamental, the Fa. Mode VI, as we said, is the mode of piety, a very simple mode and, therefore, it could be said to be full of the spirit of childhood. The choice for the Introit Quasi modo is very significant, since it expresses the child’s tender devotion to his Father, the virtue of piety. The melody of this Introit is very sober, it surrounds the words with simplicity, it has the appearance of a simple recitative, but everything is arranged in such a way, in this extreme simplicity, that the words come to us wrapped in benevolence, sweetness, maternal and joyful kindness.

The piece begins with a beautiful arch of Do Sol Do that envelops quasi modo geniti infantes, like newborn children. The intonation is simple, like a kind of recitative, the first steps and babbling of these newborns. The melodic movement starts on the Do and, after a “brief crawl” on the Re, stands on the pulsed Fa and adorned with the Sol of the accent of geniti, an accent that clearly drives the melody at this beginning. Next, the melody returns to the Fa, advances steadily, steadily, before settling briefly on the Do and closing the interlude. The first alleluia, full of Easter joy, comes to conclude this phrase. The Fa, adorned in the high range by the Sol and, for the first time, by the La, envelop this simple alleluia with profound happiness, of which we will find two variants at the end of the piece.

In the second phrase, it is worth noting a significant textual variant: rationabiles, with use of reason, subject of this phrase refers to children, while in the original text, rationabile, is an adjective that qualifies milk. It is a protagonist word, undoubtedly highlighted: an agile and elegant movement towards the low range, Fa-Re, to catch momentum to settle on the Sol and from chanting with great brilliance the semitonal interval in the high range, the B-flat, unique in the piece, makes this word shine with immense tenderness. After this burst of joy, then, the melody in sine dolo, without impurity, returns to the Fa, beautifully adorned in a back-and-forth, with the G, insistently, before settling on the Re. The fundamental shines, resounds with strength, with purity, embellished even more by the Sol. In lac concupiscite, desire milk, resounds the incipit of the piece condensed in the three notes of the salicus of lac: Re-Fa-Sol, a beautifully highlighted word: it is the metaphor of spiritual nourishment, the impulse of the salicus is masterful, it extends to the whole incise. The imperative concupiscite also receives a musical treatment of great genius: first it rises slightly to the La, taking advantage of the salicus’ verve, then it settles on the fundamental, again embellished with the Sol, and ends by settling on the Re with a beautiful ornamentation on the Sol. Note that in this word, in short, from La to Do, the composer covers the range of degrees that make up the piece (except for the B-flat).

The piece closes with three joyous alleluias, the first and third are virtually identical, like a sort of echoes of the alleluia of the first phrase, the Fa and La are highlighted, clearly, note the beautiful torculus of the accent, common to all three alleluias, Fa-La-Sol. And in all this, the second alleluia serves as a transition to the third without losing any of the enthusiasm of the first alleluia: it begins with a beautiful initial turn that adorns the Fa in the low range before chanting with joy the accent, Mi-Sol-Fa, and setting the melody on the Fa, then on the Re, to finally reach the Do from which the melody will be moved back to the Fa in the last alleluia. Simplicity, simple and pure joy, in a piece that pours forth tenderness and freshness and that has given its name to this Sunday of the Octave of Easter.

✠   ✠   ✠

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

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.

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.Hic [fons baptismalis, in benedictione in Sabbato Sancto] ómnium peccatórum máculæ deleántur: hic natúra ad imáginem tuam cóndita, et ad honórem sua reformáta princípii, cunctis vetustátis squalóribus emundétur: ut omnis homo, sacraméntum hoc regeneratiónis ingréssus, in veræ innocéntiæ novam infántiam renascátur.

Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Fílium tuum: Qui ventúrus est judicáre vivos et mórtuos et sǽculum per ignem.
R. Amen.

Laus Deo Virginique Matri

Saint Venantius Fortunatus, Henri de Villiers, Touve Ratovondrahety, Louis-Lazare Perruchot, Henry du Mont, Jehan Tisserant