The Divine Office Part 12

This hymn has a special interest for Irish priests, as the Irish recensions of it, found in the Bangor Antiphoner (to be seen in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin) are of the greatest value to scholars engaged in critical study. They date from the tenth century, and give Nicetas as the author. The wording in the old Irish Antiphoner differs in some verses from the text given in our Breviary. Thus, in verse 6, the Bangor text has, _universa_ before the word _terra_; again, in verse 18, the Breviary reads "_Tu ad deteram Dei sedes_," Bangor, and probably more correctly, reads _sedens_. Verses 26-29, "_Dignare Domine_... _confundar in aeternum_" are not found in the Irish book.

Those who wish to study these old Irish MSS. may receive great help from Warren's _Bangor Antiphoner_ (II., pp.83-91) and light comes too from Julian's _Dictionary of Hymnology_ (pp. 1120-1121).

SOME TEXTS AND INTENTIONS WHICH MAY HELP TOWARDS THE WORTHY RECITATION OF MATINS (_vide_ pages 4, 120).

"Matutina ligat Christum qui crimina purgat."

"Although I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee."

"And in like manner also said they all."

"Pray, lest you enter into temptation,"

"And being in agony He prayed the longer."

"Friend, whereunto art thou come?--"

"And they holding Jesus led Him away"--the Garden.

"Art thou one of His disciples?"

"My kingdom is not of this world"--Before the High Priest.

_General Intentions_:-Exaltation of the Church; the Pope; the Mission to the heathen; Christian nations; the conversion of the heretics, infidels and sinners; the Catholic laity; the Catholic priesthood.

_Personal Intentions_:-Lively faith; a greater hope; ardent charity.

_Special Intentions_:-For parents; for benefactors; for those in sorrow; dying sinners; deceased priests of Ireland; for the conversion of England; for vocations to the priesthood.

CHAPTER II.

LAUDS.

_Etymology, Definition, Symbolism_. The word "Lauds" is derived from the Latin _laus_, praise. It is applied to this Hour, as it is _par excellence_, the hour in which G.o.d's praises are chanted by His Church.

This Hour succeeds Matins and precedes Prime. The name is said to have been given to this Hour on account of the last three Psalms, which formerly formed part of the Office. In these Psalms, 148, 149, 150, the word _Laudate_ recurs several times. Before the eighth century the Hour was called "Matutinum," or morning Office, and sometimes it was called _Gallicinum_ or _Galli cantus_ from being recited at c.o.c.k-crow. This is the Office of daybreak and hence its symbolism is of Christ's resurrection. "Christ, the light of the world, rose from the tomb on Easter morning, like a radiant sun, trampling over darkness and shedding His brightness upon the earth. The hymns, psalms, antiphons and versicles of Lauds, all proclaim the mystery of Christ's Resurrection, and the light which enlightens our souls. The reform of the Psalter in 1911 has not always preserved this liturgical idea; nevertheless, the character of the Office has not been altered. Lauds remains the true morning prayer, which hails in the rising sun, the image of Christ triumphant--consecrates to Him the opening day. No other morning prayer is comparable to this" (Dom. F. Cabrol, _The Day Hours of the Church_, London, 1910).

_Antiquity_. The Christians, in their night vigils, followed the pious practices of the Jews, as to prayers at dead of night and at dawn, Hence, the Hour, Lauds is of great antiquity, coming, perhaps, from Apostolic times. It is found well established in the very earliest accounts of Christian liturgy.

The old writers on liturgy loved to dwell on pious congruities and parallelisms. They ask the questions, why did the early Christians pray at dawn and why is the practice continued? They answer at great length, I will try to summarise their holy themes. The early Christians prayed at dawn, 1. that in the New Law the figures of the Old may be fulfilled; 2. to honour the risen Saviour and to remind us of our resurrection; 3.

to glorify Jesus typified by the physical light. "I am the Light of the world" (St. John, viii. 12); 4. because at dawn, after rest, body and soul are refreshed and ready to devote all their powers to G.o.d, free from distractions and noise. Each dawn, revealing G.o.d's wondrous work, should hear G.o.d's praises in the most sublime words ever uttered, the Psalms (e.g., _Dominus regnavit, Jubilate Deo_, etc., etc.); 5. because G.o.d seems more disposed to hear prayers made at that hour. For, He has said, "Yet if thou wilt arise early to G.o.d and wilt beseech the Almighty... He will presently awake unto thee and make the dwelling of thy justice peaceable" (Job, viii. 5-6). "I love them that love me; and they that in the morning early watch for me shall find me" (Proverbs viii. 17).

_Structure_. If Lauds succeeds Matins immediately, _Pater Noster_ and _Ave Maria_ are omitted, and the Hour begins with _Deus in adjutorium_.

At these words it is a practice but not an obligation to make the sign of the cross from head to breast (see Vespers, _infra_). Then the Gloria Patri, Sicut erat, Amen, Alleluia are said before the antiphons and psalms. But if a notable delay--say, of ten minutes' duration--be made between the end of Matins and the start of Lauds, the _Pater Noster_ and _Ave Maria_ begin Lauds. After the psalms, comes the Capitulum, the Hymn, Versicle and Response, antiphon to Benedictus, Canticle _Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, Gloria Patri, Sicut erat_, Antiphon to Benedictus repeated, _Dominus vobisc.u.m, Et c.u.m spiritu tuo, Oremus_, collect, commemorations preceded by versicle, response and _Oremus_ before each. Then _Dominus vobisc.u.m_, _Et c.u.m spiritu tuo_, _Benedicamus Domino, Deo Gratias, Fidelium animae, Amen_. If another Hour do not succeed immediately, _Pater Noster_ (said silently), _Dominus det n.o.bis_ (with a sign of the cross) _suam pacem, Et vitam aeternam_. _Amen_. Then is said the antiphon of the Blessed Virgin, Alma Redemptoris or Ave Regina, or Regina Coeli, or Salve Regina, according to the part of the ecclesiastical year for which each is a.s.signed, with _versicle, response, oremus, collect, Divinum auxilium_.... Amen.

_Rubrics_. In the paragraphs dealing with the structure of this hour is given the rule for saying _Pater Noster_ and _Ave_, The Psalms for Lauds in the new Breviary follow these rules:--

_General Rule_: Psalms of the current day.

_Exception_: Sunday Psalms on the excepted Feasts.

In applying the general rule to Sundays and week days, it will be seen that the Psalter contains two sets of Psalms for Lauds. The use of the two sets is as follows:--

_Sundays_: (i) Throughout the year: first set of Psalms.

(ii) Sundays from Septuagesima to Easter: second set of Psalms.

_Ferias_: The first set of Psalms is to be used on:--

(i) Ferias throughout the year, not including those in Advent, Septuagesima, s.e.xagesima and Quinquagesima weeks.

(ii) Ferias in Paschal time.

(iii) Feasts at any season of the year.

(iv) Vigils of Christmas and Epiphany.

The second set of Psalms is to be used on:--

(i) Ferias of Advent.

(ii) Ferias from Septuagesima to Wednesday in Holy Week, inclusive.

(iii) Vigils (common) outside Paschal time, when the Office of Vigil is said (_New Psalter and Its Uses_, p. 188).

On Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Sat.u.r.day, the Psalms of the Feria are to be said. But the Canticle of Moses (Deut, 33) is not said on Holy Sat.u.r.day.

_Antiphons_. As a general rule antiphons of the current day of the week are to be said.

_Exceptions_. (1) On excepted Feasts, (2) non-excepted Feasts which have proper antiphons, (3) Holy Week has special antiphons, (4) Six ferias before Christmas have special antiphons.

In Paschal time, all psalms and the canticles are recited under one antiphon.

Antiphon of Benedictus (1) Sunday antiphons are proper. (2) Ferias throughout the year have antiphons of current feria. But Ferias in Advent, and in Lent, in Pa.s.siontide, Paschal time and September Ember days have proper antiphons. (3) Feasts have antiphons from proper or from common.

_Capitulum_ (t.i.tle XXIX.). _Etymology, meaning and synonyms_.

The word _capitulum_ comes from the Latin, and means a little chapter, a heading, a beginning, an abridgment, because this little chapter is a little lesson, a brief extract from Sacred Scripture, the head or the beginning of the Epistle of the Ma.s.s of the Feast (Gavantus, Bona). It is found in every Hour, except Matins. It is known by other names, the summarium, collectio, collatio, lectio brevis, epistoletto, lectiuncula, Versiculus brevis.

_Antiquity_. Some authors hold that this usage of reading a brief extract from Sacred Scripture is of Jewish origin. For, the Jews were accustomed to interpose brief readings from Scripture prose in their psalm chanting service. The _capitulum_ is found in Christian services of the fourth century; and St. Ambrose (340-397) is said to have inst.i.tuted the _capitula_ of Terce, s.e.xt and None. This new practice spread quickly and several councils recommended or ordered the usage--e.g., the Council of Agde In 506 A.D.

_Remarks._ The _Capitulum_ is said always except from Holy Thursday to the Vespers of Sat.u.r.day preceding Low Sunday, and in Requiem Offices. In Compline it is said after the Hymn.

The _Capitulum_ of Lauds is ordinarily taken from the beginning of the Epistle of the Ma.s.s of the day of the feast. s.e.xt and None generally have their _capitula_ drawn from the middle and end of the same Epistle extract. Terce has generally the same words for the _Capitulum_, as Vespers and Lauds, because it is the grandest and most sublime of the little Hours. The _Capitulum_ is said without a blessing being sought, because it is (in choir) read by the Hebdomadarius, who there represents the person of Christ, just as the _Capitulum_ does too, and for Whom it would not be consonant to ask a blessing. It concludes without _Tu autem_, because these words are correlative of _Jube_. And since it is such a short lesson it is easy to recite it without fault or sin, the more so as it is read by the Hebdomadarius, who should be advanced in perfection. It is short, whilst the lessons of Matins, the night Office, are long, because the day is specially given to toil and the night to contemplation. During the recital of this little lesson all turn to the altar through respect for Christ, figured by the _Capitulum_. Sometimes the words of the _Capitulum_ are from the Itala version and not from the Vulgate.

_Psalms and Canticles of Lauds_. The Office of Lauds now consists of four Psalms and a canticle, followed by a little chapter, a hymn, versicle, antiphon, of Benedictus, the canticle, Benedictus and prayer.

One of the characteristics of Lauds is the canticle taken from the Old Testament. Fourteen canticles taken from the Old Testament now find a place in our Breviaries. Formerly, only seven canticles from the Old Testament were given in the Psaltery (cf. _supra_, p. 149).

"If, according to the new distribution of the Psalter, the Psalms for Lauds do not refer so directly to the symbolism of sunrise, they are nevertheless more varied and are generally well chosen. The canticles inserted among the Psalms have also been changed. The whole selection is worthy of note. It contains, besides those given in the former arrangement of the Psalter, others which are very beautiful and admirably prayerful.

"The hymns for Lauds, all ancient and varying with the seasons, form a fine collection. Their theme is one: the rising of the sun as a symbol of Christ's resurrection, and the crowing of the c.o.c.k, which arouses the sluggish and calls all to work. Some of these hymns are of considerable poetical merit: that for Sunday, _Aeterne Rerum conditor_, is a little masterpiece.