Monday Vespers

The Last Supper

The theme of today's Vespers is the Last Supper.  All five Psalms may be referred to the Holy Eucharist.  The first two belong to the so-called Hallel Psalms, which our blessed Lord sang at the Last Supper in thanksgiving after the first Mass.  The other three are pilgrim songs (Gradual Psalms) sung by the Jews on their journeys to the temple.  Originally these had been exile songs; the Jews adapted them to express their longing and love for the temple and Jerusalem.  Now, in the truest and fullest sense, our Jerusalem and temple are the Holy Eucharist and the Catholic Church.  Therefore we may call these Psalms Eucharistic.

The first two are Eucharistic prayers of thanksgiving: thanksgiving for redemption (Ps.114), Holy Mass as an offering of thanksgiving (Ps. 115).  The other three Psalms are a spiritual pilgrimage to tomorrow's Mass: longing (Ps. 119), confidence (Ps. 120), joy (Ps. 121).

Psalm 114.  Dilexi, quoniam

A thanksgiving hymn

In this Psalm we are thankful for the grace of repentance so often given us.  How many on this very day have been granted the Church's redeeming grace of repentance!  We must be thankful in the name of all.

Thanksgiving in love

Diléxi, quóniam exáudiet Dóminus * vocem oratiónis meæ.
2  Quia inclinávit aurem suam mihi: * et in diébus meis invocábo.

I am well pleased, because the Lord hath heard * the voice of my prayer;
2  Because he hath inclined his ear unto me; * therefore will I call upon him all my days.

Need by petition

3  Circumdedérunt me dolóres mortis: * et perícula inférni invenérunt me.
4  Tribulatiónem et dolórem invéni: * et nomen Dómini invocávi.

3  The sorrows of death compassed me round about, * and the perils of hell gat hold upon me.
4  Sorrow and trouble did I find; * then called I upon the Name of the Lord.

The request granted

5  O Dómine, líbera ánimam meam: * miséricors Dóminus, et justus, et Deus noster miserétur.
6  Custódiens párvulos Dóminus: * humiliátus sum, et liberávit me.

5  O Lord, deliver my soul : * gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
6  The Lord preserveth the simple: * I was brought low, and he delivered me.

Consolation and obedience

7  Convértere, ánima mea, in réquiem tuam: * quia Dóminus benefécit tibi.
8  Quia erípuit ánimam meam de morte: * óculos meos a lácrimis, pedes meos a lapsu.
9  Placébo Dómino * in regióne vivórum.

7  Return unto thy rest, O my soul; * for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
8  For he hath delivered my soul from death, * mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9  I will walk before the Lord * in the land of the living.

Psalm 115.  Credidi

Thanksgiving for liberation from éxile

Tomorrow's Holy Mass is thanksgiving for redemption.

Confidence in time of crisis: thanksgiving

Credidi, propter quod locútus sum: * ego autem humiliátus sum nimis.
2  Ego dixi in excéssu meo: * Omnis homo mendax.
3  Quid retríbuam Dómino, * pro ómnibus, quæ retríbuit mihi?
4  Cálicem salutáris accípiam: * et nomen Dómini invocábo.

I believed, and therefore have I spoken; * but I was sore afflicted.
2  I said in my haste, * All men are liars.
3  What shall I render unto the Lord * for all the benefits that he hath rendered unto me?
4  I will take the chalice of salvation, * and call upon the Name of the Lord.

Refrain

5  Vota mea Dómino reddam coram omni pópulo ejus: * pretiósa in conspéctu Dómini mors sanctórum ejus:

5  I will pay my vows unto the Lord in the presence of all his people: * right dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Thanksgiving for salvation

6  O Dómine, quia ego servus tuus: * ego servus tuus, et fílius ancíllæ tuæ.
7  Dirupísti víncula mea: * tibi sacrificábo hóstiam laudis, et nomen Dómini invocábo.

6  Behold, O Lord, how that I am thy servant; * I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid.
7  Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder : * I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the Name of the Lord.

Refrain

8  Vota mea Dómino reddam in conspéctu omnis pópuli ejus: * in átriis domus Dómini, in médio tui, Jerúsalem.

8  I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the sight of all his people, * in the courts of the house of the Lord; even in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

Psalm 119.  Ad Dominum

Homesick in exile

In this Psalm we give expression to our longing for heaven: the Holy Eucharist is like an oasis in the desert of life.  Heaven is home; on earth we must always feel like strangers.

May God help us

Ad Dóminum cum tribulárer clamávi: * et exaudívit me.
2  Dómine, líbera ánimam meam a lábiis iníquis, * et a lingua dolósa.

When I was in trouble, I called upon the Lord, * and he heard me.
2  Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, * and from a deceitful tongue.

Punishment of our enemies

3  Quid detur tibi, aut quid apponátur tibi * ad linguam dolósam?
4  Sagíttæ poténtis acútæ, * cum carbónibus desolatóriis.

3  What shall be given unto thee, or what shall be added unto thee, * to a deceitful tongue?
4  Even the sharp arrows of the mighty, * with hot burning coals.

Homesick for heaven

5  Heu mihi, quia incolátus meus prolongátus est: habitávi cum habitántibus Cedar: * multum íncola fuit ánima mea.
6  Cum his, qui odérunt pacem, eram pacíficus: * cum loquébar illis, impugnábant me gratis.

5  Woe is me, that I sojourning is prolonged; I have dwelt with the inhabitants of Kedar : * my soul hath long dwelt among them.
6  With them that hated peace I was peaceable : * when I spake unto them, they fought against me without cause.

Psalm 120.  Levavi oculos

On the way to the sanctuary

An exceptionally fervent prayer in the form of a dialogue with the Good Shepherd.  He does not sleep, even though he seems to sleep.  Notice the marching (Gradual) character of the prayer.

Striving for trust in Almighty God

Levávi óculos meos in montes, * unde véniet auxílium mihi.
2  Auxílium meum a Dómino, * qui fecit cælum et terram.

I have lifted up mine eyes unto the hills; * from whence cometh my help.
2  My help cometh even from the Lord, * who hath made heaven and earth.

God's providential care

3  Non det in commotiónem pedem tuum: * neque dormítet qui custódit te.
4  Ecce, non dormitábit neque dórmiet, * qui custódit Israël.

3  May he not suffer thy foot to be moved; * neither let him slumber that keepeth thee.
4  Behold, he that keepeth Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Confidence overcomes

5  Dóminus custódit te, Dóminus protéctio tua, * super manum déxteram tuam.

5  The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy defence * upon thy right hand.

Day and night

6  Per diem sol non uret te: * neque luna per noctem.

6  The sun shall not burn thee by day, * neither the moon by night.

Coming in and going out

7  Dóminus custódit te ab omni malo: * custódiat ánimam tuam Dóminus.
8  Dóminus custódiat intróitum tuum, et éxitum tuum: * ex hoc nunc, et usque in sæculum.

7  The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; * yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
8  The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, * from this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 121.  Lætatus sum

Song of pilgrimage : Greeting to the Holy City

For us, this Psalm expresses love for the Church and all her treasures: Eucharist (throne of David) and confession (judgment seat); then a petition for the Church and all Christendom.  Love of the Church inseparably bound up with love of the Holy Eucharist.

Entering the Holy City

Lætátus sum in his, quæ dicta sunt mihi: *  In domum Dómini íbimus.
2  Stántes erant pedes nostri, * in átriis tuis, Jerúsalem.

I was glad when they said unto me, * We will go into the house of the Lord.
2  Our feet shall stand * in thy gates, O Jerusalem.

In the city

3  Jerúsalem, quæ ædificátur ut cívitas: * cujus participátio ejus in idípsum.
4  Illuc enim ascendérunt tribus, tribus Dómini: * testimónium Israël ad confiténdum nómini Dómini.
5  Quia illic sedérunt sedes in judício, * sedes super domum David.

3  Jerusalem is built as a city * that is at unity in itself.
4  For thither did the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord, * to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
5  For their seats have sat in judgment, * even the seats upon the house of David.

Farewell

6  Rogáte quæ ad pacem sunt Jerúsalem: * et abundántia diligéntibus te:
7  Fiat pax in virtúte tua: * et abundántia in túrribus tuis.
8  Propter fratres meos, et próximos meos, * loquébar pacem de te:
9  Propter domum Dómini, Dei nostri, * quæsívi bona tibi.

6  O pray for the peace of Jerusalem; * they shall prosper that love thee.
7  Peace be within thy walls, * and plenteousness within thy palaces.
8  For my brethren and companions' sakes, * I spake peace of thee.
9  Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God, * I have sought to do thee good.