Wednesday Vespers

The Church's trophies

Today's Vespers are a mosaic in five major colours.  The Church is singing her song of thanksgiving for five outstanding blessings: the holy Eucharist (Ps. 127), the graces of martyrdom (Ps. 128), the repose of the dead (Ps. 129), the religious life (Ps. 130), her many churches (Ps. 131).

The greatness of the Church is shewn in these five pictures:

1. I see the community of God's innumerable children gathered at his table and am thankful for all the graces given in the holy Eucharist.

2. How many Christians, even in our own day, have borne suffering and persecution for Christ, while sinners were truly "plowing upon the back" of the Church!  Martyrdom is a shining trophy for the kingdom.

3. Many Christians have passed over into eternity, like sheaves stored away in the granary of heaven.  For them we pray the De profundis.

4. We see in spirit a poor cloister of religious, where humility and love of God prevail.  These religious are the true heroes of God's kingdom.

5. A small church is built in some mission land―Christ has found a home after much wandering.  I thank God for all the graces he has given through such churches.

Blessings of the Father's house

At the table of God, we are all his children: Christ is the Father, the Church is the Mother, and we Christians are the children.  In the name of the Church we are thankful for all Eucharistic graces, and plead for further favours.  (The Corpus Christi Office has taught us to interpret this Psalm eucharistically.

Home blessings

Beáti omnes, qui timent Dóminum, * qui ámbulant in viis ejus.
2  Labóres mánuum tuárum quia manducábis: * beátus es, et bene tibi erit.
3  Uxor tua sicut vitis abúndans: * in latéribus domus tuæ.
4  Fílii tui sicut novéllæ olivárum: * in circúitu mensæ tuæ.
5  Ecce sic benedicétur homo, * qui timet Dóminum.

Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, * and walk in his ways.
2  For thou shalt eat the labours of thine hands: * blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.
3  Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine * upon the walls of thine house;
4  Thy children like the olive-branches * round about thy table.
5  Lo, thus shall the man be blessed * that feareth the Lord.

Invocation

6  Benedícat tibi Dóminus ex Sion: *  et vídeas bona Jerúsalem ómnibus diébus vitæ tuæ.
7  Et vídeas fílios filiórum tuórum: * pacem super Israël.

6  The Lord bless thee out of Sion, * that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all the days of thy life.
7  Yea, that thou shalt see thy children's children, * and peace upon Israel.

Psalm 128.  Sæpe expugnaverunt me

Hard pressed, but not overcome

We see in spirit all the martyrs in the Church who have ever made the bloody or unbloody sacrifice of self for Christ.  These are heroes of whom the Church can be proud.  We give thanks for the martyrs of other times and gain strength from their spirit.  The Church has always seen her persecutors to the grave: "The gates of hell shall not prevail against her."

The manifold attacks

Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.

Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up, * let Israel now say;
2  Yea, many a time have they fought against me from my youth up; * but they have not prevailed against me.
3  The ungodly have wrought upon my back, * they have lengthened their iniquity.

Divine protection

4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos colligit.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Domini.

4  The righteous Lord hath hewn the necks of the ungodly * let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as hate Sion.
6  Let them be even as the grass upon the housetops, * which withereth afore it be grown up;
7  Whereof the mower filleth not his hand, * neither he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom.
8  And  they who go by say not: The blessing of the Lord be upon you; * we have blessed you in the Name of the Lord.

Psalm 129.  De profundis

Man's guilt and God's goodness

How many Christians have passed over into eternity today!  Surely the greater number of them are not perfectly free from sin and punishment, and thus with deep devotion we pray the De profundis for their deliverance from purgatory.  We pray it also as a thanksgiving song, however, because the faithful departed are God's children, who with full hands will soon be carrying the sheaves of their lives into the heavenly storehouses.  No Psalm is used more frequently by the Church in her prayers for the dead.

First strophe: a cry for forgiveness

a.  Forgiveness

De profúndis clamávi ad te, Dómine: * Dómine, exáudi vocem meam :
2  Fiant aures tuæ intendéntes: * in vocem deprecatiónis meæ.

Out of the depths I have cried unto thee, O Lord; * Lord, hear my voice.
2  O let thine ears be attentive * to the voice of my supplication.

b.  God's readiness to forgive

3  Si iniquitátes observáveris, Dómine: * Dómine, quis sustinébit?
4  Quia apud te propitiátio est: * et propter legem tuam sustínui te, Dómine.

3  If thou, O Lord, shalt observe our iniquities, * Lord, who may endure it?
4  For with thee there is merciful forgiveness : * and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord.

Second strophe: the foundations of trust

a.  Hope

5  Sustínuit ánima mea in verbo ejus: * sperávit ánima mea in Dómino.
6  A custódia matutína usque ad noctem: * speret Israël in Dómino.

5  My soul hath relied on his word * my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
6  From the morning watch even until night : * let Israel hope in the Lord.

b.  Foundations of hope

7  Quia apud Dóminum misericórdia: * et copiósa apud eum redémptio.
8  Et ipse rédimet Israël: * ex ómnibus iniquitátibus ejus.

7  Because with the Lord there is mercy, * and with him plentiful redemption.
8  And he shall redeem Israel * from all his iniquities.

Psalm 130.  Domine, non est exaltatum

Peace in God

In this singing of this beautiful hymn with its unmistakably mystic character, picture some little convent in which consecrated souls serve our Lord humbly and joyfully.  Be thankful for the blessings of religious communities, and beg for more vocations.

Dómine, non est exaltátum cor meum: * neque eláti sunt óculi mei.
2  Neque ambulávi in magnis: * neque in mirabílibus super me.
3  Si non humíliter sentiébam: * sed exaltávi ánimam meam.
4  Sicut ablactátus est super matre sua: * ita retribútio in ánima mea.
5  Speret Israël in Dómino: * ex hoc nunc et usque in sæculum.

O Lord, mine heart is not exalted; * nor are mine eyes raised up high.
2  Neither have I walked in great matters * nor in wondrous things above me.
3  If I was not humbly minded, * but exalted my soul.
4  Like as a child that is weaned is towards his mother: * even so is the reward in my soul.
4  Let Israel hope in the Lord * from this time forth for evermore.

Psalm 131.  Memento, Domine

Trust for trust

This Psalm is the record of a mutual vow: David sware to the Lord that he would build him a home, the temple; and God sware unto David that he would give his successors a kingly throne forever.  The Psalm details the blessings that flow from the temple.  And we, for our part, give thanks for the far greater blessings we are given every day in our Christian churches, where David's great Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is eternally enthroned.

David's oath

Meménto, Dómine, David, * et omnis mansuetúdinis ejus :
2  Sicut jurávit Dómino, * votum vovit Deo Jacob :
3  Si introiero in tabernáculum domus meæ, * si ascéndero in lectum strati mei :
4  Si dedero somnum óculis meis, * et pálpebris meis dormitatiónem :
5  Et réquiem tempóribus meis : donec invéniam locum Dómino, * tabernáculum Deo Jacob.

O Lord, remember David, * and all his meekness:
2  How he sware unto the Lord, * and vowed a vow unto the God of Jacob:
3  I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, * nor go up into the bed wherein I lie;
4  I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, * nor mine eyelids to slumber;
5  Neither the temples of my head to take any rest : * until I find out a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

Its fulfillment

6  Ecce audívimus eam in Ephrata: * invénimus eam in campis silvæ.
7  Introíbimus in tabernáculum ejus: * adorábimus in loco, ubi stetérunt pedes ejus.
8  Surge, Dómine, in réquiem tuam, * tu et arca sanctificatiónis tuæ.
9  Sacerdótes tui induántur justítiam: * et sancti tui exsúltent.
10  Propter David, servum tuum: * non avértas fáciem Christi tui.

6  Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah, * and found it in the fields of the wood.
7  We will go into his tabernacle, * and worship in the place where his feet stood.
8  Arise, O Lord, into thy resting-place; * thou, and the ark which thou hast sanctified.
9  Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; * and let thy saints rejoice.
10  For the sake of thy servant David, * turn not away the face of thine anointed.

God's oath

11  Jurávit Dóminus David veritátem, et non frustrábitur eam: * de fructu ventris tui ponam super sedem tuam.
12  Si custodíerint fílii tui testaméntum meum: * et testimónia mea hæc, quæ docébo eos.
13  Et fílii eórum usque in sæculum: * sedébunt super sedem tuam.

11  The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and he shall not make it void : * of the fruit of thy womb shall I set upon thy throne.
12  If thy children will keep my covenant, * and my testimonies that I shall teach them.
13  Their children also for evermore : * shall sit upon thy throne.

Its fulfillment

14  Quóniam elégit Dóminus Sion: * elégit eam in habitatiónem sibi.
15  Hæc réquies mea in sæculum sæculi: * hic habitábo, quóniam elégi eam.
16  Víduam ejus benedícens benedícam: * páuperes ejus saturábo pánibus.
17  Sacerdótes ejus índuam salutári: * et sancti ejus exsultatióne exsultábunt.
18  Illuc prodúcam cornu David: * parávi lucérnam Christo meo.
19  Inimícos ejus índuam confusióne: * super ipsum autem efflorébit sanctificátio mea.

14  For the Lord hath chosen Sion * he hath chosen it to be an habitation for himself.
15  This shall be my rest for ever and ever: * here will I dwell, for I have chosen it.
16  Blessing I will bless her widow : * and will satisfy her poor with bread.
17  I will clothe her priests with salvation, * and her saints shall rejoice with exceeding great joy.
18  There will I bring forth make a horn unto David : * I have prepared a lantern for mine anointed.
19  His enemies will I clothe with confusion; * but upon him shall my sanctification flourish.