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Second Nocturn |
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Ant. Misit Dóminus * manum suam, et tétigit
os meum, et prophétam in Géntibus dedit me Dóminus. |
Ant. The Lord put forth * his hand, and
touched my mouth, and the Lord ordained me a Prophet unto the nations. |
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COMMENTARY |
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Psalmus 4. Cum
invocarem
Cum invocárem exaudívit me Deus justítiæ meæ: * in tribulatióne
dilatásti mihi.
2 Miserére mei, * et exáudi oratiónem meam.
3 Fílii hóminum, úsquequo gravi corde? * ut quid
dilígitis vanitátem et quæritis mendácium?
4 Et scitóte quóniam mirificávit Dóminus sanctum suum: *
Dóminus exáudiet me cum clamávero ad eum.
5 Irascímini, et nolíte peccáre: * quæ dícitis in córdibus
vestris, in cubílibus vestris compungímini.
6 Sacrificáte sacrifícium justítiæ, et speráte in Dómino, *
multi dicunt quis osténdit nobis bona?
7 Signátum est super nos lumen vultus tui, Dómine: *
dedísti lætítiam in corde meo.
8 A fructu fruménti, vini et ólei sui * multiplicáti sunt.
9 In pace in idípsum * dórmiam et requiéscam;
10 Quóniam tu, Dómine, singuláriter in spe * constituísti me.
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Psalm 4. Cum invocarem
He hath heard
me when I call, the God of my righteousness: * thou hast set me at liberty
when I was in trouble.
2 Have mercy upon me, * and hearken unto my prayer.
3 O ye sons of men, how
long will ye be dull of heart? * and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek
after leasing?
4 Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that
is godly; * when I call upon the Lord he will hear me.
5 Be ye angry, and sin not; * the things that ye say in your hearts,
repent ye them upon your beds.
6 Offer the sacrifice of
righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord, * there be many that say, who
will shew us any good?
7 The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is sealed upon us, * thou
hast put gladness in my heart.
8 By the fruit of their corn and wine and oil * have they been
multiplied.
9 I will lay me down in
peace, * and take my rest;
10 For it is thou, Lord, only, * that makest me dwell in safety. |
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Ant. Misit Dóminus manum suam, et tétigit
os meum, et prophétam in Géntibus dedit me Dóminus. |
Ant. The Lord put forth his hand, and
touched my mouth, and the Lord ordained me a Prophet unto the nations. |
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Ant. Ecce dedi verba mea * in ore tuo : ecce
constítui te super Gentes et regna. |
Ant. I have put my words * in thy mouth :
see, I have set thee over the nations, and over the kingdom. |
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COMMENTARY |
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Psalmus 5. Verba mea
Verba mea áuribus pércipe,
Dómine, * intéllige clamórem meum.
2 Inténde voci oratiónis meæ: * Rex meus et Deus meus.
3 Quóniam ad te orábo: * Dómine, mane exáudies vocem meam.
4 Mane astábo tibi et vidébo: * quóniam non Deus volens iniquitátem
tu es.
5 Neque habitábit juxta te malígnus: * neque permanébunt injústi
ante óculos tuos.
6 Odísti omnes, qui operántur iniquitátem: * perdes omnes, qui
loquúntur mendácium.
7 Virum sánguinum et dolósum abominábitur Dóminus: * ego autem
in multitúdine misericórdiæ tuæ.
8 Introíbo in domum tuam: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum in
timóre tuo.
9 Dómine, deduc me in justítia tua: * propter inimícos meos dírige
in conspéctu tuo viam meam.
10 Quóniam non est in ore eórum véritas: * cor eórum vanum est.
11 Sepúlcrum patens est guttur eórum, linguis suis dolóse agébant, *
júdica illos, Deus.
12 Décidant
a cogitatiónibus suis, secúndum multitúdinem impietátum eórum expélle eos, *
quóniam irritavérunt te, Dómine.
13 Et læténtur omnes, qui sperant in te, * in ætérnum exsultábunt:
et habitábis in eis.
14 Et gloriabúntur in te omnes, qui díligunt nomen tuum: *
quóniam tu benedíces justo.
15 Dómine, ut scuto bonæ voluntátis tuæ * coronásti nos.
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Psalm 5. Verba mea
Ponder my words, O Lord, * consider my cry.
2 O hearken thou unto the voice of my calling, * my King and my God.
3 For unto thee will I make my prayer : * in the morning shalt thou hear
my voice, O Lord.
4 Early in the morning will I stand before thee, and will
see : * for thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickedness.
5 Neither shall any evil dwell with thee : * nor shall the
unjust abide before thine eyes.
6 For thou hatest all them that work iniquity : * thou shalt destroy them that speak lies.
7 The Lord will abhor both the blood-thirsty and deceitful man : * but
as for me, in the multitude of thy mercy.
8 I will come into
thine house; * and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
9 Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, * because of mine enemies
make my way plain before thy face.
10 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; * their
heart is vain.
11 Their throat is an open sepulchre, they flatter with
their tongue : * judge thou them, O God.
12 Let them perish through their own
imaginations; cast them out in the multitude of their ungodliness; * for
they have rebelled against thee, O Lord.
13 And let all them that put their trust in thee rejoice: * they
shall for ever be glad, and thou shalt dwell amongst them.
14 And all they that love
thy Name shall be joyful in thee; * for thou, Lord, wilt give thy blessing unto the righteous.
15 Thou hast crowned us, O Lord, * as with a shield of thy good
will. |
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Ant. Ecce dedi verba mea in ore tuo : ecce
constítui te super Gentes et regna. |
Ant. I have put my words in thy mouth : see,
I have set thee over the nations, and over the kingdom. |
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Ant. Dóminus * ab útero vocávit me, de
ventre matris meæ recordátus est nóminis mei. |
Ant. The Lord * hath called me from the
womb, from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. |
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COMMENTARY |
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Psalmus 8.
Domine, Dominus noster
Dómine, Dóminus
noster, * quam admirábile est nomen tuum in univérsa terra!
2 Quóniam eleváta est magnificéntia tua, * super cælos.
3 Ex ore infántium et lacténtium perfecísti laudem propter inimícos
tuos, * ut déstruas inimícum et ultórem.
4 Quóniam vidébo cælos tuos, ópera digitórum tuórum: * lunam et
stellas, quæ tu fundásti.
5 Quid est homo quod memor es ejus? * aut fílius hóminis, quóniam
vísitas eum?
6 Minuísti eum paulo minus ab Angelis, glória et honóre coronásti
eum: * et constituísti eum super ópera mánuum tuárum.
7 Omnia subjecísti sub pédibus ejus, * oves et boves univérsas :
ínsuper et pécora campi.
8 Vólucres cæli, et pisces maris, * qui perámbulant sémitas maris.
9 Dómine, Dóminus noster, * quam admirábile est nomen tuum in
univérsa terra! |
Psalm 8.
Domine, Dominus noster
O Lord our
Governour, * how excellent is thy Name in all the world!
2 For thou hast set thy
glory * above the heavens.
3 Out of the mouth of very babes and
sucklings hast thou perfected praise, because of thine enemies, * that thou mightest
destroy the enemy and the avenger.
4 For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy
fingers; * the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained;
5 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? * and the son of
man, that thou visitest him?
6 Thou madest him lower than the Angels,
thou hast crowned him with glory and worship : * thou makest him to have dominion
over the works of thy hands.
7 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet : * all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; * and
whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord our Governour, * how excellent is
thy Name in all the world! |
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Ant. Dóminus ab útero vocávit me, de ventre
matris meæ recordátus est nóminis mei. |
Ant. The Lord hath called me from the womb,
from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. |
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STAND |
V. Inter natos
mulíerum non surréxit major.
R. Joánne
Baptísta. |
V. Among them that are born of
women there hath not risen a greater.
R. Than John the Baptist. |
Pater noster.
secreto usque ad
V. Et
ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem.
R. Sed líbera nos a malo.
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Our Father.
Which words are said aloud, and the rest secretly to:
V. And lead us not into temptation.
R. But deliver us from evil. |
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Absolutio:
Ipsíus píetas
et misericórdia nos
ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu
Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.
R. Amen. |
Absolution:
May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us. Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever.
R. Amen. |
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V.
Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere. |
V. Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing. |
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Benedíctio
4: Deus Pater omnípotens
sit nobis propítius et clemens.
R. Amen. |
Benediction
4: May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity.
R. Amen. |
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Lesson iv |
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Sermo sancti Augustíni Epíscopi |
The Lesson is taken from a Sermon by St. Augustine the Bishop |
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Sermo 20 de Sanctis |
The Nativity and Naming of St. John Baptist |
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Post illum sacrosánctum Dómini natális diem, nullíus
hóminum nativitátem légimus celebrári, nisi solíus
beáti Joánnis Baptistæ. In áliis
Sanctis et eléctis Dei nóvimus illum diem coli, quo illos, post
consummatiónem labórum et devíctum triumphatúmque mundum, in perpétuas æternitátes præsens hæc vita partúriit. In áliis consummáta
últimi
diéi mérita celebrántur : in hoc étiam prima dies, et ipsa étiam hóminis
inítia consecrántur ; pro hac absque dúbio causa, quia per hunc Dóminus
advéntum suum, ne súbito hómines insperátum non agnóscerent, vóluit esse
testátum. Joánnes autem figúra fuit véteris Testaménti, et in se
formam prætulit legis ; et ídeo Joánnes prænuntiávit Salvatórem, sicut lex
grátiam præcucúrrit. |
In addition to the most holy Nativity of the Lord, we
find celebrated in the Gospel the birth of only one other, namely, that of
blessed John Baptist. As for all others among God's holy and chosen
ones, we know that for their feast is observed the day whereon, with their
work finished, and the world conquered and finally trampled down, they
were born from this into a better life, even into everlasting blessedness.
Thus in others is honoured the day on which their merits were completed,
that is, the last day of their dying life. But in John is honoured
the first day, for in him the very beginning is found hallowed. And
the reason that the Nativity of John is so much made of in Scripture is,
without doubt, that the Lord wished John to be an attestation to his own
first coming ; for if Christ had come too suddenly and unexpectedly, men
might not have recognized him. And on this wise John was a figure of
the Old Testament, and shewed in his own person a typical embodiment of
the Law ; for he heralded beforehand the coming of the Saviour, even as
the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to the grace of Christ. |
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V.
Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R. Deo grátias. |
V.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God. |
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R. Descéndit
Angelus Dómini ad Zacharíam dicens : Accipe
púerum in senectúte tua : *
Et habébit nomen Joánnes Baptísta.
V.
Iste puer magnus coram Dómino : nam et
manus ejus cum ipso est.
R.
Et habébit nomen Joánnes Baptísta. |
R.
The Angel of the Lord was sent down unto
Zacharias, saying : Thou shalt beget a son in thine old age, *
And his name shall be called John the Baptist.
V.
This child shall be great in the sight
of the Lord, for the hand of the Lord is with him.
R.
And his name shall be called John the
Baptist. |
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V.
Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere. |
V. Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing. |
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Benedíctio
5: Christus perpétuæ
det nobis gáudia vitæ.
R. Amen. |
Benediction
5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal.
R. Amen. |
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Lesson v |
St. Elisabeth greets the Blessed Virgin
Mary |
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Quod autem nondum natus de secréto matérni úteri
prophetávit, et expers lucis jam testis est veritátis ; hoc est
intelligéndum, quod latens sub velámine
et carne lítteræ, et Redemptórem mundo
spíritu prædicávit, et nobis Dóminum nostrum de quodam legis útero
proclamávit. Ergo quia Judæi erravérunt a ventre, id est, a lege quæ
a Christo grávida erat, erravérunt a ventre, locúti sunt falsa ; ídeo hic
venit in testimónium, ut testimónium perhibéret de lúmine. |
But as touching this, that he prophesied while yet in
the hidden depths of his mother's womb, and while himself lightless bore
testimony to the truth, we are to understand it as a figure how that while
himself wrapped round with the veil and carnal ordinances of the letter,
he by the spirit preached unto the world a Redeemer, and testified that
Jesus is our Lord even while for himself, working under the law, the birth
of the new dispensation was still in the womb of the future, and not come
to day. The Jews were estranged from the womb, that is from the Law,
that womb heavy with the Christ that was to be ; they went astray from the
belly, speaking lies, and therefore John came for a witness, to bear
witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. |
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V.
Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R. Deo grátias. |
V.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God. |
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R.
Hic est præcúrsor diléctus, et lucérna lucens
ante Dóminum :
* Ipse est enim Joánnes, qui viam Dómino præparávit
in erémo ; sed et Agnum Dei demonstrávit, et illuminávit mentes hóminum.
V.
Ipse præíbit
ante illum in spíritu et virtúte Elíæ.
R. Ipse est enim Joánnes, qui
viam Dómino præparávit in erémo ; sed et
Agnum Dei demonstrávit, et illuminávit mentes hóminum. |
R. This is
the well-beloved Forerunner, a burning and a shining light before the
Lord, * Even that John who made straight in
the desert a highway for our God ; yea, for
he pointed Christ out as the Lamb of God, and gave light to the minds of
men.
V.
He went before him in the spirit and
power of Elias.
R.
Even that John who made straight in the desert a highway for our God ;
yea, for he pointed Christ out as the Lamb of
God, and gave light to the minds of men. |
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V.
Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere. |
V. Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing. |
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Benedíctio
6: Ignem sui amóris
accéndat Deus in córdibus
nostris.
R. Amen. |
Benediction
6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love.
R. Amen. |
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Lesson vi |
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Quod autem Joánnes in cárcere constitútus ad Christum
discípulos suos órdinat ; lex ad Evangélium transmíttit. Quæ
lex juxta typum Joánnis, quasi ignorántiæ clausa cárcere, in obscúro et in
occúlto jacébat, et Judáica cæcitáte sensus intra lítteram tenebátur
inclúsus. De hoc beátus Evangelísta prolóquitur : Ille erat lucérna
ardens, id est, Spíritus Sancti igne succénsus, ut mundo ignorántiæ nocte
possésso lumen salútis osténderet, et quasi inter densíssimas delictórum
ténebras splendidíssimus justítiæ solem lucis suæ rádio demonstráret, et
de seípso dicens : Ego vox clamántis in desérto. |
But as for this, that when John had heard in the prison
the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, this is the Law sending
to the Gospel. For John here was a figure of the Law, imprisoned in
ignorance, lying in the dark, and in a hidden place, and he was fettered
through Jewish misunderstanding within the bonds of the letter. But
of him was it said, as is written in the Blessed Evangelist, He was a
burning and a shining light, that is to say, that, when the whole world
was wrapt in the night of ignorance, this Saint was kindled by the fire of
the Holy Ghost, to shew before men the light of salvation, and at the hour
of the thickest darkness of sin, appeared like a bright morning star to
herald the rising of that sun so right gloriously radiant, the Son of
righteousness, Christ our Lord. And this is why John said of himself
: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. |
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V.
Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis.
R. Deo grátias. |
V.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God. |
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R.
Innuébant patri ejus quem vellet vocári eum :
et póstulans pugillárem, scripsit dicens :
* Joánnes est nomen ejus.
V.
Apértum est os Zacharíæ,
et prophetávit dicens.
R.
Joánnes est nomen ejus.
V.
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui
Sancto.
R.
Joánnes est nomen ejus. |
R.
They made signs to his father, how he would
have him called : and he asked for a writing-table and wrote,
* John is his name.
V.
The mouth of Zacharias was opened and he
prophesied, saying.
R.
John is his name.
V.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Ghost.
R.
John is his name. |
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