Advent Antiphons

Rorate Introit

RORATE CÆLI INTROIT:

THE GRADUALE TRIPLEX
Solesmes, 1979, pp. 34-35

NEUMES
CAROLINGIAN MUSICAL NOTATION

Rorate Hymn-Antiphon

RORATE CÆLI HYMN

1. NE irascáris Dómine, ne ultra memíneris iniquitátis:

ecce cívitas Sancti facta est desérta:

Síon desérta fácta est: Jerúsalem desoláta est:

domus sanctificatiónis túae et glóriae túae,

ubi laudavérunt te pátres nóstri.

+ Rorate.

1. Do not be angry, O Lord, at our iniquities.

Behold the city of your Holy Ones is deserted:

Sion is deserted, Jerusalem now is desolate:

The house of your blessing and your glory,

where our fathers praised you. (Is 64:9-11)

+ Rorate.

2. Peccávimus, et fácti súmus tamquam immúndus nos,

et cecídimus quasi folium univérsi:

et iniquitátes nóstrae quasi véntus abstulérunt nos:

abscondísti fáciem túam a nóbis,

et allisísti nos in mánu iniquitátis nostrae.

+ Rorate.

2. We have sinned and become like some loathsome thing,

And we fall like all the leaves,

And our iniquities blow us about as the wind:

You have hidden your face from us,

And struck us with the hand of our iniquity. (Is 64:6-7)

+ Rorate.

3· Víde Dómine afflictiónem pópuli túi,

et mítte quem missurus es :

emítte Agnum dominatórem térrae,

de Pétra desérti ad montem fíliae Sion:

ut áuferat ipse jugum captivitatis nostrae.

+ Rorate.

3. See, O Lord, the affliction of your people,

And send The One whom You will send,

send forth the Lamb, ruler of the earth

From the rock in the desert to the mount of your daughter Sion, (Is 61:1)

So that he will remove the yoke of our captivity.(cf Is 10:27; cf Is 14:25)

+ Rorate.

4· Consolamini, consolamini, popule méus:

cito véniet sálus túa:

quare maeróre consúmeris, quia innovávit te dolor?

Salvábo te, nóli timére, égo enim sum Dominus Déus tuus,

Sanctus Israel, Redémptor tuus.

+ Rorate.

4. Be consoled, be consoled, my people: (Is. 40:1)

I will send your salvation quickly. (cf Is. 62:11)

Why are you consumed with grief, why renew your pain?

I will save you, do not be afraid, for I am the Lord your God,

The Holy One of Israel and your Redeemer
(cf Is. 41:14)

+ Rorate.

FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH

[44] ²⁴ THUS says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who made all things, who stretched out the heavens alone, who spread out the earth […] who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins’;²⁷ who says to the deep, ‘Be dry, I will dry up your rivers’;²⁸ who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfil all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”

[45] THUS says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and ungird the loins of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:² “I will go before you and level the mountains […] I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I gird you, though you do not know me, 6 that all may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. ⁷ I form light and create darkness, I make weal and create woe, I am the LORD, who do all these things.”

⁸ “SHOWER , O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may sprout forth, and let it cause righteousness to spring up also; I the LORD have created it.”

O Antiphons

THE GREAT “O” ANTIPHONS

The “Great Antiphons,” or “O Antiphons”, are sung at the Magnificat at Vespers, and may be used as the Alleluia verse at mass, one each day, from December 17 to 23. Each Antiphon invokes the coming Messiah, employing one of His many biblical titles, and closes with a proper petition. The authors are unknown. They date from the ninth century or earlier; and have been deliberately arranged so that the first letter of each title, viewed as it were from Christmas Eve, spell out the phrase: Ero Cras – I come tomorrow!

Antiphonæ Majores ad Magnificat, Die 17 Decembris. Antiphonale Monasticum (Paris, 1934) p. 208



DECEMBER	17
O SAPIENTIA, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter, suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.	O Wisdom, You who proceed from the mouth of the Most High, reaching out from end to end, strongly and gently arranging all things: come to teach us the way of prudence.


DECEMBER	18
O ADONAI, et dux domus Israël, qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.	O Adonai, and leader of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush, and on Sinai gave him the law, come to redeem us with outstretched arm.


DECEMBER	19
O RADIX JESSE, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare	O Root of Jesse, who stand as a sign for the people, before whom kings remain silent, whom the nations will worship: come to set us free, do not delay.


DECEMBER	20
O CLAVIS DAVID, et sceptrum domus Israël, qui aperis, et nemo claudit, claudis, et nemo aperuit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.	O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, you open, and no one shuts, you shut, and no one opens: come, and lead the prisoner from the house of imprisonment. sitting in darkness and the shadow of death.


DECEMBER	21
O ORIENS, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.	O Dawn, splendor of eternal light, and sun of justice, come, and shine, on those sitting in darkness, and the shadow of death.


DECEMBER	22
O REX GENTIUM, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.	O King of the Nations, and the one they desired, cornerstone, who makes both one, come and save mankind, whom you formed from the mud.


DECEMBER	23
O EMMANUEL, Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster.	O Emmanuel, Our king and bearer of the law The gentiles’ expectation, and their Savior: come to save us, Our Lord God.

O Sapientia - Dec. 17

O Sapientia: (Wisdom) came out of the mouth of the Most High (Ecclus. 24, 5). attingens: “She (Wisdom) reacheth therefore from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly” (Wis. 8, 1). a fine usque ad finem: everywhere (Wis 7 94)

O Adonai Dec. 18

Adonai: a Hebrew name for God, usually translated in the Old Testament by the word “Lord.” domus Israel: the house of Israel, the Israelites. in igne flammoe rubi: condensed from Ex. 3, 2: ‑Apparuitque el Dominus in flamma ignis de medio rubi. And the Lord appeared to him (Moses) in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. in Sina legem dedisti: The giving of the Law on Sinai is recorded in Ex. 19 ff. The arm is a symbol of strength, might, power; and an outstretched arm is a powerful, helping arm. Cf. Deut. 26, 8, 3 Kings 3, 42; Jer. 27, 8.

O Radix Jesse Dec. 19

Radix: a descendant, offspring. Jesse: the father of David.. “In that day the root of Jesse, who standeth for an ensign of the people, him the Gentiles shall beseech” (Is. 11, 10). Cf. also Rom. 15, 12. in signum populorum: an allusion to the ensign or standard of the Cross around which the converted Gentiles would in time rally; in here denotes purpose. super quem: “Kings shall shut their mouths at (in presence of) him” (Is. 52, 15). The kings of the nations, moved by respect and admiration, shall be silent in His presence.

O Clavis David - Dec. 20

Clavis David: “Thus says the holy one, the true one, he who has the key of David; he who opens and no man shuts, and who shuts and no man opens” (Apoc. 3, 7; Cf. Is. 22, 22). A key is a symbol of power, and Christ, who was of the house of David, possessed the supreme power. He could open heaven or close it. And in the Church He gave to St. Peter “the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” the power of binding and loosing in His naine (Matt. 16, 19). sceptrum: fig., land, kingdom. “Israel is the scepter of his inheritance‑ (Jer. 51, 19).

O Oriens - Dec 21

Oriens: the term is used of the rising of the sun or of any heavenly body; here the Sun is Christ. It is one of the many Scriptural titles of the Messias, the Light of the world (John 8, 12), the Sun of justice (Mal. 4, 2), the Orient (Daybreak, Dayspring) from on high that visited us (Luke 1, 78), the bright Morning Star (Apoc. 22, 16), the Light of the Gentiles (Is. 49, 6), the Brightness or Effulgence of the Father’s glory (Heb. 1, 3). illumina: “To shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Luke 1, 79).

O Rex Gentium Dec. 22

Rex gentium: “He who shall rise up to rule the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope” (Rom. 15, 12, in which St. Paul quotes Is. 11, 10). desideratus: lit., the desired one. “And the Desired of all nations shall come” (Hag. 2, 8). lapis angularis: “You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with jesus Christ himself as the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2, 20). qui facis utraque unum: Christ is our peacemaker who has broken down the partition wall and made jews and Gentiles one in the Church (Eph. 2, 14). In the Church there is no distinction of race.

O Emmanuel Dec 23

Emmanuel: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son; and they shall call his name Emmanuel; which is, interpreted, ‘God with us’“ (Matt. 1, 23).

PUER NATUS EST

PUER NATUS EST (A Child is born for us)
INTROIT (Entrance Antiphon) for the
MASS of CHRISTMAS DAY

A child is born to us, and a Son is given to us: Whose government is upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Angel of Great Counsel. (Isaiah 9:6)

u-er na-tus est no-bis, et fi-lius da-tus est no-bis,
A child is born to us, and a Son is given to us:

cu-ius impé-ri-um su-per hú-me-rum e - jus
Whose government is upon His shoulder:

et vo-cá-bi-tur nomen ei- us, magni consí-li-i An-ge-lus.
and His Name shall be called Angel of Great Counsel.

V/. Cantate Domino canticum novum quia mirabilia fecit. (Ps.97. 1)
Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done wonderful things

THEMES

1. CHILD/SON	3. GOSPEL/FAITH
2. RULER/STEWARD	4. WISDOM/PARTNER

1. CHILD/SON

1. GOD AS CHILD AND SON:
THE GIFT of DIVINE FILIATION

CHILD: יֶלֶד (yeled); παιδίον (paidion); Puer

SON: בֵּן (bēn); υἱὸς (huios); Filius

Gherarducci, Puer Natus est (1395)

titles_1

CHILD – vulnerability – dependence on community
SON – hope for future; One Who will carry on. “I will not be the last”

Lumen Fidei §51 “journey towards a future of hope”

§52 Faith and the family and what is symbolizes (as sign of hope)

§59 DIVINE ADOPTION

“The movement of love between Father, Son and Spirit runs through our history, and Christ draws us to himself in order to save us (cf. Jn 12:32). At the centre of our faith is the confession of Jesus, the Son of God, born of a woman, who brings us, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, to adoption as sons and daughters (cf. Gal 4:4). [in other words, the titles of child and son are ours, as well!



BUT when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.⁶And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal.4:4-6)	ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, ⁵ ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσῃ, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν. ⁶ Ὅτι δέ ἐστε υἱοί, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν κρᾶζον· αββα ὁ πατήρ. 7 ὥστε οὐκέτι εἶ δοῦλος ἀλλὰ υἱός· εἰ δὲ υἱός, καὶ κληρονόμος διὰ θεοῦ.

2. RULER/STEWARD

2. GOD AS RULER:
HUMANITY AS STEWARD

GOVERNMENT: מִשְׂרָה (misrā); ἀρχὴ (archē); Imperium

STEWARD / GARDINER

Medieval Illum Jewish Psalter: Psalm 1, Ashre!

titles_2

DOMINION of GOD - STEWARDSHIP of HUMANITY

Genesis Laudato Si and Theology of Body

Laudato Si,§62 ff.: To “work” and “keep/guard” the Garden (Gen 2:15)

Pope Francis encouraged us to read Dante's Divine Comedy, especially during the Year of Mercy

The Garden as Dante's Image of restored Heaven

PRAYER and CONTEMPLATION RECREATE THE GARDEN
in OUR HEARTS

Medieval Illum Jewish Psalter: Psalm 1, Ashre!

3. GOSPEL/FAITH

3. GOD AS GOSPEL: HUMAN FAITH
in THE GOOD NEWS

MESSENGER: [פִּלְאִי (pil’î) wonderful]; ἄγγελος (angelos); Angelus

GOSPEL: εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion); GOOD NEWS

Andrei Rubilev, The Blessed Trinity (c.1425)

titles_3

THE GOOD NEWS of DIVINE LOVE
WE ARE THE HERALDS of DIVINE COMPASSION

Fundamental Problem: We have a predisposition to believe that God is grasping, exacting, “Jealous of His prerogatives.”

CATECHISM §397-400

In our moral exhortation we sometimes act as if we are afraid that if grace is [excessively] preached, sin will abound: Paul’s ancient question:



WHAT shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1)	Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν; ἐπιμένωμεν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσῃ;