February 2019

S M T W T F S
     12
3 4567 8 9
10 11 1213 14 15 16
17 1819 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 2728  

Custom Text

Most Popular Tags

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
(Gospel of Saint Luke 2:8-14)

We finish Advent with O Magnum Mysterium, which is technically a responsorial chant from the Matins of Christmas. These days it is sometimes used in the Masses of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (though not, I venture to add, in any parish within two hundred miles of this writer's present location).

Though it was originally a chant, I recently discovered this polyphony version by Tomás Luis de Victoria that is simply sublime.



O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in præsepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum.
Alleluia.

Englished:

O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord,
lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb
was worthy to bear
Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!



Enjoy, and if I don't see you before this evening, please allow me to wish you a very merry Christmas.

blessings and love,

thom
Happy Easter, everyone!


Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!

Exult, all creation around God's throne!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,

radiant in the brightness of your King!

Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!

Darkness vanishes for ever!

Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!

The risen Savior shines upon you!

Let this place resound with joy,

echoing the mighty song of all God's people!

My dearest friends,

standing with me in this holy light,

join me in asking God for mercy,

that he may give his unworthy minister

grace to sing his Easter praises.

...

Exultet iam angelica turba caelorum:

exultent divina mysteria:

et pro tanti Regis victoria tuba insonet salutaris.

Gaudeat et tellus tantis irradiata fulgoribus:

et, aeterni Regis splendore illustrata,

totius orbis se sentiat amisisse caliginem.

Laetetur et mater Ecclesia,

tanti luminis adornata fulgoribus:

et magnis populorum vocibus haec aula resultet.

Quapropter astantes vos, fratres carissimi,

ad tam miram huius sancti luminis claritatem,

una mecum, quaeso,

Dei omnipotentis misericordiam invocate.

Ut, qui me non meis meritis

intra Levitarum numerum dignatus est aggregare,

luminis sui claritatem infundens,

cerei huius laudem implere perficiat.

...


[Exultet]

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags

Style Credit