At choir practice last night, I was asked, by a guest tenor, the meaning of one of the hymns, Ave Verum Corpus, which we were practicing for the transferred feast of Corpus Christi this Sunday. It really hit home how impoverished we have become by the ignorance of our Latin language patrimony, and how just the translation of this one hymn could be used for catechesis.
Ave verum corpus, natum de Maria Virgine,
vere passum, immolatum in cruce pro homine,
cuius latus perforatum fluxit aqua et sanguine:
esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine.
O Iesu dulcis, O Iesu pie, O Iesu, fili Mariae.
Miserere mei. Amen.
Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin Mary,
truly suffering, sacrificed on the cross for mankind,
whose pierced side flowed with water & blood:
May it be for us a foretaste (of the Heavenly banquet)
in the trial of death.
O dear Jesus, O merciful Jesus, O Jesus, son of Mary,
have mercy on me. Amen.
Just think, in the 14th century this composition, possibly by Pope Innocent VI, was sung at the elevation of the Host during Consecration, and at Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. In the same way that the faith was proclaimed in stained glass, so the hymns portrayed the True Faith.
To the phrase lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi could also be added: lex cantandi.
Whatever the language, let us always make a joyful noise unto the Lord that is truly worthy of Him!
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Love it! Great first post, Joy. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd you're so right! As the saying goes, when you sing you pray twice!
Yay!!!! You have been promoted on my blog! http://cuaguy2.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-blog.html
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Catholic Blog-o-sphere. I'm a consumer of such .. and gain by it tremendously. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks all! I will be relying on y'alls advice along the way, I'm sure. :~)
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