V. Sunday within the Octaves of the Nativity of Christ, Prayer

Latin (Borgnet)English

pp. 347–348

V. Dominica infra Octavas Nativitatis Christi, Oratio. Erant admirantes Joseph et Maria mater Jesu ¹. Domine Jesu Christe, qui positus es nobis in ruinam vitiorum, et resurrectionem virtutum, et in signum humilitatis, asperitatis et paupertatis: da mihi Mariam, rationem discretam, quae concipiat propositum salutis, et pariat: da Joseph, humilem conscientiam, quae nutriat conceptum salutis propositum: mirentur ambo super repromissionibus quae dicuntur de te. Benedicat mihi Simeon, interna visitatio tua: ut propositum salutis non sit mihi per superbiam in ruinam, sed per humilitatem in resurrectionem: et ne per hypocrisim contradicam signo rectae intentionis, pertranseat acumen fervidi desiderii motum internum rationis meae, ut revelentur multae providentiae et sollicitudines: pertranseat animam meam gladius verbi tui quod prohibet mala, praecipit bona, suadet perfecta, concedit media, corripit inquietos, consolatur pusillanimes, comminatur poenas gehennae, et promittit gaudia caeli. Sit anima mea Anna quae gratiam Dei in vacuum non recipiat, sed sit utilis sibi per sanctitatem, proximo per exemplum, pia Deo per intentionem. Sit prophetissa, videns praeterita peccata ut plangat, immensas tentationes ut caveat, beneficia redemptionis ut gratias agat, poenas gehennae ut timeat, gaudia caeli ut consoletur. Sit filia Phanuelis, facies Dei Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti: de tribu Aser, de sorte et numero beatorum: procedat in diebus virtutum multis, non discedat, imo habitet in templo corporis Domini per spem et venerationem Virginis matris, per laudem et precem Ecclesiae, per unitatem et catholicam pacem collegii Sanctorum, per imitationem et sanctam conversationem: animae per internum adspirationem, corporis per egregiam actionem, angelici spiritus per stuporem et admirationem, patriae caelestis per amorem et aviditatem. Jejuniis et obsecrationibus, afflictionibus videlicet corporis, et devotione mentis; serviat Domino perseveranter nocte ac die, in adversitate et prosperitate: confiteantur Domino confessione laudis et peccati: loquatur de illo non quibusdam tantum, sed omnibus et praecipue expectantibus redemptionem Israel: ut perficiat secundum charitatem legem Domini, et redeat in Galilaeam civitatem suam Nazareth ad revelationem floridam, et ad te florem revelatum, Jesu Christe, in quo crescat et confortetur plena sapientia et gratia. Amen.

V. Sunday within the Octaves of the Nativity of Christ, Prayer. Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were marveling ¹. Lord Jesus Christ, who have been set for us unto the ruin of vices, and the resurrection of virtues, and as a sign of humility, austerity, and poverty: give me Mary, discreet reason, which may conceive the purpose of salvation and bring it forth; give Joseph, humble conscience, which may nourish the conceived purpose of salvation; let both marvel over the promises that are spoken about you. Let Simeon, your inward visitation, bless me, so that the purpose of salvation may not be for me, through pride, unto ruin, but through humility unto resurrection; and lest through hypocrisy I contradict the sign of right intention, let the sharpness of fervid desire pass through the internal movement of my reason, so that many provisions and anxieties may be revealed; let the sword of your word pass through my soul, which forbids evil things, commands good things, counsels perfect things, permits middle things, corrects the restless, consoles the faint-hearted, threatens the punishments of Gehenna, and promises the joys of heaven. Let my soul be Anna, which does not receive the grace of God in vain, but is useful to itself through sanctity, to the neighbor through example, devoted to God through intention. Let it be a prophetess, seeing past sins so that it may weep, immense temptations so that it may beware, the benefits of redemption so that it may give thanks, the punishments of Gehenna so that it may fear, the joys of heaven so that it may be consoled. Let it be the daughter of Phanuel, the face of God the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; from the tribe of Aser, from the lot and number of the blessed; let it advance in many days of virtues, let it not depart, indeed let it dwell in the temple of the Lord's body through hope and veneration of the Virgin mother, through praise and prayer of the Church, through unity and catholic peace of the company of Saints, through imitation and holy way of life: of the soul through inward aspiration, of the body through excellent action, of the angelic spirit through amazement and admiration, of the heavenly homeland through love and eager desire. With fasts and entreaties, namely with afflictions of the body and devotion of the mind, let it serve the Lord perseveringly night and day, in adversity and prosperity; let them confess to the Lord with confession of praise and of sin; let it speak of him not only to certain persons, but to all and especially to those expecting the redemption of Israel, so that it may fulfill the law of the Lord according to charity, and may return into Galilee, its city Nazareth, unto flowering revelation, and unto you, the revealed flower, Jesus Christ, in whom it may grow and be strengthened, full of wisdom and grace. Amen.

Notes

Compare Luke 2:22-40. (Cf. Luc. II, 22-40.) ↩