O Magnum Mysterium, Palestrina

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Palestrina's text for O Magnum Mysterium Palestrina's are based on the Responsorial in the Christmas Mass and are as follows:

(Latin text)
O magnum mysterium
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum
jacentem in praesepio.
Natum vidimus et choros Angelorum
collaudantes Dominum.
Alleluia!

(English text)
O great mystery
and wonderful sacrament
that animals could see the birth of the Lord
lying in a manger.
We saw the child new-born and choirs of angels
praising the Lord.
Alleluia!

Alma Redemptoris Mater

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Alma Redemptoris Mater

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli
Porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti,
Surgere qui curat, populo: tu quae genuisti,
Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore
Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.
From the first Sunday of Advent until Christmas Eve:

V. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae
R. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.
Oremus

Gratiam tuam quæsumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde; ut qui, angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui Incarnationem cognovimus, per passionem ejus et crucem, ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur.
Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
From First Vespers of Christmas until the Presentation:

V. Post Partum Virgo inviolata permansisti.
R. Dei Genitrix, intercede pro nobis.
Oremus

Deus, qui salutis aeternae beatae Mariae virginitate foecunda humano generi praemia praestitisti: tribue, quaesumus, ut ipsam pro nobis intercedere sentiamus, per quam meruimus, Auctorem vitae suscipere Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum. Amen.



English

Loving Mother of our Savior, hear thou thy people's cry
Star of the deep and Portal of the sky!
Mother of Him who thee made from nothing made.
Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid:
Oh, by what joy which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.
From the first Sunday of Advent until Christmas Eve:

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary
R. And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Let us pray.

Pour forth we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may, by His passion and cross, be brought to the glory of his Resurrection; through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.
From First Vespers of Christmas until the Presentation:

V. After childbirth, O Virgin, thou didst remain inviolate.
R. O Mother of God, plead for us.
Let us pray.

O God, Who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary, hast given to mankind the rewards of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech You, that we may experience her intercession for us, by whom we deserved to receive the Author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son. Amen

O Antiphons

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The seven "O Antiphons" (also called the "Greater Antiphons" or "Major Antiphons") are prayers that come from the Breviary's Vespers during the Octave before Christmas Eve, a time which is called the "Golden Nights." The O Antiphons are the source of the lyrics of the Advent song "Veni, veni Emmanuel". (see previous post)

Each Antiphon begins with "O" and addresses Jesus with a unique title which comes from the prophecies of Isaias and Micheas (Micah), and whose initials, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow I come." Those titles for Christ are:

Sapientia
Adonai
Radix Jesse
Clavis David
Oriens
Rex Gentium
Emmanuel

Below are the O Antiphons in both English and Latin. One is prayed each evening at Vespers time (around sunset).


December 17

Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!


Latin
O Sapientia, quæ ex ore Altissimi prodiisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiæ.


December 18

Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!

Latin
O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammæ rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento.



December 19

Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.

Latin
O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem Gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.


December 20

Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

Latin
O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel; qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.


December 21

Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

Latin
O Oriens, splendor lucis æternæ, et sol justitiæ: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.





December 22

King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof! O Corner-stone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!

Latin
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.





December 23

Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!

Latin
O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.

December 24

Mini Jerusalems

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+Our society teaches us that Christmas is about being with family and giving gifts. The Blessed Mother knows that Christmas is not meant to be about that. Christmas is the time we celebrate the birth of the God-man, her son, at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is about the King of Kings that showed as Isaiah professied, that the rulers of this world and all the material goods are coming to nothing --- but that what brings life and true joy is Christ. To the very extent that we lack this complete trust and hope in the one, true God, we are like mini Jerusalems, hoping for a messiah to bring us temporal comforts, when really we should be thinking of the real Messiah -- who rules heaven and earth, and promises us a heavenly kingdom. This trust in Christ can come only if we are in a state of grace through the Sacraments (for us Baptised Catholics, that means Confession, Holy Communion), along with preparing to receive our Lord in Communion by renouncing our attachment to sin and the things of this world. Christ let's even his own people suffer in this life that they might come to a better understanding of how he suffered for us. He has given us to his own mother, and wants us to remember also her sufferings. These are jewels that are our inheritance as Catholics. We are part of the world's greatest Royalty, and we owe it to our King and Queen to think of them and their sacrifices that we may know how best to serve them. There are keys in the mysteries of their suffering which unlock the questions we have in what we are to do in order to serve God in our sufferings.

It was, afterall, God who loved you first and is waiting for you to come closer to Him in this life.


O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-star, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads to Thee,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come to lead us Adonai,
Who to the tribes on height of Sinai
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel. Amen.+