Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.…
Noctem quietam et finem perfectum concedat nobis Dominus omnipotens. Amen. May the all-powerful Lord grant unto us a tranquil night and a perfect end. Amen. The usual English translation for this prayer is May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death, which is said whether the office is recited alone or in…
Oremus. Quiétem, Dómine, corpóribus nostris tríbue salutárem, et quæ fúdimus hódie sémina per labórem, fac ut messem gérminent sempitérnam. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen. Let us pray. Lord, grant healthful rest to our bodies, and the seeds which we have scattered through work today, make them sprout forth an eternal harvest. Through Christ our Lord.…
Lumen ad revelatiónem géntium * et glóriam plebis tuæ Israel. A light for revealing to the nations * and the glory of your people Israel. To understand this phrase theologically we must first understand its grammar. What are lumen and gloriam doing here? Simeon has looked upon the infant and, speaking to God, calls Him…
Quod parásti * ante fáciem ómnium populórum. Which you have prepared * before the face of all the peoples. Simeon continues his prayer, proving to us that salutare of the previous phrase must in fact be a neuter noun, for were it not, what would be the antecedent of quod? Quod parasti = which you…
Quia vidérunt óculi mei * salutáre tuum. For my eyes have seen your salvation. Quite literally, Simeon’s eyes see God’s salvation: He looks upon the infant Christ. Jesus is the cause of salvation for every person who will be saved: “Nor is there any other name under heaven (nec enim aliud nomen est sub caelo)…
Nunc dimíttis servum tuum, Dómine, * secúndum verbum tuum in pace. Now you dismiss your servant, Lord, according to your word, in peace. This Gospel canticle is one of three recited daily in the breviary. The other two are Zechariah’s Benedictus and Mary’s Magnificat. These three canticles found passage also from the Brevarium Romanum into…
This post, and the several which follow, will translate and explain the Latin of the Gospel canticle used invariably during the Church’s night prayer, in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary forms. The full text to be studied (and prayed) is: Ant. Salva nos, Dómine, vigilántes, custódi nos dormiéntes, ut vigilémus cum Christo et requiescámus in…
Redemísti nos, Dómine Deus veritátis. You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth. Redemisti = You have redeemed us. From redimo,ere, to buy back. Domine Deus = Lord God. veritatis = of truth, from veritas,-atis, truth.
This post and the two that follow will cover the responsory, or Responsorium breve for Night Prayer. This prayer is prayed daily throughout the year and does not vary, with the exception of the Allelulia’s added during the Easter season. The full text to be prayed is as follows: V. In manus tuas, Dómine, *…
