In this sermon, we look at the hymns and chants of the Triduum: Ubi Caritas et Amor; The Reproaches; Crux Fidelis; Pange Lingua.
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Ubi Carias et Amor
UBI caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur. Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum. Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero. | WHERE charity and love are, God is there. Christ's love has gathered us into one. Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him. Let us fear, and let us love the living God. And may we love each other with a sincere heart. |
UBI caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur: Ne nos mente dividamur, caveamus. Cessent iurgia maligna, cessent lites. Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus. | WHERE charity and love are, God is there. As we are gathered into one body, Beware, lest we be divided in mind. Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease, And may Christ our God be in our midst. |
UBI caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Simul quoque cum beatis videamus, Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus: Gaudium quod est immensum, atque probum, Saecula per infinita saeculorum. Amen. | WHERE charity and love are, God is there. And may we with the saints also, See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God: The joy that is immense and good, Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen. |
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The Reproaches
Popule meus, quid feci tibi?
Aut in quo contristavi te?
Responde mihi.
(O my people, what have I done to thee?
Or how have I offended you?
Answer me.)
Quia eduxi te de terra Aegypti:
parasti crucem Salvatori tuo.
(Because I led thee out of the land of Egypt:
thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.)
Hagios o Theos.
Sanctus Deus.
Hagios Ischyros.
Sanctus fortis.
Hagios Athanatos, eleison himas.
Sanctus immortalis, miserere nobis.
(O holy God!
O holy God!
O holy strong One!
O holy strong One!
O holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.
O holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.)
Quia eduxi te per desertum quadraginta annis:
et manna cibavi te, et introduxi te in terram satis bonam:
parasti crucem Salvatori tuo.
Hagios . . .
(Because I led thee through the desert for forty years:
and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into a land exceeding good:
Thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.
O holy God! . . .)
Quid ultra debui facere tibi, et non feci?
Ego quidem plantavi te vineam meam speciosissimam:
et tu facta es mihi nimis amara:
aceto namque sitim meam potasti:
et lancea perforasti latus Salvatori tuo.
Hagios . . .
(What more ought I to have done for thee, that I have not done?
I planted thee, indeed, my most beautiful vineyard:
and thou hast become exceeding bitter to me:
for in my thirst thou gavest me vinegar to drink:
and with a spear thou hast pierced the side of thy Savior.
O holy God! . . .)
Ego propter te flagellavi Aegyptum cum primogenitis suis:
et tu me flagellatum tradidisti.
Popule meus . . .
(For thy sake I scourged the firstborn of Egypt:
Thou hast given me up to be scourged.
O my people . . .)
Ego te eduxi de Aegypto, demerso Pharone in mare Rubrum:
et tu me tradidisti principibus sacerdotum.
Popule meus . . .
(I led thee out of Egypt, having drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea:
and thou hast delivered me to the chief priests.
O my people . . .)
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Crux Fidelis
PANGE, lingua, gloriosi proelium certaminis,1 et super Crucis trophaeo dic triumphum nobilem, qualiter Redemptor orbis immolatus vicerit. | SING, my tongue, the Savior's glory; tell His triumph far and wide; tell aloud the famous story of His body crucified; how upon the cross a victim, vanquishing in death, He died. |
De parentis protoplasti fraude Factor condolens, quando pomi noxialis morte morsu corruit,2 ipse lignum tunc notavit, damna ligni ut solveret. | Eating of the tree forbidden, man had sunk in Satan's snare, when our pitying Creator did this second tree prepare; destined, many ages later, that first evil to repair. |
Hoc opus nostrae salutis ordo depoposcerat, multiformis proditoris ars ut artem falleret, et medelam ferret inde, hostis unde laeserat. | Such the order God appointed when for sin He would atone; to the serpent thus opposing schemes yet deeper than his own; thence the remedy procuring, whence the fatal wound had come. |
Quando venit ergo sacri plenitudo temporis, missus est ab arce Patris natus, orbis Conditor, atque ventre virginali carne factus prodiit.3 | So when now at length the fullness of the sacred time drew nigh, then the Son, the world's Creator, left his Father's throne on high; from a virgin's womb appearing, clothed in our mortality. |
Vagit infans inter arcta conditus praesepia: membra pannis involuta Virgo Mater alligat: et manus pedesque et crura4 stricta cingit fascia. | All within a lowly manger, lo, a tender babe He lies! see his gentle Virgin Mother lull to sleep his infant cries! while the limbs of God incarnate round with swathing bands she ties. |
LUSTRA sex qui iam peracta5 tempus implens corporis, se volente, natus ad hoc,6 passioni deditus, Agnus in crucis levatur immolandus stipite. | THUS did Christ to perfect manhood in our mortal flesh attain: then of His free choice He goeth to a death of bitter pain; and as a lamb, upon the altar of the cross, for us is slain. |
En acetum, fel, arundo, sputa, clavi, lancea: mite corpus perforatur, Sanguis, unda profluit7 terra, pontus, astra, mundus, quo lavantur flumine! | Lo, with gall His thirst He quenches! see the thorns upon His brow! nails His tender flesh are rending! see His side is opened now! whence, to cleanse the whole creation, streams of blood and water flow. |
CRUX fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis; nulla talem silva profert, flore, fronde, germine. Dulce lignum, dulci clavo,8 dulce pondus sustinens! | FAITHFUL Cross! above all other, one and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peers may be; sweetest wood and sweetest iron! Sweetest Weight is hung on thee! |
Flecte ramos, arbor alta, tensa laxa viscera, et rigor lentescat ille, quem dedit nativitas, ut superni membra Regis miti tendas stipite.9 | Lofty tree, bend down thy branches, to embrace thy sacred load; oh, relax the native tension of that all too rigid wood; gently, gently bear the members of thy dying King and God. |
Sola digna tu fuisti ferre saeculi pretium, atque portum praeparare nauta mundo naufrago, quem sacer cruor perunxit,10 fusus Agni corpore. | Tree, which solely wast found worthy the world's Victim to sustain. harbor from the raging tempest! ark, that saved the world again! Tree, with sacred blood anointed of the Lamb for sinners slain. |
Aequa Patri Filioque, inclito Paraclito, sempiterna sit beatae Trinitati gloria, cuius alma nos redemit atque servat gratia. Amen.11 | Blessing, honor, everlasting, to the immortal Deity; to the Father, Son, and Spirit, equal praises ever be; glory through the earth and heaven to Trinity in Unity. Amen. |
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Pange Lingua
PANGE, lingua, gloriosi Corporis mysterium, Sanguinisque pretiosi, quem in mundi pretium fructus ventris generosi Rex effudit Gentium. | SING, my tongue, the Savior's glory, of His flesh the mystery sing; of the Blood, all price exceeding, shed by our immortal King, destined, for the world's redemption, from a noble womb to spring. |
Nobis datus, nobis natus ex intacta Virgine, et in mundo conversatus, sparso verbi semine, sui moras incolatus miro clausit ordine. | Of a pure and spotless Virgin born for us on earth below, He, as Man, with man conversing, stayed, the seeds of truth to sow; then He closed in solemn order wondrously His life of woe. |
In supremae nocte cenae recumbens cum fratribus observata lege plene cibis in legalibus, cibum turbae duodenae se dat suis manibus. | On the night of that Last Supper, seated with His chosen band, He the Pascal victim eating, first fulfills the Law's command; then as Food to His Apostles gives Himself with His own hand. |
Verbum caro, panem verum verbo carnem efficit: fitque sanguis Christi merum, et si sensus deficit, ad firmandum cor sincerum sola fides sufficit. | Word-made-Flesh, the bread of nature by His word to Flesh He turns; wine into His Blood He changes;- what though sense no change discerns? Only be the heart in earnest, faith her lesson quickly learns. |
Tantum ergo Sacramentum veneremur cernui: et antiquum documentum novo cedat ritui: praestet fides supplementum sensuum defectui. | Down in adoration falling, Lo! the sacred Host we hail; Lo! o'er ancient forms departing, newer rites of grace prevail; faith for all defects supplying, where the feeble sense fail. |
Genitori, Genitoque laus et iubilatio, salus, honor, virtus quoque sit et benedictio: procedenti ab utroque compar sit laudatio. Amen. Alleluia. | To the everlasting Father, and the Son who reigns on high, with the Holy Ghost proceeding forth from Each eternally, be salvation, honor, blessing, might and endless majesty. Amen. Alleluia. |