Tsunami in Japan: "omnes fluctus tuos induxisti super me"

Domine Deus salutis meae die clamavi et nocte coram te
3 Intret in conspectu tuo oratio mea inclina aurem tuam ad precem meam
4 Quia repleta est malis anima mea et vita mea in inferno adpropinquavit
5 Aestimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum factus sum sicut homo sine adiutorio
6 Inter mortuos liber sicut vulnerati dormientes in sepulchris quorum non es memor amplius et ipsi de manu tua repulsi sunt
7 Posuerunt me in lacu inferiori in tenebrosis et in umbra mortis
8 Super me confirmatus est furor tuus et omnes fluctus tuos induxisti super me
9 Longe fecisti notos meos a me posuerunt me abominationem sibi traditus sum et non egrediebar
10 Oculi mei languerunt prae inopia clamavi ad te Domine tota die expandi ad te manus meas
11 Numquid mortuis facies mirabilia aut medici suscitabunt et confitebuntur tibi
12 Numquid narrabit aliquis in sepulchro misericordiam tuam et veritatem tuam in per ditione
13 Numquid cognoscentur in tenebris mirabilia tua et iustitia tua in terra oblivionis
14 Et ego ad te Domine clamavi et mane oratio mea praeveniet te
15 Ut quid Domine repellis orationem meam avertis faciem tuam a me
16 Pauper sum ego et in laboribus a iuventute mea exaltatus autem humiliatus sum et conturbatus
17 In me transierunt irae tuae et terrores tui conturbaverunt me
18 Circuierunt me sicut aqua tota die circum dederunt me simul
19 Elongasti a me amicum et proximum et notos meos a miseria

-- Psalmus 87 (88)

Priest dragged from the altar, France, 1987: "Tu vero reppulisti et despexisti distulisti christum tuum"

Tu vero reppulisti et despexisti distulisti christum tuum.
Evertisti testamentum servi tui profanasti in terram sanctuarium eius.
Destruxisti omnes sepes eius posuisti firmamenta eius formidinem.
Diripuerunt eum omnes transeuntes viam factus est obprobrium vicinis suis.
Exaltasti dexteram deprimentium eum laetificasti omnes inimicos eius.
Avertisti adiutorium gladii eius et non es auxiliatus ei in bello.
Destruxisti eum a mundatione sedem eius in terram conlisisti.
Minorasti dies temporis eius per fudisti eum confusione.
Usquequo Domine avertis in finem exardescet sicut ignis ira tua.
Memorare quae mea sub stantia numquid enim vane constituisti omnes filios hominum.
Quis est homo qui vivet et non videbit mortem eruet animam suam de manu inferi.
Ubi sunt misericordiae tuae anti quae Domine sicut iurasti David in veritate tua.
Memor esto Domine obprobrii servorum tuorum quod continui in sinu meo multarum gentium.
Quod exprobraverunt inimici tui Domine quod exprobraverunt commutationem christi tui.
Benedictus Dominus in aeternum fiat, fiat.

-- Psalmus 88, 39-53

Nel foto: Francia, 1987: su richiesta del sacrilego vescovo di Versailles, la Polizia interrompe la celebrazione di una Santa Messa tradizionale, trascinando il Sacerdote via dall'altare. In photo: At the request of the bishop of Versailles in 1987, the police interrupted the celebration of the traditional holy Mass, dragging the priest away from the altar.

Christchurch: "Proptérea non timébimus dum turbábitur terra"

45:1 Deus noster refúgium, et virtus: * adjútor in tribulatiónibus, quæ invenérunt nos nimis.
45:2 Proptérea non timébimus dum turbábitur terra: * et transferéntur montes in cor maris.
45:3 Sonuérunt, et turbátæ sunt aquæ eórum: * conturbáti sunt montes in fortitúdine ejus.
45:4 Flúminis ímpetus lætíficat civitátem Dei: * sanctificávit tabernáculum suum Altíssimus.
45:5 Deus in médio ejus, non commovébitur: * adjuvábit eam Deus mane dilúculo.
45:6 Conturbátæ sunt Gentes, et inclináta sunt regna: * dedit vocem suam, mota est terra.
45:7 Dóminus virtútum nobíscum: * suscéptor noster Deus Jacob.
45:8 Veníte, et vidéte ópera Dómini, quæ pósuit prodígia super terram: * áuferens bella usque ad finem terræ.
45:9 Arcum cónteret, et confrínget arma: * et scuta combúret igni.
45:10 Vacáte, et vidéte quóniam ego sum Deus: * exaltábor in Géntibus, et exaltábor in terra.
45:11 Dóminus virtútum nobíscum: * suscéptor noster Deus Jacob.

-- Psalmus 45, S. Petri Damiani, Ad Matutinum, Breviarium Romanum

Photo by Daylife: Debris crush a car outside the Christchurch Catholic Cathedral after an earthquake rocked Christchurch, New Zealand, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011. The 6.3-magnitude quake hit at the height of a busy workday, toppling tall buildings and churches, crushing buses and killing dozens of people in one of the country's worst natural disasters.

Egypt: "Mansuéti autem hereditábunt terram"

Noli æmulári in malignántibus: * neque zeláveris faciéntes iniquitátem.

Quóniam tamquam foenum velóciter aréscent: * et quemádmodum ólera herbárum cito décident.

Spera in Dómino, et fac bonitátem: * et inhábita terram, et pascéris in divítiis ejus.

Delectáre in Dómino: * et dabit tibi petitiónes cordis tui.

Revéla Dómino viam tuam, et spera in eo: * et ipse fáciet.

Et edúcet quasi lumen justítiam tuam: et judícium tuum tamquam

merídiem:* súbditus esto Dómino, et ora eum.

Noli æmulári in eo, qui prosperátur in via sua: * in hómine faciénte injustítias.

Désine ab ira, et derelínque furórem: * noli æmulári ut malignéris.

Quóniam qui malignántur, exterminabúntur: * sustinéntes autem Dóminum, ipsi hereditábunt terram.

Et adhuc pusíllum, et non erit peccátor: * et quæres locum ejus et non invénies.

Mansuéti autem hereditábunt terram: * et delectabúntur in multitúdine pacis.

Observábit peccátor justum: * et stridébit super eum déntibus suis.

Dóminus autem irridébit eum: * quóniam próspicit quod véniet dies ejus.

Gládium evaginavérunt peccatóres: * intendérunt arcum suum,

Ut dejíciant páuperem et ínopem: * ut trucídent rectos corde.

Gládius eórum intret in corda ipsórum: * et arcus eórum confringátur.

-- Psalmus 36, SS. Faustini et Jovitae Ad Matutinum, Breviarium Romanum

Missa Cantata in Nativitate Domini

"Dominus dixit ad me: Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te."
Ps 2, 7

"Laetentur caeli et exsultet terra ante faciem Domini: qouniam venit."
Ps. 95, 11 et 13.

"O Emmanuel"

DECEMBER 23

The Church sings this antiphon in to-day’s Lauds:

ANT. Ecce completa sunt omnia quæ dicta sunt per angelum, de Virgine Maria.

ANT. Lo! all things are accomplished that were said by the angel, of the Virgin Mary.

SEVENTH ANTIPHON

O Emmanuel, Rex et Legifer foster, exspectatio gentium, et salvator earum; veni ad salvandum nos, Domine Deus noster.

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Expectation and Saviour of the nations! come and save us, O Lord our God!

"O Emmanuel ! King of peace! Thou enterest today the city of Thy predilection, the city in which Thou hast placed Thy temple—Jerusalem. A few years hence the same city will give Thee Thy cross and Thy sepulchre: nay, the day will come on which Thou wilt set up Thy judgement-seat within sight of her walls. But to-day Thou enterest the city of David and Solomon unnoticed and unknown. It lies on Thy road to Bethlehem. Thy blessed Mother and Joseph her spouse would not lose the opportunity of visiting the temple, there to offer to the Lord their prayers and adoration. They enter; and then, for the first time, is accomplished the prophecy of Aggeus, that great shall be the glory of this last house more than of the first ; for this second temple has now standing within it an ark of the Covenant more precious than was that which Moses built; and within this ark, which is Mary, is contained the God whose presence makes her the holiest of sanctuaries. The Lawgiver Himself is in this blessed ark, and not merely, as in that of old, the tablet of stone on which the Law was graven. The visit paid, our living ark descends the steps of the temple, and sets out once more for Bethlehem, where other prophecies are to be fulfilled. We adore Thee, O Emmanuel ! in this Thy journey, and we reverence the fidelity wherewith Thou fulfillest all that the prophets have written of Thee; for Thou wouldst give to Thy people the certainty of Thy being the Messias, by showing them that all the marks, whereby He was to be known, are to be found in Thee. And now, the hour is near; all is ready for Thy birth; come then, and save us; come, that Thou mayst not only be called our Emmanuel, but our Jesus, that is, He that saves us."

-- Source: Abbott Prosper Louis Paschal Guéranger, O.S.B., The Liturgical Year, Vol. 1, Advent. Westminster, MD: The Newman Press, 1948, pp. 5O4-5. Translation by Dom Laurence Shepherd, O.S.B.

Photo: Cameo with Christ Emmanuel, ca. 1200–1400
Byzantine
Inscribed in Greek: Jesus Christ, Emmanuel
Steatite; 1 1/8 x 7/8 in. (2.9 x 2.2 cm)
Purchase, William Kelly Simpson Gift, 1987 (1987.23)

This delicately carved steatite icon displays a frontal bust of the youthful Christ Emmanuel, the incarnate Word, identified by the inscription in Greek flanking his shoulders. Christ's head is silhouetted against a large cruciform nimbus; he holds a scroll in his left hand and makes a preaching gesture with his right. The pendant retains its finely carved surface and highly polished back and sides, although details of Christ's facial features are worn away, probably from the constant touching and kissing of the icon in veneration.

THE GREAT ANTIPHON TO JERUSALEM

O Hierusalem ! civitas Dei summi, leva in circuitu oculos tuos; et vide Dominum tuum, quia jam veniet solvere te a vinculis.

O Jerusalem! city of the great God: lift up thine eyes round about, and see thy Lord, for he is coming to loose thee from thy chains.

"O Rex Gentium"

DECEMBER 22

SIXTH ANTIPHON

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

O King of nations, and their desired One, and the corner - stone that makest both one; come and save man whom thou formedst out of slime.

"O King of nations! Thou art approaching still nigher to Bethlehem, where Thou art to be born. The journey is almost over, and Thy august Mother, consoled and strengthened by the dear weight she bears, holds an unceasing converse with Thee on the way. She adores Thy divine Majesty; she gives thanks to Thy mercy; she rejoices that she has been chosen for the sublime ministry of being Mother to God. She longs for that happy moment when her eyes shall look upon Thee, and yet she fears it. For, how will she be able to render Thee those services which are due to Thy infinite greatness, she that thinks herself the last of creatures ? How will she dare to raise Thee up in her arms, and press Thee to her heart, and feed Thee at her breasts? When she reflects that the hour is now near at hand, in which, being born of her, Thou wilt require all her care and tenderness, her heart sinks within her; for, what human heart could bear the intense vehemence of these two affections—the love of such a Mother for her Babe, and the love of such a creature for her God? But Thou supportest her, O Thou the Desired of nations! for Thou, too, longest for that happy birth, which is to give to the earth its Saviour, and to men that corner-stone, which will unite them all into one family. Dearest King! be Thou blessed for all these wonders of Thy power and goodness ! Come speedily, we beseech Thee, come and save us, for we are dear to Thee, as creatures that have been formed by Thy divine hands. Yea, come, for Thy creation has grown degenerate; it is lost; death has taken possession of it: take Thou it again into Thy almighty hands, and give it a new creation; save it; for Thou hast not ceased to take pleasure in and love Thine own work."

-- Source: Abbott Prosper Louis Paschal Guéranger, O.S.B., The Liturgical Year, Vol. 1, Advent. Westminster, MD: The Newman Press, 1948, pp. x-x. Translation by Dom Laurence Shepherd, O.S.B.

THE GREAT ANTIPHON IN HONOUR OF CHRIST

O Rex pacifice, tu ante sæcula nate, per auream egredere portam, redemptos tuos visita, et eos illuc revoca, unde ruerunt per culpam.

O King of peace! that wast born before all ages, come by the golden gate; visit them whom thou hast redeemed, and lead them back to the place whence they fell by sin.