Part 25 (2/2)
Daignez, Marie, en ce jour Vouchsafe, Mary, on this day Ecouter nos soupirs, To hear our sighs, Et seconder nos desirs. And to second our desires.
Daignez, Marie, en ce jour Vouchsafe, Mary, on this day Recevoir notre encens, notre amour. To receive our incense, our love.
Du celeste epoux Calm the rage Calmez le courroux, Of thy heavenly husband, Qu'il se montre doux Let HIM show himself kind A tous qui sont a vous. To all those who are thine.
Du celeste epoux Of thy heavenly husband Calmez le courroux, Calm the rage, Que son coeur s'attendrisse sur nous. Let his heart be softened towards us. {359} ]
”The Lord is a G.o.d of vengeance; but thou, O Mother of Mercy, bendest to be merciful.” [Deus ultionum Dominus; sed tu, Mater Misericordiae, ad miserandum inflectis.--P. 485.]
The well known and dearly valued penitentiary psalm (129th) ”De profundis,” is thus addressed to Mary:--
”Out of the depths have I called to thee, O Lady:
”O Lady, hear my voice. Let thine ears be attent to the voice of thy praise and glorifying: deliver me from the hand of my enemies: confound their imaginations and attempts against me. Rescue me in the evil day; and, in the day of death, forget not my soul. Carry me into the haven of safety: let my name be enrolled among the just.” [De profundis clamavi ad te, Domina: Domina, exaudi vocem meam. Fiant aures tuae intendentes in vocem laudis et glorificationis tuae. Libera me de manu adversariorum meorum: confunde ingenia et conatus eorum contra me. Erue me in die mala: et in die mortis ne obliviscaris animae meae. Deduc me ad portum salutis: inter justos scribatur nomen meum.--P. 489.] {360}
But, as the penitential psalms are thus turned, from Him to whom the Psalmist addressed them, so his hymns of praise to Jehovah, are made to flow through the same channel to the Virgin. And all nature in the sea, on the earth, in the heavens, and heaven of heavens, is called upon to praise and glorify Mary. Thus, in the 148th psalm, we read,--
”Praise our Lady of heaven, glorify her in the highest. Praise her, all ye men and cattle, ye birds of the heaven, and fishes of the sea. Praise her, sun and moon; ye stars and circles of the planets. Praise her, cherubim and seraphim, thrones and dominions, and powers. Praise her, all ye legions of angels. Praise her, all ye orders of spirits above.”
[Laudate Dominam nostram de coelis: glorificate eam in excelsis. Laudate eam omnes homines et jumenta: volucres coeli et pisces maris. Laudate eam sol et luna: stellae, et circuli planetarum. Laudate eam cherubim et seraphim: throni et dominationes, et potestates. Laudate eam omnes legiones angelorum. Laudate eam omnes ordines spirituum supernorum.--P.
491.]
The last sentence of the psalms is thus rendered,--”Let every spirit [_or_ every thing that hath breath] praise our Lady.”
To this Psalter are added many hymns changed in the same manner. One, ent.i.tled, ”A Canticle, like that of Habakkuk iii.” presents to us an address to the Virgin Mary, of the very words which our blessed Saviour most solemnly addressed to his heavenly Father.
O Lord, I have heard thy O Lady, I have heard thy report, speech, and was afraid, &c. &c. and was astonished; I considered thy works, O Lady, and I was afraid at thy work. In the midst of the years thou hast revived it. {361}
I will confess to thee, O Lady, because thou hast hid these things from the wise, and hast revealed them to babes.
Thy glory hath covered the heavens, and the earth is full of thy mercy.
Thou, O Virgin, wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, for salvation with thy Christ [thy anointed].
O thou Blessed, our salvation rests in thy hands. Remember our poverty, O thou pious One.
WHOM THOU WILLEST, HE SHALL BE SAVED; AND HE FROM WHOM THOU TURNEST AWAY THY COUNTENANCE, GOETH INTO DESTRUCTION.
[Domina, audivi auditionem tuam, et obstupui: consideravi opera tua, et expavi, Domina, opus tuum: circa medium annorum vivificasti illud.
Confitebor tibi, Domina: quia abscondisti haec a sapientibus: et revelasti ea parvulis. Operuit coelos gloria tua, et misericordia tua plena est terra.
Egressa es, Virgo, in salutem populi tui: in salutem c.u.m Christo tuo. O Benedicta, in manibus tuis est reposita nostra salus; recordare, pia, paupertatis nostrae.
Quem vis, ipse salvus erit, et a quo avertis vultum tuum, vadit in interitum.--G.P., &c.]
The song of the Three Children is altered in the same manner. In it as well as in the Canticle of Zacharias, these prayers are introduced;
”O Mother of Mercy, have mercy upon us miserable sinners; who neglect to repent of our past sins, and commit every day many to be repented of.”
[Miserere, misericordiae Mater, n.o.bis miseris peccatoribus, qui retroacta peccata poenitere negligimus, ac multa quotidie poenitenda committimus.]
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