November 14: All Souls of the Benedictine Order

In today's Office, we pray for the souls of all Benedictine monks, nuns, sisters and Oblates in purgatory.

November 13: All Saints of the Benedictine Order and a call to arms

This year All Saints of the Benedictine Order is only a commemoration, due to the Sunday.  But most religious orders have both an 'All Saints' and an ‘All Souls' feasts of their Order, and of course the Benedictines too, given the Benedictine origins of the two feasts.

By the late middle ages the Benedictines could lay claim to giving to the Church no less than 24 popes, 200 cardinals, 7,000 archbishops, 15,000 bishops, and over 1,500 canonized saints, not to mention 20 emperors, 10 empresses, 47 kings, and 50 queens.

And of course there are untold numbers of other, unsung saints among its members.

This year, though, above all, I think we should treat as a call to arms, a call for all of us to join the ranks of this vast army of soldiers of Christ led by St Benedict the Great, and take arms in the cause of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, that is, the Church.

The destruction of the churches of Norcia

Over at New Liturgical Movement Peter Kwasniewski has written a moving elegy to the churches of Norcia, birthplace of SS Benedict and Scholastica, all of which were destroyed in the recent earthquakes.  Rorate Caeli has a piece also worth reading on this subject.  

Now, more than ever, we need new Benedictine saints to arise to lead us.

For that to happen, we need to look within ourselves first of all; to embark on our own program of spiritual building up of the walls, through the cultivation of faith and the performance of good works.

We must, as St Bede the Venerable instructs:

pray assiduously to the Lord for the state of the whole Church throughout the world, according to the example of the Lord's prayer itself, in which one is not bidden to pray for daily bread to be given specifically to oneself, or for one's own sins to be forgiven, or for ones self to be delivered from temptation or wickedness, but rather for all who have the same Father in heaven". (On Ezra and Nehemiah, trans deGregorio).

Above, all we should all, to paraphrase St Bede, pray that God might inflame our minds and touch them with his love, so that we can understand and carry out the will of  God the Father.

Brush up your rubrics - Getting ready for Advent: commemorations (of the feria)

I have yet to look at Lauds and Vespers in this series on getting ready for Advent, but there is one issue common to both of them that I thought I would deal with first, namely commemorations (aka) memorials.

What is a commemoration of the feria?

If you look at the instructions in the Diurnal for feasts of saints during Advent you will come across instructions to make a commemoration of the feria.

Feria just means day, and so it is telling you to make a remembrance of the Advent day that would have been said had they not been displaced by a feast.

During Advent the feria is commemorated at both Lauds and Vespers.

The way this is done is exactly the same as for a normal memorial of a saint: after the collect (of the feast), you say (or sing) the canticle antiphon that would have been said at Lauds or Vespers if not for the feast, the versicle (of the season) and the collect (of the Advent week or day).

Finding the texts: a Diurnal trap

The Diurnal, however, does not make it easy for you in this case, because for each Advent day, in order to save space, it usually only sets out the canticle antiphons.

That means you need to go find the versicle and the collect for the appropriate day or week in the Ordinary.  The Ordo will give you the page numbers in the Diurnal for this purpose, but those using older editions will need to hunt down the correct pages for themselves.

SUMMARY - COMMEMORATIONS IN ADVENT

Commemorations of the feria - Lauds

Benedictus antiphon	Of the Advent day
Versicle (of the season)	V. Vox clamantis in desérto: Parate viam Dómini. R. Rectas fácite sémitas eius.
Collect	Of the Advent week or day

Commemoration of the feria - Vespers

Magnificat antiphon	Of the Advent day
Versicle (of the season)	V. Rorate cæli désuper, et nubes pluant iustum. R. Aperiatur terra et gérminet Salvatórem.
Collect	Of the Advent week or day

November 12: St Mennas, Memorial

St Mennas, c285 – 309, was an Egyptian Christian who joined the army, but left after three years to become a hermit in response to Diocletian's decrees.  During the celebration of a great festival Mennas appeared fearlessly professed his faith. He was led before the prefect Pyrrhus, scourged, put to torture and finally beheaded.  His cult quickly became popular and spread widely.

November 11: St Martin of Tours, Class II

St Martin of Tours (316-397) was one of the most popular saints in the middle ages, and holds a special place in Benedictine spirituality too, because it was to him (along with St John the Baptist) that St Benedict dedicated a chapel on Monte Cassino.

He became a catechumen against the wishes of his family at the age of ten, and, as the son of a veteran, was required to become a soldier, which he did at the age of 15.  While a soldier, he famously cut his cloak in half to clothe a scantily clad beggar.  That night he had a dream showing that it was Jesus wearing the half-cloak he had given away.  Two years later he was released from military service after refusing to fight in an expected battle, and became a disciple of Hilary of Poitiers.

He became first a hermit then a monk, and in 371 was acclaimed Bishop of Tours.  He was an active missionary-monk bishop, famously destroying pagan shrines and replacing them with churches and monasteries (actions St Benedict imitated at Monte Cassino, hence, presumably the dedication).

Pope Benedict XVI commented on him back in 2007:

Today, 11 November, the Church remembers St Martin, Bishop of Tours, one of the most celebrated and venerated Saints of Europe. Born of pagan parents in Pannonia, in what is today Hungary, he was directed by his father to a military career around the year 316. Still an adolescent, Martin came into contact with Christianity and, overcoming many difficulties, he enrolled as a catechumen in order to prepare for Baptism. He would receive the Sacrament in his 20s, but he would still stay for a long time in the army, where he would give testimony of his new lifestyle: respectful and inclusive of all, he treated his attendant as a brother and avoided vulgar entertainment. Leaving military service, he went to Poitiers in France near the holy Bishop Hilary. He was ordained a deacon and priest by him, chose the monastic life and with some disciples established the oldest monastery known in Europe at Ligugé. About 10 years later, the Christians of Tours, who were without a Pastor, acclaimed him their Bishop. From that time, Martin dedicated himself with ardent zeal to the evangelization of the countryside and the formation of the clergy. While many miracles are attributed to him, St Martin is known most of all for an act of fraternal charity. While still a young soldier, he met a poor man on the street numb and trembling from the cold. He then took his own cloak and, cutting it in two with his sword, gave half to that man. Jesus appeared to him that night in a dream smiling, dressed in the same cloak.

Dear brothers and sisters, St Martin's charitable gesture flows from the same logic that drove Jesus to multiply the loaves for the hungry crowd, but most of all to leave himself to humanity as food in the Eucharist, supreme Sign of God's love, Sacramentum caritatis. It is the logic of sharing which he used to authentically explain love of neighbour. May St Martin help us to understand that only by means of a common commitment to sharing is it possible to respond to the great challenge of our times: to build a world of peace and justice where each person can live with dignity. This can be achieved if a world model of authentic solidarity prevails which assures to all inhabitants of the planet food, water, necessary medical treatment, and also work and energy resources as well as cultural benefits, scientific and technological knowledge.

Let us turn now to the Virgin Mary so that all Christians may be like St Martin, generous witnesses of the Gospel of love and tireless builders of jointly responsible sharing.

The Life of the saint, written by Sulpicius Severus, is well worth a read.

November 10: St Theodore, Memorial

According to Butler's Lives of the Saints:

"ST. THEODORE was born of a noble family in the East, and enrolled while still a youth in the imperial army. Early in 306 the emperor put forth an edict requiring all Christians to offer sacrifice, and Theodore had just joined the legion and marched with them into Pontus, when he had to choose between apostasy and death.

He declared before his commander that he was ready to be cut in pieces and offer up every limb to his Creator, Who had died for him. Wishing to conquer him by gentleness, the commander left him in peace for a while, that he might think over his resolution; but Theodore used his freedom to set on fire the great temple of Isis, and made no secret of this act. Still his judge entreated him to renounce his faith and save his life; but Theodore made the sign of the cross, and answered: "As long as I have breath, I will confess the name of Christ." After cruel torture, the judge bade him think of the shame to which Christ had brought him. "This shame," Theodore answered, "I and all who invoke His name take with joy." He was condemned to be burnt. As the flame rose, a Christian saw his soul rise like a flash of light to heaven."

Brush up your rubrics - getting ready for Advent 3 - Terce to None

So far in this series I've posted some notes, videos and links to chants for Prime and Compline and Matins.  Today, Terce to None.

The Ordinary of Advent

The key changes to the 'little hours' during Advent are:

• if you are singing it, the hymn has a proper tone for the season;
• there is an antiphon to be used for each hour every day for each week up to December 16, and then each day; 
• the chapter and versicle is of the season; and
• the closing prayers are said kneeling.

The hymn

The text of the hymns at each of the hours is unchanged  - so Nunc Sancte Nobis for Terce, Rector Potens for Sext, and Rerum Deus for None.

The hymn tune though - which is the same for Prime, Terce, Sext and None - is of the season (except on major feasts such as the Immaculate Conception).  Note that it is not the same as the one used in Roman Office.

I haven't been able to locate a video or nice recording of it, so the best approach to learning it is probably to listen to one of the archived Le Barroux recordings of Sext.

Antiphons

The antiphons used at the little hours are from Sunday Lauds.

For the first three weeks, as well as Sunday Lauds, the antiphons are also set out in the Ordinary of Advent section at the front of the Diurnal', on pages 13*-15*.  Between December 17 and December 23 there is a set of antiphons to be used for the day of the week (pages 37* and following in the Diurnal).

The default rule (for all purposes) is to use:

• the first antiphon of Lauds for Prime;
• the second antiphon of Lauds for Terce;
• the third antiphon of Lauds for Sext; and
• the fifth antiphon for None.

There are exceptions, though, and if you look at Saturday in this period, the Diurnal only has four antiphons for Lauds (because of the divided canticle), and so supplies an additional one for Sext.

Chapter and versicle

The chapter and versicle for each of these hours is of Advent, and is the same throughout the season on weekdays, and so can be found in the psalter section of the Diurnal, as well in the 'Ordinary of Advent' section.  There are separate texts for each Sunday.

Collect

As usual, the collect is of Sunday of the week, except for the Ember Days in the third week of Advent (and of course on feasts).

The closing prayers are said kneeling during Advent.

Feasts

On feasts, the variable texts of these hours (ie antiphon, chapter, versicle and collect) are replaced by those of the feast.

Summary: Terce, Sext and None during Advent days that are not feasts

PART OF THE HOUR	ADVENT
Opening prayers (Deus in adjutorium/Gloria patri/Alleluia)	Same as for all of the day hours (MD 1); stand, make sign of cross
Hymn	As for throughout the year, same each day for that hour; Advent psalm tone.
Antiphon	Of the Advent week or day (from Dec 17)
Psalm+Gloria Patri Psalm+Gloria Patri Psalm+Gloria+Gloria Patri	As for throughout the year, psalms for Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday to Saturday.
Antiphon	Repeat earlier antiphon
Chapter	Of Advent
Versicle	Of Advent
Closing Prayers (Kyrie/Pater noster/…Benedicamus Domino…Fidelium animae)	As throughout the year but said kneeling.
-          Collect	Of the week or day.