Bright Thursday

He stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you. Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all nations."                                                 Luke 24:36b, 46-47

Jesus died to redeem the sinful world, but he rose again in order that we might believe in his power over death and have faith in him- a faith that grows and matures throughout our life on earth. According to St. Gregory, Jesus revealed himself to the disciples on the road to Emmaus because they loved him, and yet he concealed himself because they were doubtful about his Resurrection. Thus it was that he opened the Scriptures to them, making their hearts burn within them and melting the doubt from their hearts. When he appeared to the others, Simon Peter and John the Divine had already told them of the Resurrection, having believed when they saw his burial clothes. Yet he still opened their minds to understand the Scriptures that they did not yet grasp. Faith always requires confirmation and growth- no matter what I witness or experience, I shall depend on faith until seeing God face to face, and therefore continue to struggle and pray for grace to help my unbelief. 

Voskresenie Tvoje, Khriste Spase, anheli pojut na nebesech; 

Thy resurrection, Christ Savior, the angels praise in the heavens; 

i nas na zemli spodoni tchistim serdtsim Tebe slavite.

and give us in our land pure hearts to glorify thee.

Bright Tuesday

"Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

John 20:17

"Noli me tangere" is one of the cryptic things said by Jesus after his resurrection. "Mi mou haptou" is perhaps best rendered by the NAB- "Stop holding on to me," do not cling to me- physical separation from Jesus is necessary for the sending of the Spirit and his continued presence.

It is sometimes difficult to move beyond consolations, but it is necessary because we are called to love and seek God, not the consolations of God, and only by letting go of created things can we embrace their Creator more fully.

Chorale:
Alleluia!

O filii et filiae, Rex caelestis, Rex gloriae morte surrexit hodie. Alleluia!
O sons and daughters, the heavenly King, the King of of glory, rose from death today. Alleluia!

Et Maria Magdalene, et Iacobi, et Salome venerunt corpus ungere. Alleluia!
And Mary Magdalen, and [the mother] of James, and Salome came to anoint the body. Alleluia!

Ex mane prima Sabbati ad ostium monumenti accesserunt discipuli. Alleluia!
On the first morning after the Sabbath the disciples came to the door of the tomb. Alleluia!

Et Ioannes apostolus cucurrit Petro citius, monumento venit prius. Alleluia!
And the Apostle John ran swifter than Peter, and came to the tomb first. Alleluia!

In hoc festo sanctissimo sit laus et iubilatio: benedicamus Domino. Alleluia!
On this most holy feast be praise and rejoicing: let us bless the Lord. Alleluia!

Ex quibus nos humillimas devotas atque debitas Deo dicamus gratias. Alleluia!
From which let us give thanks most devotedly and duly to God. Alleluia!

Bright Monday

"Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

Matthew 28:10

His mercy endures forever. Jesus reveals to his disciples where to meet him, and it is the place where he first met and called them. It is an invitation to return, to make a new beginning; a reminder of their first love for the Master. Jesus did not abandon those who abandoned him, and was never angry about their desertion and denial of him, but rather called them to growth and healing, for gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger and abounding in kindness, and he will not abandon my soul to the nether world, not suffer his faithful one to undergo corruption.

Chant:

Eksomologisthe to Kirio oti agathos, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Eksomologisthe to Theo ton theon, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
Give thanks to the God of gods, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alelluia!

Eksomologisthe to Kirio ton kirion, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

To pisanti thamasia megala mono, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
To him who alone works great wonders, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

To pisanti tous ouranous en sinesi, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
To him who made the heavens in wisdom, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

To stereosanti tin yin epi ton idaton, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
To him who laid the earth above the waters, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

To pisanti fota megala mono, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
To him who made great lights, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Ton ilion is exousian tis imeras, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
The sun to rule in the days, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Tin selinin ke tous asteras is exousian tis niktos, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
The moon and the stars to rule in the night, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

To pataksanti Eyipton sin tis prototokis afton, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
To him who struck down Egypt in their firstborns, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Ke eksagagonti ton Israil ek mesou afton, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
And led Israel out from their midst, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

En kiri kratea ke en brakioni ipsilo, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
With a powerful hand and with an arm outstretched, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

To katadielonti tin Erithran Thalassan tis dieresis, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
To him who divided the Red Sea into two, alleluia! For his love is eternal, alleluia!

Ke diagagonti ton Israil dia mesou aftis, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
And led Israel through the midst of it, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Ke ektinaksanti Farao ke tis dinamin aftou is Thalassan Erithran, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
And overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

To diagagonti ton laon aftou en ti erimo, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
To him who led his people through the wilderness, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

To pataksanti vasilis megalous, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
To him who struck down great kings, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Ke apoktinanti vasilis krateous, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
And slew mighty kings, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Ton Zion vasilea ton Amarreon, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
Sihon, king of the Amorites, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Ke ton Og vasilea tin Basan, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
And Og, king of Bashan, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Ke donti tin yin afton klironomian, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
And gave their land as inheritance, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!


Klironomian Israil doulo aftou, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
An inheritance to Israel his servant, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Oti en ti tapinosi imon emnisthi imon o Kirios, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
The Lord who recalls the humble ones, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Ke elitrosato imas ek ton ekthron imon, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
And rescues him from his enemy, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

O didous tofin pasi sarki, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
Who gives food to the body, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Eksomologisthe to Theo tou ouranou, allilouia! Oti is ton eona to eleos aftou, allilouia!
Give thanks to the God of heaven, alleluia! For his mercy is eternal, alleluia!

Paschal Sunday of the Resurrection

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad!

Psalm 118 (Antiphon)

Victimae paschali laudes immolent Christiani.
Let Christians offer sacrificial praises to the paschal victim.

Agnus redemit oves: Christus innocens Patri reconciliavit peccatores.
The lamb has redeemed the sheep: The Innocent Christ has reconciled sinners to the Father.

Mors et vita duello conflixere mirando: dux vitae mortuus, regnat vivus.
Death and life contended in a spectacular battle: the Prince of life, who died, reigns alive.

Dic nobis Maria, quid vidisti in via? 
Tell us, Mary, what did you see on the road? 

Sepulcrum Christi viventis, et gloriam vidi resurgentis: Angelicos testes, sudarium, et vestes.
"I saw the tomb of the living Christ and the glory of his rising, The angelic witnesses, the clothes and the shroud."

Surrexit Christus spes mea: praecedet suos in Galilaeam.
"Christ my hope is arisen; into Galilee, he will go before his own."

Scimus Christum surrexisse a mortuis vere: tu nobis, victor Rex, miserere. Amen. Alleluia!
We know Christ is truly risen from the dead! On us, victor King, have mercy! Amen. Alleluia!


Notre pâque immolée c'est le Christ, rassurons-nous dans la joie un feston de Seigneur.
Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed; let us then feast with joy in the Lord.

Holy Saturday

Come, let us return to the LORD, for it is he who has rent, but he will heal us;  he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds. He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence. 

    Hosea 6:1b-2 (Office of Lauds)

Incepit oratio Hieremiae Prophetae:

Thus begins the prayer of Jeremiah the Prophet:

Recordare, Domine, quid acciderit nobis; intuere et respice opprobrium nostrum.

Remember, O Lord, what hath come upon us; consider and behold our reproach.

Hereditas nostra versa est ad alienos, domus nostrae ad extraneos.
Our inheritance is turned to aliens, our houses to strangers.

Pupilli facti sumus absque patre, matres nostrae quasi viduae.
Orphans we are made without father, our mothers are as widows.

Aquam nostram pecunia bibimus, ligna nostra pretio comparamus.
Our water at a price we have drunk, our wood at a price we have purchased.

Cervicibus minamur nostris; lassis non datur requies.
By our necks we are dragged, weary and not given rest.

Aegyptiis dedimus manum et Assyriis, ut saturaremur pane.
We have given our hand to the Egyptians and Assyrians, that we might be satisfied by bread.

Patres nostri peccaverunt et non sunt, et nos iniquitates eorum portamus.
Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities.

Servi dominantur nostri; non est qui redimat de manu eorum.
Servants have rules us; there is none who redeems us from their hand.

Vitae nostrae periculo afferimus panem nobis a facie gladii in deserto.
At peril of our life we brought bread, because of the sword in the desert.

Converte nos, Domine, ad te, et convertemur; innova dies nostros sicut a principio.
Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted: renew our days, as from the beginning.

Holy Tuesday

"Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow me later. Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times."

John 13:36, 38

We must experience the love of God before we can follow Jesus with an undivided heart. Peter loved Jesus and earnestly desired to follow him, but he did not yet know the depth of Jesus' love for him and his own love had not yet matured through suffering. Jesus' first instruction to his disciples after he commanded them love one another as I have loved you was watch and pray, to remain close to him although he would be taken away. This is our instruction also, our induction into the school of love, to watch and pray, remaining by Jesus' side before and above all else.

Chant:

Ave verum corpus, natum de Maria Virgine, vere passum, immolatum in cruce pro homine,
Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin Mary, having truly suffered, sacrificed on the cross for mankind,

cuius latus perforatum fluxit aqua et sanguine: esto nobis praegustatum mortis in examine.
whose pierced side flowed with water and blood: be for us a foretaste [of Heaven] in the trial of death.

O Jesu dulcis, O Jesu pie, O Jesu, fili Mariae.
O sweet Jesus, O loving Jesus, O Jesus, Son of Mary.

Holy Monday

Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.    John 12:3

Acts of penance cannot impress the Lord or win pardon for sins; it is only as signs of a contrite and humbled spirit that the actions accompanying our repentance are pleasing sacrifices.

Psalm 51 [50]
Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam; 
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. 

et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam.
and according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my iniquity.

Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea et a peccato meo munda me. 
Wash me yet more from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 

Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco, et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
For my iniquity I know, and my sin is before me always.

Tibi soli peccavi et malum coram te feci, ut iustificeris in sermonibus tuis et vincas cum iudicaveris. 
To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged. 

Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
For behold in iniquities I was conceived, and in sins did my mother conceive me.

Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi. 
For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me. 

Asperges me hysopo, et mundabor; lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam, et exultabunt ossa humiliata.
To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness, and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice. 

Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
Turn away thy face from my sins, and all my iniquities blot out.

Cor mundum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum firmum innova in visceribus meis. 
A clean heart create in me, O God, and renew a right spirit within my bowels. 

Ne proicias me a facie tua et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
Cast me not away from thy face and thy holy spirit take not from me.

Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui et spiritu principale confirma me. 
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit. 

Docebo iniquos vias tuas, et impii ad te convertentur.
I will teach the unjust thy ways, and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae, et exsultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam. 
Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall extol thy justice. 

Domine, labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
O Lord, thou wilt open my lips, and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

Quoniam si voluisses sacrificum, dedissem utique; holocaustis non delectaberis.
For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it; with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted. 

Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus; cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non dispicies.
A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a heart contrite and humbled, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion; ut aedificentur muri Hierusalem. 
Deal favorably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae, oblationes et holocausta; tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.
Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings; then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

First Sunday of the Passion

Meditation with music for the First Sunday of the Passion: 

The Marian antiphon used from the Presentation of the Lord to Wednesday of Holy Week

Ave, Regina caelorum, ave, Domina Angelorum: 
Hail, Queen of Heaven, hail, Lady of Angels:

Salve, radix, salve, porta ex qua mundo lux est orta:
Hail, root, hail, gate from whom light has arisen unto the world:

Gaude, Virgo gloriosa, super omnes speciosa,  
Rejoice, O glorious Virgin, beautiful above all others, 

Vale, o valde decora, et pro nobis Christum exora. 
Farewell, O exceedingly honored, and beseech Christ on our behalf.


Ave, Regina Caelorum originated as a processional antiphon, and- despite its use during the solemn season of Lent, solemnity reflected in the contrition of the closing prayer- it repeatedly greets Mary in words that echo joy and confidence in her intercession. Mary is queen, lady, root, door; these words recall associated biblical allusions used in the ancient Eastern hymn, the Akathist. She is greeted with words of increasing intensity, words which our English translation does not sufficiently render: ave, salve, gaude, valde. These are forms of greeting that show an increase of intensity and regard.