We had sung Mass at the Pro. tonight at 6.30pm; I made it to the prefatory Holy Hour, and managed to say Matins before Benediction. (I've gone back to the Breviary since Monday, but until today had compromised by saying the modern Office of Readings rather than attempting the nine-psalm Matins of the Breviary; taking up a suggestion I've seen elsewhere, I say Lauds and Prime before work, Terce, Sext and None after work, Vespers in the evening and Compline at bedtime, and fit in Matins when I can, even if out of order.)
Again, the music provided was modest: Rossini psalm-toned Propers, Missa de Angelis, and for hymns Ave maris stella at Offertory, O sanctissima at Communion, the martial "Help of Christians, guard this land" for a processional and the Lourdes Hymn, with its refrain Ave, ave, ave Maria, as a fitting recessional - the congregation even burst into harmony for this last item. With twenty at Mass, plus two servers for Fr (so incense, but no candles), and Rosemary and myself as the choir, we did pretty well. Fr Rowe of course gave us a good sermon on the sweet Name of Mary, and why it is so worthy of our entire respect and veneration, being pregnant with sacred meaning and a most strong weapon against the enemies of our salvation, just as once with her aid the victorious Christians defeated the Turkish hordes before Vienna.
Speaking of history, again Aaron and I joined Fr for dinner afterward, and I read to them from Butler's Lives of the Saints his description of the defeat of the Turks at the hands of John Sobieski; I had also read out St Bernard's celebrated encomium of Our Lady from his Homily II in Praise of Mary (formerly read at Matins to-day as the Lessons of the Second Nocturn). I read, because Fr's habit is for us to use the grace before and after meals from the Breviary, and I had been blessed to read as part of this! Oh, and we had some Orval Trappist beer to celebrate...
Another option is to read just the matins readings in English. I can do this from the '11 Breviary, but it's not the same.
ReplyDeleteIf I had time - I mean, made the time - then I would do two things in addition to reading the Breviary: I would do some serious lectio divina, so as to read over the Scriptures each year; and I would read a good passage from the Fathers each day, and for this purpose I would use the selection given in the modern Divine Office. This would I think well supplement the rather short Matins readings in the '62.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a copy of the 1911 Breviary in English (the Marquess of Bute's translation)? Or do you read it online?
BTW, best of luck for your upcoming visit to Wigratzbad!
It's neither, Joshua: it's the "Anglican" Breviary, which is really the 1911 in English with some BCP Collects, and some crazy renumbering...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I would do that too. And read some Guéranger, and some Butler's, and other stuff.
Thanks for your good wishes. Keep me in your prayers!