Part 23 (1/2)
cxlviii.]
In the Post-communion, on the day of the a.s.sumption, this prayer is offered:--”Partakers of the heavenly table, we implore thy clemency, O Lord our G.o.d, that we who celebrate the a.s.sumption of the mother of G.o.d, may, by her intercession, be freed from all impending evils. Through,”
&c. [Mensae coelestis participes effecti imploramus clementiam tuam, Domine Deus noster, ut qui a.s.sumptionem Dei Genetricis colimus, a cunctis malis imminentibus ejus intercessione liberemur. Per.--Miss.
Rom.]
”We beseech Thee, O Lord, let the glorious intercession of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary protect us and bring us to life eternal.”
[Beatae et gloriosae semper Virginia Mariae, quaesumus, Domine, intercessio gloriosa nos protegat, et ad vitam producat aeternam.--Vern. clv.]
”Pardon, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the offences of thy servants, that we, who cannot please Thee of our own act, may be saved by the intercession of the mother of thy Son, our Lord, who liveth with Thee.” [Famulorum tuorum quaesumus, Domine, delictis ignosce, ut qui tibi placere de nostris actibus non valemus, Genetricis Filii tui, Domini nostri, intercessione salvemur, qui tec.u.m vivit.--Vern. clxix.]
On the vigil of the Epiphany, this prayer is offered in the Post-communion at the ma.s.s,--”Let this communion, O Lord, purge us from guilt, and by the intercession of the blessed Virgin, mother of G.o.d, let it make us partakers of the heavenly cure. Through the same.” [Haec nos communio, Domine, purget a crimine, et intercedente beata Virgine Dei genetrice coelestis remedii faciat esse consortes. Per eundem.--Miss.
Rom.]
”Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord G.o.d, that we thy {335} servants may enjoy perpetual health of body and mind, and be freed from present sorrow, and enjoy eternal gladness, by the glorious intercession of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin. Through.” [Concede nos famulos tuos, quaesumus, Domine Deus, perpetua mentis et corporis sanitate gaudere, et gloriosa beatae Mariae semper Virginis intercessione a praesenti liberari trist.i.tia, et aeterna perfrui laet.i.tia. Per Dominum.--Vern. cxlvi.]
On the second Sunday after Easter, we find a further and more sad departure from the simplicity of Christian wors.h.i.+p, in which the Church of Rome declares that the offerings made to G.o.d at the Lord's Supper were made for the honour of the Virgin.--”Having received, O Lord, the helps of our salvation, grant, we beseech Thee, that by the patronage of Mary, ever Virgin, we may be every where protected; in veneration of whom we make these offerings to thy Majesty.” [Sumptis, Domine, salutis nostrae subsidiis, da, quaesumus, beatae Mariae semper Virginis patrociniis ubique protegi, _in cujus veneratione_ haec tuae obtulimus Majestati.--Post Commun. Mis. Rom.]
On the octave of Easter, at the celebration of ma.s.s, in the Secret, the intercession of the Virgin is made to appear as essential a cause of our peace and blessedness as the propitiation of Christ; or rather, the two are represented as joint concurrent causes; as though the office of the Saviour was confined to propitiation, exclusive altogether of intercession, whilst the office of intercession was a.s.signed to the Virgin.--”By thy propitiation, O Lord, and by the intercession of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may this offering be profitable to us for perpetual and present prosperity and peace.” [Tua, Domine, propitiatione et beatae Marisae semper Virginis intercessione ad perpetuam atque prsesentem haec oblatio n.o.bis profecerit prosperitatem et pacem.] {336}
IV. A fourth station in this lamentable progress was evidenced when Christians at the tombs of martyrs implored, yet still in prayer to G.o.d, that He would, for the sake of the martyrs, and by their merits and good offices, grant to the pet.i.tioner some benefit temporal or spiritual. Of that practice, we have an example in this prayer: ”O G.o.d, who didst deign to choose the blessed Virgin's womb in which to dwell, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to make us, defended by her protection, to take pleasure in her commemoration.” [Deus qui virginalem aulam beatae Mariae in qua habitares eligerere dignatus es, da, quaesumus, ut sua nos defensione munitos jucundos facias suae interesse commemorationi.--aest.
clvi.]
”By the Virgin mother, may the Lord grant us health and peace. Amen.”
[Per Virginem Matrem concedat n.o.bis Dominus salutem et pacem.
Amen.--Vern. cxliii.]
”By the prayers and merits of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, and of all saints, may the Lord bring us to the kingdom of heaven.” [Precibus et meritis beatae Mariae Virginis et omnium sanctorum perducat nos Dominus ad regna coelorum.--Vern. cxlvii.]
”May the Virgin Mary bless us, together with a pious offspring.” [Nos c.u.m prole pia benedicat Virgo Maria.--Vern. cxlvii.]
V. The fifth grade involves a still more melancholy departure from Christian truth and primitive simplicity, when the prayer is no longer addressed to G.o.d, but is offered to the Virgin, imploring her to intercede with G.o.d for the supplicants, yet still asking nothing but her prayers.
”Blessed mother, Virgin undefiled, glorious Queen of the world, intercede for us with the Lord.” [Beata Mater, et intacta Virgo, gloriosa regina mundi, intercede pro n.o.bis ad Dominum.--Aut. cxliv.]
{337}
”Blessed mother of G.o.d, Mary, perpetual Virgin, the temple of the Lord, the holy place of the holy Spirit, thou alone without example hast pleased our Lord Jesus Christ: Pray for the people, mediate for the clergy, intercede for the female s.e.x who are under a vow.” [Beata Dei Genitrix, Maria Virgo perpetua, templum Domini, sacrarium Spiritus Sancti, sola sine exemplo placuisti Domino nostro Jesu Christo; ora pro populo, interveni pro clero, intercede pro devoto femineo s.e.xu.--Vern.
clxiii.]
”Holy Mary, pray for us!
Holy mother of G.o.d, pray for us!
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us!”
In the form of prayer called Litaniae Lauretanae, between the most solemn addresses to the ever blessed Trinity, and to the Lamb of G.o.d that taketh away the sins of the world, are inserted more than forty addresses to the Virgin, invoking her under as many varieties of t.i.tle.
She is appealed to as--The Mirror of Justice, The Cause of our Joy, The mystical Rose, The Tower of David, The Tower of Ivory, The House of Gold, The Arc of the Covenant, The Gate of Heaven, The Refuge of Sinners, The Queen of Angels, the Queen of all Saints. [Vern. ccx.x.xix.]
In examining the case of the invocation of saints, we placed under this head, as the safer course, a kind of invocation which seemed to vacillate between this appeal to them merely for intercession, and the last consummation of all, direct prayer to them for blessings. We exemplified it by the hymn to St. Stephen. The following seems very much of the same character, addressed to the Virgin:--
”Hail, O Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, sweetness, and hope, Hail! To thee we cry, banished sons {338} of Eve. To thee we sigh, groaning and weeping in this valley of tears. Come then, our Advocate, turn those compa.s.sionate eyes of thine on us, and after this exile show to us Jesus, the blessed fruit of thy womb. O merciful! O pious! O sweet Virgin Mary! [Salve, Regina, Mater Misericordiae, vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exules filii Evae. Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in hac lachrymarum valle. Eja ergo Advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte, et Jesum benedictum fructum ventris tui n.o.bis post hoc exilium ostende. O clemens! O pia! O dulcis Virgo Maria!]