Chapter the Eighth. on the Office of Compline; During Advent

This Office, which concludes the day, commences by a warning of the dangers of the night : then immediately follows the public Confession of our sins, as a powerful means of propitiating the divine justice, and obtaining God's help, now that we are going to spend so many hours in the unconscious and therefore dangerous state of sleep, which is also such an image of death.

The Lector, addressing the Priest, says to him : y. Jube, Domine, benedi- Pray, Father, give thy blesscere. ing.

The Priest answers :

Noctem quietam, et finem May the Almighty Lord perfectum concedat nobis grant us a quiet night and a

Dominus omnipotens. perfect end.

1$. Amen. 1$. Amen.

The Lector then reads these words, from the first Epistle of St. Peter:

Fratres : Sobrii estote, et vigilate : quia adversarius vester diabolus, tamquam leo rugiens circuit quaerens quern devoret : cui resistite fortes in fide. Tu autem, Domine, miserere nobis.

Brethren, be sober and watch : for your adversary the devil goes about like a roaring Hon, seeking whom he may devour : resist him, being strong in faith. But thou, O Lord, have mercy on us.

The Choir answers :

1$. Thanks be to God. 1$. Deo gratias.

Then, the Priest :

J. Our help is in the name Adjutorium nostrum in of the Lord. nomine Domine.

The Choir :

1$. Who hath made heaven Qui fecit ccelum et ter- and earth. ram.

Then the Lord's Prayer is recited in secret ; after which the Priest says the Confiteor, and, when he has finished, the Choir repeats it.

The Priest, having pronounced the general form of absolution, says : f. Convert us, O God our Saviour.

1$. And turn away thine anger from us.

J. Incline unto my aid, OGod.

1$. 0 Lord, make haste to help me. Glory, &c. Ant. Have mercy. ft. Converte nos, Deus, Salutaris noster.

1$. Et averte iram tuam a nobis. ft. Deus, in adjutorium meum intende.

1$. Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina.

Gloria Patri, <kc.

Ant. Miserere.

The first Psalm expresses the confidence with which the just man sleeps in peace ; but the wicked know not what calm rest is. It also speaks of the eternal Word, the Light of the Father, who is coming to dispel our darkness.

PSALM 4.

When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me : when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me.

Have mercy on me : and hear my prayer.

Cum invocarem exaudivit me Deus justitiae meae : * in tribulatione dilatasti mihi.

Miserere mei : * et exaudi orationem meam.

Filii hominum, usojiequo gravi corde 1 * ut quid cbligitis vanitatem, et quaeritis mendacium 1

Et scitote (pioniam mirificavit Dominus sanctum suuin : * Dominus exaudiet me, cum clamavero ad eum.

Irascimini, et nolite peccare : * quae dicitis in cordibus vestns, in cubilibus vestris compungimini.

Sacrificate sacrificium justitise, et sperate in Domino : * multi dicunt : Quis ostendit nobis bona ?

Signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui Domine : * dedisti laetitiam in corde meo.

A fructu frumenti, vini et olei sui : * multiplicati sunt.

In pace in idipsum : * dormiam et requiescam.

Quoniam tu, Domine, singulariter in spe : constituisti me.

O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? why do you love vanity, and seek after lying %

Know ye also that the Lord hath made his Holy One wonderful : the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him

Be ye angry, and sin not : the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.

Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord : many say, Who showeth us good things ?

The Light of thy countenance, OLord, is signed upon us : thou hast given gladness in my heart.

By the fruit of their corn, their wine, and oil, they are multiplied.

In peace, in the self same, I will sleep, and I will rest.

For thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.

The Church has introduced here the six first Verses of the thirtieth Psalm, because they contain the prayer which our Saviour made when dying: Into thy hands, 0 Lord, I commend my spirit! words so beautifully appropriate in this Office of the close of day. During Advent, the Church lays particular stress on those verses of this Psalm, in which David invokes him who is the Deliverer and Sa- viour. psalm 30.

In te, Domine, speravi, non In thee, O Lord, have I confundar in seternum : * in hoped, let me never be conjustitia tua libera me. founded : deliver me in thy justice.

Bow down thy ear to me : make haste to deliver me.

Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, to save me.

For thou art my strength, and my refuge : and for thy name's sake thou wilt lead me, and nourish me.

Thou wilt bring me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me : for thou art my protector.

Into thy hands I commend my spirit : thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.

Inclina ad me aurem tuam : * accelera ut eruas me.

Esto mihi in Deum protectorem, et in domum refugii : * ut salvum me facias.

Quoniam fortitudo mea, et refugium meum es tu : * et propter nomen tuum deduces me, et enutries me.

Educes me de laqueo hoc, quem absconderunt mihi : * quoniam tu es protector meus.

In manus tuas commendo spiritum meum : * redemisti me, Domine, Deus veritatis.

The third Psalm gives the motives of the just man's confidence, even during the dangers of the night. Then, we have God himself speaking, and promising to show us our Saviour.

PSALM 90.

He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven.

He shall say to the Lord : Thou art my protector, and my refuge : my God, in him will I trust.

For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.

He will overshadow thee with his shoulders : and under his wings thou shalt trust.

His truth shall compass thee with a shield : thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night

Of the arrow that flieth in

Qui habitat in adjutorio Altissimi : * in protectione Dei coeli commoraoitur.

Dicet Domino: Susceptor meus es tu, et refugium meum : * Deus meus, sperabo in eum.

Quoniam ipse liberavit me de laqueo venantium : * et a verbo aspero.

Scapulis suis obumbrabit tibi : * et sub pennis ejus sperabis.

Scuto circumdabit te Veritas ejus : * non timebis a timore nocturno.

A sagitta volante in die, a negotio perambulante in tenebris : * ab incursu, et daemonio meridiano.

Cadent a latere tuo mille, et decern millia a dextris tuis : * ad te autem non appropinquabit.

Verumtamen oculis tuis considerabis : * et retributionem peccatorum videbis.

Quoniam tu es, Domine, spes mea : * Altissimum posuisti refugium tuum.

Non aceedet ad te malum : * et flagellum non appropinquabit tabernaculo tuo.

Quoniam Angelis suis mandavit de te : * ut custodiant te in omnibus viis tuis.

In manibus portabunt te : P ne forte offendas ad lapidem pedem tuum.

Super aspidem et basiliscuin ambulabis : * et conculcabis leonem et draconem.

Quoniam in me speravit, liberabo eum : * protegam eum, quoniam cognovit nomen meum.

Clamabit ad me, et ego exaudiam eum : * cum ipso sum in tribulatione, eripiam eum et glorificabo eum.

Longitudine dierum replebo eum: * et ostendam llli Salutare meum. the day : of the business that walketh about in the dark : of invasion, or of the noonday devil.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand : but it shall not come nigh thee.

But thou shalt consider with thy eyes : and shalt see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast said: Thou, O Lord, art my hope : Thou hast made the Most High thy refuge.

There shall no evil come to thee, nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.

For he hath given his Angels charge over thee : to keep thee in all thy ways.

In their hands they shall bear thee up : lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt walk upon the asp and basilisk : and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.

God ivill say of thee : Because he hoped in me, I will deliver him : I will protect him, because he Hath known my name.

He will cry to me, and I will hear him : I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.

I will fill him with length of days : and I will show him my salvation.

The fourth Psalm invites the Servants of God to persevere with fervour, in the pfayers they offer during the Night. The Faithful should say this Psalm in a spirit of gratitude to God, for his raising dp, in the Church, adorers of his holy name, whose grand vocation is to lift up their hands, day and night, for the safety of Israel. On such prayers depend the happiness and destinies of the world.

PSALM 133.

Behold now bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord.

Who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.

In the nights lift up your hands to the holy places, and bless ye the Lord.

Say to Israel: May the Lord out of Sion bless thee, he that made heaven and earth.

Ant. Have mercy on me, O Lord, and hear my prayer.

Ecce nunc benedicite Dominum : * omnes servi Domini

Qui statis in domo Domini: *in atriis domus Dei nostrL

In noctibus extollite manus vestras in sancta : * et benedicite Dominum,

Benedicat te Dominus ex Sion : * qui fecit ccelum et terram.

Ant. Miserere mei, Domine, et exaudi orationem meam. hymn;

Before the closing of the light, we beseech thee, Creator of all things ! that, in thy clemency, thou be our protector and our guard.

May the dreams and phantoms of night depart far from us ; and do thou repress our enemy, lest our bodies be profaned.

Most merciful Father !

Te lucis ante terminum, Kerum Creator, poscimus, Ut pro tua dementia Sis praesul et custodia.

Procul recedant somnia, Et noctium phantasmata ; Hostemque nostrum cornprime, Ne polluantur corpora.

Praesta, Pater piissime,

• According to the Monastic Rite, as follows :

Te lucis ante terminum, Rerum Creator, poscimus, Ut solita dementia Sis praesul ad custodiam.

Procul recedant somnia Et noctium phantasmata ;

Hostemque nostrum comprime, Ne polluantur corpora.

Praesta Pater omnipotens, Per Jesum Christum Dominum, Qui tecum in perpetuum Regnat cum Sancto Spiritu.

Patrique compar Unice, and thou, his Only Begotten Cum Spiritu Paraclito Son, co-equal with him !

Regnans per omne sseculum. reigning for ever with the Amen. Holy Paraclete ! grant this our prayer. Amen.

CAPITULUM.

(Jeremias, xiv.)

Tu autem in nobis es, But thou art in us. O Lord,

Domine, et nomen sanctum and thy holy name has been tuum invocatum est super invoked upon us : forsake us nos ; ne derelinquas nos, Do- not, O Lord our God. mine Deus noster. ft. In manus tuas, Domi- 3$. Into thy hands, O Lord: ne : * Commendo spiritum * I commend my spirit. Into meum. In manus tuas. thy hands.

Redemisti nos, Domine ^. Thou hast redeemed us,

Deus veritatis. * Commendo. O Lord God of truth. * I commend.

Gloria. In manus tuas. Glory. Into thy hands.

% Custodi nos, Domine, ^. Preserve us, O Lord, as ut pupillam oculi the apple of thine eye. ft. Sub umbra alarum tua- ft Protect us under the rum protege nos. shadow of thy wings.

The Canticle of the venerable Simeon, — who, whilst holding the divine Infant in his arms, proclaimed him to be the Light of the Gentiles, and then slept the sleep of the just, — admirably expresses the rest which a good Christian, whose heart is united to God, enjoys in Jesus ; for, as the Apostle says, whether we wake or sleep, we live together with him who died for us.

CANTICLE OF SIMEON. (St Luke, ii.)

Nunc dimittis servum Now dost thou dismiss thy tuum, Domine : * secundum servant, O Lord, according to verbum tuum in pace. thy word, in peace.

1 L These, v. 10.

Because my eyes have seen thySalvation.

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples.

A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Glory, &c

Ant. Save us, O Lord, whilst awake, and watch us as we sleep : that we may watch with Christ, and rest in peace.

Quia viderunt oculi mei : * Salutare tuum.

Quod parasti : *ante faciem omnium populorum.

Lumen ad revelationem Gentium : * et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

Gloria Patri, et Filio, Ac

Ant. Salva nos, Domine, vigilantes : custodi nos dormientes, ut vigilemus cum Christo, et requiescamus in pace.

PBAYERS.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, nave mercy on us.

Our Father. ft. And lead us not into temptation. 1$. But deliver us from evil ft. I believe in God, &c ft. The resurrection of the body.

B. And life everlasting. Amen. ft. Blessed art thou, Lord God of our fathers.

1$. And praiseworthy and glorious for ever. ft. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, with the Holy Ghost.

1$. Let us praise, and magnify him for ever. ft. Thou art blessed, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven.

1$. And praiseworthy, and glorious, and magnified for ever. ft. May the Almighty and merciful Lord bless us and keep us.

5. Amen.

Eyrie eleison, Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.

Pater noster. ft. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem. 5. Sed libera nos a malo. ft. Credo in Deum, &c ft. Carnis resurrectionem.

1$. Vitam aeternam. Amen. ft. Benedictus es, Domine Deus patrum nostrorum.

1$. Et laudabilis et gloriosus in saecula. ft. BenedicamusPatrem,et Filium, cum Sancto Spiritu.

5. Laudemus, et supertemus eum in ssecula. - ft. Benedictus es, Domine, in firmamento cceli.

1$. Et laudabilis, et gloriosus, et superexaltatus in saecula. ft. Benedicat et custodiat nos omnipotens et misericors Dominus. ft. Amen. ft. Dignare, Domine, nocte ft. Vouchsafe, O Lord, this ista, ^S}1^ ft Sine peccato nos cus- ft To keep us without sin. todire. ft. Miserere nostri, Do- ft. Have mercy on us, O mine. Lord. ft. Miserere nostri. ft Have mercy on us.

Fiat misericordia tua, ft. Let thy mercy be upon

Domine, super nos. us, O Lord. ft Quemadmodum spera- ft As we have hoped in vimus in te. thee.

^.Domine, exaudi ora- ft. O Lord, hear my prayer, tionem meam.

1$. Et clamor meus ad te ft And let my cry come veniat. unto thee.

After these Prayers, (which are omitted if the Office be of a double rite,) the Priest says : ft. Dominus vobiscum. ft Et cum spiritu tuo.

QBEMUS.

Visita, quaesumus, Domine, habitationem istam, et omnes insidias inimici ab ea longe repelle : Angeli tui sancti haoitent in ea, qui nos in pace custodiant : et benedictio tua sit super nos semper. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula sseculorum.

Amen, ft. Dominus vobiscum. ft Et cum spiritu tuo. ft. Benedicamus Domino. ft Deo gratias.

Benedicat et custodiat nos omnipotens et misericors Dommus, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus. ft Amen. ft. The Lord be with you. ft And with thy spint.

LET US PRAY.

Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this house and family, and drive from it all snares of the enemy : let thy holy Angels dwell herein, who may keep us in peace, and may thy blessing be always upon us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

The Lord be with you. |. And with thy spirit. , Let us bless the Lord, , Thanks be to God. lay the Almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost bless and preserve us. ft Amen.

ANTHEM TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

Sweet Mother of our Redeemer ! Gate whereby we enter heaven, and Star of the sea, help us, we fall ; yet do we long to rise. Nature looked upon thee with admiration, when thou didst give birth to thy divine Creator, thyself remaining, before and after it, a pure Virgin. Gabriel spoke his Hail to thee ; we sinners crave thy pity. f. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.

1$. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.

Alma Redemptoris mater, quae pervia cceli

Porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti

Surgere qui curat populo. Tu quae genuisti,

Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Virgo prius ac posterius. Gabrielis ab ore

Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere. y. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.

1$. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.

LET US PRAY.

Pour forth, we beseech thee, 0 Lord, thy grace into our hearts ; that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ thy Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may, by his Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.

1$. Amen.

May the divine assistance remain always with us.

1$. Amen.*

OREMUS.

Gratiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde, ut qui, Angelo nuntiante Christi Filii tui Incarnationem cognovimus, per Passionem ejus et Crucem ad Resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eumdem ChristumDominum nostrum.

1$. Amen. if. Divinum auxilium maneat semper nobiscum. R Amen.*

Then, in secret, Pater, Ave, and Credo ; page 46.

• In the Monastic Site, this Response is as follows : ft. And with our absent Brethren. Amen. ft. Et cum fratribus nostris absentibus. Amen.

PROPER OF THE TIME.

Under this heading of Proper of the Tvme, we here comprise the moveable Office of the Sundays and Ferias of Advent. Though anxious to give to the faithful the flowers of the Advent Liturgy, yet were we to bring forward even those which might be considered as the choicest, four volumes would have barely sufficed. The fear of making our work too expensive to the faithful, persuaded us to limit it within much narrower bounds, and out of the abundant treasures before us, to give what we thought could be least dispensed with.

The plan we have adopted is this : We give the whole of the Mass and Vespers for the four Sundays of Advent. On the Ferial days, we give one, at least, of the lessons from Isaias, which are read in the Office of Matins; adding to this a Hymn or Sequence, or some other poetic liturgical composition. All these have been taken from the gravest sources, for example, from the Roman and Mozarabic Breviaries, from the Greek Anthology and Menaea, from the Missals of the Middle Ages, &c. After this Hymn or Sequence, we have given a Prayer from the Ambrosian, Gallican, or Mozarabic Missals. So that the faithful will find, in our collection, an unprecedented abundance of liturgical formulae, each of which carries authority with it, as being taken from ancient and approved sources.

We have not thought it desirable to give a commentary to each of the liturgical formulae inserted in our work. It seemed to us that they would be rendered sufficiently intelligible by the general explanation which runs through our work, and in which explanation we have endeavoured to excite the devotion of the reader, give unity to the several parts, and afford solid instruction. We shall thus avoid all those repetitions and common-place remarks, which do little more than fatigue the reader.

We have inserted the Great Antiphons and the Office of Christmas Eve in the Proper of the Saints, because both of these have fixed days in the Calendar, and to put them in the Proper of the Time, as they are in the Breviary and Missal, would have required us to introduce into a book, destined for the laity, rubrics which are somewhat complicated, and would, perhaps, not have been understood.