At 1 PM at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in downtown Savannah:
August 6 – Transfiguration of the Lord
INTROIT
PS. 76. 19
ILLUXERUNT coruscatióne tuæ orbi terræ: commóta est et contrémuit terra. Ps. 83. 2-3. Quam dilécta tabernácula tua, Dómine virútum! concupíscit et déficit ánima mea in átria Dómini. ℣. Glória Patri…
THY lightnings enlightened the world: the earth shook and trembled. Ps. How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! my soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. ℣. Glory be to the Father…
Collect
Deus, qui fídei sacraménta in Unigéniti tui gloriósa Transfiguratióne patrum testimónio roborásti, et adoptiónem filiórum perféctam voce delápsa in nube lúcida mirabíliter præsignásti: concéde propítius; ut ipsíus Regis glóriæ nos coherédes effícias, et ejúsdem glóriæ tríbuas esse consórtes. Per eúmdem Dóminum nostrum…
O God, who in the glorious Transfiguration of Thine only-begotten Son didst confirm the mysteries of the faith by the witness of the fathers, and in the voice which came down from the shining cloud, didst wondrously foreshow the perfect adoption of sons: vouchsafe in Thy loving kindness, to make us coheirs with this King of glory, and to grant that we may be made partakers of that same glory. Through the same our Lord…
EPISTLE
2 PETER 1. 16-19
Caríssimi: Non doctas fábulas secúti notam fécimus vobis Dómini nostri Jesu Christi virtútem et præséntiam sed speculatóres facti illíus magnitúdinis. Accípiens enim a Deo Patre honórem et glóriam, voce delápsa ad eum hujuscémodi a magnífica glória: Hic est Fílius meus diléctus, in quo mihi complácui, ipsum aúdite. Et hanc vocem nos audívimus de cælo allátam, cum essémus cum ipso in monte sancto. Et habémus firmiórem prophéticum sermónem: cui bene fácitis attendéntes, quasi lucérnæ lucénti in caliginóso loco, donec dies elucéscat, et lúcifer oriátur in córdibus vestris.
Dearly beloved: We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ; but having been made eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory; this voice coming down to Him from the excellent glory: This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him. And this voice we heard brought from heaven, when we were with Him in the holy mount. And we have the more firm prophetical word, whereunto you do well to attend, as to a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.
GRADUAL
Psalm 44. 3, 2
S
peciósus forma præ fíliis hóminum: diffúsa est grátia in lábiis tuis. ℣. Eructávit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego ópera mea Regi.
Thou art beautiful above the Sons of men: Grace is poured abroad in Thy lips. ℣. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the King.
ALLELUIA
Wisdon 7. 26
Allelúia, allelúia. ℣. Candor est lucis ætérnæ, spéculum sine mácula, et imágo bonitátis illíus. Allelúia.
Alleluia, alleluia. ℣. He is the brightness of eternal light, the unspotted mirror, and the image of His goodness. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Matthew 17. 1-9
In illo témpore: Assúmpsit Jesus Petrum, et Jacóbum, et Joánnem fratrem ejus, et duxit illos in montem excélsum seórsum: et transfiguratus est ante eos. Et resplénduit fácies ejus sicut sol: vestiménta autem ejus facta sunt alba sicut nix. Et ecce apparuérunt illis Móyses et Elías cum eo loquéntes. Respóndens autem Petrus, dixit ad Jesum: Dómine, bonum est nos hic esse: si vis, faciámus hic tria tabernácula, tibi unum, Móysi unum, et Elíæ unum. Adhuc eo loquénte, ecce nubes lúcida obumbrávit eos. Et ecce vox de nube, dicens: Hic est Fílius meus diléctus, in quo mihi bene complácui: ipsum audíte. Et audiéntes discípuli, cecidérunt in fáciem suam, et timuérunt valde. Et accéssit Jesus, et tétigit eos, dixítque eis: Súrgite, et nolíte timére. Levántes autem óculos suos, néminem vidérunt nisi solum Jesum. Et descendéntibus illis de monte, præcépit eis Jesus, dicens: Némini dixéritis visiónem, donec Fílius hóminis a mórtuis resúrgat.
At that time Jesus taketh Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: and He was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and His garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him. And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said to them: Arise, and fear not. And they lifting up their eyes saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man till the Son of Man be risen from the dead.
OFFERTORY
Psalm 111. 3
Glória et divítiæ in domo ejus: et justítia ejus manet in sǽ-culum sǽculi, allelúia.
Glory and wealth are in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever, alleluia.
Secret
Obláta, quǽsumus, Dómine, múnera, gloriósa Unigéniti tui Transfiguratiónes sanctífica: nosque a peccatórum máculis, splendóribus ipsíus illustratiónis emúnda. Per eúmdem Dóminum…
Mindful of the glorious Transfiguration of Thine only begotten Son, hallow, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gifts we offer: and by the brightness of His glory, cleanse us from the stains of sin. Through the same our Lord…
Preface
Vere dignum et justum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus: per Christum Dominum nostrum. Per quem majestatem tuam laudant Angeli, adorant Dominationes, tremunt Potestates. Coeli coelorumque Virtutes ac beata Seraphim socia exsultatione concelebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admitti jubeas, deprecamur supplici confessione dicentes:
It it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks to Thee, holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, through Christ our Lord: through Whom Angels praise Thy Majesty, Dominations worship, Powers stand in awe: the Heavens and the host of heaven with blessed Seraphim unite, exult and celebrate and we entreat that Thou wouldst bid our voices also to be heard with theirs, singing with lowly praise:
COMMUNION
Matthew 17. 9
Visiónem quam vidístis némini dixéritis, donec a mórtuis resúrgat Fílius hóminis..
Tell the vision you have seen to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead. .
Postcommunion
Præsta, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus: ut sacrosáncta Fílii tui Transfiguratiónis mystéria, quæ solémni celebrámus offício, purificátæ mentis intelligéntia consequámur. Per eúmdem Dóminum…
Vouchsafe unto us, we beseech Thee, almighty God, by the intelligence of a pure mind to attain to the understanding of the most sacred mystery of the Transfiguration of Thy Son, which with solemn worship we venerate. Through the same our Lord…
5 comments:
Interesting that the Introit 'Illuxerunt' is not in the 1974 Graduale. Usually the monks of Solesmes redistributed the chants to fit the Novus Ordo, but in this case the OF Introit is 'Tibi dixit cor meum' which belongs to the second Sunday of Lent. The OF Missal Antiphon is different altogether, although it's not supposed to be sung.
Having had relative stasis for 1500 years, liturgically speaking, the Roman Rite was subjected to innovations which began in the 1950s and reached their apogee in the 1960s wherein the Rite was declared to have been destroyed.
Only it wasn't, and could not have been - hence Summorum Pontificum whose tenth anniversary we now celebrate. Laus Deo!
At the Transfiguration, Christ ascended, according to tradition, Mount Tabor. A mountain is that natural physical structure which juts up toward the sky, toward the firmament representing Heaven. The summit of the mountain symbolizes the Heavenly reality which is above all that is earthly and worldly. The mountaintop is experienced as a place of solitude situated well above mundane,weary, hectic and often contentious life below and where one can be in a more amenable place to pray to and converse with God. At the top of the mountain, the Divine reality of who Christ is was manifested to Peter, James,and John. What was revealed to the disciples, and what they would come to more fully understand according to the Holy Spirit, is that Jesus is God and one of the Persons of the Trinity, of which the other Persons were also there present."He was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and His garments became white as snow." God does not hide His Holy truth from us and so what was manifested to the disciples on the mountain top is that which is conveyed to us through His Scripture. As is written in Daniel 7, "and the Ancient of Days took his throne His clothing was white as snow, the hair on his head like pure wool; His throne was flames of fire". Christ who "shone like the sun" at the Transfiguration, and displayed His glory and radiance, revealed to us that He is the Divine Sun emanating with the light and Fire of the Holy Spirit whose help is so necessary for our spiritual health and existence.
Moses and Elias, representing the Law and the Prophets, were also there on the mountain. Christ, through His Death and Resurrection, would fulfill what all those who obeyed His Holy law and who came before Him had foretold and hoped for. He would come forth from the the darkness of the tomb at His Resurrection, the Eternal Sun rising in splendor on that resplendent morn in the New Day of Salvation. The light of the Eternal Sun would come forth in magnificent radiance on that Glorious morn of the New Day of Salvation. And so Christ came forth- the Divine Light, in triumph over the darkness of sin and death. He came forth, just as at the beginning Creation came forth, to fill the void of darkness. The light of created things brought illumination to dispel the darkness that was there. "All things came to be through Him and without Him nothing came to be. What came through Him was life and this life was the light of the human race. The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it".
Christ is the Light of the world, the Divine light whose light shows to us what is sinful and evil. The Light of Christ enlightens us to His Divine Truth. He is the light by which is illuminated that which we should avoid, and that light which shows us what path we are to take. Now the path we are to take is to ascend the mountain of holiness which can only be done with the help of God who will reward a a sincere desire dedicated effort to do so. For most, though, it will not be attainable in this life but will have to await the ascent to Heaven in purgatory.
BTW, the EF Preface is that of the Nativity, not the Common Preface as cited above.
George I always appreciate your comments and miss you in Macon!
Father McDonald;
Thanks. That means a lot to me. I was glad to have you here at St Joseph.
I know it had to be a challenge taking over here since you were following a legend in Monsignor Cuddy.
Your years here as pastor were very good ones for me and I'm glad you were assigned to our parish.
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