The Divine Office Part 15

The Confiteor was from an early date a prayer said privately as a preparation for Ma.s.s. It is found in several forms; _Confiteor Deo, beatae Mariae, omnibus sanctis et vobis_ (Sarum Missal), but since the time of St. Pius V. (1566-1572) our present form alone was followed and allowed (S. R. C., 13th February, 1666). If the Office be recited privately or with one or two companions, the _confiteor_ is said once only and simultaneously in the preces, and the words _vobis fratribus_ and _vos fratres_, which priests say in the opening prayer of Ma.s.s are omitted. It should be remarked, too, that the _Misereatur_ and _Indulgentiam_ have not in this location _vestri, vestris, vos,_ but _nostri, nostris, nos_. Sometimes errors in this part of the recitation of the Office are unnoticed, and this p.r.o.noun error makes the formula meaningless.

After the _Indulgentiam_ come the concluding versicles of the preces, Dignare ... sine peccato ... miserere ... miserere ... Fiat ...

Quemadmodum ... Domine ... Et ... Dominus vobisc.u.m, Et c.u.m spiritu tuo, and the prayer _Domine Deus Omnipotens_ ... Amen. ... Dominus vobisc.u.m, Et c.u.m spiritu tuo. ... Benedicamus Domino, Deo gratias. If the Office be said in choir, the martyrology is read at this part of Prime. The reading of the martyrology is not of obligation in private recitation of the Office; but the reading of it was highly recommended, even in private recitation, by Pope Gregory XIII. (14th January, 1584; see his words in the beginning of the Martyrology).

Then are said, Pretiosa ... mors ... sancta Maria ... Deus in adjutorium... Domine ad adjuvandum (both the latter being repeated thrice) ... Gloria Patri ... Sicut erat ... Kyrie eleison ... Christe eleison ... Kyrie eleison ... Pater Noster (silently) until words "Et ne nos" ... Sed libera ... Respice ... Et sit ... Gloria Patri ... Sicut erat ... Oremus, Dirigere et ... Amen, Jube Domine ... Dies et actus ... Amen.

The short lesson which, on all feasts, is the same as the chapter which is said at None will be found in the proper or common, under that Hour, The new Psalter and new rubrics made no change in this matter. Hence, for example, on the feast of SS. Peter and Paul the short lesson at end of Prime is taken from None of the feast, "Et Petrus ad se reversus"; the short lesson for Prime on the feast of St. Aloysius is "Lex Dei ejus" and not the short lesson printed in the Psalter under the day's Office.

On all Sundays and week days it varies according to the season. Thus--

1. From the 14th January until the first Sat.u.r.day in Lent, from Monday to Wednesday in Trinity week, from the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi until the Sat.u.r.day before Advent, the short lesson is "Dominus autem" (II. Thess. iii.),

2. From the first Sunday of Advent until the 23rd December inclusive it is "Domine miserere" (Isaias x.x.xiii,).

3. From the first Sunday of Lent until the Sat.u.r.day before Pa.s.sion Sunday inclusive it is "Quaerite Dominum" (Isaias iv.).

4. From Pa.s.sion Sunday until Wednesday in Holy Week it is "Faciem meam"

(Isaias, 1.),

5. From Easter Sunday to the Vigil of Ascension inclusive, the short lesson is "Si consurrexists" (Coloss. iii.).

At the end of the short lesson the words "Tu autem Domine, miserere n.o.bis; Deo gratias" are added, and after these words are said "Adjutorium nostrum ... Qui fecit ... Benedicite Deus" and the Blessing, "Dominus nos benedicat ... requiescant in pace, Amen." Then _Pater Noster_ is said silently, unless another Hour is to follow immediately.

TEXTS AND INTENTIONS FOR PIOUS RECITATION OF PRIME.

1. "Herod and his army set him at nought" (St. Luke, c. 25).

2. "Not this man, but Barrabas. Crucify Him."

3. "I find no cause in Him. I will chastise Him and let Him go" (St.

Luke).

4. "But Jesus he delivered up to their will" (St. Luke, c. 23).

5. "Shall I crucify your King?," (St. John, 19).

_General Intentions_. The Pope and his intentions; the propagation of the Faith; the priesthood; the Catholic laity; Catholic Missions in the East; Catholic Europe.

_Personal Intentions_. The spirit of meekness and humility; greater devotion to the Eucharist; greater love of the Blessed Virgin; the priestly vows.

_Special Intentions_. For our friends; for the sick and sorrowful; for the Church in Scotland; for our enemies; for the priesthood of America.

CHAPTER III.

TERCE, s.e.xT, NONE (t.i.tLE XVI.).

TERCE.

_Etymology._ The word Terce comes from the Latin word _tertia (hora)_, third. Because this little Hour was said at the third hour of the Roman day, that is, about 9 o'clock in the forenoon,

_Structure._ It consists of Pater Noster, Ave, Deus in adjutorium, Gloria Patri ... Sicut erat ... Amen, Alleluia, Hymn, opening words of the antiphon, the three psalms, antiphon in full, capitulum, response, Dominus vobisc.u.m, Et c.u.m spiritu tuo, Oremus, collect, Dominus vobisc.u.m, Et c.u.m spiritu tuo, Benedicamus ... Deo gratias, Fidelium animae....

Amen. And Pater Noster is said silently if another Hour is not begun immediately.

Terce is called the golden Hour, _hora aurea_, because at this time of the day, the third Hour, the Holy Ghost, who is typified by gold, descended on the apostles. It is called sometimes the sacred Hour (_hora sacra_) because in conventional churches it is recited immediately before Holy Ma.s.s. It is the most solemn of all the small Hours.

_Antiquity._ The custom of praying at these three hours, terce, s.e.xt and none, is very ancient. It was in use amongst the devout Jews, and the early converts to Christianity retained the practice. The Apostolic Const.i.tutions contain the words "Preces etiam vestras facite hora tertia."

Why does the Church wish us to pray at the third hour?

The question is asked by liturgists of olden times. Their replies are:--

1. to remind us of the hour when our Saviour was condemned (St. Mark, c.

15).

2. to remind us of the hour at which the Holy Ghost descended on the Church.

3. as the Church's hymn tells us that at this hour of the day when men are engrossed in worldly affairs, they especially need G.o.d's help,

"Come, Holy Ghost, Who ever One, Reignest with Father and with Son.

It is the hour, our souls possess With Thy full flood of holiness.

Let flesh and heart and lips and mind Sound forth our witness to mankind.

And love light up our mortal frame Till others catch the living flame, Now to the Father, to the Son, And to the Spirit, Three in One, Be praise and thanks and glory given, By men on earth, by saints in heaven. Amen."

(Translation by Cardinal Newman of St. Ambrose's hymn, _Nunc sancte_).

TEXTS AND INTENTIONS FOR PIOUS RECITATION OF TERCE.

1. "Therefore, Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him."

2. "And the soldiers plaiting a crown of thorns put it on His head; and they put on Him a purple garment."

3. "And they came to Him and said, 'Hail, King of the Jews,' and they gave Him blows" (St. John).

4. "Jesus, therefore, came forth bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment, and he (Pilate) sayeth to them 'Behold the Man!'"

_General Intentions._ The Pope's Intentions; the conversion of heretics; the conversion of the Jews.

_Personal Intentions._ Devotion to the Holy Ghost; devotion to the Pa.s.sion.