medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Offertorium – 20
The Mass for Feria Quarta Cinerum, better know to English speakers as
Ash Wednesday, begins with a service of blessing and imposition of
ashes. In the modern revision of the Mass these things are done after
the homily, but in former days they constituted a mini-service,
preceding the Mass, with its own antiphons. At these we shall briefly
glance.
The service begins with a chant which takes the same form as the
Introit of the Mass, that is to say an Antiphon, a psalm-verse, the
Gloria Patri, and the repetition of the Antiphon. The Antiphon is psalm
68, verse 17:
Exaudi nos, Domine, quoniam benigna est misericordia tua: secundum
multitudinem miserationum tuarum respice nos, Domine.
The psalm verse is verse 2 of the same psalm:
Salvum me fac, Deus: quoniam intraverunt aquae usque ad animam meam.
The service begins therefore with a cry for help to God, imploring his
mercy. This sets the theme for the entire service.
During the imposition of ashes and antiphon from Joel 2:13 is sung:
Immutemur habitu, in cinere et cilicio: jejunemus, et ploremus ante
Dominum: quia multum misericors est dimittere peccata nostra Deus
noster.
There is a second antiphon, verse 17 of the same chapter:
Inter vestibulum et altare plorabunt sacerdos ministri Domini, et
dicent: Parce, Domine, parce populo tuo: et ne claudas ora canentium
te, Domine.
There follows a responsory put together from Esther 13, Joel 2 and
Psalm 78:9
Emendemus in melius, quae ignoranter peccavimus: ne subito praeoccupati
die mortis, quaeramus spatium poenitentiae, et invenire non possumus.
Attende, Domine, et miserere: quia peccavimus tibi.
Adjuva nos, Deus salutaris noster: et propter honorem nominis tui,
Domine, libera nos.
Attende, Domine, et miserere: quia peccavimus tibi.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Attende, Domine, et miserere: quia peccavimus tibi.
Many of the verses sung during the service of blessing and imposition
of ashes come from the first reading of the Mass, Joel 2:12-19, a call
to repentance and cry for mercy.
We shall leave our consideration of the Mass itself until tomorrow.
Bill.
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