medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Offertorium – 36
Before the changes following the Second Vatican Council, the readings
for the first part of Holy Week were rather different from nowadays.
Those for Monday were very similar to those now obtaining – a reading
from Isaiah, and the story of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus from St
John’s Gospel. But on Tuesday, the Passion according to Mark was read,
and on Wednesday, the Passion according to Luke. Thus the three
synoptic Passions were read on Palm Sunday and the Tuesday and
Wednesday following. Nowadays the three synoptic Passions are read on
three consecutive years on Palm Sunday, and other readings are provided
for the weekdays of Holy Week. Then, as now, the Passion according to
John was read on Good Friday.
On the Monday of Holy Week the first reading was one of the ‘Suffering
Servant’ passages, from Isaiah, 50:5-10, ‘I gave my back to the
smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my
face from shame and spitting,’ seen as a prophecy of the sufferings of
Christ. The Gospel was John 12:1-9, with Mary anointing the feet of
Jesus in preparation for his burial.
The various antiphons, in keeping with the subject of the readings,
call on God for help against one’s enemies and persecutors. The
Antiphon to the Introit is psalm 34:1-2, and the verse is no. 3 of the
same psalm:
Judica, Domine, nocentes me, expugna impugnantes me: apprehende arma,
et scutum, et exsurge in adjutorium meum, Domine, virtus salutis meae.
Effunde frameam, et conclude adversus eos, qui persequuntur me: dic
animae meae: Salus tua ego sum.
The Gloria Patri is omitted, and the antiphon Judica, Domine is
immediately repeated.
The Gradual is from the same psalm, verse 23 followed by a repeat of
verse 3:
Exsurge, Domine, et intende judicio meo, Deus meus et Dominus meus, in
causam meam.
Effunde frameam, et conclude adversus eos, qui me persequuntur.
There is a slight change of tack in the Tract, which does not call on
God to save us from our enemies, but asks him to overlook our sins. It
consists of psalm 102:10 and ps. 78:8-9
Domine, non secundum peccata nostra, quae fecimus nos: neque secundum
iniquitates nostras retribuas nobis.
Domine, ne memineris iniquitatem nostrarum antiquarum: cito anticipent
nos misericordiae tuae, quia pauperes facti sumus nimis.
A rubric instructs, Hic genuflectitur – no doubt in recognition of
mention of the divine Name in the following verse:
Adjuva nos, Deus salutaris noster: et propter gloriam nominis tui,
Domine, libera nos: et propitius esto peccatis nostris, propter nomen
tuum.
The Offertorium, Psalm 142:9-10, again calls on God for help against
one’s enemies:
Eripe me de inimicis meis, Domine: ad te confugi, doce me facere
voluntatem tuam: quia Deus meus es tu.
The Communio returns to psalm 34, this time selecting verse 26:
Erubescant, et revereantur simul, qui gratulantur malis meis: induantur
pudore et reverentia, qui maligna loquuntur adversus me.
More anon.
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