Veni Creator Spiritus -1

As Pentecost approaches, let us have a look at this excellent hymn:

Veni, creator Spiritus,
mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia
quae tu creasti pectora:

qui Paraclitus diceris,
donum Dei altissimi,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.

tu septiformis munere,
dextrae Dei tu digitus,
tu rite promisso Patris
sermone ditas guttura.

accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis
virtute firmans perpeti.

hostem repellas longius,
pacemque dones protinus;
ductore sic te praevio
vitemus omne noxium.

per te sciamum da Patrem,
noscamus atque filium,
te utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.

The Historical Companion to "Hymns Ancient and Motheaten" comments:  

"Possibly by Rabanus Maurus (776-856).  It shows signs of the influence of
St Ambrose, borrowing from him not only ideas and probably the classical
style of versification, but even a couplet at the end of stanza 4 (the last
two lines of stanza 6 in 'Veni redemptor gentium').

"The liturgical use has varied, no doubt because Whitsuntide was already
sufficiently supplied with hymns, and it displaced one or other of them as
seemed best locally;  soon the happy thought was conceived of letting it
take the place of the Terce hymn, which was otherwise invariable in most
places;  and this thereupon became its usual position.  It was later adopted
as a supplication in the service for the consecration of a bishop, being
first found in that capacity as a marginal addition in Pontificals of the
eleventh century."

Raby, "Christian-Latin Poetry", p. 183, doubts the ascription to Rabanus:

"Many other hymns are attributed to Raban, but without any clear
justification.  Thus an uncertain tradition assigns to him the famous 'Veni,
Creator Spiritus', the solemn hymn of consecration sung when pontiffs and
kings are crowned, at the election of bishops and at the translation of holy
relics.  If, however, it cannot be proved that this splendid hymn is the
work of Raban, it is certain that it belongs to the ninth century, and is a
fruit of the Carolingian Renaissance."

No doubt we have members who have done specialised research on Rabanus, who
can give us their expert opinion on the authorship question.

Let me offer as a translation the version by Bishop Cosin (1594-1672) in his
'Collection of Private Devotions' (1627).  This is not the most literal
translation, but it is a fine poem in its own right.  The Historical
Companion to "Hymns Ancient and Motheaten" comments:  "It was adopted into
the Prayer book of 1661 as an alternative to the C.M. [Common Metre] version
which dated from 1549.  It is an improvement as far as literary taste goes
[indeed, the earlier version is a bit naff];  but by trying to compress
twenty-four lines of terse Latin into eighteen of English Cosin attempted an
almost impossible task.."  

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,
And lighten with celestial fire;
Thou the anointing Spirit art,
Who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart.

Thy blessed unction from above
Is comfort, life, and fire of love;
Enable with perpetual light
The dulness of our blinded sight.

Anoint and cheer our soilèd face
With the abundance of thy grace:
Keep far our foes, give peace at home;
Where thou art guide no ill can come.

Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And thee, of Both, to be but One;
That through the ages all along
This may be our endless song,

'Praise to thy eternal merit,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.'

COMMENTARY:

'Veni, creator Spiritus'.  The Holy Spirit is given the title of Creator,
drawing attention to his role in the creation of the world as described in
Genesis 1:2 'et Spiritus Dei ferebatur super aquas.'  Also in Job 25:13
'Spiritus eius ornavit caelos' - his Spirit adorned the heavens.  And in the
same book, 33:4 'Spiritus Dei fecit me' - the Spirit of God made me.

'mentes tuorum visita'.  'Visit the souls of your people'.  'mens' in
Christian writings is often to be translated as 'soul' or 'heart' rather
than 'mind'.

imple superna gratia
quae tu creasti pectora:

'fill with heavenly grace the breasts you have created'.  Note the
repetition of the role of the Spirit as creator.  The relationship of the
Holy Spirit to Grace is a matter of some complexity and is a standard essay
in any Theology degree course.  Is Grace a gift of the Holy Spirit, or is it
better to say that Grace simply IS the Holy Spirit, dwelling in the heart of
the believer?  Or is Grace something produced in the soul by the action of
the Holy Spirit - is there such a thing as 'created grace' distinct from the
uncreated Spirit?  Augustine at times refers to Grace as the gift of the
Spirit, but at other times equates it with the Spirit himself (Cf.  The
Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church s.v. 'Grace'.)  Aquinas, Duns
Scotus, Alexander of Hales, and Bonaventure have all contributed their two
penn'orth.

'qui Paraclitus diceris'  'You who are called the Paraclete (Advocate,
Comforter)'.  The word used by Jesus in his farewell discourses with his
disciples, John chapters13 to 16.  'I shall ask the Father, and he will give
you another Advocate to be with you for ever, that Spirit of truth whom the
world can never receive . . .' (John 14:16).  para-kletos derives from the
verb para-kaleo, to call for, summon, invoke, call on, beseech, entreat.  It
signifies 'called to one's aid' in a judicial case, hence, an advocate,
pleader, intercessor.  Hence it is translated 'Advocate' in the Jerusalem Bible.

However, CK. Barrett in his standard Commentary on John (S.P.C.K., London
1955, 2nd edition 1978) points out that 'This meaning however does not seem
to be prominent in John's usage . . . The meaning of parakletos in John is
best arrived at by considering the use of prakalein and other congnates in
the New Testament.'  He goes on:  'Parakalein and paraklesis both refer to
prophetic Christian preaching . . . this corresponds to the normal Greek
usage in which parakalein means 'to exhort' . . . both words are used in
another sense . . . they refer to consolation, and in particular to the
consolation that is to be expected in the messianic age.'  

As with Grace, the meaning of Paraclete is a compex theological question
with a substantial bibliography.  It has even been suggested (improbably)
that the Paraclete-passages are later insertions into John's text - see
Barrett, Introduction p. 89.

Let's do some more tomorrow.

The Supple Doctor.

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