medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Preface (7)
I haven’t found time to continue this series for a few days. Should
anyone accuse me of laziness, I plead that (1) I am living on a
building site, with workmen putting a new roof on my church all around
me; (2) I am occasionally required to do a little pastoral work in this
parish. I must drive shortly to Scarborough, where a 95-year-old
parishioner has just been taken into hospital, having at last shown
signs of mortality. I have children and young people to prepare for
First Communion and Confirmation. My school - I am Chair of Governors -
is about to receive an OFSTED . . . mais qui s’excuse s’accuse.
The function of the embolism is to introduce a particular occasion for
thanksgiving, a special reason, such as Christ’s nativity or
resurrection, why we should be particularly thankful to God. In some
prefaces something has gone wrong, and the space is used for something
quite different, namely petitions for God’s help. The preface becomes
almost a collect. Here for example is the preface for feasts of the
Apostles:
Vere dignum et justum est, æquum et salutate:
Te, Domine, suppliciter exorare,
ut gregem tuum pastor æterne non deseras:
sed beatos Apostolos tuos,
continua protectione custodias:
Ut iisdem rectoribus gubernetur,
quos operis tui vicarios eidem contulisti præesse pastores.
Et ideo cum Angelis et Archangelis,
cum Thronis et Dominationibus,
cumque omni militia cælestis exercitus,
hymnum gloriæ tuæ canimus sine fine dicentes: [Sanctus, sanctus,
sanctus ...]
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
humbly to beg you, O Lord,
that you, the eternal pastor, will not desert your flock:
but that you will guard your blessed Apostles
with your continual protection,
so that it [your flock] may be governed by the same rectors
the vicars whom you have constituted to be the same shepherds of your
work.
Therefore with Angels and Archangels ...
I dare say with time I could produce a clearer translation, but the
general point is clear: what should be a hymn of praise has become a
prayer of petition. Petitions are fine in their place, but this is not
the place. This Preface, I may say, has been entirely rewritten in the
modern Missal.
Bill.
=====
____________________________________________________________
Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping"
your friends today! Download Messenger Now
http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/download/index.html
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
