Sunday, November 28, 2010
First Sunday of Advent
Thus begins the Church’s Year. From Fr. Goffine’s book:
Advent is that solemn time, immediately preceding Christmas, instituted by the Church in order that we should, in the first place, meditate on the Incarnation of Christ, the love, patience and humility which He has shown us, and prove our gratitude to Him, because He came from the bosom of His heavenly Father into this valley of tears, to redeem us; secondly, that we may prepare ourselves by sincere repentance, fasting, prayer, alms-deeds, and other works pleasing to God, for the coming of Christ and His birth in our hearts, and thus participate in the graces which He has obtained for us; finally, that He may be merciful to us, when He shall come again as judge of the world. “Watch ye, for ye know not at what hour your Lord will come;” “Wherefore be you also ready; because at what hour you know not, the Son of man will come.”
He also offers advice as to what Christians ought to be doing during this Season of Advent:
They should recall, during these four weeks, the four thousand years in which the just under the Old Law expected and desired the promised Redeemer, think of those days of darkness in which nearly all nations were blinded by satan and drawn into the most horrible crimes, then consider their own sins and evil deeds and purify their souls from them by a worthy reception of the Sacraments, so that our Lord may come with His grace to dwell in their hearts and be merciful to them in life and in death. Further, to awaken in the faithful the feelings of repentance so necessary for the reception of the Savior in their hearts, the Church orders that besides the observance of certain fast days, the altar shall be draped in violet, that Mass shall be celebrated in violet vestments, that the organ shall be silent and no Gloria sung. Unjust to themselves, disobedient to the Church and ungrateful, indeed, to God are those Christians who spend this solemn time of grace in sinful amusements without performing any good works, with no longing for Christ’s Advent into their hearts.
There are six extra prayers for this day in the 1945 Marian Missal that were cut from the 1962 Missal: two extra Collects, two extra Secrets, and two extra Postcommunion prayers. The following is from the 1945 Mass (only the first Collect, Secret, and Postcommunion prayer appear in the 1962 Mass):
| COLLECT | |
| Our Divine Redeemer shows forth His power by snatching us from the power of the prince of darkness and strengthening us against his attacks. | |
| Excita, quaésumus, Dómine, poténtiam tuam, et veni: ut ab imminéntibus peccátorum nostrórum perículis, te mereámur protegénte éripi, te liberánte salvári: Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitáte Spíritus sancti Deus; per ómnia saécula saeculórum. | Stir up thy power, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and come; that from the threatening dangers of our sins, by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued, and be saved by Thy deliverance; Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. |
| Of the Blessed Virgin | |
| Deus, qui de beátae Maríae Vírginis útero Verbum tuum, Angelo nuntiánte, carnem suscípere voluísti:praesta supplícibus tuis; ut qui vere eam Genitrícem Dei crédi musa ejus apud te intercessiónibus adjuvémur. Per eúm dem Dóminum. | O God, who hast willed that Thy Word should take flesh, at the message of an angel, in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary: grant to us Thy servants, that we who believe her to be truly the Mother of God may be helped by her intercession with Thee. Through the same Lord. |
| Against the persecutors of the Church | |
| Ecclésiae tuae, quaésumus, Dómine, preces placátus admítte: ut, destrúctis adversitátibus et erróribus univérsis, secúra tibi sérviat libertáte. Per Dóminum. R. Amen. |
We beseech Thee, O Lord, mercifully to receive the prayers of Thy Church: that, all adversity and error being destroyed, she may serve Thee in security and freedom. Through our Lord. R. Amen. |
| SECRET | |
| Advent is a time of purification. | |
| Haec sacra nos, Dómine poténti virtúte mundátos, ad suum fáciant purióres veníre princípium. Per Dóminum. | May these holy Mysteries, O Lord, cleanse us by their powerful efficacy, and enable us to come with greater purity to Him who is their foundation. Through our Lord. |
| Of the Blessed Virgin | |
| In méntibus nostris quaésumus, Dómine, verae fídei sacraménta confírma: ut qui concéptum de Vírgine Deum verum et hóminem confitémur: per ejus salutíferae resurrectiónis poténtiam, ad aetérnam mereámur perveníre laetítiam. Per eúmdem Dóminum. | We beseech Thee, O Lord, to strengthen in our minds the mysteries of the true faith: that we who confess Him, who was conceived of the Virgin, to be true God and man, may by the power of His saving resurrection, merit to attain eternal joy. Through the same Lord. |
| Against the persecutors of the Church | |
| Prótege nos, Dómine, tuis mystériis serviéntes: ut, divínis rebus inhaeréntes, et córpore tibi famulémur et mente. Per Dóminum. …per ómnia saécula saeculórum. R. Amen. |
Protect us, O Lord, who assist at Thy mysteries; that, fixed upon things divine we may serve Thee in both body and mind. Through our Lord. …world without end. R. Amen. |
| POSTCOMMUNION | |
| Suscipiámus, Suscipiámus, Dómine, misericórdiam tuam in médio templi tui; ut reparatiónis nostra ventúra solémnia cóngruis honóribus praecedámus. Per Dóminum. | May we receive Thy mercy, O Lord, in the midst of Thy temple; that we may with becoming honour prepare for the approaching solemnities of our redemption. Through our Lord. |
| Of the Blessed Virgin Mary | |
| Grátiam tuam, quaésumus, Dómine, méntibus nostris infúnde: ut qui, Angelo nuntiánte, Christi Fílii tui incarnatiónem cognóvimus; per passiónem ejus et crucem, ad resurrectiónis glóriam perducámur. Per eúmdem Dóminum. | Pour forth, we beseech Thee O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we to whom the incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel may, by His passion and cross, be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Through the same Lord. |
| Against the persecutors of the Church | |
| Quæsumus Dómine Deus noster: ut, quos divína tríbuis participatióne gaudére; hu-mánis non sinas subjacére perículis. Per Dóminum.
R. Amen. |
We beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that Thou wouldst not suffer to be exposed to human dangers those to whom Thou givest to rejoice in this divine banquet. Through…
R. Amen. |
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