Stemus iuxta crucem cum María Matre Iesu, * Cuius ánima dolóris gládius pertransívit.
|
Let us stand by the cross with Mary the mother of Jesus, * The sword of sorrow has pierced her soul.
|
- September 12: The Most Holy Name of Mary (III Class)
- September 15: The Seven Sorrows of the B.V.M. (II Class)
- September 24: B.V.M. of Ransom (Comm.)
In the Dominican breviary, the feast is II Class as in the Roman,
but it contains propers for praying the office as a I Class feast as well.
Thus we have the magnificent responsory at Vespers, which is a solemn
acknowledgement of our culpability in causing the suffering of both our Lord
and our Lady by our sins:
℟. Innocens et
expers criminis móritur misértus hóminis. * Cum simus causa supplícii, simus et
mæróris sócii: Vírginis Matris et Fílii nos urget stímulus amóris. ℣. Recolámus cum lácrimis tristítiam Genetrícis,
grátiam peténtes Géniti. – cum simus. – Glória. – Vírginis.
|
℟. Innocent and
knowing no sin, he dies pitying mankind. * Since we have caused the suffering,
let us share in the sorrow; the compelling love of the Virgin-Mother and Son urges us. ℣. Let us recall with tears the grief of the
Mother, and implore the grace of the Son. – Since we have caused. – Glory. –
The compelling love.
|
There are seven (7) responsories at Matins, each one representing one of the seven sorrows (dolors) that pierced our Lady's Immaculate Heart while she lived on earth:
- The prophecy of Simeon.
- The flight into Egypt.
- The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple.
- The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
- The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus.
- The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
- The burial of Jesus.
The feast ends with proper antiphons for the psalms and Nunc. dimittis at Compline, each of which are elegant supplications of souls who are suffering and are reaching out to their heavenly Mother, confident that she will hear our prayers:
|
Super psalmos ant. Virgo Maria, non est
ulla simile passa dolorem inter mulieres, dum crucifxum cernis mori Filium.
Ora prn obis, pia Dei Genetrix.
Ad Numc dimittis ant. Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, sancta Dei
Genetrix: nostras deprecations ne
despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper Virgo
benedicta.
|
Ant. to psalms Virgin Mary, no
other woman ever endured sorrow like to yours, as you watched your crucified
Son die. Pray for us, loving Mother of
God.
Nunc. dimittis ant. We fly
to your patronage, holy mother of God.
Do not despise our prayers in our needs, but ever deliver us from all
dangers, O blessed Virgin.
|
Prayer
|
Deus,
in cuius passióne, secúndum Simeónis prophetíam, dulcissimam ánimam gloriósæ
Virginis et Matris Maríæ dolóris gládius pertransívit: concéde propítius; ut
qui dolóres eius venerándo recólimus, passiónis tuæ efféctum felícem consequámur. Qui vivis et regnas
|
O
God, at your passion, according to the prophecy of the holy Simeon, a sword of
grief pierced the most loving soul of the glorious Mary, virgin and mother;
grant, in your mercy, that we who honor the memory of her sorrows, may gain
the happy fruit of your sufferings.
For you live…
|