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TUESDAY MORNING
O DEUS, EGO AMO TE, NAM PRIOR TU AMASTI ME

Credited by many to the composer of the hymn which opens with identically the same line, but proceeds quite differently. It is, however, doubtful if this is the composition of Xavier; more probably it is the breathing of desire on the part of some now unknown German Jesuit of the seventeenth century.

I

 
My heart goes forth in love to Thee,
O God, who first hast lovèd me;
My freedom, lo, I lay aside,
Thy willing slave whate’er betide.
 

II

 
May memory ne’er a thought suggest,
That comes not forth at Thy behest;
And may the mind no wisdom know,
That God all wise doth not bestow.
 

III

 
May nothing be desired by me,
Save what I know is willed by Thee;
And what of Thine I e’er attain,
I render back to Thee again.
 

IV

 
Take what Thou gavest – all is Thine;
Dispose as suits Thy will divine;
Rule, Lover of my soul; I rest
In Thy blest will who knowest best.
 

V

 
That I may love Thee as I will,
O let Thy love my bosom fill;
This gift alone endureth aye —
All else are dreams that flit away.
 

TUESDAY EVENING
TE LUCIS ANTE TERMINUM

Sometimes ascribed to St. Ambrose. It is found in eleventh-century Hymnaria of the English Church, and in the Breviaries of Rome, Paris, Sarum, York, and Aberdeen, generally as a hymn at Compline.

I

 
Maker of the world, we pray,
Ere the dark of night surround us,
Let Thy love beside us stay,
Throw protecting arms around us.
 

II

 
Phantoms of the night away!
Let no evil dream affect us;
Pure as falls the light of day,
From the taint of sin protect us.
 

III

 
Hear us, Father, when we cry;
Hear us, Christ, Thy grace extending;
Hear us, Spirit, throned on high,
Three in one, through years unending.
 

WEDNESDAY MORNING
JAM META NOCTIS TRANSIIT

This morning hymn is one of four attributed to St. Hilary. Born at Poitiers early in the fourth century; became bishop of his native town about 350; died 13th January 368. His saint’s day (which gives name to Hilary Term in English law courts) is celebrated on 14th January, in order not to trench upon the octave of the Epiphany.

I

 
Gone are the shades of night,
The hours of rest are o’er;
New beauties sparkle bright,
And heaven is light once more.
 

II

 
To Thee our prayers shall speed,
O Lord of light divine;
Come to our utmost need,
And in our darkness shine.
 

III

 
Spirit of love and light,
May we Thine image know,
And in Thy glory bright,
To full perfection grow.
 

IV

 
Hear us, O Father blest,
Hear us, O Christ the Son,
And Comforter the best,
Now, and till life is done.
 

WEDNESDAY EVENING
LABENTE JAM SOLIS ROTÂ

By Charles Coffin. (See p. 3.) Chandler’s translation, beginning, “And now the sun’s declining rays,” is for “Ninth Hour, or three in the afternoon,” of Sunday. In “Hymns Ancient and Modern” Chandler’s rendering is given as an evening hymn, and with considerable alterations, the first line being, “As now the sun’s declining rays” (No. 12).

I

 
Now sinks the glowing orb of day,
And silent night comes on apace;
So gains our life the appointed goal,
That marks the limit of our race.
 

II

 
O Christ, uplifted on the Cross!
Thine arms were stretched towards the sky;
Grant us with love that Cross to seek,
And folded in those arms to die.
 

III

 
Now to the Father throned on high,
And unto Christ His only Son,
And to the Spirit, glory be,
Now, and while endless ages run.
 

THURSDAY MORNING
SPLENDOR PATERNÆ GLORIÆ

This morning hymn is the complement of Æterne rerum Conditor, and, like it, almost indisputably by St. Ambrose. Its use was generally for Matins or Lauds on Monday; by some monastic orders it was used daily.

I

 
From the Father’s throne descending,
Light from out the realms of light;
Font of light, all light transcending,
Brighter day in day most bright.
 

II

 
Shine, True Light, in radiant brightness,
Flashing forth perpetual ray;
May Thy Spirit’s searching lightness,
Fill our souls with endless day.
 

III

 
Father, come we humbly bending, —
Father of Almighty grace,
Who hast glory never ending,
Banish every sinful trace.
 

IV

 
When to do Thy will inclining,
Quell for us the tempter’s wrath;
Ne’er in trial’s hour repining,
Lead us in the upward path.
 

V

 
May Thy rule our minds enlighten;
Let no sin our lives defile;
Fervent faith our spirits brighten,
Knowing nought of fraud or guile.
 

VI

 
Christ, the Bread of Life bestowing,
Faith our daily cup shall fill;
Draughts of joy for ever flowing,
Drink we from the Spirit’s rill.
 

VII

 
Thus our life in beauty gliding —
Purity like dawn of day,
Faith like sun at noon abiding,
Eve that knows no twilight grey.
 

VIII

 
Forth in beauty rides the Morning —
Be Thy glory on us poured;
Son, the Father’s love adorning,
Father in th’ Eternal Word.
 

THURSDAY EVENING
SALVATOR MUNDI, DOMINE

Author unknown. Found in the Hymnaria of Sarum, and York, also in the Sarum, York, Hereford, and Aberdeen Breviaries. Used at Eton in Latin original at evening service until about 1830.

I

 
Thou who hast led our steps this day,
Blest Saviour of the world, we pray,
Through all the night Thy care extend,
And save us to our journey’s end.
 

II

 
Be present with us, Lord, who wait,
And lift our cry at mercy’s gate;
Take all our load of sin away,
And change our darkness into day.
 

III

 
Free Thou our minds from careless sleep,
Our souls from sin’s allurements keep;
And may our flesh from every stain,
All pure, we pray Thee, still remain.
 

IV

 
To Thee of purity the spring,
Our prayers ascend on soaring wing;
Hear Thou our cry, and with the morn
May purity our souls adorn.
 

V

 
Glory be unto God always,
To Christ the Son eternal praise;
Glory to God the Spirit be,
From age to age eternally.
 

FRIDAY MORNING
CHRISTE, LUMEN PERPETUUM

By Magnus Felix Ennodius, born at Arles about 473; became Bishop of Pavia about 514; died, 521; buried on 17th July of that year, which day is observed as his festival by the Roman Church.

I

 
Christ, the light that shines eternal, —
Light that gilds the rolling spheres,
Dawn upon our night, and keep us
Pure as light when day appears.
 

II

 
Let no gin of Satan snare us,
Let no enemy oppress;
Wakeful aye with garments spotless,
May we walk life’s wilderness.
 

III

 
Keep our hearts in Thy safe keeping,
Be Thy flock Thy special care;
In Thy fold in mercy tend them,
Guard their footsteps everywhere.
 

IV

 
And our souls shall sing triumphant
When Thy light our eyes shall see,
And the vows we owe are rendered,
God, the great Triune, to Thee.
 

FRIDAY EVENING
NOX ATRA RERUM CONTEGIT

This hymn is classed by Duffield under the heading “Ambrosian,” which includes compositions of Gregory and other authors. Mone gives it as probably by St. Gregory.

I

 
Dark night has drawn her curtain round,
And hid earth’s hues in gloom profound;
Now contrite at Thy feet we fall,
And make request, Thou Judge of all,
 

II

 
That Thou wouldst hide the guilt of sin,
And throughly purge our hearts within —
O Christ, dispense Thy grace, we pray,
To keep us guiltless day by day.
 

III

 
The awakened conscience, sore oppressed
By thought of sin all unconfessed,
Yearns in the gloom, to cast her load
At Thy blest feet, Redeemer, God.
 

IV

 
Dispel the darkness, Lord, we pray,
That in our mind holds dismal sway;
Send forth Thy light, and bid us rest
In Thy calm peace, for ever blest.
 

SATURDAY MORNING
JAM LUCIS ORTO SIDERE

Frequently ascribed to Ambrose, but not by his Benedictine editors. A rendering of it by Dr. Neale is one of the morning hymns in “Hymns Ancient and Modern,” “Now that the daylight fills the sky” (No. 4); but the rendering has been considerably altered by the editors.

I

 
See in the east the morn arise;
Seek, wingèd prayer, the glowing skies;
Bring help from Heaven, that all our way
Be pleasing to our God this day.
 

II

 
May He restrain from words of sin;
For bitter strife give calm within;
Veil from our eyes the garish light,
That lures the soul to darkest night.
 

III

 
Pure may our inmost heart remain
From evil thoughts and fancies vain;
And may the curb our flesh control,
That drags to earth the aspiring soul.
 

IV

 
So, when the last stray beams of light
Shall fade before the return of night,
Kept in the path our feet have trod,
We shall give glory to our God.
 

V

 
To God the Father, throned in heaven,
To Christ, the one begotten Son,
And to the Holy Ghost be praise,
Now, and while endless ages run.
 

SATURDAY EVENING
JAM SOL RECEDIT IGNEUS

A recast of O Lux beata Trinitas, one of twelve hymns the Benedictine editors regard as undoubtedly the work of St. Ambrose, and which, in the older Breviaries, was used at Vespers on Saturday.

I

 
Now sinks the fiery orb of day —
O One in Three, Eternal Light,
O Three in One, for ever bright,
Shine in our darkened minds, we pray.
 

II

 
When morning breaks, our songs we raise;
When evening falls, we still adore;
When morn and eve shall come no more,
In mercy grant us still to praise.
 

III

 
All praises to the Father be,
All praise to the Eternal Son,
And to the Spirit, Three in One,
From age to age eternally.
 

Advent

CHRISTE, PRECAMUR ANNUE

By Ennodius, Bishop of Pavia. (See p. 32.)

I

 
To Thee, O Christ, our prayers shall rise,
With tears of sorrow blending;
Come for our help Thou Holy One,
On our dark night descending.
 

II

 
Our hearts shall find their rest in Thee,
And e’en in dreams shall praise Thee;
And with each rising of the sun,
Anew their songs shall raise Thee.
 

III

 
Impart a noble life, and may
Our spirit’s warmth be heightened.
Bid night depart, and with Thy love,
O may our lives be brightened.
 

IV

 
In hymns we pay our vows to Thee:
At vesper-hour we pray,
Erase the writing we have made,
Thine own let stand for aye.
 

IN NOCTIS UMBRA DESIDES

By Charles Coffin. (See p. 3.)

I

 
When evening shades around us close,
And bound in sleep our limbs repose,
The watchful soul, from slumber free,
Shall breathe its earnest prayer to Thee.
 

II

 
Desire of Nations, Word of God,
Thou Saviour of the World abroad,
Hear Thou our mournful prayer at length,
And raise the fallen by Thy strength.
 

III

 
Be near, Redeemer; by Thy grace
Forgive our erring sinful race,
Bound in the prison-house of sin —
O, open heaven and lead us in.
 

IV

 
O Thou who cam’st to set us free,
To Thee, the Son, all praises be;
To Father, Spirit, Three in One,
While the eternal ages run.
 

VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL!

An antiphon. The term denotes a short versicle said at the beginning and close of a psalm or psalms in the Breviary Offices. This antiphon is by an unknown author. Dr. Neale, who supposes it to be of twelfth-century date, published a translation of it in 1851, beginning, “Draw nigh, draw nigh, Emmanuel,” an altered version of which occurs in “Hymns Ancient and Modern” as an Advent hymn, with first line altered to, “O come, O come, Emmanuel” (No. 36).

I

 
Emmanuel, come! we call for Thee;
Come, set Thy captive Israel free,
Who, sore at heart, in exile wait
Their absent Lord, who tarries late.
Joy, joy, Emmanuel shall be born
For thee, O Israel, forlorn.
 

II

 
Come, Root of Jesse! for our foes
In cruel snare our souls enclose;
Bring us, we pray, from hell’s dark cave,
From gulf profound Thy people save.
Joy, joy, &c.
 

III

 
Come, come, O Harbinger of day!
Cheer Thou our hearts with heavenly ray,
Dispel the clouds of night that roll,
The dark of death that fills the soul.
Joy, joy, &c.
 

IV

 
Come, Key of David! in Thy might
Unlock for us the realms of light;
Make safe the path that upward tends,
Close Thou the way that downward wends.
Joy, joy, &c.
 

V

 
Come, come, O Thou Almighty Lord!
From Sinai once went forth Thy word,
When in the midst of eddying flame,
Thou didst Thy law in might proclaim.
Joy, joy, &c.