27 May 2012

The English Sequence For Whitsunday

Here, in Latin and (somewhat Victorian) English, is the old Sequence for Whitsunday from the English pre-Tridentine Uses.

Sancti Spiritus adsit nobis gratia,
Quae corda nostra sibi faciat habitacula,
Expulsis inde cunctis vitiis spiritalibus.
Spiritus alme, illustrator hominum,
Horridas nostra mentis purge tenebras.
Amator sancte sensatorum semper cogitatuum,
Infunde unctionem tuam clemens nostris sensibus.
Tu purificator omnium flagitiorum Spiritus,
Purifica nostri oculum interioris hominis,
Ut videri supremus genitor posit a nobis,
Mundi cordis quem soli cernere possum oculi.
Prophetas tu inspirasti, ut praeconia Christi praecinuissent inclyta.
Apostolos confortasti, ut tropaeum Christi per totum mundum veherent.
Quando machinam per verbum suum fecit Deus caeli, terrae, marium.
Tu super aquas, foturus eas, numen tuum expandisti, Spiritus.
Tu animabus vivificandis, aquas fecundas;
Tu, aspirando, das spiritales esse homines;
Tu divisum per linguas mundum et ritus adunasti, Domine.
Idolatras ad cultum Dei revocas, magistrorum optime.
Ergo nos supplicantes tibi exaudi propitius, Sancte Spiritus,
Sine quo preces omnes cassae creduntur, et indignae Dei auribus.
Tu, qui omnium saeculorum sanctos
Tui nominis docuisti instinctu amplectendo, Spiritus,
Ipse hodie apostolos Christi
Donans munere insolito et cunctis inaudito saeculis,
Hunc diem gloriosum fecisti.

May the Holy Spirit's grace
Be present with us now,
And for Himself our hearts
An habitation make,
And from our inmost souls cast out
All spiritual wickedness.
O gracious Spirit, Thou Who dost enlighten all,
The darkness chase away Which fills our minds with gloom.
O Thou Who ever lov'st
Thoughts holily conceiv'd,
Thy unction graciously
Infuse into our hearts.
Spirit of purity,
Who dost all evil cleanse,
Enable Thou the eyes Which light our inner man
The Father to discern
Who dwelleth in the highest,
Whom they alone can see who are the pure in heart.
Thou didst inspire the prophets to make known
Their glorious predictions of the Christ;
Thou the Apostles didst with strength endue
To bear Christ's trophy throughout all the world.
When God by His Almighty Word did frame
The fabric of the heaven and earth and seas;
Thou, Spirit, brooding o'er the waters' face,
Didst spread abroad Thy fostering Deity;
Thou, to give life to souls,
Water dost fertilize;
And breathing on them deign'st
To make men spiritual;
Thou the world, rent by variance, by tongues
And rites, O Lord, hast set at one again;
Thou, best of masters, dost recall
Idolaters to worship God;
Then, Holy Spirit, graciously
Hear us who lift our prayers to Thee,
Without Whom every prayer is counted vain,
Unworthy by God's ear to be received.
Thou, Spirit, Who the Saints of every age
In Thy embrace enfolding hast instructed
By inspiration of Thy Holy Name,
Thyself a gift unwonted pouring out
Upon the Apostolic band devout,
A gift throughout all ages yet unknown,
Hast made this day a day of high renown.

1 comment:

Mike Cliffson said...

Mis an english Catholic whitsun and whit mon- but they arent there neither of em if I came back.
Blighters.