Hymn to St. Benedict
St. Benedict needs no introduction, but the footnotes may help with Damian’s references.
ad Vesperum (18)
at Vespers
1.
Gemma celestis pretiosa regis,
Norma iustorum, via monachorum,
Nos ab immundi, Benedicte, mundi
Subtrahe caeno.
Precious gem of the heavenly king,
Standard of the just people, right path of the monks,
Withdraw us, Benedict, from the filth
Of the unclean world.
2.
Tu solum spernens, cor in astra figens
Cogis heredes fieri parentes.
Vas Deo plenus preparade fractum
Promeruisti.
Spurning the earth, fixing your heart in the heavens,
You force heirs to become parents.1
Filled by God you had the merit to repair
The broken vessel.2
3.
Magnus in parvis eremita membris
Vincis aetatem, superas laborem,
Arta districtae rudimenta vitae
Fervidus imples.
You, great hermit, in your old age outdo
The younger monks,
You conquer age, you overcome toil,
You fervently make full the narrow elements of a strict life.
4.
Strage saxorum puerum sepultum,
Mox ut orasti, prece suscitasti;
Sensus hinc carni, caro sanitati
Redditur aeque.
Having been buried under a heap of rocks,3
You awakened the boy with prayer,
Sense is returned to flesh just as flesh is
Returned to health.4
5.
Iure sub blande specie columbae
Nesciam fellis animam sororis
Summa stellati penetrare caeli
Culmina cernis.
Beneath the soothing appearance of a dove
You rightly perceive the soul of your sister which is without knowledge of malice
You see it enter the highest peaks
Of starry heaven.5
6.
Ipse post clarum referens triumphum
Celsa devicto petis astra mundo.
Luce flammantem radiante callem
Pallia sternunt.
You yourself bring back an illustrious triumph
With the world having been conquered you seek the high stars.
They spread out a path like cloaks flaming
With radiant light.
7.
Laus, honor patri parilique proli,
Una maiestas, eadem potestas,
Cum quibus Sanctus simul implet omnem
Spiritus orbem.
Amen.
Praise and honor to the father and to the equal son,
One majesty, the same power,
With whom at the same time the holy spirit fills
The whole world.
Amen
1 Benedict gave specific advice to fathers to prioritize spiritual needs of children over material needs. He also taught that the Lord often reveals what is best to the younger, so parents should give children a voice in family discussions.
2 Benedict first gained attention by repairing a broken vessel of his nurse.
3 This may refer to Benedict’s first stage of fleeing the gay life. He met a monk, Romanus, and poured out his heart to him. Romanus gave him a hair-shirt and a goat-skin cloak, and advised him to remain among the hills away from men. So Benedict buried himself in a deep hollow between high rocks. His food was a small portion from Romanus’ own fare, let down to him at the end of a rope. Benedict spent three years in this manner.
4 This most likely relates to a miracle reported by Gregory the Great. A peasant brought the body of his dead son to the monastery. Initially Benedict said that only the Apostles could work such a miracle, but then he prayed over the dead boy who returned to life.
5 St. Benedict’s twin sister was St. Scholastica with whom he had a close relationship. They feared this relationship and met only once a year. One time he came when Scholastica was dying. She begged him to stay, but he said he must not spend a night outside the monastery. She prayed to God and a storm kept him with her.
ad Nocturnum (19)
at Nocturns
1.
Signifer invictissime
Sacra(e)que dux militiae,
Nos, Benedicte, valido
Precum defende brachio.
Most invincible standard bearer
And leader of the holy army,
Defend us, Benedict, with
Your strong arm of prayers.
2.
His armis exsecrabilem
Leonis vince rabiem,
Quibus olim taeterrimam
Pellis ab ore merulam.
Conquer the detestable madness of the lion
With these weapons with which you
At one time drove the offensive
Black bird from your presence.1
3.
Urticae iunctae vepribus
Vulnus curant vulneribus;
Flammata mens divinitus
Ignes extinguit ignibus.
Nettles joined to vipers
Heal wounds with wounds;
A mind set on fire by the divine
Extinguishes fires with fires.
4.
Crucem mittens ut lapidem
Veneni frangis calicem;
Non valet mortis vasculum
Vitae ferre signaculum.
Throwing the cross as a stone
You break the chalice of poison;2
The vessel of death cannot
Tolerate the symbol of life (Christ).
5.
Frater quem tunc nequissimus
Vagum raptabat spiritus,
Dum tua virga caeditur,
Stabilitati redditur.
A wandering brother whom a most wicked
Spirit was trying to seize,
Is cut down by your cane,3
And returned to steadiness.
6.
Sit patri laus ingenito…
Let there be praise to the unborn father…
1 This may relate in some way to the following tradition: St. Gregory the Great tells the story surrounding the raven in his Dialogues. He claims that St. Benedict regularly fed a raven from his own portion of bread at mealtime. On one occasion, a malicious priest poisoned the bread. Knowing that the bread was tainted, St. Benedict called upon the raven to dispose of it and to ensure that no other being would be harmed. The raven obeyed St. Benedict and flew off with the poisoned bread.
2 Also provided by Gregory the Great: The first monks who tried to live under the Rule of St. Benedict found it too strict and they gave him a glass of poisoned wine. He made the sign of the cross over the wine and the glass shattered.
3 Gregory also reports that St. Benedict exorcised a monk who was being dragged from prayer by a demon. Benedict beat the monk with his rod which drove out the demon.
in Laudibus (20)
at Lauds
1.
Aurora surgit aurea
Festa restaurans annua,
Cum Benedictus arduum
Caeli scandit palatium.
Golden dawn arises
Restoring the yearly festival,
While Benedict climbs
To the high palace of heaven.
2.
Quanta in summis accipit,
Qui sic in imis claruit,
Cuius micant prodigia
Per ampla mundi climata!
How much he receives on high,
Who shone thus in the depths here on earth,
His wonders glitter
Through the broad climes of the world!
3.
Eius carentum gratia
Tellus vomit cadavera;
Devotis unda liquida
Sicca lambit vestigia.
The earth vomits up
The corpses of the people lacking his grace;
The wet wave laps dry the
Footsteps for the devoted ones.
4.
Totius orbis ambitum
Per solis videt radium
Mens in auctore posita
Subiecta cernit omnia.
He sees the circuit of the whole world
Through a ray of the sun
His mind having been placed on the creator
Is looking down on every created thing.1
5.
Te, pater alme, petimus
Pronae mentis visceribus,
Ut caelum des ascendere,
Quos terram doces spernere.
We beseech you, nurturing father,
With the innermost recesses of our prostrated minds,
To allow us whom you teach to despise
The earth and to ascend to heaven.
6.
Sit patri laus ingenito…
May there be praise to the unborn father…
1 Perhaps he has prayed all night. Dawn finds him praying.
