Hymn to St. Benedict at vespers
St. Benedict needs no introduction, but the footnotes may help with Damian’s references.
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 sun, 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,
As soon as you prayed you awakened the boy with prayer,
From here sense is returned to flesh just as flesh is
Returned to health.3
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.4
6.
Ipse post clarum referens triumphum
Celsa devicto petis astra mundo.
Luce flammantem radiante callem
Pallia sternunt.
You yourself bringing 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. St. Benedict – Parents & Children
2 Benedict first gained attention by repairing a broken vessel of his nurse. Benedict of Nursia
3 This may refer to B’s first stage of fleeing the gay life in Nursia and meeting a monk. Here he met a monk, by name Romanus. To him the lad poured out his heart. The monk spoke kind words of counsel, gave him a hair-shirt and a goat-skin cloak, and advised him to remain for a time among the hills away from men. So Benedict buried himself in a deep hollow between high rocks, from whence he could see nothing but the blue sky above. His food was a small portion from Romanus’ own fare, thrown down to him at the end of a rope with a bell tied to it, which Benedict rang each time he wanted the rope pulled up. In this strange way the young man passed three years. Heritage-History.com – St. Benedict
4 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.
Further on a ‘bitter sister’ – Moses’ sister, Miriam, accompanied her younger brother when he led the Hebrew people in their escape from slavery in Egypt. Her name in Hebrew means “bitterness.” Miriam was the first woman in the Bible to be given the title prophetess.
Also the adultery of two sisters in Ezekiel 23.
