Sunday 16 December 2012

Gaudete (or Rose) Sunday

Today is Gaudete (or Rose) Sunday, the third Sunday in Advent where we lay down the penitential a little and start to get excited about the prospect of the coming of the Lord and 'Rejoice' (for that is what gaudete means!

One of my favourite songs is Steeleye Span's rendition of the words below:

LatinEnglish
Gaudete, gaudete! Christus est natus
Ex Maria virgine, gaudete!
Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born
(Out) Of the Virgin Mary — rejoice!
Tempus adest gratiæ
Hoc quod optabamus,
Carmina lætitiæ
Devote reddamus.
The time of grace has come—
what we have wished for,
songs of joy
Let us give back faithfully.
Deus homo factus est
Natura mirante,
Mundus renovatus est
A Christo regnante.
God has become man,
To the wonderment of Nature,
The world has been renewed
By the reigning Christ.
Ezechielis porta
Clausa pertransitur,
Unde lux est orta
Salus invenitur.
The closed gate of Ezekiel
Is passed through,
Whence the light is born,
Salvation is found.
Ergo nostra contio
Psallat iam in lustro;
Benedicat Domino:
Salus Regi nostro.
Therefore let our gathering
Now sing in brightness
Let it give praise to the Lord:
Greeting to our King.



But how many of those who are Christian are rejoicing today I wonder?

On a day when a foolish secularist proclaims that science dispels the myth of Christianity and denounces us as a bunch of 'Zimmer frame'  wrinklies I have to admit that I am (rejoicingly and joyfully) confused!

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