Cantus ad Tertiam
Transition to Terce
The soul moves from meditating on Christ's infancy to recalling his labors and sufferings at the hour of Terce.
So by going back over Christ's infancy in this way, and by singing the canticle of Prime with vigor, she makes the transition to Terce by recalling how much Christ suffered while teaching people. Then, through her tears, she recounts his labors: thirst, hunger, cold, heat, and burning trials—which he graciously bore for sinners when he chose to renew their ways.
The Nightingale's Cry
The nightingale, burning with love, cries out to die to the world and addresses Christ as the sweet preacher and refuge.
Wholly burned up by the blasts of love, this blessed bird cries out, "Oci, oci," longing to die to the world, whose road is broad. The age reeks to her—that is how refined she is.1 So she cries out: Lord, sweet preacher, refuge of exiles, lover of the poor, who are the tender comforter of those who repent—after you the just and the sinner ought to run:
Christ as Teacher and Healer
Christ is extolled as the rule, mirror, and medicine for sinners, and as the restorer of the school of love.
You are truly the rule for the just, the teaching of life, the mirror of sinners, and a wondrous discipline; for the weary and the weak, you are an effective balm, and for the sick and the languishing, a powerful medicine.2 You were the first in this age to restore the school of love, teaching us to seek God's glory alone, to lay down the world's heavy millstone, and so be able to regain the robe that was lost.
Mercy Overcomes Mockery
Despite the world's scorn, Christ responds with mercy, forgiving penitents and desiring love rather than fear.
But the world rashly mocked this school, scorning and wiping out everything it promised; your goodness, however, didn't repay wrong with wrong—instead, it forgave the penitent everything.✦ For it was his nature to show mercy, longing to be loved more than feared; but offering words, not blows, he would not be revered in the manner of a harsh schoolmaster.✦
Exemplary Forgiveness
The mercy of Christ is shown in the forgiveness of the adulterous woman and Mary Magdalene, and in the transformation of countless others.
The woman who was caught in adultery came to know how immense your mercy is; Magdalene felt this when her offense was forgiven and manifold grace was poured out on her.3 And why should I say more? How many have received his teaching, been washed clean of their vices, been steeped in the finest character, and been made safe from the deceit of the envious enemy!4
The Sweetness of Christ's Teaching
Blessed is the one who lives under Christ's teaching, drawing heavenly sweetness that makes all worldly things bitter.
Happy is the one who was allowed to live always under this teacher, and to draw heavenly honey from his mouth — a sweetness so rich that everything else turns bitter and reeks!
Terce Concludes in Thanksgiving
The mind, meditating on these truths, prepares to give thanks and praise, and the song of Terce ends with increased love for the Lord.
As the mind meditates on these and many similar things, it prepares itself to offer thanks and praise in song.5 It becomes more inflamed toward the Lord, and with that, the song of Terce comes to an end.6
Read the original Latin
Ergo sic infantiam Christi retexendo, Horae primae canticum strenue canendo, Transitum ad Tertiam facit recolendo Quantum Christus passus est homines docendo.
Tunc cum fletu recitat illius labores, Sitim, famem, frigora, aestus et ardores, Quae dignanter pertulit propter peccatores, Dum illorum voluit innovare mores.
Vox amoris flatibus tota concremata, Oci, oci clamitat avis haec beata, Mundo mori cupiens, cuius via lata, Cui foetet saeculum, sic est delicata.
Clamat ergo: Domine, dulcis praedicator, Exulum refugium, pauperum amator, Qui es poenitentium pius consolator, Post te debent currere iustus et peccator:
Iusti quippe regula, vitae es doctrina, Peccatorum speculum, mira disciplina, Fessis et debilibus efficax resina, Aegris et languentibus potens medicina.
Primus in hoc saeculo charitatis scholam Instaurasti, quaerere docens Dei solam Gloriam, deponere gravem mundi molam, Et sic posse perditam rehabere stolam.
Sed hanc scholam temere mundus irridebat, Spernens et annihilans quidquid promittebat; Tua vero, bonitas vices non reddebat, Immo poenitentibus totum ignoscebat;
Quippe cui proprium erat misereri, Diligi desiderans magis quam timeri; Sed verba, non verbera proferens, austeri Praeceptoris noluit more revereri.
Haec in adulterio novit deprehensa, Quam sit tua pietas, scilicet immensa; Magdalena sensit hoc, quum ei offensa Est dimissa, multiplex gratia impensa.
Et quid multa dicerem? Quot sunt consecuti, Eius magisterium, a suis abluti Vitiis, sunt moribus optimis imbuti, Et ab hostis invidi fraude facti tuti.
Felix, cui licuit sub hoc praeceptore Conversari iugiter, et ab eius ore Mel coeleste sugere, cuius prae dulcore Amarescunt caetera, plena sunt foetore!
Haec et multa talia dum mens meditatur, Ad reddendas gratias tono praeparatur, Ad laudandum. Dominum magis inflammatur; Sicque, horae tertiae cantus terminatur.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Rom.12.17;1Pet.3.9 — Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is good in the sight of all people. 1Pet.3.9 — Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult; but on the contrary, bless, because for this you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing.
- ↩1John.4.18 — There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.
Notes
- 1 ↩Keep the nightingale cry as the source gives it. In the Philomena tradition the cry is also heard against Latin occidere / Romance ocir ('kill'), as the bird longs to die for love.
- 2 ↩Latin resina is medicinal resin/pitch; rendered as balm to keep the healing-image force without false precision about the substance.
- 3 ↩Latin pietas here is divine tender mercy/compassion (not mere 'piety' as personal devoutness); rendered 'mercy' to match the forgiveness context.
- 4 ↩hostis invidi: the envious enemy; in this devotional tradition usually the devil.
- 5 ↩Ablative tono taken as manner/instrument: 'in song' / 'in tone' (the chant's melody or vocal pitch), fitting a Cantus ad Tertiam close rather than abstract 'sound' alone.
- 6 ↩Passive inflammatur with accusative Dominum rendered as direction of desire ('toward the Lord'), with subject continuing from mens in the previous sentence. Line division severs a possible original unit ad laudandum Dominum, but each printed sentence is translated as supplied.
John Pecham (Peckham), Philomena companion
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