Viva, viva in nostro core
The Reign of Christ in the Heart
The believer is called to purify the soul and embrace peace so that Christ may truly reign within.
Long live, long live in our hearts Christ the King, our leader and Lord. Let each person purge the intellect, the memory, and the will of earthly and vain affection; let everything burn in charity, contemplating the goodness of Jesus, King of Florence; with fasting and penance, let each be reformed within and without. If you want Jesus to reign by his grace in your heart, turn all hatreds and wicked resentments into sweet love; driving out every grudge, let each of you take peace into yourself: this is what pleases Jesus up in heaven, and here in the heart.✦
Renouncing the World for the True End
True blessedness is found in despising the fleeting vanities of the world to focus on Jesus.
O Jesus, how blessed is the one who despises this blind world! This is that happy state that always keeps the heart glad; and I'm confounded that for the sake of straw, smoke, and thorns, we lose the sweet end, which is Jesus our Lord.12
A Plea for Divine Intervention
A series of urgent petitions for Christ to act as a conqueror against spiritual enemies and restore his presence.
So rise, gentle Lamb, against the fierce Pharaoh. Ah!3 Turn the crow into a swan, overthrowing the great dragon. Awaken at last your Lion of the tribe of Judah; it’s a harsh sight to look where they’ve put your precious liquor!4
The Light of the Shepherd
A concluding blessing for the Shepherd and his Mother, who bring light to those in darkness.
Blessed be the shepherd of the highest hierarchy, Jesus Christ, our love, and the holy and devout Mother, who have sent a great light to those sitting in darkness; and so, with a living voice, they call on Christ in their heart.5
Read the original Latin
Viva, viva in nostro core Cristo re, duce e signore.
Ciascun purghi l’intelletto, La memoria e voluntate Dal terrestre e vano affetto; Arda tutto in caritate, Contemplando la bontate Di Giesù Re di Fiorenza; Con digiuni e penitenza Si reformi dentro e fore.
Se volete Giesù regni Per sua grazia in vostro core, Tutti gli odii e pravi sdegni Commutate in dolze amore; Discacciando ogni rancore, Ciascun prenda in sè la pace: Questo è quel ch’a Giesù piace Su nel cielo, e qui nel core.
O Giesù, quant’è beato Chi dispreza il ceco mondo! Questo è quel felice stato Che tien sempre il cor iocondo: E però io mi confondo Che per paglia, fumo e spine Noi perdiamo il dolze fine, Ch’è Giesù nostro Signore.
Surgi dunque, Agnel benigno, Contro al fero Faraone. De! riforma il corvo in cigno, Supplantando il gran dracone. Sveglia omai il tuo Leone Della tua tribù di Iuda; Ch’a sguardare è cosa cruda, Dove han posto il tuo licore!
Benedetto sie ’l pastore Della somma ierarchia, Giesù Cristo, nostro amore, E la Madre santa e pia, Ch’a’ sedenti in tenebria Han mandato una gran luce: E però con viva voce Chiaman Cristo nel lor core.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Col.3.15 — And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Notes
- 1 ↩Italian 'mi confondo' can mean bewildered, abashed, or put to shame; rendered as 'I'm confounded' to keep the speaker's moral dismay without over-psychologizing.
- 2 ↩'il dolze fine' is the sweet final end/goal (teleological), not a merely pleasant conclusion; 'fine' = end as destiny in Christ.
- 3 ↩Italian De! is the pleading interjection usually spelled deh in literary Italian (roughly Ah! / Oh! / I pray). Rendered as a brief cry of entreaty, not as Latin de.
- 4 ↩Licore (liquore) may mean precious wine, nectar, or—by devotion—the Blood/grace of Christ. Kept as 'precious liquor' to stay close to the surface without over-specifying Eucharistic sense.
- 5 ↩‘Somma ierarchia’ names the highest rank of the celestial hierarchy; Christ is praised as its shepherd.
Lauds companion
Never lose the rhythm again
Chosen Portion delivers your morning, midday and night office to your phone — the Hours, without the bells.
Chosen Portion is a modern Book of Hours: it turns the fixed-hour structure this collection preserves into scheduled, tappable daily prayer on your phone.
- Three daily prayer moments scheduled around your real calendar, not a monastery's
- Psalms and historic prayers sequenced for you — no page-flipping or decision fatigue
- A visible streak of completed offices, so the rhythm compounds instead of collapsing