ORATIO XXXIX. AD CHRISTUM, ET OMNES SANCTOS.
Christ, My Life and My Beginning
The prayer opens by confessing Christ as the source of life and being, and asks that remembrance of divine mercy ignite a continual flame of love.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, my Lord and my God, you are my life, my salvation; without you I can't live well or even truly be, because before I existed and before I lived, I was with you and lived in you, and before I knew myself, you already knew me.✦ Most kind, most gentle, most tender one, help me remember the mercies you have mercifully bestowed on the human race, and from that remembrance set my heart ablaze with the fire of your love, burning continually into flame.1
Mercy Shaping My Whole Life
Anselm recalls God's mercies from the womb through education and patient waiting, then begs for perseverance in faithful service.
Almighty Lord, you first formed me in my mother's womb; by your power you sanctified me at birth through your baptism; you inspired my parents to hand me over to the study of letters and to the company of monks; and you gave me the ability to learn letters — as much as pleased you — though I was ungrateful.✦ Me, a sinner day after day, you have patiently waited for even until now. I beg and implore you, most kind Lord, by your sweetest mercy — don't let me ever return to the old filth of my sins, but make me persevere with your servants in your service.
Caressed by the Saints' Intercession
Aware of unworthiness, the soul seeks the comfort of the saints' intercession and entrusts its prayer first to the Virgin Mother of mercy.
I know, Lord, that I'm not worthy to be heard because of my sins, but grant me the comfort and intercession of your saints, whom I dare to call on before you, so that what I can't merit on my own because my sins stand in the way, I may obtain through their merits interceding for me — and don't shut me out from their fellowship. All you saints, children of mercy, little ones of the Lord Savior, now resting with him in eternal repose — you whom love itself brought forth from its own heart — I, a sinner, call on you: lift up my prayer to the ears of your mother, the highest love.2 First of all, I dare to pray to you humbly, who are nearest to our salvation, who gave birth to our life, who brought a remedy to a lost world — blessed among women, Virgin Mother of mercy herself, holy Mary, Lady of the world, Queen of heaven — to your most holy love I entrust my poor prayer, whatever it's worth, so that you may offer it to your most beloved Son, our Lord.✦3
The Whole Church Lifts My Prayer
The prayer calls upon angels, patriarchs, prophets, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, the apostles, and the protomartyr Stephen to intercede.
You also, holy angels and archangels — Saint Michael, Saint Raphael, Saint Gabriel — and all the holy heavenly orders of virtues, I presume to call upon you to lift up my prayers to God.4 All you holy patriarchs and prophets, who went before us and announced the coming of our Savior — be helpers to my prayers. Saint John, you are the Baptist of the Lord, the friend of the most exalted Bridegroom — be a helper to my prayers.5 Saint Peter, to whom the highest Shepherd entrusted his lambs to be fed.6 Saint Paul, vessel of the Lord Jesus Christ's election, teacher of the nations.7 Saint Andrew, Saint James, Saint James, Saint John the beloved of the Lord Jesus, Saint Thomas, Saint Philip, Saint Bartholomew, Saint Matthew, Saint Simon, Saint Thaddeus, Saint Matthias, Saint Mark, Saint Luke, Saint Barnabas. All you holy apostles and evangelists, pray for me, a sinner; to your merits I entrust my prayers. Saint Stephen, first martyr of our Lord Jesus Christ, friend of God — to your merits I commend myself.
All Saints, All Helpers
The chapter closes by invoking martyrs, confessors, and holy women, including Mary Magdalene, to pray for the suppliant.
Holy martyrs — Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Laurence, Chrysogonus, John, Paul, Cosmas, Damian, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Vincent, Sebastian, and all you martyrs who shed your blood for the love of the Savior — pray for us. Holy Vedast, Remigius, Benedict, Martin, Ambrose, Augustine, Hilary, Basil, Nicholas, Amandus, Gregory, Germanus, and all you holy confessors who through the holiness of your life were pleasing to God — pray for us. Holy Mary Magdalene, who deserved to touch the feet of the Lord your Savior by kissing them, to wet them with your tears, and to be the first to see him rising from the dead; holy Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Agnes, Cecilia, Lucy, Anastasia, and all you holy virgins, widows, and continent ones — pray for us.✦✦8
Read the original Latin
Domine Jesu Christe, Fili Dei vivi, Dominus meus et Deus meus, tu es vita mea, salus mea, sine quo non possum bene vivere, vel bene esse, quia et antequam essem et viverem, apud te eram et vivebam in te, et, antequam me nossem, noveras me. Benignissime, suavissime, dulcissime, fac me recordari miserationes tuas quas humano generi misericorditer impendisti, fac ex earum recordatione cor meum igne ignescere dilectionis tuae jugiter in flammam. Potentissime Domine, prius in utero matris meae me formasti, tua virtute natum de matre baptismo tuo sanctificasti, parentibus meis ut litterarum studio ac societati monachorum me traderent inspirasti, ingenium discendi litteras, quantum tibi placuit, ingrato mihi dedisti. Me quotidie peccantem usque nunc patienter exspectasti. Precor, oro, benignissime Domine, dulcissimam misericordiam tuam ne me sinas unquam ad pristinas sordes peccatorum meorum redire, sed fac me cum servis tuis in tuo servitio perseverare. Scio, Domine, quod non sum dignus exaudiri propter peccata mea, sed da mihi solatium et intercessionem sanctorum tuorum quos audeo coram te appellare, ut quod obsistentibus peccatis meis non mereor, eorum meritis suffragantibus obtinere possim, et ne me excludas ab eorum societate. Vos omnes sancti, filii misericordiae, pueri Domini Salvatoris, jam cum eo quiescentes in aeterna requie, quos ipsa charitas de suis visceribus genuit, vos ego peccator appello, sublevate meam orationem ad aures vestrae matris, altissimae charitatis. In primis audeo te suppliciter orare, quae vicinior existis saluti nostrae, quae vitam nostram peperisti, mundo perdito remedium attulisti, benedicta super mulieres Virgo mater ipsius misericordiae, sancta Maria, Domina mundi, Regina coeli, tuae sanctissimae pietati meam orationem qualemcunque committo, ut eam offeras dilectissimo Filio tuo Domino nostro.
Vos etiam sancti angeli et archangeli, sancte Michael, sancte Raphael, sancte Gabriel, et omnes sancti coelestium ordines virtutum ad orationes meas ad Deum sublevandas advocare praesumo. Vos omnes sancti patriarchae et prophetae, qui praecessistis et annuntiastis adventum nostri Salvatoris, vos estote adjutores orationibus meis. Sancte Joannes, tu Baptista Domini, amicus ipsius summi Sponsi, tu esto adjutor orationibus meis. Sancte Petre, cui summus Pastor commisit suos agnos pascendos. Sancte Paule, vas electionis Domini Jesu Christi, doctor gentium. Sancte Andrea, sancte Jacobe, sancte Jacobe, sancte Joannes dilecte Domini Jesu, sancte Thoma, sancte Philippe, sancte Bartholomaee, sancte Matthaee, sancte Simon, sancte Thadaee, sancte Matthia, sancte Marce, sancte Luca, sancte Barnaba. Omnes sancti apostoli et evangelistae, orate pro me peccatore; vestris meritis orationes meas committo. Sancte Stephane protomartyr Domini nostri Jesu Christi, amice Dei, tuis meritis me commendo.
Sancti martyres, Line, Clete, Clemens, Xiste, Corneli, Cypriane, Laurenti, Chrysogone, Joannes, Paule, Cosma, Damiane, Ignati, Alexander, Marcelline, Petre, Vincenti, Sebastiane, et omnes martyres qui pro Salvatoris amore sanguinem vestrum fudistis, orate pro nobis. Sancte Vedaste, Remigi, Benedicte, Martine, Ambrosi, Augustine, Hilari, Basili, Nicolae, Amande, Gregori, Germane et omnes sancti confessores qui per sanctitatem vitae vestrae Deo placuistis, orate pro nobis. Sancta Maria Magdalena, quae meruisti pedes Domini Salvatoris osculando tangere, lacrymis rigare, prima resurgentem a mortuis videre, sancta Felicitas, Perpetua, Agatha, Agnes, Caecilia, Lucia, Anastasia, et omnes sanctae virgines, viduae et continentes, orate pro nobis.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Jer.1.5 — Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
- ↩Ps.139.13-Ps.139.16 — For you formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Ps.139.14 — I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, and my soul knows it very well. Ps.139.15 — My bones were not hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth. Ps.139.16 — Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in your book all of them were written — the days that were fashioned, when not yet one of them existed.
- ↩Luke.1.28 — And coming to her, he said, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.'
- ↩John.20.11-John.20.18 — But Mary stood outside at the tomb, weeping. And as she wept, she bent down and looked into the tomb. John.20.12 — and she sees two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. John.20.13 — And they say to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She says to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.' John.20.14 — Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and she did not know that it was Jesus. John.20.15 — Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, thinking that he was the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." John.20.16 — Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni" (which means "Teacher"). John.20.17 — Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.'" John.20.18 — Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and she told them these things that he had said to her.
- ↩Luke.7.38 — and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Notes
- 1 ↩Ignescere in flammam: the image is of the heart catching fire and being continuously inflamed — a classic devotional metaphor for growing love of God.
- 2 ↩Charitas de suis visceribus genuit: the image of love giving birth from its own womb is a mystical personification, likely referring to the Church or to divine love as the generative source of the saints.
- 3 ↩Benedicta super mulieres echoes the angelic greeting in Luke 1:28 and Elizabeth's words in Luke 1:42.
- 4 ↩coelestium ordines virtutum rendered as 'heavenly orders of virtues' to capture the angelic hierarchy sense.
- 5 ↩summi Sponsi rendered as 'most exalted Bridegroom' to preserve the bridal-mystery language applied to Christ.
- 6 ↩Alludes to John 21:15–17 (Pasce agnos/meos ovos meos). Candidate; final resolution deferred.
- 7 ↩vas electionis echoes Acts 9:15. Candidate; final resolution deferred.
- 8 ↩The relative clause describing Mary Magdalene compresses several Gospel traditions (Luke 7:38, John 20:11–18); the Latin presents them as a single devotional portrait rather than citing a specific passage.
Orationes sive Meditationes — Collection for Princess Adeliza of Normandy companion
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