De aeterna laude Dei
The Pure Heart of Praise
True praise of God requires a pure intention and a heart free from vanity, mirroring the ceaseless worship of the angels.
May His praise always be on my lips. It's a sweet sound in the ears of the devout, but sweeter still in the presence of God and the holy angels. If every musical instrument were playing, but not sounding out the praise of God, they would be clanging in vain; they wouldn't refresh or satisfy a holy soul. God and His honor must be the reason for our singing, and all vanity must be set aside if our praise is to be pleasing and acceptable to God. If your intention is pure, you'll be able to rejoice in the true gladness of heart, just as Mary did. It's a sweet symphony in heaven and on earth to praise God with a pure heart and a harmonious voice, along with all creation, for His immense goodness and excellent majesty. It's a delightful work to praise God at all times, to love the Creator of heaven and earth, and above all to honor the Giver of eternal life. For the life, honor, and glory of the holy angels is to praise God with their whole being and never cease from that praise, since they can never grow weary or take pride in anything empty.
The Song of the Redeemed
The faithful soul is called to join the heavenly chorus by enduring earthly struggles with the hope of eternal rest.
The souls of the saints in their heavenly home do this too; freed from the chains of the body and the snares of Satan, and secure from all his temptations, they are now united to God in perfect love, filled with everlasting joy and ineffable bliss. Now that they're free, they reflect with the greatest sweetness on how much tribulation and bitterness they once endured, and from how many dangers and temptations of this miserable life they've escaped. For them, all their laments have turned into songs of joy, and their harsh sufferings into the increase of a more beautiful crown. Oh, how blessed is that homeland where everything is peaceful; where there is no sadness, but everything is delightful, filled with divine praise and sweet jubilation. Therefore, you too, faithful soul, bless the Lord from the heavens; praise your God, O Zion, even while weighed down by the burden of the flesh. Call upon Jesus in the place of your struggle, so that He may stand by you on your right hand and your left with His holy angels. Pray that the assault of the demons may not prevail against you; that the softness of the flesh may not deceive you, and that neither the rigor of your discipline nor the labor of your body may break you. For the love of Christ, take up the burden of the holy cross, which opens to you the gate of the heavenly kingdom.
The Royal Road of Resignation
Walking the path to Christ involves conquering one's own will and accepting all circumstances as coming from the hand of the Creator.
What more do you want? The royal road to coming to Christ is to conquer your own will, to endure hardship, and not to seek the comforts of the flesh. You'll certainly have eternal rest for a little labor, and eternal honor for a humble and lowly state. In that place. So let there always be praise for God on your lips, in both good times and bad; for you can gain much merit in this if you fully resign yourself to the will of God. Whatever weight you encounter, whether inside or out, accept it piously and graciously from the hand of your kind Creator, who cares for all of us, both small and great. He who made you in His own image will not abandon you in your needs, because of His immense goodness. Open your mouth, then, in praise of God Almighty, whose providence governs everything in heaven and on earth, in the sea, and in all the depths.
The Universal Call to Gratitude
Every creature and every human condition is an occasion to praise the Creator, Redeemer, and Benefactor who gives Himself to us.
Praise your Creator, who made you a human being and not a beast; even if He had made you a fly, He would still be worthy of praise and would have done well. A lion can't boast of its strength against a fly or a gnat, because even if a lion can roar louder, it still can't fly as high as a fly. Therefore, let there be no contention between the great and the small, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, the wise and the simple, the ruler and the servant; let us all equally praise the Lord God, who created every creature with such wonderful beauty and variety to show forth the praise and glory of His name, and the usefulness of humanity, clearly and abundantly. Praise your Redeemer, faithful soul, who redeemed you from the hand of eternal death through the passion of His blessed cross. You could never thank Him worthily, even if you could die and be crucified for Him a thousand times. Praise your Protector, who has guarded you from many dangers and sins. Praise your Benefactor, who has bestowed upon you such great benefits that you can barely count them. Look, He still sends you new gifts every day; He even comes to you Himself on the altar, where He offers you the best gift—Himself—to be received in Communion.
Praise in Every Season
Whether in joy or sorrow, health or labor, the faithful soul finds reasons to offer thanks to God for His constant presence.
He asks nothing else of you for these things, and finds nothing more pleasing, than that you love and praise Him purely and deeply for His own sake. When you're happy and things are going well, give praise and thanks, because the merciful Lord has deigned to comfort you so that you don't fail on your journey. For He sends bread from heaven to refresh your spirit as often as you hear and read the word of God, and as often as you devoutly meditate on the incarnation and passion of Christ. When you are sad or weak, give praise and thanks, because God visits, tests, and purifies you so that you don't become proud and presume upon yourself. Bodily affliction is often a way to bring you to compunction of heart. When you're healthy and strong, give praise and thanks, because God has given you strength so that you may work, serve others, and never waste your time. When you're in a garden or orchard and see the diverse species of trees, flowers, roses, pears, apples, the virtues of herbs, and fragrant lilies, give praise and thanks, because God shows you His many wonderful works springing from the earth, which He renews every year by His marvelous power and wisdom for the sake of His great goodness and the benefit of humanity. In every place and at every time, therefore, give praise to God and offer thanks, because the whole earth is full of His majesty, and His glory is above the heavens.
The Final Breath of Worship
All creation is invited to join in the eternal praise of God, making worship the constant companion of every action.
Praise God along with all the saints on earth, whom all the angels in heaven praise. If you praise Him, you are made like the angels; if you don't, you are ungrateful and worse than the beasts. Look: the birds of the air sing, the fish swim, the dogs bark, the cattle cry out; all elements move themselves to the praise of God and demonstrate the magnificence of their Creator through their natural movements. In everything you do, therefore, keep God before your eyes; avoid offenses, give thanks for the benefits bestowed upon you, and at the end of every task, conclude by thanking God from your heart. Thanks be to God, praise be to God, now and forever. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Semper laus eius in ore meo. O dulcis vox in auribus devotorum: sed dulcior in praesentia Dei et sanctorum angelorum. Si omnia organa musicorum canerent et laudem Dei non resonarent; in vanum concreparent: nec animam sanctam recrearent neque satiarent. Oportet enim quod Deus et honor is eius sit causa canendi, et omnis vanitas sit exclusa: si laus debet esse Deo grata et accepta. Si intentio tua fuerit pura: tunc poteris exultare in vera cordis laetitia cum Maria. Dulcis symphonia in caelo et in terra; laudare Deum puro corde et consona voce cum omni creatura: pro sua immensa bonitate et excellenti magnificentia. Delectabile opus laudare Deum omni tempore; diligere creatorem caeli et terrae: honorare maxime aeternae vitae largitorem. Siquidem sanctorum angelorum vita honor et gloria laudare Deum totis praecordiis; et numquam a laude cessare: qui numquam possunt fatigari nec inaniter gloriari.
Hoc etiam agunt sanctorum animae in caelesti patria; sliberatae de vinculis corporis, de laqueis satanae, ab omni temptatione eius securae: et iam Deo unitae in perfecta caritate et perenni laetitia, et ineffabili beatitudine repletae. Recogitant modo liberae cum maxima dulcedine; in quanta fuerunt tribulatione et amaritudine: et quanta evaserunt pericula et temptamenta huius miserae vitae. Versa sunt eis omnia lamenta in cantica laetitiae: et sdura verbera in augmenta pulchrioris coronae. O quam beata illa patria, ubi pacata sunt omnia; tristia nulla omnia iucunda: divina laude et dulci iubilo plena. Benedic ergo et tu anima fidelis Dominum de caelis: lauda Deum tuum Sion gravata pondere carnis. Invoca Iesum in loco certaminis: ut assit tibi a dextris tuis et sinistris cum angelis sanctis. Ora ne praevaleat contra te daemonum impetus; ne decipiat te mollities carnis: nec frangat te rigor ordinis, neque labor corporis. Suscipe pro Christi amore onus sanctae crucis: quae aperit tibi portam regni caelestis.
Quid amplius cupis? Via regia veniendi ad Christum est vincere propriam voluntatem; sustinere defectum: non quaerere carnis commodum. Habebis certe aeternam requiem pro parvo labore: aeternum honorem pro humili statu et infimo. loco. Sit ergo semper laus Deis in ore tuo; in prosperis et adversis; multum enim in hoc potes promereri: si plene te resignaveris ad voluntatem Dei. Quidquid gravitatis tibi occurrerit interius aut exterius; hoc accipe pie etio gratiose de manu benigni Creatoris: qui curam gerit de omnibus nobis pusillis et magnis. Qui te fecit ad imaginem suam: non relinquet te in necessitatibus tuis propter immensam bonitatem suam. Aperi ergo os tuum in laudem Dei omnipotentis: cuius providentia reguntur omnia in caelo et in terra, in mari et in omnibus abyssis.
Lauda creatorem tuum qui te fecit hominem et non bestiam; et si te muscam fecisset: adhuc laudandus esset et bene fecisset. Non potest leo gloriari de fortitudine sua contra muscam et culicem; quia si leo potest altius clamare: nonos tamen potest tam alte sicut musca volare. Ne ergo sit contentio inter magnum et parvum, inter divitem et pauperem: inter fortem et debilem, inter sapientem et simplicem, inter regentem et servientem; omnes pariter laudemus Dominum Deum qui creavit omnem creaturam mira pulchritudine et varietate ad laudem nominis sui et gloriam: et hominum utilitatem largiter et aperte demonstrandam. Lauda anima fidelis redemptorem tuum: qui te redemit de manu aeternae mortis per passionem suae benedictae crucis. Cui digne regratiari non poteris: etiam si milies pro ipso mori et crucifigi posses. Lauda protectorem tuum: qui te a multis periculis et peccatis custodivit. Lauda benefactorem tuum qui tanta beneficia tibi tribuit: quae vix enumerare sufficis. Ecce adhuc cotidie nova dona tibi transmittit; et per se etiam ad te in altari venit: in quo optimum donum quod ipse est et habet tibi ad communicandum praebet.
Nilaliud pro his a te requirit et tam gratum habet: nisi ut ipsum pure et intime propter se ipsum ames et laudes. Cum laetus fueris et bene tibi successerit; lauda et gratias age: quia pius Dominus te consolari dignatus est, ne in via deficias. Nam totiens panem de caelo tibi ad refocillandum spiritum tuum mittit; quotiens verbum Dei audis et legis: ac de incarnatione et passione Christi devote meditaris. Cum fueris tristis aut debilis: lauda et gratias age; quia Deus TCN reso te visitat probat et purgat: ne superbias et de te praesumas. Afflictio enim corporis: saepe est reductio ad compunctionem cordis. Cum fueris sanus et fortis: lauda et gratias age; quia Deus dedit tibi vires ut labores et aliis servias: et tempus numquam otiose expendas. Cum fueris in horto vel in pomerio videns diversas species et arbores, flores et rosas, pira poma, herbarum vires et lilia odorifera: lauda et gratias age; quia ostendit tibi Deus multa mirabilia opera sua in terra germinantia: quae omni anno renovat mira potentia et sapientia sua pro magna sua bonitate et hominum utilitate. In omni ergo loco et tempore lauda Deum et gratias age: quia plena est omnis terra maiestate eius, et super caelos gloria eius.
Lauda Deum cum omnibus sanctis in terris: quem laudant omnes angeli in caelis. Si laudas angelis assimilaris: si non laudas ingratus es et peior bestiis. Ecce volucres caeli cantant, pisces natant, canes latrant, pecora clamant; et omnia elementa ad laudem Dei se movent: et magnificentiam creatoris sui naturalibus motibus demonstrant. In cunctis ergo quae agis habe Deum prae oculis tuis; cave offensas, gratias age pro beneficiis impensis: et in fine cuiuslibet operis tui corde tenus regratiando Deo sic conclude. Deo gratias, Deo laus: nunc et in aeternum. Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum. Amen.
The Little Garden of Roses & The Valley of Lilies companion
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