Thursday, December 22, 2016

O King of the Gentiles . . .

22 December

O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
 veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O King of the gentiles and their desired One,
the cornerstone that makes both one:

come, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.


Photo:  The holy oils at the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Washington, D.C.  The light coming through the stained glass was perfect for this particular photo.  

Meditation:   Both the Old and New Testaments refer to the king being anointed with oil.  David was anointed.  Jesus' feet were anointed with oil and tears at table before his passion.   The sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordination, and the sacrament of the sick include anointing with specifically blessed oils: the oil of catechumens, sacred chrism, and the oil of the sick. The anointing we receive at baptism and confirmation joins us to Jesus in a share of His Passion.  Consider the great gift of anointing.  What does it mean to me?

Prayer:
The Anima Christi appears on the fly-leaf of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.  It is an ancient prayer that was not written by Ignatius.  However, it is obvious Ignatius knew the prayer and entered deeply into it.

Anima Christi

Anima Christi, sanctifica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.
Passio Christi, conforta me.
O bone Jesu, exaudi me.
Intra tua vulnera absconde me.
Ne permittas me separari a te.
Ab hoste maligno defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me.
Et iube me venire ad te,
Ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te.
In saecula saeculorum.          Amen

                                                                     
Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me     
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever.      Amen.

Lagniappe:
Anima Christi (sung in Latin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phGDR9y912s

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