WDTPRS Wednesday 5th Week of Lent: “a gracious hearing when they cry out to you”

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Fr. Bugnini’s cutters and pasters, the experts of the Consilium, drew today’s Collect out of a prayer in the ancient Gelasian Sacramentary for the Saturday (Feria VII, yes, 7th – unusual to our eyes ) of the Fifth Week of Lent.  In the pre-Conciliar Missale Romanum this was a prayer for Wednesday in Passiontide.  In the Veronese this was in the month of September, for the fast of the seventh month.

COLLECT:
Sanctificata per paenitentiam
tuorum corda filiorum, Deus miserator, illustra,
et, quibus praestas devotionis affectum,
praebe supplicantibus pium benignus auditum.

[GELASIAN: Sanctificata hoc ieuinium tuorum corda fidelium, deus miserator, inlustra et quibus deuotionis praestas affectum, praebe supplicantibus pium benignus auditum: per. VERONESE: Sanctificata ieiunio tuorum corda filiorum, deus, habitator inlustra; et quibus prestas deuotionis affectum, praebe supplicantibus pium benignus auditum.]

For affectus, in Blaise/Dumas we get for this context “sentiment”.  The editor of Blaise, Dumas, in his notes remarks, “ut… piae devotionis erudiamur affectu (or. m. «Dilexisti», Leon. 1186).  Here affectus is paired with devotio, itself a very hard word.  In many contexts, devotio does not simply transfer into devotion, but in this case it probably can.

SLAVISH RENDERING:
O God, merciful one, enlighten the hearts
of Your children sanctified by penance,
and graciously grant a compassionate hearing to supplicants
to whom you are giving the sentiment of fervent devotion.

OBSOLETE ICEL:
Father of mercy,
hear the prayers of your repentant children
who call upon you in love.
Enlighten our minds and sanctify our hearts
.

CURRENT ICEL:
Enlighten, O God of compassion,
the hearts of your children, sanctified by penance,
and in your kindness
grant those you stir to a sense of devotion
a gracious hearing when they cry out to you
.

You decide.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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4 Comments

  1. q7swallows says:

    Darn it, Fr. Z! However glad I am to see a better translation, I still prefer your slavish renderings. I’m really tired of 4th grade English. Your vocabulary is like a well-marinated steak grilled over mesquite.

  2. ContraMundum says:

    So, none of Fr. Z’s vocabulary on Fridays during Lent? ;-)

  3. ContraMundum says:

    Oh, wait — maybe a TUNA steak!

  4. q7swallows says:

    I’m fasting from mediocrity. :-)

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