WDTPRS: Monday 2nd Week of Lent – Post communionem (2002MR)

We continue our project of looking at the Post communions of Lent:

Monday – 2nd Week of Lent

In the 1962MR this prayer was, with a line inserted and a variation, the Postcommunio on 1 January.

The Postcommunion is an ancient prayer, found in various old versions of the Gelasian, including the Engolismensis and Gellonensis for the feast of St. Stephen, Pope and Martyr, during August, with changes of course, as well as during the 4th week after Pentecost and in Lent.

POST COMMUNIONEM (2002MR):
Haec nos communio, Domine, purget a crimine,
et caelestis gaudii faciat esse consortes.

In the Lewis & Short Dictionary we find that crimen is “a judicial decision, verdict, judgment; hence, like the Greek krima, of the subject of such a decision, and with particular reference either to the accuser or to the accused”.  This is related to the Latin verb cerno, “to separate, distinguish by the senses; to perceive”, etc. Think of the word “discrimination”, the ability to discern and decide between things.  In the Latin liturgical dictionary I call Blaise/Dumas we find that crimen is a “crime” or “sin” especially original sin.  When we start deciding things apart from God’s plan and His image written into our beings, we get mired in the filth of our sins.

The Daily Missal (Baronius Press – 2007)
May this Communion, O Lord, cleanse us from guilt,
and make us sharers of heavenly joy.

Communion is to be received in the state of grace. Many should be communing only spiritually and not also physically. It is appropriate that, in this moment of joyful awe at transcendence, we should recall our need for cleansing.  On our own, we are nothing.  We get into terrible trouble. 

In the 1962MR on 1 January the last line reads "et caelestis remedii faciat esse consortes..  and make us sharers of the heavenly remedy".  This is a good example of the ideological changes made by the Consilium when they snipped and pasted the Novus Ordo together, moving prayers around and changing their theology.  The ancient version of the prayer, in those old sacramentaries, says remedium, "remedy, cure" and the redacted version says gaudium, "joy".  The former indicates that something isn’t right and we need God’s healing action.  The later doesn’t not give any indication that there are still flaws.  It stresses the ultimate joy to be attained in heaven, of which we have a foretaste in a good Holy Communion.