WDTPRS – Friday 1st Week of Lent – Prayer over the People (2002MR)

Here is the Oratio super Populum which may be used NOW (in Latin) after Holy Mass.  Each day in Lent in the Ordinary Form now has this revived tradition according to the 2002MR which is, now, the edition of the Missal in force for the Ordinary Form.

PRAYER OVER THE PEOPLE:
Respice, Domine, propitius ad plebem tuam,
ut quod eius observantia profitetur extrinsecus,
interius operetu
r.

I am pretty sure this is a reworking of at least part of an ancient prayer which is the Secret for Ember Saturday in Lent (tomorrow) in the 1962MR:

SECRET (1962MR):
Praesentibus sacrificiis, quaesumus, Domine,
ieiunia nostra sanctifica:
ut, quod observantia nostra profitetur extrinsecus,
interius operetur
.

In the Ordinary Form we also have this "Prayer over the gifts", itself a reworking of a prayer in the 1962MR, and that in its own turn from the ancient Gelasian and Hadrianum and Paduense Sacramentaries.

SUPER OBLATA (2002MR):
Praesenti sacrificio, quaesumus, Domine,
observantiam nostram sanctifica,
ut, quod quadragesimalis exercitatio profitetur exterius,
interius operetur effectu
.

Perhaps some of you can exercise your Latin powers with your own slavishly accurate versions, or smoother polished renderings, and the pick over the changes, asking yourselves: Is there a change of theology or merely of emphasis?

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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

  1. AM says:

    2002 (Thursday next week) : By this sacrifice, we pray, O Lord,
    sanctify our observance,
    so that what the Lenten exercise outwardly acknowledges
    it may effect inwardly.

    1962: By these sacrifices, we pray, O Lord,
    sanctify our fasts,
    so that what our observance acknowledges extrinsically
    it may work inwardly.

    I don’t see a theological difference.

    I see admission for 2002 that fasts, as such, are not the “thing”…

    I see a slight emphasis on “one sacrifice” — this happens elsewhere in the reformed MR, doesn’t it?

    The interesting question for me is the difference between exterius “on the outer side” and extrinsecus “from without”. Acc. to L&S they really have the same meaning and root, but what is extrinsecus seems to be more innessential, more “foreign”, to the matter at hand. Is the 1962 prayer more contrasting inner holiness with external forms more sharply, as a result?

  2. Tom in NY says:

    Sensum movere sed paulo mihi apparet. Oratione antiquiore, “praesentibus …sacrificiis” “observantia…nostra” impares, sed oratione nova, “sacrificio…exercitatio” sensu et forma singulari pares sunt. Etiam, oratio nova sensum ad quadrigesimam restringet, nomen “exercitatio” disciplinae sensum adducit. Oratio nova “ieiunia(m)” delente, locum de nostra necessitate ad voluntatem movet. Moto illo, sensum mutat?

    Salutationes omnibus.

  3. Yes, but “fasts” is a strong concrete image, whereas “observances” is kinda wishy-washy and generic. Especially since in 2002, we’re not fasting much, and we’re not directed much to give alms or do other Lenten stuff either.

  4. Suburban: That observatio has a strong connotation of “duty” in ecclesiastical Latin.  Don’t be fooled by the English “false friend”.

  5. Roland de Chanson says:

    Non credendum est. XXXI responsa ad prandium sacerdotale. IV ad Secretam traditionalem. Ecclesia cito ruitur. Ubinam gentium sumus?

  6. Roland: XXXI responsa ad prandium sacerdotale. IV ad Secretam traditionalem.

    Vidisti. Nil mirandum.

  7. Tom in NY says:

    Scriptum est:”…et dedit tibi cibum manna,… ut ostenderet tibi quod non in solo pane vivat homo, sed in omni verbo quod egreditur de ore Dei.” (Dt. 8:3).

    Et panis (aut piscis) et verbum Dei nobis necesse sunt.

    Salutationes omnibus.

  8. Tom in NY says:

    Addendum de adnexu inter panes, pisces et verba Dei: viz. Ev. sec. Ioan. 6:11,13: “Accepit ergo Jesus panes : et cum gratias egisset, distribuit discumbentibus : similiter et ex piscibus…..Collegerunt (discipuli) ergo, et impleverunt duodecim cophinos fragmentorum ex quinque panibus … quæ superfuerunt his qui manducaverant.” Ergo multitudinem victu et corporis et spiritus frui apparuit.
    Salutationes omnibus.

  9. Roland de Chanson says:

    Patri Z et Thomae Novi Eboraci Orlandus de Carmine S. P. D.

    Pater Zeta: Vere dicis. Apud quosdam potius de substantiali quam de supersubstantiali pane agitur. ;-)

    Thoma Novieboracensis: Vere dicis (vel Evangelium citas) et tu: mihi videtur autem Dominum aquam in vinum mutando a Matre persuasum et humanitatem suam et Divinitatem apertissime ostendisse. Primum Eius miraculum paene mea sententia optimum fuisse (Resurrectione scilicet sine necessitate dicendi excepta).

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