This past week I had one of those moments where Heaven touches earth; a pure, peaceful moment that I wish would have lasted a lot longer. We were at Mass on Wednesday at a church that has adoration. After Mass the priest exposed the Blessed Sacrament and we all knelt and sang "O Salutaris Hostia"
O SALUTARIS Hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium.
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.
Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino,
Nobis donet in patria.
Amen.
It was at that moment that grace descended upon me and a huge amount of gratitude filled my soul. Gratitude for all the priests who have taken time to bring us Adoration and to teach us Latin hymns to sing. For all the priests who have brought other beautiful Latin hymns into the Mass. There is something supremely beautiful and haunting about a mass of voices singing a hymn in Latin. I know I said last week that I really enjoy praise and worship songs, but another part of me can't get enough of singing these hymns.
My daughters are part of the choir at our church and the new choir director asked the singers how many of them knew this song in Latin. I found it surprising, but only my two girls raised their hands. Thank you, Lord, for giving us the opportunities to be exposed to this kind of beauty.
Love your moment of grace! I share your appreciation for Eucharistic Adoration, a love for our priests and for Latin hymns as well! Thanks for sharing this and God bless you and your family!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree about the beauty of the hymns in Latin. I think part of the beauty of the Latin is because it is reserved for the sacred, you don't hear people using the same words at walmart as you do at the Latin Mass or a church singing a lovely Latin hymn.
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My family is just finding the beauty in hymns and our faith is richer for it! With my 6 yr old, him and I are working on learning some traditional Catholic hymns at the prompting of our Priest.
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What a beautiful post, Laura! You reminded me that Latin takes us out of the ordinary. We are lifted up by it being, as Jenny said, sacred.
ReplyDeleteAll Catholics everywhere can sing that song together...what a thought.