The Co-Eternal Son / Instantis Adventum Dei

Painting by Pietro Da Vicenza - Courtesy Wikipedia

The Co-Eternal Son is an adaption of the Robert Campbell (1814-1868) translation of the 1736 hymn: Instantis Adventum Dei by Charles Coffin (1676-1749). Campbell's translation: The Coming of Our God was later revised by the editors of the Parish Hymn Book, resulting in a number of changes including the omission of the original 1st verse, hence - the different title. In the Divine Office (1974), The Co-Eternal Son is sung during Advent from December 17 up to Christmas. The recommended musical setting in the Office is the tune: Optatus. An alternative tune that can be used in it's place is Franconia, as featured in the following video.


Alternative Tune: Franconia

THE COMING OF OUR GOD tr. by Robert Campbell (Public Domain)

1. The coming of our God
Our thoughts must now employ:
Then let us meet him on the road
With songs of holy joy.

2. The co-eternal Son
A maiden’s offspring see:
A servant’s form Christ putteth on,
To make his people free.

3. Mother of Saints, arise
To greet thine infant-King,
And do not thanklessly despise
The pardon he doth bring.

4. In glory from his throne
Again will Christ descend,
And summon all that are his own
To joys that never end.

5. Let deeds of darkness fly
Before the approaching morn,
For onto sin ‘tis ours to die,
And serve the Virgin-horn.

6. Our joyful praises sing
To Christ, that set us free;
Like tribute to the Father bring,
And, Holy Ghost, to thee.


INSTANTIS ADVENTUM DEI by Charles Coffin, 1736 (Public Domain)

1. Instantis adventum Dei
Poscamus ardenti prece,
Festisque munus inclitum
Præoccupemus canticis.

2. Æterna proles, feminæ
Non horret includi sinu:
Fit ipse servus ut jugo
Nos servitutis eximat. 

3. Mansuetus et clemens venít;
Occurre, festina, Sion:
Ultro tibi quam porrigit,
Ne dura pacem respuas.

4. Mox nube clarâ fulgurans
Mundi redibit arbiter,
Suique membra corporis
Cœlo triumphator vehet. 

5. Fœtus tenebrarum, die
Cedant propinquo crmina:
Adam reformetur vetus,
Imago succedat novi. 

6. Qui liberator advenis,
Fili, tibi laus maxima
Cum Patre et almo
Spiritu In sempiterna secula.

Remember Those, O Lord

For Them We Humbly Pray

Remember Those, O Lord was written by the Scottish Jesuit Priest, Fr. James J. Quinn (1919-2010). In the Divine Office (1974) it is sung at Morning Prayer in the Office for the Dead. It is set to the tune: Franconia, by the German composer Johann Balthasar König (1691-1758).


Tune: Franconia

For All Thy Saints, O Lord

Who Followed Thee, Obeyed, Adored

For All Thy Saints, O Lord was written by the Anglican Bishop and author, Richard Mant (1776 – 1848). It was one of a small group of original hymns which he included in his Ancient Hymns from the Roman Breviary.  First Published in 1837,  it was one of the earliest collections of English hymns translated from the original Latin. For All Thy Saints, O Lord is set to the tune, Narenza which was composed by William Henry Havergal (1793-1870), and based on a melody from Catholicum Hymnologium Germanicum of 1584. A more commonly associated hymn tune with it is Festal Song, as featured in the 2nd video. In the Divine Office it is sung on Feasts and Memorials of Saints or Angels.


Tune: Narenza

FOR ALL THY SAINTS by Richard Mant, 1837 (Public Domain)

 1. For all thy saints, 0 Lord,
our grateful hymn receive,
who followed thee. obeyed, adored,
and strove in thee to live.

 2. For all thy saints, 0 Lord,
accept our thankful cry,
who counted thee their great reward,
who strove in thee to die.

 3. Thine earthly members fit
 to join thy saints above,
in one communion ever knit,
one fellowship of love.

 4. Jesus, thy name we bless,
 and humbly pray that we
may follow them in holiness
and live and die in thee.

 5. All might, all praise, be thine,
Father, co-equal Son,
and Spirit, bond of love divine,
while endless ages run.


Tune: Festal Song

To Christ, the Prince of Peace / Summi Parentis Filio

The Wound of Love He Bore

To Christ, the Prince of Peace is an Anthony G. Petti adaption of the Edward Caswall (1814-1878) 1874 translation of the Latin hymn for Lauds in the Office of the Sacred Heart from the Roman Breviary, Summi Parentis Filio (see 2nd video). Although Caswall's original text is often sung to the tune, St. George; Petti's modern setting is to the William H. Havergal (1793-1870) adaption of Narenza, a melody first published in the Catholicum Hymnologium Germanicum of 1584. In the Liturgy of the Hours, To Christ, the Prince of Peace is used on the Feast of the Sacred Heart.


Tune: Narenza

TO CHRIST, THE PRINCE OF PEACE by Edward Caswall, 1874 (Public Domain)

1. To Christ, the Prince of peace,
And Son of God most high,
The Father of the world to come,
We lift our joyful cry.

2. Deep in His heart for us
The wound of love He bore,
That love which He enkindles still
In hearts that Him adore.

3. O Jesu, Victim blest,
What else but love divine
Could Thee constrain to open thus
That sacred heart of Thine?

4. O wondrous Fount of love,
O Well of waters free,
O heavenly Flame, refining Fire,
O burning Charity!

5. Hide us in Thy dear heart,
Jesu, our Savior blest,
So shall we find Thy plenteous grace
And Heav’n’s eternal rest.


Traditional Chant

SUMMI PARENTIS FILIO - Anonymous (Public Domain)

1. Summi Parentis Filio,
Patri futuri sæculi,
Pacis beatæ Principi,
Promamus ore canticum.

2. Qui vulneratus pectore
Amoris ictum pertulit,
Amoris urens ignibus
Ipsum qui amantem diligunt.

3. Jesu, doloris victima,
Quis te innocentem compulit,
Dura ut apertum lancea
Latus pateret vulneri?

4. O fons amoris inclyte!
O vena aquarum limpida,
O flamma adurens crimina!
O cordis ardens caritas!

5. In Corde, Jesu, jugiter
Reconde nos, ut uberi
Dono fruamur gratiæ,
Cœlique tandem præmiis.

6. Semper Parenti, et Filio,
Sit laus, honor, sit gloria,
Sancto simul Paraclito
In sæculorum sæcula. Amen

The Coming of Our God / Instantis Adventum Dei

We Seek in Ardent Prayers

The Coming of Our God is a 1974 translation by Roger Nachtwey of Instantis Adventum Dei (see below), a Latin hymn composed by Charles Coffin (1676-1749) and first published in the Paris Breviary of 1736. The Coming of God is set to the tune: St. Thomas composed by Aaron Williams and first in published in 1763. The same melody was also used for a 1837 John Chandler translation of Instantis Adventum Dei titled: The Advent Of Our King. In the Liturgy of the Hours, The Coming of Our God is used during Advent.



INSTANTIS ADVENTUM DEI (Public Domain)

1. Instantis adventum Dei
Poscamus ardenti prece,
Festisque munus inclitum
Præoccupemus canticis.

 2. Aeterna proles, feminæ
 Non horret includi sinu:
 Fit ipse servus ut jugo
 Nos servitutis eximat.

 3. Mansuetus et clemens venít;
 Occurre, festina, Sion:
 Ultro tibi quam porrigit,
 Ne dura pacem respuas.

4. Mox nube clarâ fulgurans
Mundi redibit arbiter,
Suique membra corporis
Cœlo triumphator vehet.

5. Fœtus tenebrarum, die
Cedant propinquo crmina:
Adam reformetur vetus,
Imago succedat novi.

6. Qui liberator advenis,
Fili, tibi laus maxima
Cum Patre et almo
Spiritu In sempiterna secula. Amen.

Help Us, O Lord

The Beauty of Your Ways.

Help Us, O Lord by American Methodist Pastor and Hymnodist, William Watkins Reid (b.1923) was first published in 1959 by the Hymn Society of America in Fifteen Christian Education Hymns. It is set to the tune Franconia, written by Johann Balthasar Konig (1691-1758) and first published in Choralbuch (1738). In the Liturgy of the Hours, Help Us, O Lord is used during Ordinary Time for Daytime Midday Prayer.

Tune: Franconia

Breathe on Me, Breath of God

Fill me with life anew.

Breathe on Me, Breath of God was written by the Anglican Priest, Edwin Hatch (1825-1889). A noted scholar and Church historian, he wrote a con­cor­dance to the Sep­tu­a­gint, Essays in Biblical Greek (1889). Breathe on Me, Breath of God was first published in the pamphlet, Between Doubt and Prayer (1878) and was set to the tune, Yattendon by Harry Wooldridge (1845-1917), but is often sung to Trentham, as in the video below. In the Liturgy of the Hours it is used during Ordinary Time for Daytime Mid-Morning Prayer.

Alternative Tune: Trentham

BREATH ON ME, BREATH OF GOD
by Edwin Hatch, 1879, Public Domain

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.