Friday, September 12, 2008

Comparison of Prayers - Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

"Glorification of the Cross" by Adam Elsheimer

Collect (Opening Prayer)

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Deus, qui Unigénitum tuum crucem subíre voluísti, ut salvum fáceret genus humánum, præsta, quaésumus, ut, cuius mystérium in terra cognóvimus, eius redemptiónis praémia in cælo cónsequi mereámur.
Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum, Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia saécula sæculórum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. God our Father, in obedience to you your only Son accepted death on the cross for the salvation of mankind. We acknowledge the mystery of the cross on earth. May we receive the gift of redemption in heaven.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. O God, You willed Your only-Begotten Son to undergo the Cross, so that He might save the human race, grant, we beseech You, that, having known His mystery on earth, we may be made worthy to obtain the rewards of His redemption in Heaven.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.

The reliquary on the left contains the finger of Saint Thomas, the one he would have used to probe the Sacred Wounds of Christ when He appeared again and confronted Saint Thomas about his doubt in His Resurrection.
The reliquary in the middle contains pieces from: the pillar at which Christ was scourged, the Holy Sepulcre where Christ was buried, and Christ's crib (the rest of which is in Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome).
The reliquary on the right contains two thorns from the Crown of Thorns.

Prayer Over the Gifts

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Hæc oblátio, Dómine, quaésumus, ab ómnibus nos purget offénsis, quæ in ara crucis totíus mundi tulit offénsam.
Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Lord, may this sacrifice once offered on the cross to take away the sins of the world now free us from our sins.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
May this Sacrificial Offering, we beseech You, O Lord, Which on the altar of the Cross took away the offences of the whole world, cleanse us from all our offences.
Through Christ our Lord.

This reliquary contains one of the nails with which Christ was crucified. It is about the size of a nail used on railroad tracks.

Preface
Preface of the Victory of the Glorious Cross

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Vere dignum et iustum est, æquum et salútare, nos tibi semper et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine, sancte Pater, omnípotens ætérne Deus:
Qui salútem humáni géneris in ligno crucis constituísti, ut unde mors oriebátur, inde vita resúrgeret; et, qui in ligno vincébat, in ligno quoque vincerétur: per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
Per quem maiestátem tuam laudant Angeli, adórant Dominatiónes, tremunt Potestátes.
Cæli cælorúmque Virtútes, ac beáta Séraphim, sócia exsultatióne concélebrant.
Cum quibus et nostras voces ut admítti iúbeas, deprecámur, súpplici confessióne dicéntes:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus ...

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks.
You decreed that man should be saved through the wood of the cross. The tree of man’s defeat became his tree of victory; where life was lost, there life has been restored through Christ our Lord.
Through him the choirs of angels and all the powers of heaven praise and worship your glory.
May our voices blend with theirs as we join in their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy ...

My Own Literal Translation
It is truly right and just, proper and availing unto salvation, that we always and everywhere give thanks to You, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God:
You established the salvation of the human race through the wood of the Cross, so that from where death came forth, from there also life rose again; and, He Who was being conquered on the wood, was also to conquer on the wood: through Christ our Lord.
Through Him the Angels praise, the Dominions adore, and the Powers tremble before Your Majesty.
The Virtues, the blessed Seraphim, and the hosts of the Heaven of Heavens celebrate together in exultation.
With whom, we implore You, that You may grant our voices to be admitted, in humble petitioning saying in confession of faith:
Holy, Holy, Holy ...

There is also a part of the sign which was hung above Christ when He was crucified. The "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudeorum" (Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews) sign.

Post-Communion Prayer

Official Latin from the 1969 & 2002 Roman Missals
Orémus. Refectióne tua sancta enutríti, Dómine Iesu Christe, súpplices deprecámur, ut, quos per lignum crucis vivíficæ redemísit, ad resurrectiónis glóriam perdúcas.
Qui vivis et regnas in saécula sæculórum.

Official 1973 I.C.E.L. Translation (Used at Mass in English)
Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, you are the holy bread of life. Bring to the glory of the resurrection the people you have redeemed by the wood of the cross.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

My Own Literal Translation
Let us pray. Having been nourished by Your Holy restoration, O Lord Jesus Christ, we humbly beseech You, that, You may lead those who have been redeemed through the wood of the life giving Cross, to the glory of the resurrection.
You Who live and reign forever and ever.

Finally, at the center of the relics is a cross containing pieces from the True Cross on which Christ was crucified.


RS

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