Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

Second Sunday after Easter 193
Christ knows His own as He knows the Father. These words ought to
be for us an infinitely great consolation. The Saviour's knowledge of the
Father includes of itself His immeasurable and unending love for Him.
OFFERTORY (Ps. 62: 2, 5)
1. Deus, Deus meus, ad te de luce 1. O God, my God, to thee do I
vigilo: 2. et in nomine tuo levabo watch at break of day: 2. and in
manus meas, alleluia. Thy name I will lift up my hands,
alleluia.
Christ is the shepherd and bishop of our souls; today's Epistle
applies these terms to Him. He keeps a faithful watch over His sheep,
never resting, never slumbering. Hence it is but fitting that my first
waking thought be directed to Him, that my heart turn to Him at the
first streak of dawn (de luce). And this the more, since on this morning
He again desires to be mine entirely, and wishes me to partake of His
divine life in the Eucharistic Banquet. Just as at the Offertory the priest
lifts up his hands together with the sacrificial gifts of bread and wine, so
shall I also lift up my hands and offer myself as an oblation, singing my
Alleluia in the joy of the Holy Ghost and confiding in the omnipotence
of His grace (in nomine tuo). In early times these sentiments were expressed
by these verses: "I come before Thee, to see Thy power and Thy
glory. Thou hast been my Helper. And I will rejoice under the covert of
Thy wings." In the Offertory the divine Redeemer prays to His heavenly
Father and protests His continual readiness to be sacrificed. Here and
now He becomes the Lamb which is offered for us on the altar. ••«•*
In the quiet first phrase, luce is the only word which rises to somewhat
greater prominence. Is this perhaps to remind us of the sudden
flashing of the light? The tone-sequences over the second syllable are
heard at various times: in the Vidi aquam, where there is mention of
flowing water with aqua ista; in the Offertory Invent David, when it
speaks of flowing oil with the words oleo sancto. Proper to almost all pieces
of the second mode is the close of the first phrase on c. Only here the
seconds, without any pressus, have not that strong modulatory power
shown, for example, in the Introit Mihi autem for Apostles. In its first
half, the second phrase is somewhat more lively, setting in immediately
on the dominant and taking on a more ornate melody with in nomine
tuo, upon which is placed a fourth as an antithesis to that occurring in
the first phrase. The second part returns to the simple, almost naively
pastoral style of the first phrase, which feeling is strengthened by the
minor third d-f, the usual combination of dominant and tonic in pieces
of the second mode.