Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

368 Purification of the Blessed Virgin or Candlemas
ALLELUIA VERSE
1. Senex puerum portabat: 2. 1. The old man carried the Child:
Puer autem senem regebat. 2. but the Child governed the old man.
The melody was explained on the feast of St. Andrew.
Like Simeon we also should be governed by the divine Child; He
alone should be our Lord and our King. Our soul in consequence will
be endowed with a maturity attained comparatively seldom even by
advanced age; it will radiate inner purity, sound judgment, and steadfastness.
We can then apply to it the words of St. Ambrose speaking of
St. Agnes: "a brilliance of mind unrestrained." In all humility let us
pray as did Cardinal Newman even before his conversion: "I loved to
choose and see my path; but now, lead Thou me on."
The TRACT which is sung while the blessed candles are being
distributed has the same text and the same divisions as the Nunc dimittis.
The Antiphon Lumen is added as a fourth verse.
OFFERTORY (Ps. 44: 3)
1. Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis 1. Grace is poured abroad in thy
2. propterea benedixit te Deus in lips: 2. therefore hath God blessed
aeternum, 3. et in saeculum saeculi. thee forever, 3. and for ages of ages.
At the beginning of the Christmas season we referred these words
to the charm and beauty of the divine Child (see Gradual of the Sunday
after Christmas). Today, at the close of the Christmas season, these
same words glorify the Mother of the divine Infant. It has ever been the
wish of the artist to portray the exterior charm of the blessed Mother,
but never has the ideal conception of her been successfully materialized.
To comprehend fully the beauty of her soul one would needs require
eyes of faith and a soul as pure and rich in graces as Mary's. The Archangel
Gabriel at first sight of her exclaims: Ave, gratia plena—"Hail,
full of grace." This angelic salutation is developed and paraphrased in
the first phrase of the Offertory. The term plena corresponds to diffusa.
Would that we might sing this melody with the reverence and glowing
love of the Archangel! Following the low-pitched and rather reserved
introduction, gratia continues in a bright, ascending melody. The climacus
here and over Idbi-(is) later must be sung crescendo. Tuis modulates
into a full step below the tonic. The second phrase, which is a
development of the Archangel Gabriel's benedicta tu, terminates in the
same manner. Following the ascending intervals of a fourth in the first
phrase we have here descending intervals of a fourth. The melody