Chants of the Vatican Graduale - MusicaSacra

86 Feast of the Holy Family
%. 1. Beati qui habitant in domo all the days of my life. $F. 1. Blessed
tua, Domine: 2. in saecula saecu- are they that dwell in thy house, O
lorum laudabunt te. Lord: 2. they shall praise thee for
ever and ever.
This Gradual borrows its first phrase and half of the second, text
and melody, from the Friday after Ash Wednesday. The last four words
are not given there, but we do find the closing cadence of the corpus.
The melody of the verse, beginning with the third last neum over videam,
is likewise taken from the same Friday. In both phrases, however,
the original avoids the somewhat protracted recitation on c. The second
last syllable extends to high d. But this seems to be the rule when a
Gradual of the present type closes with a dactylic rhythm (cf. orta est
in the Gradual for Epiphany).
In truth, Nazareth was the home of the Lord. What was the Temple
with all its splendor and glory, what its feasts, compared to the liturgy
celebrated in the holy house and the divine praise which ascended thence
to heaven? May the Holy Family obtain for us the privilege of living in
the house of the Lord all the days of our life, that we may be allowed to
join our voices in the unending praise of the Trinity.
ALLELUIA VERSE (Isa. 45, 15)
1. Vere tu es Rex absconditus, 2. 1. Verily thou art a Hidden King,
Deus Israel Salvator. 2. the God of Israel, the Saviour.
The following Gospel relates how the Saviour remained for three
days in the Temple, conversing with the doctors and "asking them
questions," pursuing His "Father's business." Then He went down to
Nazareth, concealing His divine dignity and power, and was subject to
Mary and Joseph. Thus was His life spent in secret, in absolute quiet.
As long as He sojourned at Nazareth, the wide world knew nothing of
Him, not even Palestine, not even Jerusalem. When later He chose His
disciples, they knew nothing or very little of Him. And yet He was
King, God, and Redeemer. Even in His quiet and secluded retreat He
was at the work of redemption.
This melody is a jewel of plain song. Alleluia supplies the melodic
material for the first words of the verse. It unites rest and movement.
The first member of the jubilus gains in strength from its energetic
fourths; it has an echo in (ab)-sconditus. In its first half the second member
of the jubilus supports itself on Alleluia, in its second half on the
first member of the jubilus.