Prayers
- Veni Creator Spiritus
To see a booklet (PDF) with translations of this hymn to the Holy Spirit, click here
- Veni Creator Spiritus
De Imitatione Christi
From her Autobiography, by Saint Thérèse
Depuis longtemps je me nourrissais de «la pure farine» contenue dans l'Imitation, c'était le seul livre qui me fît du bien, car je n'avais pas encore trouvé les trésors cachés dans l'Evangile. Je savais par cœur presque tous les chapitres de ma chère Imitation, ce petit livre ne me quittait jamais ; en été, je le portais dans ma poche, en hiver, dans mon manchon, aussi était-il devenu traditionnel ; chez ma Tante on s'en amusait beaucoup et l'ouvrant au hasard, on me faisait réciter le chapitre qui se trouvait devant les yeux.
For a long time I nourished my spiritual life with the "fine flour" contained in the 'Imitation of Christ.' It was the only book which did me good, for I had not yet discovered the treasures hidden in the Holy Gospels. I knew by heart nearly every chapter in my beloved 'Imitation'. The little volume never left my side. In summer, I kept it in my pocket; in winter, in it was in my muff. It had become a custom with my aunt to open it at any page and ask me to recite by heart the chapter she had chanced upon.
From Chapter V of the Autobiography of a Soul, by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. See here on our sister blog and here for copies of her manuscripts.
Liber Primus
Cap. 25. De ferventi emendatione totius vitæ nostrae
Chapter XXV - Of the zealous amendment of our whole life
Divínæ voluntáti sese commíttere
Commit thyself to the divine will
2. Cum quidam ánxius inter metum et spem frequénter fluctuáret, et quadam vice mœróre conféctus in ecclésia ante quoddam altáre se in oratióne prostravísset, hæc intra se revólvit dicens: O, si scirem, quod adhuc perserverátus essem; statímque audívit divínum intus respónsum. Quid, si hoc scires, quid fácere velles? Fac nunc quod fácere velles, et bene secúrus eris. Moxque consolátus et confortátus divínæ se commísit voluntáti, et cessávit ánxia fluctuátio. Noluítque curióse se investigáre, ut sciret quæ sibi essent futúra, sed magis stúduit inquírere quæ esset volúntas Dei beneplácens et perfécta ad omne opus inchoándum et perficiéndum.
2. A certain man being in anxiety of mind, continually tossed about between hope and fear, and being on a certain day overwhelmed with grief, cast himself down in prayer before the altar in church, and meditated within himself, saying, "Oh! if I but knew that I should still persevere," and presently heard within him a voice from God, "And if thou didst know it, what wouldst thou do? Do now what thou wouldst do then, and thou shalt be very secure." And straightway being comforted and strengthened, he committed himself to the will of God and the perturbation of spirit ceased, neither had he a mind any more to search curiously to know what should befall him hereafter, but studied rather to inquire what was the good and acceptable will of God, for the beginning and perfecting of every good work.
Fórtius certámen ampliórem grátiam merétur
The more resolute the struggle, the more magnificent the grace merited
3. Spera in Dómino et fac bonitátem, ait Prophéta, et inhábita terram, et pascéris in divítiis ejus.(Ps. 36, 3).* Unum est quod multos a proféctu et fervénti emendatióne rétrahit: horror difficultátis seu labor certáminis. Illi máxime præ áliis in virtútibus profíciunt, qui ea quæ sibi magis grávia et contrária sunt víncere nitúntur. Nam ibi homo plus próficit, et grátiam merétur ampliórem, ubi magis se ipsum vincit, et in spíritu mortíficat.
*[3] Spera in Domino, et fac bonitátem; et inhábita terram, et pascéris in divítiis éjus.3. Hope in the Lord and be doing good, saith the Prophet; dwell in the land and thou shalt be fed with its riches. One thing there is which holdeth back many from progress and fervent amendment, even the dread of difficulty, or the labour of the conflict. Nevertheless they advance above all others in virtue who strive manfully to conquer those things which are most grievous and contrary to them, for there a man profiteth most and meriteth greater grace where he most overcometh himself and mortifieth himself in spirit.
*[3] Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches.(Ps xxxvi,3)
Diligéntia ad virtútes acquiréndas
Diligence is required in acquiring virtues
4. Sed non omnes habent æque multum ad vincéndum et moriéndum. Díligens autem æmulátor valéntior erit ad proficiéndum, etiámsi plures hábeat passiónes, quam álius bene morigerátus, minus tamen fervens ad virtútes.
4. But all men have not the same passions to conquer and to mortify, yet he who is diligent shall attain more profit, although he have stronger passions, than another who is more temperate of disposition, but is withal less fervent in the pursuit of virtue.
Notes on Latin vocab
aemulator: nom sing masc, from aemŭlātor, ōris, m. id.,a zealous imitator, emulator (in a good sense)
aeque: aequē: adv. (aequus), equally; alike.
ampliorem: acc sing fem, from amplius (comp of amplus): amplus , a, um: (adj.), spacious, large, ample, splendid, magnificent, glorious, comp., amplior, us, larger; (adv.), amplius, more, longer
certaminis: gen sing neut from certāmen, inis, n.: a striving, a struggle; effort
confectus: nom sing masc from cōnficiō, fēcī, fectus, 3, a.; (pass.), cōnficior, cōnficī, and cōnfīō, fierī: to make completely, finish, accomplish, achieve, complete, work out; wear out, waste, exhaust, 4.599; destroy, make infirm
confortatus: nom masc sing from conforto, āre, v. a. fortis,to strengthen much (late Lat.; esp. freq. in the Vulg. of the Vet. Test.)
ĕtĭam-si (also written separately), a concessive conditional particle, = καὶ εἰ, more emphatic than etsi, even if, although, albeit.
fluctuatio: nom sing fem from fluctŭātĭo, ōnis, f. id., a vibrating to and fro, a fluctuation, wavering, hesitation, vacillation of the mind
inchoándum: aa sing neut gerund from incohō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to lay the foundation; begin, essay; to consecrate
intus: adv, On the inside, within:
metum: acc sing neut from metus , ūs, m.: fear, dread, terror
moerore: abl sing masc from maeror (moer-), ōris, m. maereo, Ia mourning, sadness, grief, sorrow, lamentation
moriendum: pres gerund from morior , mortuus sum, morī, 3 and 4, dep. n.: to die, perish
morigeratus: nom sing masc fut participle from mōrĭgĕror, ātus, 1, v. dep. morigerus,to comply with, gratify, humor, endeavor to please
nituntur: 3rd pers plur pres indic active (dep), from nītor, nīsus or nīxus sum, 3, dep. n. To make one's way with an effort, to press forward, advance
proficiunt: 3rd pers plur pres indic active, from prōfĭcĭo, fēci, fectum, 3, v. n, to go forward, advance, gain ground, make progress
quadam: from quadamtenus, to a certain extent, in some measure
quidam: pron. indef., a certain, a certain one, somebody, something
quoddam: quīdam, quaedam, quoddam, and, subst. quiddam, pron. indef., a certain, a certain one, somebody, something
retrahit: 3rd pers sing pres indic active, from retrahō, trāxī, trāctus, 3, a.: to draw back, lead back, recall
revolvit: 3rd pers sing perf indic act, from rĕ-volvo, volvi, vŏlūtum, 3, v. a., to roll back; to unroll, unwind; to revolve, return; to relate again, repeat; to brood or reflect upon
scires: 2nd pers sing imp subj active, from sciō, īvī or iī, ītus, 4, a.: to know, understand, et al.; know how, be able, can.
valentior: nom sing masc comp adj from valēns, entis: strong, vigorous, powerful,
velles: 2nd pers sing imp subj wctive, from volō, voluī, velle, irreg. and def. a.: to will, wish, desire, intend, purpose
vice: on (different) occasions, at (different) times. vicis , gen. f.: a change, turn in affairs; stage, interchange,
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