Advent is a season of preparation. Preparation not only for the celebration of the birth of Christ but also for His Second Coming, an event that Christians have been eagerly anticipating for almost two millennia since His glorious Ascension into heaven.
Despite many an effort by the sworn enemies of the Bride of Christ to sweep the Sacred Scriptures and the Church's rich liturgical traditions under the rug, such attempts have proven futile as the faithful remnant continue to preserve and observe these solemn practices that have nourished the hearts of the faithful for centuries.
The spectre of modernism has been busy over these past few decades, persistently trying to replace the "old and outdated" with the "new and improved". But 'new' does not necessarily mean 'better', and when it comes to the Liturgy and the celebration of the sacred mysteries, I would argue that the tried and tested ways should not be discarded or replaced with new innovations, however well-intentioned these may be. Jesus Himself "will make all things new" (Revelation 21:5). He did not say that we are to make all things new! He did however tell us to keep the Commandments (Mt 19:17; Jn 14:15) and St Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, told the faithful in Thessaloniki to "stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught..." (2 Thess 2:15).
The treasures of the Church lie not only in her faithful adherents, as St Lawrence profoundly pointed out, but also in her solemn rites, rituals, hymns and prayers. Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi - what we pray is what we believe. And this is nowhere seen more clearly than in the traditional rites and rituals of the Church, where everything, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem to us, has meaning. Nothing is irrelevant. Nothing is expendable. And, most importantly, nothing that gives due honour and glory to God is ever "old" or "outdated".
One of these (now increasingly and sadly forgotten) treasures is the Advent hymn Rorate Caeli which I only discovered very recently since attending the Traditional Latin Mass. This beautiful hymn, based on a prophecy from the Book of Isaiah, is not only as relevant today as it was in Isaiah's time (ca.740-700 B.C.), it also serves as a profound reminder of the plight of the human condition and our hopeful expectation of salvation and redemption.
Preaching and prophesying in a time of civil unrest and political upheaval due to foreign invasion, the Book of Isaiah is characterised by God's judgment of iniquities and His consolation of the afflicted. The Assyrian Empire invaded the Northern Kingdom of Israel and threatened to do the same with the Southern Kingdom of Judah of which Jerusalem was the capital city (for the full story, read Isaiah 36 and 37).
To cut a long story short, Jerusalem was besieged by the Assyrians but through Divine Intervention, the invaders were forced to retreat. However, Isaiah clearly foretold that the fate that had befallen the Northern Kingdom would also befall Judah in the not so distant future...
Preaching some 80 years after Isaiah, Jeremiah warned the people of Jerusalem of the exact same thing (beginning in c.626 B.C.), which (owing to the people's refusal to listen and repent) finally came to pass in 586 B.C. when the Babylonians laid utter waste to Jerusalem and destroyed the magnificent Temple of Solomon which had stood in the pride and joy of the Judean capital for almost 400 years. The Book of Lamentations (traditionally attributed to Jeremiah) takes us through the desolate streets of a once great and holy city that now lies in ruins.
The Rorate Caeli advent hymn uses this significant biblical event (based on the prophecy of Isaiah) as a premise for the coming of the Redeemer, who would save the people from their plight and console them in their affliction.
Roráte caéli désuper, et núbes plúant jústum.
(Drop down ye heavens from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness)
This repeated verse (based on Isaiah 45:8) not only reflects the state of mind of those who witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem, but remains relevant to us today as a prophecy of hope that God's justice and righteousness will prevail. Now take a look at the succeeding verses (rendered both in Latin and in English) and see if we can apply these words to our own time in the world of today.
Ne irascáris Dómine, ne ultra memíneris iniquitátis;
(Be not exceedingly angry O Lord, do not remember our iniquity forever)
Ecce cívitas Sáncti fácta est desérta;
(The holy city is a wilderness)
Síon desérta fácta est, Jerúsalem desoláta est
(Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation)
Dómus sanctificatiónis túae et glóriae túae
(Your holy house and your glory)
Ubi laudavérunt te pátres nóstri,
(Where our fathers praised thee)
Peccávimus, et fácti súmus tamquam immúndus nos,
(We have sinned and are as an unclean thing)
Et cecídimus quasi fólium univérsi;
(And we all fade as a leaf)
Et iniquitátes nóstrae quasi véntus abstulérunt nos;
(And our iniquities like the wind)
Abscondísti fáciem túam a nóbis,
(Thou hast hidden thy face from us)
Et allisísti nos in mánu iniquitátis nóstrae.
(And hast consumed us because of our iniquities)
Víde, Dómine, afflictiónem pópuli túi,
(Behold, O Lord, the affliction of thy people)
Et mítte quem missúrus es;
(And send forth him whom thou wilt send)
Emítte Agnum dominatórem térrae,
(Send forth the Lamb, the ruler of the earth)
De Pétra desérti ad móntem fíliae Síon;
(From Petra of the desert to the mount of the daughter of Zion)
Ut áuferat ípse júgum captívitátis nóstrae.
(That he may take away the yoke of our captivity)
Consolámini, consolámini, pópule méus;
(Comfort ye, comfort ye my people)
Cito véniet sálus túa;
(My salvation shall not tarry)
Quare moeróre consúmeris,
(Why wilt thou waste away in sadness?)
Quia innovávit te dólor?
(Why hath sorrow seized thee?)
Salvábote, nóli timére, égo enim sum Dóminus Deus túus,
(Fear not, for I will save thee, for I am the Lord thy God)
Sánctus Israel, Redémptor túus
(The Holy One of Israel, thy Redeemer)
Contrasting beautifully with the first two verses which are full of regret, sadness and woe, verses three and four are a resounding message of hope. It is in times of affliction, that the wayward creatures are most likely to cry out to the Creator. An unfortunate trait of fallen humanity but an all-the-more resonating testimony of the enduring mercy and steadfast love of God for His creation.
The long-awaited Redeemer came into the world 2000 years ago to die so that we might have eternal life. Our faith is rooted in His sacrificial death, for He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Our hope is rooted in the fact that He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead; and that His kingdom will have no end. In the meantime, He asked us to love God and to love our neighbour.
And as we strive to do this, let us make the most of this advent season to prepare not only for the celebration the birth of Christ (which we should do by all means) but also in anticipation of His Second Coming when He will finally return to earth to wipe away every tear as the apocalyptic vision of St John assures us (Rev 21:4)
And so, with one voice and in solemn anticipation for the Lord's coming let us proclaim the words of Isaiah and recite (or better still, sing!) this beautiful prayer and hymn that has been handed down to us through the centuries.
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
