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They begin "O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti ..." and continue "O Adonai, O radix Jesse," etc.... They are the most beautiful antiphons in the liturgy, expressing the prayers and ardent hopes for the coming Saviour. They have formed the subjects of study for poets, scholars and liturgists, ancient and modern.
But feasts proper to a nation, diocese, order, institute or particular church may still be transferred to a fixed day, if perpetually impeded on their own day. The works of compilers and liturgists need constant revision to keep pace with new decisions and decrees. In making commemorations, the order of the commemoration as laid down in the Ordo should be followed.
Indeed its use was almost universal in the Western Church. But the multiplication of saints' offices, universal and local, no fixed standard to guide the recital, and the wars of liturgists, made chaos and turmoil. Liturgical reform became an urgent need. Everyone reciting the canonical hours longed for a great and drastic change.
In Epiphany the invitatory is not said in the beginning of Matins, in order, say the liturgists, not to repeat the inquiry made by Herod from the scribes about the birthplace of Christ, an inquiry and invitation inspired by hatred and anger. The invitatory is omitted, they tell us, that we, like the Magi, may come to Christ, without other than a silent invitation.
The day Office embraces Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline. Parts or Hours of the Office. How many parts or hours go to make up the Office? Rome counts seven, and seven only; and this is the number commonly counted by liturgists and theologians. They reckon Matins and Lauds as one hour. The old writers on liturgy ask the question: "Why has the Church reckoned seven hours only?"
It was in use amongst the devout Jews, and the early converts to Christianity retained the practice. The Apostolic Constitutions contain the words "Preces etiam vestras facite hora tertia." Why does the Church wish us to pray at the third hour? The question is asked by liturgists of olden times. Their replies are: 2. to remind us of the hour at which the Holy Ghost descended on the Church.
The wooden frame represents the cross of Christ, and the cord, which formerly served to set the bell swinging, allegorizes the science of the Scriptures which flows from the mystery of the Cross itself. "The most ancient liturgists expound practically the same symbols.
For Hugo of Saint Victor the clapper is the tongue of the officiating priest, which strikes the two sides of the vase and announces thus, at the same time, the truth of the two Testaments. Finally, if we consult Fortunatus Amalarius, perhaps the most ancient of the liturgists, we find simply that the body of the bell denotes the mouth of the preacher and the hammer his tongue."
And the old liturgists add that these antiphons are said at Vespers, the evening Hour, because the Messias was expected and watched for in the world's evening. They tell us, too, why there are seven great antiphons. They are to excite our piety during this octave preparatory to the birthday of Christ.
Why do we offer up public prayer in the evening? The old liturgists reply: To imitate the devout Christians of apostolic times. To honour Jesus, the true Sun of the world, Who hid Himself at His Incarnation, and in His life, and Whose glory was hidden in His Passion. To thank Christ for the Eucharist, which He instituted in the evening of His earthly life, ... "and they prepared the Pasch.
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