The Church of Rome does not keep this day as a feast of any Saint; she simply recites the Office of the Feria, unless it happen that the first Sunday of Advent fall on this first day of the month, in which case, the Office of that Sunday is celebrated, as given above in the Proper of the Time.
But should this first day of December be a simple Feria of Advent, we shall do well to begin at once our considerations upon the preparations which were made for the merciful Coming of the Savior of the world.
Four thousand years of expectation preceded that Coming, and they are expressed by the four weeks of Advent, which we must spend before we come to the glorious festivity of our Lord’s Nativity. Let us reflect upon the holy impatience of the Saints of the Old Testament, and how they handed down, from age to age, the grand hope, which was to be but hope to them, since they were not to see it realized. Let us follow, in thought, the long succession of the witnesses of the promise: Adam, and the first Patriarchs, who lived before the deluge; then, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve Patriarchs of the Hebrew people; then Moses, Samuel, David, and Solomon; then, the Prophets and the Machabees; and, at last, John the Baptist and his disciples. These are the holy ancestors, of whom the book of Ecclesiasticus speaks, where it says: Let us praise men of renown, and our fathers in their generation;1 and of whom the Apostle thus speaks to the Hebrews: All these being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the promise; God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be perfected without us: their faith was tried and approved, and yet they received not the object of the promises made to them. It was for us that God had reserved the stupendous gift, and therefore did not permit them to attain the object of their desires.2
Let us honor them for their faith; let us honor them as our veritable fathers, since it was in reward of their faith, that our Lord remembered and fulfilled his merciful promise; let us honor them, too, as the ancestors of the Messias in the flesh. We may imagine each of them saying, as he lay on his dying bed, this solemn prayer to him who alone could conquer death: I will look for thy Salvation, O Lord! It was the exclamation of Jacob, at his last hour, when he was pronouncing his prophetic blessings on his children: and then, says the Scripture, he drew up his feet upon his bed, and died, and he was gathered unto his people.3
Thus did all these holy men, in quitting this life, go to await, far from the abode of eternal light, Him who was to come in due time, and re-open the gate of heaven. Let us contemplate them in this place of expectation, and give our grateful thanks to God, who has brought us to his admirable Light, without requiring us to pass through a Limbo of darkness. It is our duty to pray ardently for the Coming of the Deliverer, who will break down, by his Cross, the gates of the prison, and will fill it with the brightness of his glory. During this holy season, the Church is continually borrowing the fervent expressions of these Fathers of the Christian people, making them her own prayer for the Messias to come. Let us turn to those great Saints, and beg of them to pray, that our work of preparation for Jesus’ coming to our hearts, may be blessed by God.
We will make use, for this end, of the beautiful hymn wherein the Greek Church celebrates the memory of all the Saints of the Old Testament, on the Sunday immediately preceding the Feast of Christmas.
Hymn for the Feast of the Holy Fathers
(Taken from the Menœa of the Greeks.)
Celebrating, O ye faithful, on this day, the memory of the ancient Fathers, let us sing a new hymn to our Redeemer Christ, who magnified them in all nations, and worked incredible things in them by faith, for he is the strong and mighty Lord. By them did he manifest to us the scepter of his power, the unparalleled Virgin-Mother of God, the chaste Mary, from whom came the Flower that buds forth life and eternal salvation to all, Christ.
Avorum hodie, Fideles, perficientes memorias, rehymnificemus Christum Redemptorem, qui illos magnificavit in omnibus gentibus, et qui incredibilia in eis per fidem operatus est; Dominum, utpote fortem et potentem; et ex illis manifestavit virgam potentiæ nobis, unicam virum nescientem et Deiparam, Mariam castam, ex qua flos prodiit, Christus germinans omnibus vitam, et salutem æternam.
It was thou, O Lord, that didst deliver the holy Children from the furnace, and Daniel from the mouth of the lions; that didst bless Abraham, and Isaac thy servant, and Jacob his son; that didst vouchsafe to be born among us from their seed, so to save our first parents who had fallen, and to be crucified and buried; that didst break the bonds of death, and gavest resurrection to all them who had died from the beginning, and who adored, O Christ, thy eternal kingdom.
Tu es qui sanctos pueros ex igne liberasti, Domine, et ex ore leonum Daniel; qui Abraham benedixisti, et Isaac servum tuum, et filium ejus Jacob, qui dignatus es ex illorum semine nasci apud nos ut prius lapsos salvares proavos nostros, crucifigi autem et sepeliri: et rupisti mortis vincula, et consurgere facis omnes qui a seculo inter mortuos erant, adorantes tuum, Christe, regnum æternum.
And first let us venerate Adam, who was honored by the Creator’s hand, and was the first father of us all: who now dwells in the heavenly tabernacles, and rests amidst the holy elect.
Adam primum veneremur, manu honoratum Creatoris et omnium nostrum proavum, jam nunc habitantem in cœlestibus tabernaculis, inter sanctos electos quiescentem.
The God and the Lord of all things received Abel, who offered his gifts with a generous heart; and took him into the heavenly light as a divine Martyr, when he was slain by the murderer’s hand.
Abel dona proferentem mente generosa, admisit omnium Deus et Dominus; eumque homicida olim manu peremptum, in altum recepit ad lumen, ut divinum Martyrem.
Seth is celebrated throughout the world for his ardor towards the Creator: who saved him for his irreproachable life and this holy disposition of mind; and now, in the region of the living, he sings: Holy art thou, O Lord!
Canitur in mundo Seth pro suo erga Creatorem ardore: nam in irreprehensibili vitæ ratione et animæ dispositione illum vere sanavit; et in regione vivorum clamat: Sanctus es, Domine.
Enos, prophetically called the admirable, for his words and voice and heart, hoped in spirit in the Lord of all, and after a life spent on earth in exceeding goodness, he departed full of glory.
Ore et lingua et corde Enos admirabilis cognominatus prophetice, in omnium Dominum speravit in spiritu, et optime vita in terris acta, gloriosus decessit.
Let us praise, in our sacred canticles and prayers, the blessed Henoch; who, when he had pleased God, was translated to glory, and, as became so faithful a servant of God, without being overcome by death, as it is written of him.
Sacris eloquiis et orationibus Henoch beatum prædicemus; qui, cum Deo placuisset, translatus est in gloriam, visus, ut fertur, mortem superasse, sicut Dei servus fidelissimus.
Let us give praise to God by celebrating, with our hymns, Noah, who was just: in all things, God honored him with his divine commands, and he was well-pleasing to Christ, to whom let us sing with faith: Glory be to thy power, O Lord!
Laudem proferamus Deo, honorantes melodiis Noe, qui fuit justus: in omnibus enim divinis mandatis ornatus, visus est Christo beneplacitus; cui canamus cum fide: Gloria virtuti tuæ, Domine.
God seeing thy noble heart, and the sincerity of thy mind, and how in all things thou wast perfect, O Noah, he makes thee the Father of the second world, and bids thee save from the deluge a remnant of every species of animal.
Videns tuam Deus nobilem indolem et mentis tuæ sinceritatem, et te in omnibus, Noe, perfectum, secundi mundi ducem te signat, salvantem ex omni genere contra diluvium, sensibile semen, ut ipse mandaverat.
Let us in our holy hymns praise Noah, who kept the law of God without reproof, and was found just in his generation, and who, by an admirable arrangement, saved, in the wooden ark, all the brute creation.
Noe, Dei legem incorruptam servantem, justumque inventum in generatione sua, et qui lignea salvavit olim in arca irrationabilia genera, ordinatione omnimoda, beatum piis prædicemus hymnis.
Thy memory, O blessed Noah, fills us with the wine of compunction, which gladdens our souls and hearts, whilst we devoutly extol thy holy life and thy divine manner of acting.
Vinum compunctionis nobis scaturire facit honorantibus te, Noe beate, memoria tua, lætificans et animas et corda undique beatificantium sincere mores tuos honestos, et divinam agendi rationem.
Sem is worthy of our praise, who brought forth plentiful fruit from his father’s blessing, and by his meekness found favor with God, and was numbered in the choir of the Fathers, and now rests in perfect joy in the land of the living.
Laudibus honoretur Sem, qui fructificare fecit paternam benedictionem, et ante Deum placidus demonstratus, et proavorum choris adscriptus, et in regione vivorum lætantissime requiescens.
Abraham merited, as the friend of God, to see the day of his Creator, and was filled with the joy promised to the Fathers: him, therefore, let us honor with sincere devotion, and let us all proclaim him the blessed Abraham, God’s faithful servant.
Videre meruit, tamquam Dei amicus, Abraham diem Creatoris sui, plenus factus lætitiæ paternæ: hunc ergo recto corde honorantes, beatum dicamus omnes, ut Dei fidelem servum.
Thou didst see, as far as it is permitted man to see, the Trinity, and thou didst make it thy guest: wherefore thou receivedst the reward of thy hospitality, and wast made the Father, in the faith, of countless nations.
Vidisti, ut homini videre fas est, Trinitatem, et illam hospitatus es: unde mercedem recepisti hospitalitatis, factus immensarum gentium in fide pater.
Most blessed Isaac, the divine wisdom made thee the type of Jesus in his Passion, when thy father’s sublime faith led thee to the sacrifice: therefore art thou blest, and loved of God as a most faithful friend, and seated on a throne with all the just.
Typus Christi passionis factus es sapienter, Isaac beatissime, patris bona fide ad immolandum adducte: ideoque beatus effectus es et amicus Dei visus es fidelissimus, et cum omnibus justis sedem consecutus es.
Of all the servants of God Jacob was the most faithful: therefore was it that he wrestled with the Angel, seeing God in spirit, and his name was changed; and as he slept, he beheld the divine ladder, on which God was leaning; it was God, assuming to himself, in his mercy, human flesh.
Visus est Jacob omnium Dei servorum fidelissimus: ideoque pugnavit cum Angelo, in mente videns Deum, et nomen mutavit, dormiensque divinam contemplatus est scalam, cui insidebat Deus, carni in bonitate sua adhærens.
Joseph, when he lovingly obeyed his father, was let down into a well and sold, and was the prototype of Him that was sacrificed, and thrown down into a pit. He gave corn to Egypt and saved it; he was wise and just, and a most true king over his passions.
Patris obedientiam cum amore amplectens Joseph in puteum demissus, tamquam illius prototypus venditur qui immolatus est, et in puteum demissus est Christus; et Ægypto frumenta distribuens monstratus est, sapiens et justus effectus, rexque concupiscentiarum verissimus.
Job lawfully endured the combat of ceaseless temptations, and deserves to be praised; he was God’s most true servant, he was meek, and a man without guile, upright, perfect, without reproof, ever saying: Blessed art thou, O God!
Legitime incessantium certamini tentationum luctatus, celebratus est Job Dei servus verissimus, mitis, vir sine malitia, rectus, perfectus, irreprehensibilis, clamans: Benedictus es, Deus.
Let us faithfully honor Moses, and Aaron, and Hor: let us commemorate Josue, and the most holy Levi, and Gedeon, and Samson; and let us sing: Blessed art thou, O God of our Fathers!
In fide Moysen Aaronque et Hor honoremus, adhuc celebrantes Josue et Levi sanctissimum, Gedeonque et Samson, et clamemus: Deus Patrum, benedictus es.
Let us celebrate the memory of that group of Fathers so loved of God, Baruch and Nathan and Eleazar; Josias, David, Jephte, and Samuel who had the vision of what had passed, and cried out: Let every creature bless the Lord!
Phalangem Deo gratam divinorum Patrum celebremus, Baruch et Nathan, et Eleazarum, Josiam et David, Jephte, Samuel qui anteacta videbat, et clamabat: Benedicat omnis creatura Dominum.
Let our melodies praise God’s Prophets, celebrating Osee, Micheas, Sophonias, Habacuc, Zacharias, Jonas, Aggeus, Amos, Abdias, Malachias, Nahum, Isaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, Daniel, Elias, and Eliseus.
Laudem melodiæ Dei Prophetis feramus, celebrantes Osee, Michæam, Sophoniam et Habacum, Zachariam, Jonam, Aggæum et Amos, et cum Abdia, Malachia, Nahum, Isaiam, et Jeremiam, et Ezechiel, et simul Daniel, Eliam et Elisæum.
By thy power, O Lord, virtuous exploits were achieved by those magnanimous women, our sisters, Anne, Judith, Debbora, Olda, Jahel, Esther, Sara, Mary, sister of Moses, Rachel, Rebecca and Ruth.
Fortitudine tua, Domine, virtutes operatæ sunt sorores nostræ, Anna, Judith et Debbora, Olda, Jahelque, et Esther, Sara, Maria Moysis, et Rachel, et Rebecca, et Ruth, magnanimes.
Come all ye people, let us, with faith, give praise to the Fathers who were before the Law; let us celebrate the festive memory of Abraham and them that are with him; let us give due honor to the tribe of Juda; let us celebrate the Children who quenched the fiery furnace in Babylon, the blessed Three, the type of the Trinity, and with them Daniel; let us hold fast to the oracles of the Prophets, and with Isaias sing with a loud voice: Lo! a Virgin shall conceive in her womb and shall bring forth a Son, Emmanuel, that is, God with us.
Venite omnes, cum fide panegyrim dicamus Patribus ante Legem: Abrahæ, et eorum qui cum illo sunt festivam memoriam celebremus; Judæ tribum digne honoremus; Juvenes in Babylone qui flammam in camino extinxerunt, ut Trinitatis typum, cum Daniele celebremus; Prophetarum vaticinia tuto servantes, cum Isaia magna voce clamemus: Ecce Virgo in utero concipiet et pariet filium, Emmanuel, quod est, Nobiscum Deus.
A Responsory of Advent
(The Roman Breviary, First Sunday of Advent, at Matins.)
℟. Looking afar off, lo! I see the power of God coming and a cloud that covereth the whole earth: * Go ye out to meet him and say: * Tell us, if thou be he, * Who art to rule over the people of Israel.
℣. All ye that are earth-born and children of men, both rich and poor together,
- Go ye out to meet him, and say:
℣. Give ear, O thou that rulest Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep,
- Tell us if thou be he?
℣. Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in.
- Who art to rule over the people of Israel.
℟. Adspiciens a longe, ecce video potentiam Dei venientem et nebulam totam terram tegentem: * Ite obviam ei, et dicite: * Nuncia nobis si tu es ipse, * Qui regnaturus es in populo Israel.
℣. Quique terrigenæ et filii hominum, simul in unum dives et pauper,
- Ite obviam ei et dicite,
℣. Qui regis Israel intende, qui deducis velut ovem Joseph,
- Nuncia nobis si tu es ipse.
℣. Tollite portas, principes, vestras, et elevamini, portæ æternales, et introibit Rex gloriæ.
- Qui regnaturus es in populo Israel.