Abraham in the Catholic liturgy

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Abraham figures prominently in Catholic liturgy. Of all the names of the Old Testament used in the liturgies of Catholic Churches, a special prominence accrues to those of Abel, Melchisedech, and Abraham through their association with the idea of sacrifice and their employment in this connection in the most solemn part of the Canon of the Mass in the Roman rite. The inclusion in the Litany for the Dying of only two (Abel and Abraham) out of all the great names of the Old Testament must give these a special prominence, but of these two, again, the name of Abraham occurs so often and in such a variety of connections, as to make his position in the liturgy one of very decided pre-eminence. All of the examples below are found in traditional (that is to say, Tridentine) Catholic liturgy.

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[edit] Roman Martyrology (Martyrologium Romanum)

  • Abraham is commemorated on October 9th: Eodem die memoria S. Abrahae Patriarchae et omnium credentium Patris. (The same day, the memory of S. Abraham, Patriarch and Father of all believers).

[edit] Roman Ritual (Rituale Romanum)

  • The brief litany of the Ordo commendationis animae (Recommendation of a soul departing), includes but two names from the Old Testament: "Holy Mary, pray for him. All ye holy Angels and Archangels, pray for him. Holy Abel, pray for him. All ye choirs of the just, pray for him. Holy Abraham, pray for him. St. John the Baptist, pray for him. St. Joseph, pray for him." In the Libera (Deliver, etc.), which follows shortly after, many names of the Old Testament are mentioned, including Abraham, but omitting Abel: "Deliver...as thou didst deliver Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans".
  • In the Benedictio peregrinorum (Blessing of pilgrims), the second prayer reads: "O God, who didst guide Abraham safely through all the ways of his journey from Ur of the Chaldeans...".

[edit] Roman Breviary (Breviarium Romanum)

  • On Septuagesima Sunday the readings from Scripture begin with the first verse of Genesis, and the formal narrative of Abraham begins with Quinquagesima Sunday, the lessons ending on Shrove Tuesday with the sacrifice of Melchisedech.
  • The antiphon to the Magnificat on Passion Sunday is: "Abraham your father rejoiced..." (John, viii, 56). Again, the first antiphon of the second nocturn of the Common of Apostles reads: "The princes of the people are gathered together with the God of Abraham". The occurrence of the name in the last verse of the Magnificat itself: "As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever" and in the Benedictus (sixth verse): "The oath which he swore to Abraham our father..." make the name of daily occurrence in the Divine Office, as these two Canticles are sung daily – the former at Vespers, the latter at Lauds. In the Psaltery, also, recited during every week, the name occurs in Psalms, xlvi, 10; civ, 9, 42. See also the third strophe of the hymn Quicumque Christum quaeritis (Vespers of Transfiguration D.N.J.C. and various Lessons in the Nocturns, e.g. Feria 3a infra Hebd. vi p. Pent., Feria 3a infra oct. Corp. Christi, 2d nocturn).

[edit] Roman Missal (Missale Romanum)

  • The third of the twelve lessons called "Prophecies" read on Holy Saturday between the lighting of the Paschal Candle and the Blessing of the Font deals wholly with the sacrifice of Isaac imposed upon Abraham. The lesson (Gen., xxii, 1-19) is, like the others, not only read quietly by the priest at the altar, but also chanted in a loud voice simultaneously by a cleric. The dramatic incidents thus rehearsed must have impressed the catechumens deeply, as is evidenced by the reproduction of the incidents on the walls of catacombs and on sarcophagi. The lesson is followed by a prayer: "O God, the supreme Father of the faithful, who throughout the world didst multiply the children of thy promise...and by the paschal mystery dost make Abraham thy servant the father of all nations...".
  • Again, in the prayer after the fourth lesson: "O God, grant that the fulness of the whole world may pass over to the children of Abraham...".
  • The Epistle of the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: "To Abraham were the promises made.... But God gave it to Abraham by promise...". (Gal., iii, 16-22).
  • Offertory of the Mass for the Dead: "O Lord...may the holy standard-bearer Michael introduce them to the holy light which Thou didst promise of old to Abraham...".
  • In the Nuptial Mass, the blessing reads: "May the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, be with you...".
  • The prayer in the Canon of the Mass, when the priest extends his hands over the Consecrated Species: "Accept them, as you accepted the gift of your servant Abel, and the sacrifice of our Father Abraham...". Here the Canon insists on the idea of sacrifice, a fact common to Western and Eastern liturgies, while those of the East, except the Maronite, omit in their epicleses all reference to the typic sacrifices of the Old Testament, and appear concerned with impressing the faithful with the idea rather of sacrament and communion. This is esteemed a fact of capital importance towards a classification of the liturgies.
  • In the Sequence of Corpus Christi while Abraham is not named, his sacrifice (unbloody, like that of the altar) is commemorated in the lines, In figuris praesignatur, Cum Isaac immolatur....

[edit] Roman Pontifical (Pontificale Romanum)

  • In one of the Prefaces of the Consecration of an altar, the bishop says: "May it have as much grace with Thee as that which Abraham, the father of faith, built when about to sacrifice his son as a figure of our redemption...". Again, in the Blessing of a Cemetery (third Prayer) and in connection with Isaac and Jacob (sixth Prayer). Finally, in two of the Prayers for the Blessing and Coronation of a King. The exalted position of Abraham in Sacred History, and the frequent use of his name in invocations etc. in the Old Testament (e.g. Gen. xxviii, 13; xxxii, 9; xlviii, 15,16; Exod., iii, 6,15,16, iv, 5; Tob., vii, 15 etc.), and the continued use thereof by the early Christians (Acts, iii, 13; vii, 32) made his name of frequent occurrence in prayers and exorcisms.

[edit] References

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.