A Brief Reflection on Festiva canimus laude Hieronymum
Rev. Mr. Dylan Schrader
Festiva canimus laude Hieronymum, composed by Anselmo Lentini, OSB (+1989), is the hymn for
Lauds and Vespers on the Memorial of St Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church.
Festiva canimus laude Hieronymum,
qui nobis radiat sidus ut eminens
doctrinae meritis ac simul actibus
vitae fortis et asperae.
Hic verbum fidei sanctaque dogmata
scrutando studuit pandere lucide,
aut hostes, vehemens ut leo, concitus
acri voce refellere.
Insudans alacer prata virentia
Scripturae coluit caelitus editae;
ex his et locuples dulcia protulit
cunctis pabula gratiae.
Deserti cupiens grata silentia,
ad cunas Domini pervigil astitit,
ut carnem crucians se daret intime
Patri munus et hostiam.
Tanti nos, petimus te, Deus optime,
doctoris precibus dirige, confove,
ut laetas liceat nos tibi in omnia
laudes pangere saecula.
© 2009 Rev. Mr. Dylan Schrader.
The hymn begins by comparing Jerome to a star that
sends out rays of light for us, prominent both in the
merits of his teaching and in the deeds of his bold and
ascetic life. The twofold emphasis on Jerome's learning
and his asceticism continues throughout the hymn. His
embrace of the sacred truths of Revelation (Christ the
Word) extended also to his embrace of the Lord's cross
(Christ the Victim).
Jerome peered into the “word of faith and the holy
dogmas” (verbum fidei sanctaque dogmata), and he
strove to bring their secrets to light. This same zeal and
grasp of the teachings allowed him “fierce as a lion”
(vehemens ut leo) to defeat his enemies through his
overwhelming arguments. Jerome recognized the
“teachings” contained in Revelation (dogmata) not only
as true but as holy. Since their origin is the Word himself,
Jerome's defense of the truths of the faith was a defense
of Christ, a positive application of his own principle:
“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
Jerome was sweating eagerly in his toil to cultivate the
green fields of Scripture, whose source is Heaven. The
fruit of his work, especially the sacred Vulgate, has been
the “sweet nourishment of grace” (dulcia ... pabula
gratiae) for all. Indeed the Vulgate is so called because it
was available in the “vulgar” (i.e. common) Latin tongue.
Here Jerome's asceticism, as the perfection of his
embrace of the Word of God is extolled. He desired the
desert and in welcome silence stood in vigil at the cradle
of the Lord in order to give himself deeply as an offering
(munus) and a victim (hostiam) to the Father. Jerome
identified himself so much with Christ, whom he knew as
the Truth in person and the ultimate object of Revelation,
that he was impelled to offer himself alongside Christ as
a sacrifice.
We ask God to grant that we might sing joyful praises to
him forever by prayers of so great a Doctor. Literally, we
ask God to set us on a straight path (dirige) and to stir up
fire within us (confove) such that we might be able to
sing his praises forever.