More specifically about this office, it has a few interesting particularities about it, ranging from its title to its content.
To view the office, click here.
The very first thing one might notice (or not, since its a rather subtle detail) about this office is the fact that unlike the other offices it has a small subtitle, "For the Race of Mankind." The general theme of this office, especially in the fourth watch, is the evil of mankind and this office seeks to implore mercy from God - particularly through the intercession of those who have the Lord's favor. This office is one of the most poetic offices in the Shhimtho, with deep theological statements like in the watch to the martyrs, "O beryl of the blood of necks which is on the crown of the Son of the King!" The blood of the martyrs are the gems in the God's crown... a deep mystery to ponder upon - in relation to God being pleased in the blood of the martyrs who emulated His way of life, and the very close proximity to God martyrs have.
The focus of the office, as previously stated, is the evil of man and the need to seek mercy, which this office does. The sooghito is always a good indication of what is to come in the Hosooyo:
The lines of the sooghito are quite harsh as they illustrate the total effect of suffocation sin has upon our lives. Drawing the parallel to Scripture (Matthew 25:1-13), the sooghito continues:
You sunk and were overcome by appetites, and did not escape your drowning.Thorns and briars strangled your thoughts and you did not give fruits to repentance.Your passions encircle you in the image of waves, and they sink your ship in the sea of debts.
The foolishness of sin is analogous to the foolish virgins who do not bring enough oil and are left outside of the Bridegroom's banquet. However, as always, Syriac liturgy gives the solution:
What will you do when the voice of the Bridegroom that hastens you to go out to meet Him?
The light of your eye darkened and it vanished, and with the foolish ones you left to outside.
God in His infinite mercy gives the option of restoration until the very last moment of judgment - all that is required is sincere penitence and He gives many modes of assistance to obtain a sincere repentance. To assist us, He granted us those whom He worked and prepared salvation through to intercede for us such as:
Take oil, O wretched one, while there is time to be justified.With the prostitute, ask for remission, and through your tears bandage your fracture.Open is the door to repentance; enter, be cleansed of your disgraces.
Mary, the Mother who bore Him, the universal circle of righteous ones who labored for His righteousness, the glorious company of prophets who pointed out His hiddenness, the blessed assembly of the apostles who proclaimed His Gospel...Most important, however, God granted us priests which He selects to act as mediators of His grace and forgiveness through the mysteries (sacraments) which He conferred their office. This is why the third watch, which is normally for the departed, is for the priests in this office focused on the race of mankind because they are the ones who have been entrusted the devices of salvation on earth. As the third watch's proemion expresses it:
He who chose for Himself terrestrial priests, set them in authority over the treasury of His kingdom, and in their hands placed the keys to His treasury so that they may distribute His riches to the poor...When Jesus says blessed are the poor and hungry (Luke 6:20-21) He is not referring to an exclusively economic understanding of poverty. There is a certain deficiency we all have as finite beings, and they can only be satisfied by the riches of God. God granted salvation through His incarnation because He desired an intimate relationship and involvement of mankind in salvation - if God wanted, He could have just willed man's salvation without incarnating. However, God wanted and still wants the life of man to be voluntary, and so He continues this freedom of giving the option to accept or reject His salvation through the mysteries He has entrusted to the priests for the remission of sin and eternal life - starting with Baptism, ending with unction.
Christ is the "Divine Head of those who are divinized, and He who divinizes and sanctifies those who perfectly minister" - His self-abasement was necessary so that the involvement of man in the divinity of God was voluntary. Through His becoming man, He opened the possibility for men to become gods.
Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!
What an amazing service you are providing to the Church! Thank you. As a beginner in formation for a lay Maronite oblate order, these prayers are very helpful.
ReplyDeleteBTW, do you know if the Maronites have a psalter schema particular to their tradition (like the Eastern Orthodox divide the psalms into 20 "kathisma" spread over the course of the week)?
It is my pleasure to give according to my ability. The psalms that are prayed, outside personal devotion, are those found in the offices. It is not in the Syriac tradition (be ye West or East Syriac) to have that kind of comprehensive recitation of the psalms. The offices include Ps. 51, 63, 91, 117, 134, 141, 142, 148-150 as well as excerpts from Ps. 25, 26, 44, 45, 88, 119, 132. Rather than a recitation of all the psalms, there is a pronounced focus on a select group - one of the most prominent is Ps. 51 (which even appeared in the liturgy prior to the liturgical destruction of 1992). In the Syriac psalter, each Psalm has a relatively lengthy foreword and explanation of the circumstances in relation to its author and to us, the people praying them. Ps. 51 is particularly prominent not only because it is when David "sinned and killed Uriah" but "for us it is said as a teaching and profession." It goes perfectly with the Syriac idea of constantly seeking mercy from God and the need for purification (a very Jewish idea) before sacrifice (in this instance, before the sacrifice of incense in the hoosoyo - the word itself meaning forgiveness).
DeleteHope that helps.