Matutinum - Lectio
25 December, 2022
Lectio
Dei namque Fílius secúndum plenitúdinem témporis,
When the designated time had come,
quam divíni consílii inscrutábilis altitúdo dispósuit,
which God in his deep and impenetrable plan had fixed upon,
reconciliándam auctóri suo natúram géneris assúmpsit humáni,
God’s Son took the nature of man upon himself in order to reconcile man to his Creator.
ut invéntor mortis diábolus, per ipsam, quam vícerat, vincerétur.
Thus would the devil, the father of death, be himself overcome by that self-same human nature which he had overcome.
Ab exsultántibus ergo Angelis, nascénte Dómino,
The angels therefore exult at the birth of the Lord:
Glória in excélsis Deo cánitur,
they sing ‘Glory to God in high heaven’;
et pax in terra bonæ voluntátis homínibus nuntiátur.
they announce ‘Peace on earth for men on whom his favour rests’.
Vident enim cæléstem Jerúsalem ex ómnibus mundi géntibus fabricári:
For they behold the heavenly Jerusalem being constructed from out of all the peoples on earth.
de quo inenarrábili divínæ pietátis ópere,
How greatly ought mere men rejoice at this mysterious undertaking of divine love,
quantum lætári debet humílitas hóminum, cum tantum gáudeat sublímitas Angelórum?
when the angels on high thrill so much at it!