St. Ambrose of Milan

Anyone who thinks that the clergy of the Ordinariates are being ordained too quickly must not be familiar with the story of St. Ambrose. As a high Roman official in Milan, which was then the capital of the Western Roman Empire, he was charged with keeping the peace, a difficult task as the Church was constantly disturbed by fighting between the Catholic and Arian factions. When the see of Milan fell vacant and the two parties quarelled over the successor, Ambrose tried to pacify the situation; his evident skills caused the people to choose him as their next Bishop, though he was only a catechumen and not yet baptized. Ambrose was baptized, ordained deacon, priest and bishop in the space of a week.

Among this Doctor of Church's many contributions to us, are his many hymns. Here are a few, translated into English by John Mason Neale, whose efforts at restoring to the Church of England some of the splendid Catholic patrimony it had lost since the break with Rome have attained a permanent place in the worship of Anglicans and Anglican Use Catholics, and even the wider English-speaking Catholic Church through the many hymns he translated that fill our hymnals.

Ae­ter­na coeli glo­ria
Eternal Glory of the sky,
Blest Hope of frail humanity,
The Father’s sole begotten One,
Yet born a spotless virgin’s Son!

Uplift us with Thine arm of might,
And let our hearts rise pure and bright,
And, ardent in God’s praises, pay
The thanks we owe him every day.

The day-star’s rays are glittering clear,
And tell that day itself is near:
The shadows of the night depart;
Thou, holy Light, illume the heart!

Within our senses ever dwell,
And worldly darkness thence expel;
Long as the days of life endure,
Preserve our souls devout and pure.

The faith that first must be possessed,
Root deep within our inmost breast;
And joyous hope in second place,
Then charity, Thy greatest grace.

All laud to God the Father be,
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the holy Paraclete.
attributed to St. Ambrose; translated by J.M. Neale

Ve­ni, Re­demp­tor gen­ti­um


Come, Thou Redeemer of the earth,
And manifest Thy virgin birth:
Let every age adoring fall;
Such birth befits the God of all.

Begotten of no human will,
But of the Spirit, Thou art still
The Word of God in flesh arrayed,
The promised Fruit to man displayed.

The virgin womb that burden gained
With virgin honor all unstained;
The banners there of virtue glow;
God in His temple dwells below.

Forth from His chamber goeth He,
That royal home of purity,
A giant in twofold substance one,
Rejoicing now His course to run.

From God the Father He proceeds,
To God the Father back He speeds;
His course He runs to death and hell,
Returning on God’s throne to dwell.

O equal to the Father, Thou!
Gird on Thy fleshly mantle now;
The weakness of our mortal state
With deathless might invigorate.

Thy cradle here shall glitter bright,
And darkness breathe a newer light,
Where endless faith shall shine serene,
And twilight never intervene.

All laud to God the Father be,
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To God the Holy Paraclete.
attributed to St. Ambrose; translated by J.M. Neale

Iam lu­cis or­to si­dere
Now that the daylight fills the sky,
We lift our hearts to God on high,
That He, in all we do or say,
Would keep us free from harm today.

May He restrain our tongues from strife,
And shield from anger’s din our life,
And guard with watchful care our eyes
From earth’s absorbing vanities.

O may our inmost hearts be pure,
From thoughts of folly kept secure,
And pride of sinful flesh subdued
Through sparing use of daily food.

So we, when this day’s work is o’er,
And shades of night return once more,
Our path of trial safely trod,
Shall give the glory to our God.

All praise to God the Father be,
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee,
Whom with the Spirit we adore
Forever and forevermore.
attributed to St. Ambrose; translated by J.M. Neale

Ae­ter­na Christi mu­nera
The eternal gifts of Christ the King,
The Apostles’ glorious deeds, we sing;
And while due hymns of praise we pay,
Our thankful hearts cast grief away.

The Church in these her princes boasts,
These victor chiefs of warriors hosts;
The soldiers of the heavenly hall,
The lights that rose on earth for all.

’Twas thus the yearning faith of saints,
The unconquered hope that never faints,
The love of Christ that knows not shame,
The prince of this world overcame.

In these the Father’s glory shone;
In these the will of God the Son;
In these exults the Holy Ghost;
Through these rejoice the heavenly host.

Redeemer, hear us of Thy love,
That, with this glorious band above,
Hereafter, of Thine endless grace,
Thy servants also may have place.
attributed to St. Ambrose; translated by J.M. Neale