en ut Superba Criminum

views updated

EN UT SUPERBA CRIMINUM

An office hymn that was historically prescribed for the Vespers of the feast of the Sacred Heart. It is the work of an anonymous 18th-century author who composed two other "Ambrosian" hymns honoring the Sacred Heart, Auctor beate saeculi and cor arca legem continens, each with five strophes and a doxology. Biblical references (Mt 11.29; Eph 5.2; Heb 6.6) and the teachings of the Fathers provide material for the poet. The hymn declares that through the thrust of the centurion's lance and man's sin, the side of Christ was pierced. Thence was born the Church, Bride of Christ, who sends forth streams of grace in the Sacraments. The faithful Christian will return Christ's love by love and avoid sin, which wounds the Sacred Heart.

Bibliography: j. connelly, Hymns of the Roman Liturgy (Westminster, MD 1957) 132137, text and Eng. tr. m. a. williams, The Sacred Heart in the Life of the Church (New York 1957). h. lausberg, Lexicon für Theologie und Kirche, ed. j. hofer and k. rahner (Freiburg 195765) 3:910.

[m. m. beyenka]