[Magdalen] Worship.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

The quarterly "Worship" issue from Saint John's Benedictine Abbey
in Collegeville, MN usually has some gems, and the current issue
is no exception.
 
An Irish Benedictine monk, Eoin De Bhaldraite, has a new Translation
of the great Western Hymn of Praise, the Te Deum.
 
He refers to the history of the TeDeum, which is generally concluded
to be of Western/Latin origin, even though the text was used early
on in the Christian East.
 
He points out that from early sources and cross-references to
biblical scripture, the plea to include all of us with the saints
really should be translated, "include all of us, your saints," which
includes the community at worship, and not only the great saints
of the past.
 
New to me is his reference throughout that the Te Deum was originally
addressed to the Second Person of the Trinity, Christ, and that  through
the years this morphed over to the hymn now being addressed to the
First Person, God the Father.  So the "Holy, Holy, Holy" of the Te  Deum
was originally addressed to the Son.  This is known in the  Eucharistic
Canon, as well, and the "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the  Lord,"
is a remnant of that.  The rest of the Canon is directed to God the  Father.
 
Finally, he points out that the final ten lines are really mostly  psalms,
and should be sung/chanted in a versicle/response form rather than  the
same tune used for the rest of the Te Deum.
 
Great stuff from great minds!
 
 
 
David S.