For Strength This Holy Week

I had an unexpected encounter with the sacred this week.

I had parked the car, and was preparing to get out, while finishing listening to a segment on the radio. My oldest son climbed up next to me and leaned over to be next to me. Looking down at the radio, he reached out and pushed the scan button. All we heard was static. He pressed it again and what I heard was beautiful: a beautiful performance of Hildegard von Bingen’s O Ecclesia.

It was a huge encouragement for me. A moment of holy light broke into my life in an unexpected way. It was bread for the journey. It was strength for the road.

I was able to track down the recording of the hymn, and wanted to share it with you all. I hope it blesses you like it blessed me. It’s “O ecclesia oculi tui” by Graindelavoix

Lyrics

O Ecclesia,
oculi tui similes saphiro sunt,
et aures tue monti Bethel,
et nasus tuus est sicut mons mirre et thuris,
et os tuum quasi sonus
aquarum multarum.

In visione vere fidei
Ursula Filium Dei amavit
et Virum cum hoc seculo reliquit
et in solem aspexit
atque pulcherrimum iuvenem vocavit, dicens:

In multo desiderio
desideravi ad te venire
et in celestibus nuptiis tecum sedere,
per alienam viam ad te currens
velut nubes que in purissimo aere
currit similis saphiro.

Et postquam Ursula sic dixerat,
rumor iste per omnes populos exiit.

Et dixerunt:
“Innocentia puellaris ignorantie
nescit quid dicit.”

Et ceperunt ludere cum illa
in magna symphonia,
usque cum ignea sarcina super eam cecidit.

Unde omnes cognoscebant
quia contemptus mundi
est sicut mons Bethel.

Et cognoverunt etiam
suavissimum odorem mirre et thuris,
quoniam contemptus mundi super omnia ascendit.

Tunc diabolus
membra sua invasit,
que nobilissimos mores
in coporibus istis
occiderunt.

Et hoc in alto voce omnia elementa audierunt
et ante thronum Dei dixerunt::
“Wach! rubicundus sanguis innocentis agni
in desponsatione sua effusus est.”

Hoc audiant omnes celi
et in summa symphonia
laudent Agnum Dei,
quia guttur serpentis antique
in istis margaritis
materie Verbi Dei
suffocatum est.

O Ecclesia,
your eyes are like sapphire:
your ears the mount of Bethel,
your nose
like a mountain of myrrh and incense,
and your mouth is like the sound
of many waters.

In a vision of true faith
Ursula loved the son of God
and rejected betrothed and world alike;
she gazed at the sun
and implored the most beautiful youth,
saying:

With a great desire
I have desired to come to you
and rest with you in the marriage of Heaven
running to you by a new path
as the clouds course in the purest air
like sapphire.

And after Ursula had said this
rumour spread amongst the people.

And they said:
In the innocence of girlish ignorance
she does not know what she is saying.

And they began to play with her
in a great music,
until the burden of fire
fell upon her.

Whence they all knew,
for scorn of the world
is like the mount of Bethel.

And they sensed also
the sweetest odour of myrrh and incense,
for scorn of the world
rises over all things.

Then the devil
invaded those that were his own,
they that in the bodies of these women
had struck down the noblest qualities.

And all the Elements
heard the great cry,
and before the throne of God
they said:

O! the red blood
of the innocent lamb
has streamed out
in the moment of union.

Let all the Heavens hear this,
and let them praise the lamb of God
with the celestial harmony,
for the throat of the Ancient Serpent
has been choked with these pearls
made of the word of God.