{"id":1605,"date":"2011-12-07T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-07T16:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/yimcatholic\/2009\/12\/because-st-ambrose-could-write-such-a-hymn\/"},"modified":"2015-06-07T23:36:06","modified_gmt":"2015-06-08T04:36:06","slug":"because-st-ambrose-could-write-such-a-hymn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/yimcatholic\/2011\/12\/because-st-ambrose-could-write-such-a-hymn.html","title":{"rendered":"Because St. Ambrose Could Write Such A Hymn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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Today is the Feast day commemorating Saint Ambrose<\/a>, Bishop of Milan and one of the first four Doctors of the Church. The painting above depicts St. Ambrose with Emperor Theodosius of Rome<\/span>. The reason they got together? The Emperor had ordered the massacre of 7,000 people in Thessalonica, and Ambrose demanded that he do public penance.<\/p>\n

Other cool facts about Ambrose? I mean besides the fact that he was St. Augustine\u2019s sensei?Well he was installed into the office of the bishop at the clamoring of the populace. At the time, see, he wasn\u2019t even baptized, because folks remained catechumens for yours back in the late 300\u2019s. Let\u2019s hear it for \u201cdevelopment!\u201d In this case though, he was baptized, confirmed, and made the bishop all in a week back in the year 374.<\/p>\n

Among his many God given gifts, \u00a0he had an \u00a0ability to write hymns. I find this one below especially beautiful.\u00a0As you read over it, consider that this man also is known to have said the following when threatened with persecution for his faith:<\/p>\n

If you demand my person, I am ready to submit: carry me to prison or to death, I will not resist; but I will never betray the church of Christ. I will not call upon the people to succour me; I will die at the foot of the altar rather than desert it. The tumult of the people I will not encourage: but God alone can appease it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Take a look at this hymn translated in English,<\/p>\n

Splendor paternae<\/span><\/span> gloriae<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Splendor of the Father\u2019s glory,<\/em>
\nComing forth from light as light<\/em>
\nWith new beginnings of new light;<\/em>
\nTrue Sun come down,<\/em>
\nSparkling with unfailing gleams<\/em>
\nWith all the radiance of the Spirit,<\/em>
\nCome fill us in our every sense.<\/em>
\nAnd in prayer we call upon the Father,<\/em>
\nThat Father of unending glory,<\/em>
\nFather of all-mastering grace.<\/em>
\nLord, set aside our sinful guilt<\/em>
\nAnd teach us eagerness of deed;<\/em>
\nRestrain the biting teeth<\/span> of foes,<\/em>
\nprosper us in times of grief<\/span>,<\/em>
\nGrant the grace to<\/span> bring us through.<\/em>
\nGuide and rule our inmost mind,<\/em>
\nIn a chaste and faithful heart.<\/em>
\nMay our faith grow hot again,<\/em>
\nFar from poison\u2019s foul pretense.<\/em>
\nLet Christ himself be all our food,<\/em>
\nAnd faith our cup to drink;<\/em>
\nLet us drain it deep in joy,<\/em>
\nThe sober drunkenness<\/span> of Spirit.<\/em>
\nLet this day be spent rejoicing.<\/em>
\nLet shame be as the dimmest dawn,<\/em>
\nAnd faith like midday sun;<\/em>
\nOur mind ever ignorant of dusk.<\/em>
\nThe chariot of the rising sun sets forth,<\/em>
\nThe rising sun appears in fullness:<\/em>
\nThe Son complete within the Father,<\/em>
\nThe Father complete within the Word<\/em><\/p>\n

Have a listen,<\/p>\n