Friday, February 12, 2010

A wonderful Day and some thoughts

O Jesu, vivens in Maria,
veni et vive in famulis tuis,
in spiritu sanctitatis tuae,
in plenitudine virtutis tuae,
in veritate virtutem tuarum,
in perfectione viarum tuarum,
in communione mysteriorum tuorum,
dominare omni adversae potestati,
in spiritu tuo ad gloriam Patris.
Amen.

One of my most favourite prayers in the whole wide world, I usually say it after receiving my Jesus in Holy Communion. It showcases, besides its obviously very beautiful prayerful requests, its perfectly fascinating symmetrical Latin grammar pyrotechnic. I love how each single word means so much, how Latin grammar differs from English grammar, I enjoy the intellectual challenges it provides. I usually end up feeling very hungry (!: that's how I grow fat...) after spending a few hours staring and trying to understand, interpret the complex grammar. Which means it's a good thing. My brain uses up as much glucose as it can remove from my body. I fall for the enchanting charm of what I term mental exercise. Here, I will place the exact same prayer, except in its English translation:

O Jesus living in Mary!
Come and live in Thy servants,
in the spirit of Thy holiness,
in the fullness of Thy might,
in the truth of Thy virtues,
in the perfection of Thy ways,
in the communion of Thy mysteries.
Subdue every hostile power,
in Thy spirit for the glory of the Father.
Amen.

Here, we understand what every word means, we can differentiate between who is greater, via capitalization, we understand emotions involved, with the exclamation mark placed in the first line of the prayer when we salute the person whom we are addressing this prayer to. I profess an ardency (only just recently, after attending an excellent grammar course) towards English grammar, and am currently head over heels in wanting to understand and master grammar. Pray for me please, my dear readers. :D

I was browsing in a big bookstore today and I found a book which I really want for my library. The Collins (bestselling bilingual dictionaries) easy learning German verbs (in colour). It was a marvellous resource, I felt, as it gave German verbs in all its different forms in tables. One verb with its various forms, depending on how it is used, per page. Beautiful. It was only $20 (SGD) and as I am sitting down here typing out my thoughts, I wonder why I didn't buy it.. *bangs fist to head* I am a ding dong.

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On a different note, I am listening to this now on YouTube and would like to post it up for my reference.



I recently heard it played by the SSO under Lim Yau. Here is a wikipedia link if you want to read about the story Weber was trying to portray in this his opera, Der Freischuetz. I thought Weber did this quite well. :))

Muede bin ich, geh zur Ruh.

Müde bin ich, geh' zur Ruh',
Schließe beide Äuglein zu;
Vater, laß die Augen dein
Über meinem Bette sein!
Hab' ich Unrecht heut' gethan,
Sieh' es, lieber Gott, nicht an!
Deine Gnad' und Jesu Blut
Macht ja allen Schaden gut.
Alle, die mir sind verwandt,
Gott, laß ruhn in deiner Hand!
Alle Menschen, groß und klein,
Sollen dir befohlen sein.
Kranken Herzen sende Ruh',
Nasse Augen schließe zu;
Laß den Mond am Himmel stehn
Und die stille Welt besehn!

Jesus, Mary, I love You; Save Souls

Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor Tuum. (ter)

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori.

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