The vulgate translation of the last verse, differing entirely
from the English, is this: "As the habitation of all who rejoice is in
thee." This sentence of the Psalmist is thus taken up in the Roman
Ritual: "As the habitation of all us who rejoice is in THEE, Holy Mother
of God."
The object proposed by the Church from of old in concluding each psalm
by an ascription of glory to the eternal Trinity, was to lead the
worshipper to apply the sentiments of the psalm to the work of our
salvation accomplished by the three Persons of the Godhead. The
analogous end of these anthems in the present service of the Church of
Rome is to fix the thoughts of the worshipper upon Mary. This practice
unhappily sanctions the excesses into which Bonaventura and others have
run in their departures from the purity and integrity of primitive
worship.
Cardinal du Perron informs us, that at the altar in the office of the
mass, prayer is not made directly to any saint, but only obliquely, the
address being always made to God. But if prayers are offered in other
parts of the service directly to them, it is difficult to see what is
gained by that announcement. Surely it is trifling {346} to make such
immaterial distinctions. If as a priest I could address the following
prayer to the Virgin in preparing for offering mass, why should I not
offer a prayer to the same being during its celebration?
"O mother of pity and mercy, blessed Virgin Mary, I a miserable and
unworthy sinner, flee to thee with my whole heart and affection, and I
pray thy most sweet pity, that as thou didst stand by thy most sweet Son
hanging upon the cross, so thou wouldest vouchsafe mercifully to stand
by me a miserable priest, and by all priests who here and in all the
holy Church offer Him this day, that, aided by thy grace, we may be
enabled to offer a worthy and acceptable victim in the sight of the most
high and undivided Trinity.
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