Chapter 16 (Monday of the Third Week of Advent)

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.’

So the first angel went and poured his bowl on the earth, and a foul and painful sore came on those who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped its image.

The second angel poured his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing in the sea died.

The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say,
‘You are just, O Holy One, who are and were,
   for you have judged these things;
because they shed the blood of saints and prophets,
   you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!’
And I heard the altar respond,
‘Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty,
   your judgements are true and just!’

The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire; they were scorched by the fierce heat, but they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory.

The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness; people gnawed their tongues in agony, and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.

The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up in order to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw three foul spirits like frogs coming from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet. These are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (‘See, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and is clothed, not going about naked and exposed to shame.’) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Harmagedon.

The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a violent earthquake, such as had not occurred since people were upon the earth, so violent was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered great Babylon and gave her the wine-cup of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found; and huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, dropped from heaven on people, until they cursed God for the plague of the hail, so fearful was that plague.

Commentary  (Dies irae; Thomas of Celanno; trans. William J. Irons)

I

Day of wrath! O day of mourning!
See fulfilled the prophets' warning,
Heaven and earth in ashes burning!

Oh what fear man's bosom rendeth,
when from heaven the Judge descendeth,
on whose sentence all dependeth.

Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;
through earth's sepulchers it ringeth;
all before the throne it bringeth.

Death is struck, and nature quaking,
all creation is awaking,
to its Judge an answer making.

Lo! the book, exactly worded,
wherein all hath been recorded:
thence shall judgment be awarded.

When the Judge his seat attaineth,
and each hidden deed arraigneth,
nothing unavenged remaineth.

II

What shall I, frail man, be pleading?
Who for me be interceding,
when the just are mercy needing?

King of Majesty tremendous,
who dost free salvation send us,
Fount of pity, then befriend us!

Think, good Jesus, my salvation
cost thy wondrous Incarnation;
leave me not to reprobation!

Faint and weary, thou hast sought me,
on the cross of suffering bought me.
shall such grace be vainly brought me?

Righteous Judge! for sin's pollution
grant thy gift of absolution,
ere the day of retribution.

Guilty, now I pour my moaning,
all my shame with anguish owning;
spare, O God, thy suppliant groaning!

Thou the sinful woman savedst;
thou the dying thief forgavest;
and to me a hope vouchsafest.

III

Worthless are my prayers and sighing,
yet, good Lord, in grace complying,
rescue me from fires undying!

With thy favored sheep O place me;
nor among the goats abase me;
but to thy right hand upraise me.

While the wicked are confounded,
doomed to flames of woe unbounded
call me with thy saints surrounded.

Low I kneel, with heart submission,
see, like ashes, my contrition;
help me in my last condition.

Ah! that day of tears and mourning!
From the dust of earth returning
man for judgment must prepare him;
Spare, O God, in mercy spare him!

Lord, all pitying, Jesus blest,
grant them thine eternal rest. Amen.

Musical Selections

Dómine, Rex omnípotens, líbera sérvulos tuos de princípibus tenebrárum et de locis poenárum, pro quibus tui sánguinis prétium exsolvísti. Christe, Dómine, duc nos ad consórtium electórum tuórum, cum quibus gáudeant in sáecula. 1. Deus noster refúgium et virtus, *adiútor in tribulatiónibus, quae invenérunt nos nimis. 2. Proptérea non timébimus dum turbábitur terra, *et transferéntur montes in cor maris. Psalmus 45

Lord, Almighty King, from the princes of darkness and from the regions of punishment free your humble servants, for whom you paid the price of your blood. Lord Christ, lead us to the fellowship of your elect, with whom we may rejoice for ever. Ps. 1. God is our refuge and strength *a very present help in trouble. 2. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed *and though the mountains be carried
into the midst of the sea. Psalm 45

Clementíssime Dómine, qui pro nostra miséria ab impiórum mánibus mortis supplícium pertulísti, líbera redémptos tuos ab inférni vorágine, et cuncta eis peccáta oblivióne perpétua dele, pro quibus venerándum corpus tradidísti atque preciósum sánguinem e udísti. 1. Dómini est terra et plenitúdo eius, *orbis terrárum, et univérsi qui hábitant in eo. 2. Quia ipse super mária fundávit eum, *et super flúmina praeparávit eum. Psalmus 23

Most merciful Lord, who for the sake of our wretchedness endured the punishment of death at the hands of the wicked, set free from the infernal abyss those you have redeemed and blot out all their sins in lasting oblivion, those for whom you gave up your revered body and poured forth your precious blood. 1. The earth is the Lord’s andthe fullness thereof *the world, and they that dwell therein. 2. For he hath founded it upon the seas *and established it upon the floods. Psalm 23

Grátia domínica de morte triúmphans, callidi serpentis fraudem cónterens, hostem superávit. *Pro liberándis
poena quos ténuit. V. Per cuius undam sánguinis quam devorárat ímpius absórtam refúdit tártarus praedam.
*Pro liberándis

The grace of the Lord, triumphing over death and treading the cunning serpent with his deceit, has overcome  the enemy. *In order to free those who were held in torment. V. Through the tide of His blood, which the wicked had drained, hell has disgorged the prey it had engulfed. *In order to free.

COLLECT

Incline a merciful ear to our cry, we pray, O Lord,
and, casting light on the darkness of our hearts,
visit us with the grace of your Son.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.