End the year with a Te Deum
Editor’s Note: To all my friends and readers here at CatholicCyber-Militia.com (all dozen of you!), it is my prayer that AD 2020–as rough and disastrous as it was–was, in God’s often unknowable Providence, a source of spiritual growth and rich blessing for you and yours. That being said, I expect there are few people (perhaps outside Beijing and Davos) who are sad to see it go.
2021 is likely to be fraught with more dangers, uncertainty, and persecutions. The Children of Darkness, as Abp. Viganò has so aptly labeled them, will continual their triumphal march to destruction, hell-bent (literally) as many of the Children of Light with them as possible. Our task remains the same: to remain true to the King of Kings until His return in glory.
2020 is almost done. Despite all the evil which we’ve seen run rampant, our God and King is still firmly upon His Throne. We need to celebrate that critical and eternal fact! You might want to consider ending the year with an extra prayer (if not several). Might I recommend to you the Te Deum?
The Te Deum, also sometimes called the Ambrosian Hymn because if its association with St. Ambrose, is a traditional hymn of joy and thanksgiving. First attributed to Sts. Ambrose, Augustine, or Hilary, it is now accredited to Nicetas, Bishop of Remesiana (4th century). It is used at the conclusion of the Office of the Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours on Sundays outside Lent, daily during the Octaves of Christmas and Easter, and on Solemnities and Feast Days. The petitions at the end were added at a later time and are optional. A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who recite it in thanksgiving and a plenary indulgence is granted if the hymn is recited publicly on the last day of the year. (CatholicCulture.org)
Below you’ll find the prayer, along with videos offering chanted forms of the prayer in both English and Latin.
Prayer:
O God, we praise Thee, and acknowledge Thee to be the supreme Lord.
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships Thee.
All the Angels, the heavens and all angelic powers,
All the Cherubim and Seraphim, continuously cry to Thee:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy glory.
The glorious choir of the Apostles,
The wonderful company of Prophets,
The white-robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee.
Holy Church throughout the world acknowledges Thee:
The Father of infinite Majesty;
Thy adorable, true and only Son;
Also the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
O Christ, Thou art the King of glory!
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When Thou tookest it upon Thyself to deliver man,
Thou didst not disdain the Virgin’s womb.
Having overcome the sting of death, Thou opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thou willst come to be our Judge.
We, therefore, beg Thee to help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Let them be numbered with Thy Saints in everlasting glory.
V. Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance!
R. Govern them, and raise them up forever.
V. Every day we thank Thee.
R. And we praise Thy Name forever, yes, forever and ever.
V. O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
V. Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee.
R. O Lord, in Thee I have hoped; let me never be put to shame.
Prayer Source: Thesaurus Precum Latinarum