Guéranger "Sevenfold Sacraments"

WEDNESDAY FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Night Office: Only a word got through to me at the Second Reading, the only word “Magdalene”. The Holy Spirit didn’t unblock my hearing but the same Holy Spirit nudged me to read the words later. And it was very much worth it.

Prosper Guéranger writes intriguingly on “The sevenfold sacraments”:

sacraments be seven
seven pillars
seven branches
seven candlesticks
seven eyes
seven seals
seven spirits
Seven capital deadly sins
seven devils out of Mary Magdalene
seven angels
seven vials
sevenfold admirable sacraments

Interest leads on to the 1890 Translation and the references as beloaw.

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First Reading Proverbs 9:1-18

Night Office Reading

From the writings of Prosper Guéranger (The Liturgical Year 11, 261-262)

The sevenfold sacraments

• Our risen Jesus would have the Sacraments be Seven. As, at the beginning, he stamped the Creation of the visible world with this sacred number - giving six days to work and one to rest - so, too, would he mark the great spiritual creation. He tells us, in the Old Testament, that Wisdom (that is, himself - for he is the Eternal Wisdom of the Father) will build to himself a House, which is the Church; and he adds that he will make it rest on seven pillars[1]. He gives us a type of this same Church in the Tabernacle built by Moses, and he orders a superb Candlestick to be provided for the giving of light, by day and night, to the holy place; but there were to be seven branches to the candlestick, and on each branch were to be graven flowers and fruits [2].
• When he raises his beloved disciple to heaven, he shows himself to him surrounded by seven candlesticks, and holding seven stars in his right hand[3]. He appears to him as a Lamb, bearing seven horns (which are the symbol of strength), and having seven eyes (which signify his infinite wisdom)[4]. Near him lies a Book, in which is written the future of the world; the Book is sealed with seven seals, and none but the lamb is able to loose them[5]. The Disciple sees seven spirits, burning like lamps, before the throne of God,[6] ready to do his biddings, and carry his word to the extremities of the earth.
• Turning our eyes to the kingdom of satan, we see him mimicking God's work, and setting up a seven of his own. Seven capital and deadly sins are the instruments whereby he makes man his slave; and our Saviour tells us that when satan has been defeated, and would regain a soul, he brings with him seven of the wickedest spirits of hell. We read in the gospel that Jesus drove seven devils out of Mary Magdalene. When God's anger bursts upon the world, immediately before the coming of the dread Judge, he will announce the approach of his chastisements by seven trumpets, sounded by seven angels;[7] and seven other angels will then pour out upon the guilty earth seven vials filled with the wrath of God.[8]
• We, therefore, who are resolved to make sure our election, who desire to possess the grace of our risen Jesus in this life, and to enjoy his vision in the next: Oh! let us reverence and love this merciful seven-fold, these admirable sacraments. Under this sacred number, he has included all the varied riches of his grace. There is not a want or necessity, either of souls individually, or of society at large, for which our Redeemer has not provided by these seven sources of regeneration and life. He calls us from death to life by baptism and penance; he strengthens us in that supernatural-life by confirmation, the Eucharist, and extreme unction; he secures to his Church both ministry and increase by holy order and matrimony.
• It is to the soul which thus believes that the sacraments appear in all their divine beauty and power: we understand, because we believe. Credite, et intelligetis! It is the fulfilment of the text from Isaiah, as rendered by the Septuagint: Unless you believe, you shall not understand! [9]

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[1] Prov. Ix.1.

[2] Exod. Xxv.37.

[3] Apoc. i.12,16

[4] Ibid. v.6.

[5] Apoc. v. 1,5.

[6] Ibid. iv. 5.

[7] Ibid. viii.2.

[8] Ibid. xvi. 1.

[9] Is. Vii. 9.

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