Lamentations for Tenebrae | Holy Saturday, lectio 2

The Lamentations of Jeremiah are sung during the liturgy of Tenebrae (divine office of Matins & Lauds) on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday on simple, mournful tones. In addition to the standard tones provided, there are optional, more elaborate tones taken from various medieval Mozarabic manuscripts from Spain. This tone is taken from an 10th century codex known as the Codex Gothicus Legionensis from the basilica of San Isidoro in Leon, Spain. This is the second lesson read at Tenebrae of Holy Saturday.

These lamentations - like the Psalms - can be interpreted in a number of different ways.
1) Historical. It is a prophesy of the destruction of the Jews and Jerusalem for their innumerable evils, especially for their rejection of the Messiah and their Deicide.
2) Spiritual. Jeremiah is a "type" or "prefiguring" of Jesus, like Moses and many others. In that sense, the personal words/prayers of Jeremiah to God can be seen as Christ's words to the Father. And, in as much as we are baptized into Christ and have him dwelling in our souls by sanctifying grace, they can be our words to God also.
3) Spiritual. In as much as we willfully sin, we too are like the Jews, condemning Jesus to death, mocking Him, spitting on Him, crucifying Him. In this sense, the evils we read of concerning the Jews can also be applied to our own souls, broken and desolate with sin, until we repent and return to the Lord our God.

Lam 4:1-8
1 Aleph. How is the gold become dim, the finest colour is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered in the top of every street?
2 Beth. The noble sons of Sion, and they that were clothed with the best gold: how are they esteemed as earthen vessels, the work of the potter's hands?
3 Ghimel. Even the sea monsters have drawn out the breast, they have given suck to their young: the daughter of my people is cruel, like the ostrich in the desert.
4 Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child hath stuck to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them.
5 He. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung.
6 Vau. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and hands took nothing in her.
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Return unto the Lord thy God.

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