Lamentations for Tenebrae | Holy Thursday, Lectio 1

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 11th century codex from Silos, Spain known as the "Missal of Silos." This is the first lesson read at Tenebrae of Holy Thursday.

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.

English Translation:

The lamentation of the prophet Jeremiah begins.
Lam 1:1-5
1 Aleph. How doth the city sit solitary that was full of people! how is the mistress of the Gentiles become as a widow: the princes of provinces made tributary!
2 Beth. Weeping she hath wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: there is none to comfort her among all them that were dear to her: all her friends have despised her, and are become her enemies.
3 Ghimel. Juda hath removed her dwelling place because of her affliction, and the greatness of her bondage: she hath dwelt among the nations, and she hath found no rest: all her persecutors have taken her in the midst of straits.
4 Daleth. The ways of Sion mourn, because there are none that come to the solemn feast: all her gates are broken down: her priests sigh: her virgins are in affliction, and she is oppressed with bitterness.
5 He. Her adversaries are become her lords, her enemies are enriched: because the Lord hath spoken against her for the multitude of her iniquities: her children are led into captivity: before the face of the oppressor.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return to the Lord thy God.

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