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But those who followed the Divine Office during the Sacred Triduum, including those privileged enough to be present in those places where Tenebrae were solemnly celebrated: could they avoid the impression that the catastrophic situation in much of the Church today eerily recalls fallen Judah?
Chapter 1
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. 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. The enemy hath put out his hand to all her desirable things: for she hath seen the Gentiles enter into her sanctuary, of whom thou gavest commandment that they should not enter into thy church.Chapter 2
The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath cursed his sanctuary: he hath delivered the walls of the towers thereof into the hand of the enemy: they have made a noise in the house of the Lord, as in the day of a solemn feast.
Chapter 3
He hath turned aside my paths, and hath broken me in pieces, he hath made me desolate. I am made a derision to all my people, their song all the day long. He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath inebriated me with wormwood. And my soul is removed far off from peace, I have forgotten good things. And I said: My end and my hope is perished from the Lord.
Chapter 4
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy should enter in by the gates of Jerusalem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts. Depart you that are defiled, they cried out to them: Depart, get ye hence, touch not: for they quarrelled, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles: He will no more dwell among them. The face of the Lord hath divided them, he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, neither had they pity on the ancient.
Chapter 5 (Oratio)
The princes were hanged up by their hand: they did not respect the persons of the ancient. They abused the young men indecently: and the children fell under the wood. The ancients have ceased from the gates: the young men from the choir of the singers.
May Jerusalem be restored soon...
