Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, also known as Saint Therese the Little Flower and also Saint Therese of Lisieux, was only canonized in the year 1925. That's only 101 years ago.
When Mangilao's population grew large enough, a chapel was built where a priest from Hagåtña would say Mass now and then. It was dedicated to the new saint, Saint Therese. Since there is an older Saint Therese (of Avila), the Spaniards distinguished this new Saint Therese from the older one calling the newer one Teresita, meaning "little Teresa or Therese."
We can safely assume that Påle' Román María de Vera was the writer of the Chamorro text for this hymn (although I do not have proof for this assumption). He uses the image of Santa Teresita as a flower of God who sends us flowers (meaning graces) from heaven.
LYRICS
O Teresita, flores Jesus / hågo gi tano' paopao Yu'us
(O Teresita, flower of Jesus / you were on earth the fragrance of God)
guennao gi langet gagågue ham / meggai na flores chuda'e ham.
(there in heaven intercede for us / shower upon us many flowers.)
Flores Jesus, na' florise ham / ni kilu'us ya un nå'e ham.
(Flower of Jesus, make flowers bloom for us at the cross and give them to us.)
O Teresita, patronan Guam / i minames-mo fanu'e ham
(O Teresita, patron of Guam / show us your sweetness)
gi korason-mo sininok hao / as Jesukristo sa' ya-ña hao. (1)
(you burned within your heart / for Jesus Christ because He loved you.)
Ginefli'en Yu'us ni taotao / sumongge hao sa' gos songga hao. (2)
(The love of God for people / enflamed you for you were most ardent.)
I hinengge-mo gos na'manman / i ninangga-mo metton åpmam
(Your faith was most wondrous / your hope was enduringly firm)
lao i guinaiya, lu takhalom / mumåpta' hulo' gi korason.
(but your love, though deep inside, opened upwards in the heart.)
Mañiñila' kalan i atdao / ha sosongge i anten taotao.
(It shone like the sun / and fired up the souls of men.)
I korason-mo gos manñaña' / bula minames kalan nåna
(Your heart was most tender / full of sweetness like a mother's)
i gråsia siha ni i Manå / gi dos kanai-mo man mánkana' (3)
(the graces which were like manna / were hung on your two hands)
håye ya-ña u fåtto gusse' / ya yo'ase' un nånå'e gue'.
(whoever wishes can come quickly / and you would kindly give him.)
I man malångo ma ogagao / nu i hinemlon i tataotao
(The sick searched for health of the body)
i sensen-ñiha yan i ante / fa'maolek, Saina na yo'amte.
(their flesh and soul make well, oh healing Lady.)
Na' huyong hao mames yan geftao / sa' gos låhyan numanangga hao.
(Show yourself to be sweet and generous / for they are many who hope in you.)
NOTES
(1) Sunok is an obsolete word meaning "to burn something."
(2) Songga is another obsolete word meaning "flammable, able to be burned."
(3) Grace is likened to manna, the miraculous food (like wafers) which God sent the hungry Israelites in the desert.
No comments:
Post a Comment