Super flumina Babylonis

The Offertory Antiphon for today, the 20th Sunday after Pentecost is, "Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion." It is also the Offertory for the 26th Sunday in Ordered Time according to the modernist Missal. Oh, you didn't know there was one?

Think about the text. "Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion." Why did they need to "remember Sion?" Because they were taken from their land against their will. 

Where was their land? 

Israel.

The last two lines of this imprecatory psalm, "O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay thee thy payment which thou hast paid us. Blessed be he that shall take and dash thy little ones against the rock" speaks of the prayer of Israel against those who would destroy her.

When did you expect that we would tolerate signs and protests, "gas the Jews," or "death to Israel" on our western streets and the Star of David painted on the homes of Jews?

We've been here before.

As a son of Mount Lebanon, I know where I stand. 

Never again!

Never!

Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion:
On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instruments.
For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs. And they that carried us away, said: Sing ye to us a hymn of the songs of Sion.
How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land?
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.
Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee: If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy.
Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem: Who say: Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay thee thy payment which thou hast paid us.
Blessed be he that shall take and dash thy little ones against the rock.