Stood the woe-worn Mother weeping,
Near the cross her station keeping,
While her dying Son was pendent;
Her unsullied soul lamenting,
Sinless, yet for sin repenting,
Riven by the sword resplendent.
Oh, what grief, what dire affliction,
Drowned her life's great benediction,
Mother of the Light Eternal:
What amazement, terror, anguish,
Made her spotless spirit languish,
Seeing quenched that Light Supernal.
Where is he, the man who tearless
Can behold Christ's Mother peerless,
Shadowed by such dread dejection?
Where the heart no grief prostrating,
Christ's dear Mother contemplating,
Mourning with divine affection?
For the sins of others dying,
She beheld him, death defying,
Tortured, rent by scourges gory;
Saw her Own by sweet relation
Breathing forth in desolation
Back to God his Soul of Glory.
Wherefore, Mother, Love's pure Fountain,
Of thy griefs, the o'erwhelming mountain,
Let me feel the weight and sadness:
To thy woes while tears we render,
Let Christ's love, O God of Splendour,
Make our hearts, too, burn with gladness.
Holy Mother, with sweet rigour
My believing heart transfigure
With the signs of crucifying,
Till the wounding it surrounding,
Love abounding, me confounding,
Fill my soul with grief undying.
While my tears with thine are falling
Underneath the rood appalling,
Until life for me is ending:
Near the cross in rapt affliction
Let me share thy dereliction,
Sighs and tears together blending.
Of all virgins Virgin glorious,
Veil not now thy light victorious,
Hear my voice with thine lamenting;
Let Christ's death in mine, poor mortal,
Symbolled be, e'en through death's portal,
Earth his passion still repenting.
Me with nails and spear now wounding,
Drench and drown in blood abounding,
Pouring from Christ's Heart supernal,
Thou, sweet Virgin, my Defender,
Lest in flames my soul surrender
On the Day of Doom Eternal.
Christ, when life and death betide me,
Grant thy Mother then may guide me
To the heavenly palm victorious;
While my body here shall moulder,
Let my soul be thy beholder,
God, in paradise all glorious.
Near the cross her station keeping,
While her dying Son was pendent;
Her unsullied soul lamenting,
Sinless, yet for sin repenting,
Riven by the sword resplendent.
Oh, what grief, what dire affliction,
Drowned her life's great benediction,
Mother of the Light Eternal:
What amazement, terror, anguish,
Made her spotless spirit languish,
Seeing quenched that Light Supernal.
Where is he, the man who tearless
Can behold Christ's Mother peerless,
Shadowed by such dread dejection?
Where the heart no grief prostrating,
Christ's dear Mother contemplating,
Mourning with divine affection?
For the sins of others dying,
She beheld him, death defying,
Tortured, rent by scourges gory;
Saw her Own by sweet relation
Breathing forth in desolation
Back to God his Soul of Glory.
Wherefore, Mother, Love's pure Fountain,
Of thy griefs, the o'erwhelming mountain,
Let me feel the weight and sadness:
To thy woes while tears we render,
Let Christ's love, O God of Splendour,
Make our hearts, too, burn with gladness.
Holy Mother, with sweet rigour
My believing heart transfigure
With the signs of crucifying,
Till the wounding it surrounding,
Love abounding, me confounding,
Fill my soul with grief undying.
While my tears with thine are falling
Underneath the rood appalling,
Until life for me is ending:
Near the cross in rapt affliction
Let me share thy dereliction,
Sighs and tears together blending.
Of all virgins Virgin glorious,
Veil not now thy light victorious,
Hear my voice with thine lamenting;
Let Christ's death in mine, poor mortal,
Symbolled be, e'en through death's portal,
Earth his passion still repenting.
Me with nails and spear now wounding,
Drench and drown in blood abounding,
Pouring from Christ's Heart supernal,
Thou, sweet Virgin, my Defender,
Lest in flames my soul surrender
On the Day of Doom Eternal.
Christ, when life and death betide me,
Grant thy Mother then may guide me
To the heavenly palm victorious;
While my body here shall moulder,
Let my soul be thy beholder,
God, in paradise all glorious.