Mary At The Cross
At the Cross
her station keeping,
Stood the mournful
Mother weeping,
Close to
Jesus to the last.
Through her
heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His
bitter anguish bearing
Now at length
the sword has passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother highly blessed
Of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs,
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying, glorious Son.
Is there one
who would not weep
‘Whelmed in
miseries so deep
Christ’s dear
Mother to behold?
Can the human
heart refrain
From
partaking in her pain,
In that
Mother’s pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent.
For the sins of His own nation
Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His spirit forth He sent.
O sweet
mother, fount of love,
Touch my
spirit from above,
Make my heart
with yours accord.
Make me feel
as you have felt;
Make my soul
to glow and melt
With the love
of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me share with you His pain,
Who for all our sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.
Mix’d with
yours let my tears be,
Mourning Him
Who mourned for me,
All the days
that I may live.
By the Cross
with you to stay,
There with
you to weep and pray,
Is all I ask
of you to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share that grief of yours.
Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of yours.
Wounded with
His every wound,
Steep my soul
till it has swooned
In His very
Blood away.
Be to me, I
Virgin, nigh,
Lest in
flames I burn and die,
In this awful
judgment day.
Christ, when You shall call me hence,
Be Your Mother my defense,
Be Your Cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul Your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally.
AMEN.
Source:
Rev. Hugo H. Hoever, S.O.Cist., Ph.D., ed. Saint
Joseph Daily Missal. (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1961, New
Edition), 252-253.
This sequence
hymn was established for Friday in Passion Week. It is included in one of the
seven sorrows (dolors) of The Blessed Virgin Mary.
A sequence (Latin: sequentia) is a chant or hymn sung or
recited during the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian
denominations, before the proclamation of the Gospel.