| |
| BY the cross, on which suspended, | |
| With his bleeding hands extended, | |
| Hung that Son she so adored, | |
| Stood the mournful Mother weeping, | |
| She whose heart, its silence keeping, | 5 |
| Grief had cleft as with a sword. | |
| |
| Oh, that Mother’s sad affliction— | |
| Mother of all benediction— | |
| Of the sole-begotten One; | |
| Oh, the grieving, sense-bereaving, | 10 |
| Of her heaving breast, perceiving | |
| The dread sufferings of her Son. | |
| |
| What man is there so unfeeling, | |
| Who, his heart to pity steeling, | |
| Could behold that sight unmoved? | 15 |
| Could Christ’s Mother see there weeping, | |
| See the pious Mother keeping | |
| Vigil by the Son she loved? | |
| |
| For his people’s sins atoning, | |
| She saw Jesus writhing, groaning, | 20 |
| ’Neath the scourge wherewith he bled; | |
| Saw her loved one, her consoler, | |
| Dying in his dreadful dolour, | |
| Till at length his spirit fled. | |
| |
| O thou Mother of election, | 25 |
| Fountain of all pure affection, | |
| Make thy grief, thy pain, my own; | |
| Make my heart to God returning, | |
| In the love of Jesus burning, | |
| Feel the fire that thine has known. | 30 |
| |
| Blessed Mother of prediction, | |
| Stamp the marks of crucifixion | |
| Deeply on my stony heart, | |
| Ever leading where thy bleeding | |
| Son is pleading for my needing, | 35 |
| Let me in his wounds take part. | |
| |
| Make me truly, each day newly | |
| While life lasts, O Mother, duly | |
| Weep with him, the Crucified. | |
| Let me, ’tis my sole demanding, | 40 |
| Near the cross, where thou art standing, | |
| Stand in sorrow at thy side. | |
| |
| Queen of virgins, best and dearest, | |
| Grant, oh, grant the prayer thou hearest, | |
| Let me ever mourn with thee; | 45 |
| Let compassion me so fashion | |
| That Christ’s wounds, his death and passion, | |
| Be each day renewed in me. | |
| |
| Oh, those wounds do not deny me; | |
| On that cross, oh, crucify me; | 50 |
| Let me drink his blood I pray: | |
| Then on fire, enkindled, daring, | |
| I may stand without despairing | |
| On that dreadful judgment-day. | |
| |
| May that cross be my salvation; | 55 |
| Make Christ’s death my preservation; | |
| May his grace my heart make wise; | |
| And when death my body taketh, | |
| May my soul when it awaketh | |
| Ope in heaven its raptured eyes. | 60 |
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