NOVENA FOR THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BVM
DAY SIX
V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be, to the Father,
and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the
beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Mary Sacrificed her Soul by Compassion
Whereas other martyrs sacrifice their own lives, the Blessed Virgin
consummated her martyrdom by sacrificing the life of her Son, a life which she
loved far more than her own, and which caused her to endure a torment which
exceeded all other torments ever endured by any mortal on earth. To understand,
then, how great was the grief of Mary, we must understand,' says Cornelius a
Lapide, ' how great was the love she bore her Son.' But who can ever measure
this love? Blessed Amadeus says, that ' natural love towards Him as her Son,
and super natural love towards Him as her God, were united in the heart of
Mary.' These two loves were blended into one, and this so great a love that
William of Paris does not hesitate to assert, that Mary loved Jesus ' as much
as it was possible for a pure creature to love Him.' So that, as Richard of
Saint Victor says, ' as no other creature ever loved God as much as Mary loved
Him, so there never was any sorrow like Mary's sorrow.'
PRAYER
My sorrowful Mother, by the merit of that grief which thou didst feel in
seeing thy beloved Jesus led to death, obtain me the grace, that I also may
bear with patience the crosses which God sends me. Happy in deed shall I be, if
I only know how to accompany thee with my cross until death. Thou with thy
Jesus — and you were both innocent — hast carried a far heavier cross; and
shall I, a sinner, who have deserved hell, refuse to carry mine? O, immaculate
Virgin, from thee do I hope for help to bear all crosses with patience. Amen.
Stabat Mater
Stabat mater dolorosa
juxta Crucem lacrimosa,
dum pendebat Filius.
Cuius animam gementem,
contristatam et dolentem
pertransivit gladius.
O quam tristis et afflicta
fuit illa benedicta,
mater Unigeniti!
Quae mœrebat et dolebat,
pia Mater, dum videbat
nati pœnas inclyti.
Quis est homo qui non fleret,
matrem Christi si videret
in tanto supplicio?
Quis non posset contristari
Christi Matrem contemplari
dolentem cum Filio?
Pro peccatis suæ gentis
vidit Iesum in tormentis,
et flagellis subditum.
Vidit suum dulcem Natum
moriendo desolatum,
dum emisit spiritum.
Eia, Mater, fons amoris
me sentire vim doloris
fac, ut tecum lugeam.
Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
in amando Christum Deum
ut sibi complaceam.
Sancta Mater, istud agas,
crucifixi fige plagas
cordi meo valide.
Tui Nati vulnerati,
tam dignati pro me pati,
pœnas mecum divide.
Fac me tecum pie flere,
crucifixo condolere,
donec ego vixero.
Juxta Crucem tecum stare,
et me tibi sociare
in planctu desidero.
Virgo virginum præclara,
mihi iam non sis amara,
fac me tecum plangere.
Fac, ut portem Christi mortem,
passionis fac consortem,
et plagas recolere.
Fac me plagis vulnerari,
fac me Cruce inebriari,
et cruore Filii.
Flammis ne urar succensus,
per te, Virgo, sim defensus
in die iudicii.
Christe, cum sit hinc exire,
da per Matrem me venire
ad palmam victoriæ.
Quando corpus morietur,
fac, ut animæ donetur
paradisi gloria. Amen.
At the Cross her Station Keeping
At the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to her Son to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.
O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blest,
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?
For the sins of His own nation,
She saw Jesus wracked with torment,
All with scourges rent:
She beheld her tender Child,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:
Make me feel as thou hast 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 thee His pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live:
By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine;
Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.
Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away;
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
be Thy Mother my defense,
be Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays,
may my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in Paradise with Thee.
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