Virgin Mother, Oh, Rejoice!

Virgin mo­ther

oh

re­joice!

Glad and hon­ored is thy womb

Where the Son of God Him­self

Deigns our na­ture to as­sume:

Joy be to thy fruit­ful breast

For the Son of God lies there;

Very God

a hu­man child

Is thy high and ho­ly care.

He

the Fa­ther’s on­ly Son

And by whom all things were made

Helpless

clothed in mor­tal flesh

In thy ten­der arms is laid:

He in Heav­en is the source

Whence the joy of an­gels flows

Here on earth

an in­fant weak

Thirst and hun­ger both He knows.

There He rules o’er all that are

Here He doth His mo­ther’s will;

There He gives His high com­mands

Here com­mands He doth ful­fill;

There on high­est throne He sits

Far above the vault­ed skies

Here en­wrapped in swad­dling clothes

In a man­ger low He lies.

Mortal

think up­on these things

Study well the depth to know

Of the all em­brac­ing love

Which these won­drous les­sons show:

Of for­giv­eness lose not hope

Though thou mayst have sin­nèd much

When the proofs of love abound

When the proofs of love are such.

Seek the bless­èd fount and source

Whence in­dul­gence flows to all

And be­fore the Sav­ior’s feet

In con­fid­ing meek­ness fall—

Jesu

on the err­ing look

All the wan­der­ers re­store

And amid Thy hosts re­deemed

Set them safe for­ev­er­more.