Upon the Mount of Tabor

The promise was made good,
When, baring all the Godhead,
In Light itself He stood;
And they, in awe beholding,
The Apostolic THREE,

Sang out to GOD their SAVIOUR,
For glorified is He!

In days of old, on Sinai,

The LORD JEHOVAH came,

In majesty of terror,

In thunder-cloud and flame:
On Tabor, with the glory

Of sunniest light for vest,
The excellence of beauty
In JESUS was expressed.

O Holy, Wondrous Vision!

But what, when this life past,

The beauty of Mount Tabor

Shall end in Heaven at last!
But what, when all the beauty
Of uncreated Light
Shall be the promised glory

Of them that win the fight!

To Thee, O Blessed JESU!

O Well-beloved SON!

The FATHER, and the SPIRIT,

Be praise, while ages run. Amen.

164

[The Purification of the B. V. Mary.

Morning.

SWEET incense breathes around,

The coming LORD to greet;

And Sion, through her sacred bound,
Awakes her GOD to meet :

Arise ye then, ye wakeful quires,
And early light your altar fires.

Let Faith with glistening eye,
Trim up her torch so bright;
And flame-encircled Charity
Breathe out her glowing light;
And white-robed Innocence be there,
To pour its sweetest incense prayer!

Why love to linger here

These guilty days prolong?

More blessed far yon dying seer:
Be ours his parting song!

And He, Whom here by faith we see,
Shall our eternal portion be.

To GOD the FATHER, SON,

And SPIRIT, glory be;

To the Eternal THREE in ONE,

To all eternity!

Blest TRINITY, to Thee we raise

Our joyous hearts in ceaseless praise. Amen

THE PURIFICATION OF THE B. V. MARY. 187

165

[The Purification of the B. V. Mary.

Evening.

REGARD our vows with gracious eye,
O JESU! Crown of Purity!

SON of the chosen woman who

Was Virgin chaste and Mother too.

Amongst the lilies Thou dost feed,
By Virgin choirs accompanied,

O Glorious BRIDEGROOM, who dost bless
Thy Bride with endless happiness!

THEE, wheresoe'er Thy footsteps bend,
The pure with praises still attend;
In blessed troops they follow Thee,
And make unending melody.

We pray Thee, therefore, to bestow
Upon our senses, here below,
Thy Grace whereby we may endure,
From taint of all corruption, pure.

All honour, praise, and glory be,
O JESU, Virgin-born, to Thee;

All glory, as is ever meet,

TO FATHER and to PARACLETE. Amen.

166

[The Annunciation of the B. V. Mary.

Morning.

PRAISE we the LORD this day,

This day so long foretold,

Whose promise shone with cheering ray

On waiting saints of old.

The Prophet gave the sign
For faithful men to read;
A Virgin, born of David's line,
Shall bear the promised Seed.

Ask not how this should be,
But worship and adore;

Like her, whom Heaven's majesty

Came down to shadow o'er.

Meekly she bowed her head

To hear the gracious word,
Mary, that pure and lowly maid,
The handmaid of the LORD.

Blessed shall be her name

In all the Church on earth,

Through whom that wondrous mercy came,
The Incarnate SAVIOUR'S birth.

JESU, the Virgin's SON,

We praise Thee and adore,

Who art with GOD the FATHER ONE

And SPIRIT evermore.

Amen.

THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE B. V. MARY. 189

167

[The Annunciation of the B. V. Mary.

Evening.

THE Angel spake the word

"Hail Thou of women blest!"

From Highest Heaven the GODHEAD comes

And fills her Virgin breast.

Maiden! how great henceforth

Thy dignity shall be!

The SON of GOD becomes thine own,

This day conceived by thee.

This day the HOLY GHOST

From thy all human blood

Moulds in thy womb that Flesh Divine
Of the Life-giving WORD,

Whereby our souls are fed,

Through GOD and MAN in ONE,

With more than blessed Angels' Food—
With Very GOD the SON.

TO HIM Who, to redeem

Our race, came down from Heaven,
Praise, with the FATHER evermore

And HOLY GHOST, be given. Amen.

[Commemorations of B. V. Mary.
Morning.

VIRGIN-BORN! we bow before Thee,
Blessed was the womb that bore Thee!

168

Mary, Mother meek and mild,

Blessed was she in her Child!