Via divineoffice.org
Hymn

English translation

O Virgin fair, who in the sun arrayed,

And crowned with stars, to a greater Sun did’st bring

Such joy that He in thee His light did hide!

Deep love impels me that of thee I sing.

But how shall I begin without thy aid,

Or that of Him who in thy womb did bide?

I call on one who answereth always

When simple faith we show.

Virgin, if extreme woe

In things of earth thou wouldst with joy repay,

In my hard struggle be thy succour given!

O hear me while I pray,

Though I be clay,

And thou the queen of heaven!

O virgin pure, perfect in every part;

Daughter and mother of thy gentle Child,

Sunbeam on earth, bright gem in heaven’s array!

The Father’s Son and thine, O undefiled,

Through thee (window of heaven that thou art!)

Came to redeem us at the final day!

And God among all dwellings of the earth

Selected thee alone,

O virgin, who the moan

Of hapless Eve hast turned to joy and mirth;

O make me worthy His unending love,

Thou who in glory drest,

Honoured and blest,

Art crowned in heaven above.

Vergine bella, che di sol vestita,

coronata di stelle, al sommo Sole

piacesti sí, che ’n te Sua luce ascose,

amor mi spinge a dir di te parole:

ma non so ’ncominciar senza tu’ aita,

et di Colui ch’amando in te si pose.

Invoco lei che ben sempre rispose,

chi la chiamò con fede:

Vergine, s’a mercede

miseria extrema de l’humane cose

già mai ti volse, al mio prego t’inchina,

soccorri a la mia guerra,

bench’i’ sia terra, et tu del ciel regina.

Vergine pura, d’ogni parte intera,

del tuo parto gentil figliola et madre,

ch’allumi questa vita, et l’altra adorni,

per te il tuo figlio, et quel del sommo Padre,

o fenestra del ciel lucente altera,

venne a salvarne in su li extremi giorni;

et fra tutt’i terreni altri soggiorni

sola tu fosti electa,

Vergine benedetta,

che ’l pianto d’Eva in allegrezza torni.

Fammi, ché puoi, de la Sua gratia degno,

senza fine o beata,

già coronata nel superno regno.

English translation

O Virgin fair, who in the sun arrayed,

And crowned with stars, to a greater Sun did’st bring

Such joy that He in thee His light did hide!

Deep love impels me that of thee I sing.

But how shall I begin without thy aid,

Or that of Him who in thy womb did bide?

I call on one who answereth always

When simple faith we show.

Virgin, if extreme woe

In things of earth thou wouldst with joy repay,

In my hard struggle be thy succour given!

O hear me while I pray,

Though I be clay,

And thou the queen of heaven!

O virgin pure, perfect in every part;

Daughter and mother of thy gentle Child,

Sunbeam on earth, bright gem in heaven’s array!

The Father’s Son and thine, O undefiled,

Through thee (window of heaven that thou art!)

Came to redeem us at the final day!

And God among all dwellings of the earth

Selected thee alone,

O virgin, who the moan

Of hapless Eve hast turned to joy and mirth;

O make me worthy His unending love,

Thou who in glory drest,

Honoured and blest,

Art crowned in heaven above.

Vergine Bella by Mignarda; Vergine bella; Author: Francesco Petrarch; Edition used: “Some Love Songs of Petrarch”, translated and annotated with a Biographical Introduction by William Dudley Foulke (Oxford University Press, 1915).

The Salvation of Israel through Cyrus via divineoffice.org

December 17, 2015 by Be Holy

From the book of the prophet Isaiah

45:1-13

The salvation of Israel through Cyrus

Thus says the Lord to his anointed, Cyrus,whose right hand I grasp,

Subduing nations before him,

and making kings run in his service,

Opening doors before him

and leaving the gates unbarred:

I will go before you

and level the mountains;

Bronze doors I will shatter,

and iron bars I will snap.

I will give you treasures out of the darkness,

and riches that have been hidden away,

That you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel,

who calls you by your name.
For the sake of Jacob, my servant,

of Israel my chosen one,

I have called you by your name,

giving you a title, though you knew me not.

I am the Lord and there is no other,

there is no God besides me.

It is I who arm you, though you know me not,

so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun

men may know that there is none besides me.

I am the Lord, there is no other;

I form the light, and create the darkness,

I make well-being and create woe;

I, the Lord, do all these things.
Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above,

like gentle rain let the skies drop it down.

Let the earth open and salvation bud forth;

let justice also spring up!

I, the Lord, have created this.
Woe to him who contends with his Maker;

a potsherd among potsherds of the earth!

Dare the clay say to its modeler, “What are you doing?”

or, “What you are making has no hands”?

Woe to him who asks a father, “What are you begetting?”

or a woman, “What are you giving birth to?”
Thus says the Lord,

the Holy One of Israel, his maker:

You question me about my children,

or prescribe the work of my hands for me!

It was I who made the earth

and created mankind upon it;

It was my hands that stretched out the heavens;

I gave the order to all their host.

It was I who stirred up one for the triumph of justice;

all his ways I make level.

He shall rebuild my city

and let my exiles go free

Without price or ransom,

says the Lord of hosts.
via divineoffice.org

Jesus , Savior in Repose

December 16, 2015 by Be Holy

O, my Jesus, 
In gentle and humble repose upon the altar,
Wrap Your arms about me.
My body yearns for Your embrace. 

Only Your Humanity can unlock 
The treasure trove of grace, 
You hold in store for me, 
A repentant sinner,
Grace, You purchased for me 
By Your coming to Man as Man, 
In Your weakness and poverty and might.

You called Yourself,"Son of Man",
And by Your obedience, 
Suffering and Death upon the Cross, 
Showed us True Love.

All Holy, All Human, All Love, All God,
Son and Servant of God, 
Benefit and Benefactor of Man,
Apply the fruit of Your Saving Death
To my humanity,
To the glory of God,
And the continuous deification
Of my poor, desirous body and soul.

Conceive in me thoughts, words and deeds, 
Which bring to fulfillment our Father's plan 
For my life and eternity,
So, that purged of all Sin and concupiscence,
I might shine with radiant joy,
Hidden and secure in Your Heart, 
As does Your Virgin Mother, Mary.
"Be it done to me according to Your Word."
Amen.

Copyright 2011 Joann Nelander
All rights reserved