Hail, truest victim, truly given;
By whom the thrall of hell is riven;
Who makest death itself as nought-
By whom the joys of life are bought !
Hell now is vanquished; Christ displays
To the wide world his trophies! Gaze
On heaven laid open! while the foe,
The prince of death, is driven below.
Jesus, be thou our paschal joy!
Be thoughts of thee our sole employ !
From deadly sin, we pray thee, free
Those born again to life by thee.
To God the Father loudly sing,
And Jesus who rose triumphing,
And to the Holy Ghost upraise
For ever more melodious praise.
SALUTIS HUMANE SATOR: FOR ASCENSION.
O Thou from whom salvation flows,
Dear Jesus! joy of ev'ry breast;
Redeeming all this world of woes-
Pure light, by all beholders blest :-
Whence came this wondrous act of grace
That thou shouldst bear the crimes of all?
That thou, to save a sinful race,
Sinless shouldst own death's bitter thrall ?
Hell's chaos now is rent in twain ;
And captive chains are burst by thee. Triumphant Victor! rise and reignAt God's right hand eternally.
But let thy pity still look down
And heal our every care and woe: Still let thy saving help be shown
To bless and cheer us here below. Oh, lead us Thou to heaven above.
Be thou our only aim and goal. Oh, let our tears be tears of love
Till thou, dear Saviour! crown the whole.
VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS: FOR WHIT-SUNDAY.
Creating Spirit, come! controul
And visit every willing soul.
To all, by thee created, bring,
Dear Lord, each good and perfect thing.
Thee, Lord, our Comforter, we call ;
The gift of God-best gift of all;
The living fount, fire, charity
The spirit's balm: all dwells in thee.
Thine are the seven best gifts of grace.
In thee, the Father's hand we trace.
Promis'd of old, 'tis thou dost teach
All things and every form of speech.
With thy pure light, fire every sense;
Thy love through every heart dispense;
Our weak infirmities improve,
With strength and virtue from above.
Drive every foe far, far away.
Near us may peace for ever stay.
Be thou our teacher, light, and guide,
That every ill we may avoid.
Let us the Father know by thee:
By thee, the Son, our Saviour, see.
And still hold fast our saving creed
In Thee who dost from both proceed.
May praise to God the Father swell
And to the Son who rose from hell.
The same we'll pay to thee, dear Lord-
Our holy Paraclete ador'd.
VENI SANCTE SPIRITUS: FOR WHIT SUNDAY.
Come, Holy Ghost: to us send down,
Refulgent from thy heavenly throne,
Thy guiding influence, pure and bright :
Thou poor man's father, hear our call;
Come, thou who givest good to all;
Come, thou, the soul's best joy and light!
Come, thou, of comforters the best,
The pious happy spirit's guest,
Refreshment and sole strength in fears.
'Mid every toil thou givest rest;
Sweet calm to man's o'erheated breast;
True comfort in his doubts and tears.
O blessed Light! to thee we pray;
Pour gently down thy saving ray
On all who firmly trust in thee.
Without thy grace, can man attain
No single good: he strives in vain :-
He cannot even harmless be.
Wash every stain sin leaves behind;
Rain dew upon the arid mind;
The spirit's wounds and bruises heal.
Make stubborn reason humbly bow;
Illume it with a heavenly glow;
To thee make doubt obedient kneel. Grant to thy faithful, dearest Lord! Whose only trust is thy sure word,
Thy sevenfold gifts of grace and love; Grant patience, peace, forbearance mild, Meek charity, joy undefiled,
Hope here, and lasting bliss above.
JAM SOL RECEDIT: FOR TRINITY SUNDAY.
Now lowly sinks the fiery sun;
But Thou, eternal light-thou One
United Trinity, impart
Thy light of love to every heart.
To thee, at morn, our songs shall swell;
At eve, our hearts on thee shall dwell.
And may our praise hereafter rise
And blend with heaven's own symphonies.
To God the Father and the Son,
And Holy Spirit, three in one,
May holiest praises still ascend
Through coming years, and never end.
PANGE LINGUA: FOR CORPUS CHRISTI.
Loudly sing my tongue! proclaiming
All the mystery of faith.
His body and his blood adoring,
Born a virgin womb beneath,
Which the King of all surrendered
To redeem a world from death.
Born for us, for us descending
'Neath a purest virgin zone-
In the world he dwelt, and taught us
Till the seeds of truth were sown.
Then his parting love and blessing
Was in wondrons manner shown.
When for the last time reclining
Round the board that awful night,
When the legal pasch was eaten,
When fulfilled was ev'ry rite-
Then to his wond'ring twelve disciples,
He gave himself with heavenly might.
The Word made flesh for man's redemption,
Made, by a word, true flesh of bread;
And wine became the blood of Jesus:-
Sense would not be captive led :
But truthful hearts vain reason master-
Faith believes what'er He said.
Mighty Sacrament! adore it,
Praise it all on bended knee!
Ancient rites give way before it- *
Worlds in this new faith agree.
What though reason falter o'er it ?-
Faith will solve the mystery.
So ancient is this hymn, that Jewish rites are here
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