The Cross of Jesus and the Sorrows of Mary

This sequence taken from the Horae of the sixth century, sweetly blends together the homages we owe to the Cross of Jesus and the sorrows of Mary:

We that, by the fruit of the forbidden tree,

lost our life, now seek the tree of life.

He alone hath found this tree,

who sees the branch whereon is fixed the fruit.

Our faith tells us, that the fruit, that gives us life,

hand on Mary's breast.

And on the cross, between two theives,

though here he is pierced with five wounds.

The Virgin-Mother, and the saving cross,

both are mystic trees;

The cross, humble as the hyssop;

Mary, noble as the cedar:

both are trees of life.

Placed between the two, I know not to which to turn.

O sweet perplexity!

O sweet comparison!

Here my Jesus lies, fondled in his Mother's arms,

a weeping litle Babe;

There, with his arms stretched out, calling all to his embrace.

Here, 'tis a burden sweet to a Mother's love;

There, 'tis Love itself, too ardent to be hid.

Here, leaning on his Mother's heart,

he is fed at her breast;

There, fastened to the tree,

he feeds us from his wounds.

The cross supplies us with the food of its refreshing fruit;

The Mother forestalls the cross,

feeding the very fruit, feeding him for us.

This, then, is my decision:

we cannot have the one without the other.

He that chooses the cross,

must have the Mother;

for he will find the Mother standing at the foot.

He that chooses the Mother,

meets the cross as well,

for it was while standing at the cross,

that the Mother's heart was pierced.

O Jesus!  Crucified Son of a crucified Mother!

look upon us from thy cross.

O living fruit!  O fruit of the tree of life!

refresh us with thyself,

give us the enjoyment of thine own dear self!

Amen.

From The Liturgical Year,
Passiontide and Holy Week

by Abbot Guéranger OSB

(Translated from the French

by Dom Laurence Shepherd OSB,

The Newman Press,

Westminster, Maryland, 1949)