If it were not Sunday...
today would be the feast of
St. John of the Cross, O.C.D, Priest and Doctor of the Church. It would also be the feast of
St. Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop. I hereby post a hymn by the latter.
" Vexilla regis prodeunt
Fulget crucis mysterium
Quo carne carnis conditor
Suspensus est patibulo.
Quo vulneratus insuper
Mucrone diro lanceae
Ut nos lavaret crimine
Manavit unda et sanguine.
Impleta sunt quae concinit
David fideli carmine
Dicens In nationibus
Regnavit a ligno Deus.
Arbor decora et fulgida
Ornata Regis purpura
Electa digno stipite
Tam sancta membra tangere.
Beata, cujus brachiis
Saecli pependit pretium
Statera facta corporis
Praedamque tulit tartari.
O Crux ave, spes unica
In hac triumphi gloria
Auge piis justitiam
Reisque dona veniam.
Te summa Deus Trinitas
Collaudet omnis spiritus:
Quos per crucis mysterium
Salvas, rege per saecula. Amen. "
and a translated version.....
"The royal banners forward go,
The cross shines forth in mystic glow;
Where He in flesh, our flesh Who made,
Our sentence bore, our ransom paid.
Where deep for us the spear was dyed,
Life’s torrent rushing from His side,
To wash us in that precious flood,
Where mingled water flowed, and blood.
Fulfilled is all that David told
In true prophetic song of old,
Amidst the nations, God, saith he,
Hath reigned and triumphed from the tree.
O tree of beauty, tree of light!
O tree with royal purple dight!
Elect on whose triumphal breast
Those holy limbs should find their rest.
Blest tree, whose chosen branches bore
The wealth that did the world restore,
The price of humankind to pay,
And spoil the spoiler of his prey.
Upon its arms, like balance true,
He weighed the price for sinners due,
The price which none but He could pay,
And spoiled the spoiler of his prey.
O cross, our one reliance, hail!
Still may thy power with us avail
To give new virtue to the saint,
And pardon to the penitent.
To Thee, eternal Three in One,
Let homage meet by all be done:
As by the cross Thou dost restore,
So rule and guide us evermore. "
