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Hymns

St Ambrose of Milan, tr. Copeland, 1848

Chapter 6

Hymn for Terce.

’Tis the third hour, the holy time,
When Christ the bitter Cross did climb,
Fix’d be the soul intent in prayer,
No thought unhallow’d harbour’d there.

Who in his heart would Christ enshrine,
Unstain’d must keep his soul within,
With vows unceasing must secure
The Holy Spirit’s Presence pure.

This is the hour which clos’d amain
Accursed guilt’s lethargic reign,
The empire loos’d of death and hell,
And cancell’d sin’s primæval spell.

Hence by the grace of Christ began
Those blessed times to ruin’d man,
When one pure Truth the Churches fill’d
One Faith through every bosom thrill’d.

From summit of His Triumph high,
He thus bespake His Mother nigh,
‘Mother,’ He said, ‘Behold thy son,
‘Behold thy Mother, faithful one.’

In mystery deep He thus implied
Th’ espousals of the Virgin Bride,
Nor, Virgin-born, impair’d the claim
Of Virgin-Mother’s sacred name.

Deep mystery, which to faith reveal’d
With heavenly wonders Jesus seal’d,
Yet would not faithless man believe,
Though who believeth, he shall live.

Yea we believe God born on earth,
A holy Virgin’s spotless Birth,
Who bare the sins of earth away,
Now with the Father reigns for aye.