Stabat Mater Dolorosa
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1. Stabat Mater dolorosa
Iuxta crucem lacrimosa
Dum pendebat Filius
2. Cuius animam gementem
Contristatam et dolentem
Pertransivit gladius
3. O quam tristis et afflicta
Fuit illa benedicta
Mater unigeniti!
4. Quae moerebat et dolebat,
Pia Mater, dum videbat
Nati poenas incliti
5. Quis est homo qui non fleret,
Matrem Christi si videret
In tanto supplicio?
6. Quis non posset contristari,
Christi Matrem contemplari
Dolentem cum Filio?
7. Pro peccatis suae gentis
Vidit Iesum in tormentis,
Et flagellis subditum.
8. Vidit suum dulcem natum
Moriendo desolatum
Dum emisit spiritum
9. Eia Mater, fons amoris
Me sentire vim doloris
Fac, ut tecum lugeam
10. Fac, ut ardeat cor meum
In amando Christum Deum
Ut sibi complaceam
11. Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Crucifixi fige plagas
Cordi meo valide.
12. Tui nati vulnerati,
Tam dignati pro me pati,
Poenas mecum divide.
13. Fac me tecum, pie, flere,
Crucifixo condolere,
Donec ego vixero.
14. Iuxta crucem tecum stare,
Et me tibi sociare
In planctu desidero
15. Virgo virginum praeclara,
Mihi iam non sis amara
Fac me tecum plangere
16. Fac, ut portem Christi mortem
Passionis fac consortem,
Et plagas recolere.
17. Fac me plagis vulnerari,
Fac me cruce inebriari,
Et cruore Filii
18. Flammis ne urar succensus
Per Te, Virgo, sim defensus
In die iudicii
19. Christe, cum sit hinc exire,
Da per Matrem me venire
Ad palmam victoriae
20. Quando corpus morietur,
Fac, ut animae donetur
Paradisi gloria. Amen
Click here for the usual English translation.
Click here for a very literal English translation.
This is the beautiul yet sad chant that is often heard during the Stations of the Cross in Lent. It would be hard to replace such a beautiful hymn with anything else! This chant has been in use for many centuries, so who are we to think we've outgrown it? Indeed, we need to medidate on Our Lady's Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart more now that ever before, because she is our only hope.
Our Lady shared in the entire Passion, suffering everything with Jesus -- and now she shares the same proportion of the glory of the risen Christ. Pray to Our Lady, put yourself completely in her hands. She alone can keep you from going astray in so many ways. She who is the mother of the Truth will keep you on the sure path, avoiding every error and deception. She will teach you humility, faith, love, and all the virtues she practiced so perfectly. She will inevitably lead you closer to Christ; for where the Blessed Mother is, there is Christ. When was that ever not true? Even on Calvary, she stood (not lay fainting) by the cross, the sword of sorrow piercing her most beautiful heart.
If a soul in the state of grace is so beautiful that a man would literally die if he could see it, how beautiful must the pure soul of Our Lady be?
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