Sir Edward Elgar

Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Ave verum corpus

Ave verum Corpus, natum 
De Maria Virgine, 
Vere passum, immolatum 
In cruce pro homine: 
Cuius latum perforatum 
Unda fluxit et sanguine, 
Esto nobis praegustatum 
In mortis examine.
O clemens, O pie, O dulcis Jesu, Fili Mariae.

Hail, true Body, born
of the Virgin Mary,
who having truly suffered, was sacrificed
on the cross for mankind,
whose pierced side
flowed with water and blood:
May it be for us a foretaste [of the Heavenly banquet]
in the trial of death.
O gentle, O merciful, O sweet Jesus, son of Mary,

14th century

Light of the world

Light of the world, we know thy praise, 
the angels and archangels raise, 
and all the host of heaven; 
more worthily than our faint hymns, 
whose jarring sound that glory dims, 
which God to thee has given. 

But thou didst not disdain to take 
our low estate, or e’en to make 
the tomb thy resting place; 
so thou might bring into our night 
the dawn of thine eternal light 
to shine upon our face. 

Nor death, nor hell, nor sin, is Lord, 
but thou, O Son of God. Thy word 
is now our sov’reign law. 
Therefore we thank thee, and we pray 
thy light may shine unto the perfect day, 
on us for evermore. 

Edward Capel Cure (1828-1890)

The Spirit of the Lord

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 
because He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor: 
He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, 
to preach deliverance to the captives, 
and recovering of sight to the blind, 
to preach the acceptable year of the Lord; 
To give unto them that mourn a garland for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning, 
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; 
that they might be called trees of righteousness, 
the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. 
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, 
and as the garden causeth the things 
that are sown in it to spring forth; 
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise 
to spring forth before all the nations. 

Isaiah 61. From "The Apostles"

They are at rest

They are at rest; 
We may not stir the heaven of their repose
By rude invoking voice, or prayer addrest in waywardness to those
Who in the mountain grots of Eden lie, 
And hear the fourfold river as it murmurs by.
And soothing sounds 
Blend with the neighbouring waters as they glide; 
Posted along the haunted garden's bounds, 
Angelic forms abide, 
Echoing, as words of watch, o'er lawn and grove 
The verses of that hymn which Seraphs chant above. 
They are at rest. 

from a poem by Cardinal Newman