Mourn with Me

Pieta, St John the Evangelist, Calgary

1. O come and mourn with me a while;
See Mary calls us to her side;
O come and let us mourn with her:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

2. Have we no tears to shed for him,
While soldiers scoffer and Jews deride?
Ah, look how patiently he hangs:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

3. How fast his hands and feet are nailed;
His blessèd tongue with thirst is tied;
His failing eyes are blind with blood:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.
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4. His Mother cannot reach his face;
She stands in helplessness beside;
Her heart is martyred with her Son’s:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

5. Seven times he spoke, seven words of love;
And all three hours his silence cried
For mercy on the souls of men:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

6. ​O break, O break, hard heart of mine;
Thy weak self-love and guilty pride
His Pilate and his Judas were:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

7. A broken heart, a fount of tears,
Ask, and they will not be denied;
A broken heart love’s cradle is:
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

8. O Love of God! O sin of Man!
In this dread act your strength is tried;
And victory remains with Love:
​For he, our Love, is crucified.

to the tune St Cross, by J.B. Dykes, 1823-1876
Frederick Faber, Cong. Orat., 1814-1863​​