CONFRATERNITY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE
(PICTURE ABOVE FROM THE WEBSITE - YAHOO IMAGES)
SING, O MY TONGUE, THE VICTOR'S PRAISE,
FOR HIM THE NOBLEST TROPHY RAISE,
THE VICTORY OF HIS CROSS PROCLAIM,
HIS GLORY AND HIS LAURELLED FAME:
SING OF HIS CONQUESTS, WHEN HE PROVED
THE SAVIOR OF THE SOULS HE LOVED.
FAITHFUL CROSS
THE GREAT CREATOR, LORD OF ALL,
PITYING OUR PARENTS' EARLY FALL,
WHEN DEATH FROM THAT DESTRUCTIVE TREE
RUSHED ON THEM, AND THEIR PROGENY,
WOULD, BY A TREE, HIMSELF MAKE GOOD
THE EVILS OF THAT DEADLY WOOD.
SWEET WOOD
ORDER LIKE THIS WAAS JUST AND MEET,
POOR MAN'S REDEMPTION TO COMPLETE,
THAT HEAVENLY WISDOM MIGHT DESTROY
OUR ARTFUL FOE'S MALICIOUS JOY
AND FROM OUR EVIL'S FATAL SPRING
A BALSAM FOR OUR WOUNDS MIGHT BRING.
FAITHFUL CROSS
TIME'S SOLEMN PLENITUDE WAS RUN
WHEN GOD SENT FORTH HIS ONLY SON
HE WHO THE WORLD'S FOUNDATION LAID,
BORN OF A POOR AND LOWLY MAID,
CAME CLOTHED IN MORTAL FLESH, AND GAVE
HIS LIFE OUR FALLEN RACE TO SAVE.
SWEET WOOD
BENEATH AN INFANT-FORM DEBASED,
WITHIN A LOWLY MANGER PLACED,
FOR US HE WEEPS: AND FILLED WITH GRIEF
THE VIRGIN'S LOVE WOULD YIELD RELIEF,
AND FOLD HIM WITH MATERNAL CARE,
TO SCREEN HIM FROM THE PIERCING AIR,
FAITHFUL CROSS
IN PAINS AND LABORS FROM HIS BIRTH,
PASSED HIS APPOINTED TERM ON EARTH
FREELY OUR GREAT REDEEMER CHOSE
HIS SUFFERINGS AND HIS MORTAL THROES,
AND AS A LAMB, WHOSE BLOOD IS SHED,
A VICTIM ON THE CROSS HE BLED.
SWEET WOOD,
GALL IS HIS DRINK, HIS SPIRIT FAILS,
BENEATH THE THORNS AND TORTURING NAILS;
THE SOLDIERS SPEAR HAS BROUGHT A FLOOD
OF WATER MINGLED WITH HIS BLOOD:
A STREAM OF GRACE AND PUREST WORTH,
TO WASH THE DEEPENED STAINS OF EARTH.
FAITHFUL CROSS
O BEND YOUR BOUGHS, EXALTED TREE,
RELAX YOUR STERN RIGIDITY:
AN ENVIED BURDEN SHALL YOU BEAR,
RECEIVE IT TO YOUR TENDEREST CARE:
AND GENTLY TAKE THE PRECIOUS LOAD,
THE MEMBERS OF OUR KING AND GOD.
SWEET WOOD,
YOU WERE THE WORTHY, CHOSEN TREE,
THE ENVIED TASK WAS GIVEN TO YOU,
A VICTIM FOR THE WORLD TO BEAR,
AN ARK FOR SINNERS TO PREPARE,
STAINED WITH THE LAMB'S REDEEMING BLOOD,
TO SAVE US FROM THE WHELMING FLOOD.
FAITHFUL CROSS,
TO GOD ETERNAL GLORY BE,
IN ESSENCE ONE, IN PERSONS THREE
TO EACH IS HIGHEST HONOR MEET,
TO FATHER, SON, AND PARACLETE:
MAY THE WHOLE WORLD WITH JOY PROCLAIM
OUR GOD'S ADORED AND HALLOWED NAME,
AMEN.
SWEET WOOD
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FROM MY "SAINT JOSEPH DAILY MISSAL" PAGES 333, 334, & 335; GIVEN TO ME BY MY MOTHER, UNITED STATES FIRST LADY JACQUELINE BOUVIER-KENNEDY WHEN I WAS JUST A REALLY SMALL CHILD, PRIOR TO BEING KIDNAPPED++++ FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1968.
THE PARTS OF THE BOOKS FROM THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS ARE REPRODUCED BY LICENSE OF CONFRATERNITY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, WASHINGTON D.C.
USED WITH ITS PERMISSION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
THE CONFRATERNITY VERSION
WORD FOR WORD IS READ FROM THE PULPIT
TYPED UP BY ME,
DEBORAH "DEBBIE" KIM KENNEDY
FROM MY "SAINT JOSEPH DAILY MISSAL" BOOK PICTURED BELOW
