Latinised Hymns

We sing the praise of him who died

We sing the praise of him who died,
Of him who died upon the Cross:
The sinner's hope let men deride;
For this we count the world but loss.

Inscribed upon the Cross we see
In shining letters 'God is love';
He bears our sins upon the Tree;
He brings us mercy from above.

The Cross! it takes our guilt away;
It holds the fainting spirit up;
It cheers with hope the gloomy day,
And sweetens every bitter cup;

It makes the coward spirit brave,
And nerves the feeble arm for fight;
It takes all terror from the grave,
And gilds the bed of death with light;

The balm of life, the cure of woe,
The measure and the pledge of love,
The sinner's refuge here below,
The angels' theme in heaven above.

T.Kelly

Laudamus Cruce mortuum,
spem dantem peccatoribus;
sit ceteris ludibrium,
prae Cruce mundum spernimus.

Crucis nitens inscriptio
amorem Deum nominat,
qui salvat in patibulo
caeloque gratia rigat.

Crux culpam nobis abluit,
caducum fulcit animum,
caliginemque dirimit,
delenit acre poculum.

Imbellem Crux intrepidum,
fortemque timidum facit;
per eam funus liberum
terrore, mors aurata fit.

Solamen et lenitio,
ferens amoris pignora,
Crux hic effugium reo
dat angelisque cantica.

MM 4–7.3.98