Day of Wrath! O Day of Mourning! ( Novena day 6)

Now on a much more grave note...

I found this in an old mass Missal (Our Parish Prays and Sings Sunday Mass Book copyrighted 1966, page 300). It is in the mass settings called "Mass for Heavenly Union with Christ" It is the "sequence" for that mass which, I think, is a funeral mass.

 A meditation on the last things.



Day of wrath! O day of Mourning!
See fulfilled the prophets warning
Heav'n and earth in ashes burning!

O what fear man's bosom rendeth
When from heav'n the judge descendeth
On whose sentence all dependeth!

Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth;
Through earth's sepulchers it ringeth;
All before the throne it bringeth.

Death is struck and nature quaking,
All creation is awaking
to its judge an answer making.

Lo! the book, exactly worded,
wherein all hath been recorded:
Thence shall judgement be awarded.

When the judge his seat attaineth
And each hidden deed arraigneth,
Nothing unavenged remaineth.

What shall I, frail man, be pleading?
Who for me be interceding,
When the just are mercy needing?

King of majesty tremendous,
Who dost free salvation send us,
Fount of pity, then befriend us!

Think, good Jesus, my salvation
Cost thy wondrous incarnation;
Leave me not to reprobation!

Faint and weary, thou hast sought me,
On the cross of suff'ring bought me.
Shall such grace be vainly brought me?

Righteous judge!  for sin's pollution
Grant thy gift of absolution,
Ere the day of retribution.

Guilty, now I pour my moaning,
All my shame with anguish owning;
Spare, O God, thy suppliant groaning!

Thou the sinful woman savedst:
thou the dying thief forgavest;
And to me a hope vouch-safest.

Worthless are my prayers and sighing,
Yet, good Lord, in grace complying,
Rescue me from fires undying!

With Thy favored sheep O place me,
Nor among the Goats abase me,
But to thy right hand upraise me.

While the wicked are confounded,
Doomed to flames of woe unbounded,
Call me with thy saints surrounded.

Low I kneel with heart submission:
See like ashes my contrition:
Help me in my last condition.

Ah that day of tears and Mourning!
From the dust of earth returning,
Man for judgement must prepare him;

Spare, O God, in mercy spare him!
Lord, all pitying, Jesus Blest,
Grant them thine eternal rest.     Amen.





You just don't hear this kind of material any more.
Brings one down a notch doesn't it?
(Spell check didn't even recognize "reprobation"... hmmm.)

Perfect Love Casts Out All Fear

Where were the followers of Jesus on the morning of the Resurrection?

Hiding "in fear of the Jews"? And for good reason, they had just put Jesus to death in a most horrible way.

Where was Mary Magdalene? 

Approaching a tomb guarded by soldiers(according to Matthew)                             

 ...in the dark(according to John)

... ALONE (according to John).

Why wasn't she afraid of the Jews?

 Perfect Love casts out all fear.  

She proved her love by washing his feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair and Christ testified to her love with the words "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much". She also gave witness to the depth of her love by being vigilant at the foot of His cross, and now she went out alone, in the dark, to a tomb guarded by soldiers, at a time when even the disciples dared not go out.  She wasn't just the example of a repentant sinner. Love covered her sins. Now she is the example of a courageous saint.

 She wore the armor of Love Himself.

Who else stood at the foot of the cross? These too are the examples of love and courage that we are called to imitate.

Can you tell when Peter’s love was perfected?

 Look for the example of a courageous man, witnessing to the Jews he had hidden from. All the Saints show this courage when they are perfect in love.

Are you afraid my children? Do you love as you ought? 

Take the example of these saints, hold them up in your view always, Love God and neighbor generously, then go do the work that He prepared you to do. 

"Build up one another in love and good works" 

+ MOM <3