Mater Dolorosa – Sorrowing Mother

Mater Dolorosa – Sorrowing Mother
Roger van der Weyden – c. 1435 (oil on oak panel)
Museo del Prado, Madrid

Stabat Mater Dolorosa
Sequence Hymn

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
she beheld her tender child
all with scourges rent.

For the sins of His own nation,
saw Him hang in desolation,
till His spirit forth He sent.

O sweet Mother fount of love!
touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord.

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ, my Lord.

Holy Mother! Pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my savior crucified.

At the cross her station keeping
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to last.

At the cross her station keeping
stood the mournful Mother weeping
close to Jesus to the last

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing
Now at length the sword had passed.

Oh, how sad sore distressed
was that Mother highly blessed,
of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying, glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?

Contributed by J’net B. Zulueta,
president of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL).