[Officium]
Septem Dolorum Beatae Mariae Virgine

[Ant Vespera]
I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, * and to the hill of frankincense.;;115
My beloved * is white and ruddy; the hair of his head is like kingly purple, bound in tresses.;;119
Whither is thy beloved gone, * O thou fairest among women? Whither is thy beloved turned aside?;;139
A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie betwixt my breasts.;;140
Revive me with flowers, * stay me up with apples, for I am swooning with love.;;141

[Hymnus Vespera]
v. 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 and sore distressed
Was that Mother highly blest
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?
_
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child
All with bloody scourges rent;
_
For the sins of his own nation,
Saw him hang in desolation,
Till his Spirit forth he sent.
_
O thou 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.
Amen.

[Doxology]
Lord Jesu, slain for us, to thee
Eternal praise be given,
With Father, Spirit, One and Three,
Here as it is in heaven.
Amen.

[Versum 1]
V. Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

[Ant 1]
Simeon said unto Mary: * Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also.

[Oratio]
O God, at Whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow pierced through the gentle soul of the glorious Maiden and Mother Mary, mercifully grant to as many as do ever remember with awe how that her soul was pierced and Thou didst suffer, even for all such be Thou entreated, for the sake and by the prayers of all thy glorious and holy servants who stood so loyally by thy Cross, and grant unto the same, that for them thy life-giving Death may not have been in vain.
$Qui vivis

[Commemoratio 1]
!Commemoration of Thursday of Passion Week
Ant. With desire I have desired * to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.
_
V. Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man.
R. Preserve me from the wicked man.
_
$Oremus
O Lord, we beseech thee deal mercifully with thy people, and fill plentifully with the rich things of thy commandments all them who at this time do, to fulfill thy will, turn away from that which displeaseth thee.
$Per Dominum

[Invit]
When we remember the sorrows of the most glorious Virgin, * O come, let us worship the Lord, Who suffered for us.

[Hymnus Matutinum]
v. Holy Mother! pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified:
_
Let me share with thee his pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.
_
Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live:
_
By the cross with thee to stay;
There with thee to weep and pray;
Is all I ask of thee to give.
Amen.

[Ant Matutinum]
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed.;;2
I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill.;;3
My heart is like melting wax in the midst of my bowels.;;12
V. He hath made me desolate.
R. And faint with sorrow all the day.
Mine enemies speak evil of me When shall he die, and his name perish.;;40
O God, I have declared my life unto thee, Thou hast put my tears in thy sight.;;55
As for the sons of men, their teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.;;56
V. My face is swollen with weeping.
R. And on mine eyelids is the shadow (of death.)
They bend their bow, even bitter words, that they may shoot in secret at the perfect.;;63
I am as a man that hath no strength, lying nerveless among the dead.;;87
He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood.;;108
V. O God, I have declared my life unto thee.
R. Thou hast put my tears in thy sight.

[Lectio1]
Lesson from the book of Isaias
!Isa 53:1-5
1 WHO hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 And he shall grow up as a tender plant before him, and as a root out of a thirsty ground: there is no beauty in him, nor comeliness: and we have seen him, and there was no sightliness, that we should be desirous of him:
3 Despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity: and his look was as it were hidden and despised, whereupon we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.

[Responsory1]
R. My Beloved is white and ruddy, yea, He is altogether lovely;
* For the sight of Him doth altogether breathe of love, and stirreth up to love in return; His Head is bowed down, His Hands are stretched out, and His Side is opened.
V. Maiden and Mother, thou didst look upon Him with eyes full of tenderness, and there thou sawest not only that thy Son was smitten, but that the world was saved.
R. For the sight of Him doth altogether breathe of love, and stirreth up to love in return; His Head is bowed down, His Hands are stretched out, and His Side is opened.

[Lectio2]
!Isa 53:6-9
6 All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth.
8 He was taken away from distress, and from judgment: who shall declare his generation? because he is cut off out of the land of the living: for the wickedness of my people have I struck him.
9 And he shall give the ungodly for his burial, and the rich for his death: because he hath done no iniquity, neither was there deceit in his mouth.

[Responsory2]
R. His hands are like rings, pierced with the points of the nails;
* Set with price of man's salvation, as it were with jacinths.
V. He had horns coming out of His hands there was the hiding of His power for His Hands are
R. Set with the price of man's salvation, as it were with jacinths.

[Lectio3]
!Isa 53:10-12
10 And the Lord was pleased to bruise him in infirmity: if he shall lay down his life for sin, he shall see a long-lived seed, and the will of the Lord shall be prosperous in his hand.
11 Because his soul hath laboured, he shall see and be filled: by his knowledge shall this my just servant justify many, and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I distribute to him very many, and he shall divide the spoils of the strong, because he hath delivered his soul unto death, and was reputed with the wicked: and he hath borne the sins of many, and hath prayed for the transgressors.

[Responsory3]
R. Jesus loved John because his singular gift of purity made him more worthy of love.
* He chose him for a virgin unto Himself, and he remaineth a virgin for ever.
V. At the end, when He was dying upon the Cross, to him did He commit His mother, maiden to maiden.
R. He chose him for a virgin unto Himself, and he remaineth a virgin for ever.
&Gloria
R. He chose him for a virgin unto Himself, and he remaineth a virgin for ever.

[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of St. Bernard, Abbot (of Clairvaux.)
!On the twelve stars
The Martyrdom of the Virgin is set before us, not only in the prophecy of Simeon, but also in the story itself of the Lord's Passion. The holy old man said of the Child Jesus (Luke ii. 34,) Behold, this Child is set for the fall and the rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; yea, said he unto Mary, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also Even so, O Blessed Mother! The sword did indeed pierce through thy soul! for nought could pierce the Body of thy Son, nor pierce thy soul likewise. Yea, and when this Jesus of thine had given up the ghost, and the bloody spear could torture Him no more, thy soul winced as it pierced His dead Side His Own Soul might leave Him, but thine could not.

[Responsory4]
R. The Jews crucified Jesus; and there was darkness; and about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?
* And He bowed His Head, and gave up the Ghost.
V. O what a sickening at heart was thine at that moment, O Mother!
R. And He bowed His Head, and gave up the Ghost.

[Lectio5]
The sword of sorrow pierced through thy soul, so that we may truly call thee more than martyr, in whom the love, that made thee suffer along with thy Son, wrung thy heart more bitterly than any pang of bodily pain could do. Did not that word of His indeed pierce through thy soul, sharper than any two-edged sword, even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, (Heb. iv. 12,) Woman, behold thy son! (John xix. 26.) O what a change to thee! Thou art given John for Jesus, the servant for his Lord, the disciple for his master, the son of Zebedee for the Son of God, a mere man for Very God. O how keenly must the hearing of those words have pierced through thy most loving soul, when even our hearts, stony, iron, as they are, are wrung at the memory thereof only!

[Responsory5]
R. The suffering of the Lord was
* Asorrow exceeding sorrowful to her, His Mother, crushed by a natural bereavement.
V. The iron of the soldier's lance pierced through the Side of the Redeemer, and through the soul of the Virgin Mother.
R. A sorrow exceeding sorrowful to her, His Mother, crushed by a natural bereavement.

[Lectio6]
Marvel not, my brethren, that Mary should be called a Martyr in spirit. He indeed may marvel who remembereth not what Paul saith, naming the greater sins of the Gentiles, that they were without natural affection, (Rom. i. 31.) Far other were the bowels of Mary, and far other may those of her servants be! But some man perchance will say Did she not know that He was to die? Yea, without doubt, she knew it. Did she not hope that He was soon to rise again? Yea, she most faithfully hoped it. And did she still mourn because He was crucified? Yea, bitterly. But who art thou, my brother, or whence hast thou such wisdom, to marvel less that the Son of Mary suffered than that Mary suffered with Him? He could die in the Body, and could not she die with Him in her heart? His was the deed of that Love, greater than which hath no man (John xv. 13;) hers, of a love, like to which hath no man, save He.

[Responsory6]
R. O that Thou wert my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother, that I might cleave unto thy Side, till thy Blood touched my blood, and cleansed it!
* O that the Fountain of Water Which floweth from the Well-head of thy Righteous Heart, through thy Veins, Who hast done all things well, may at the last spring up for us into everlasting blessedness!
V. thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy Side.
R. O that the Fountain of Water Which floweth from the Wellhead of thy Righteous Heart, through thy Veins, Who hast done all things well, may at the last spring up for us into everlasting blessedness!
&Gloria
R. O that the Fountain of Water Which floweth from the Wellhead of thy Righteous Heart, through thy Veins, Who hast done all things well, may at the last spring up for us into everlasting blessedness!

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 19:25-27.
In that time stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. And so on.
_
Homily by St. Augustine, Bishop (of Hippo.)
!11th Tract on John.
This is that hour whereof Jesus, when He was about to turn water into wine, had said unto His Mother Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. (John ii. 4.) He had spoken of this hour, which then was not yet come, wherein, being about to die, it should be His duty to acknowledge her of whom He had been born in a dying Body. Then, since He was about to work the works of God, He thrust from Him, as though He knew her not, her who was His Mother, not in that nature as touching which He is equal to the Father, but in that as touching which He is inferior to the Father. But now, since He is suffering the pains of Man, He careth, with a Man's love, for her of whom He hath been made Man. And herein He giveth us a lesson. He doth that which He would have us to do. The Good Master, by His Own example, commandeth that among His disciples, dutiful children should succour their parents, as though even that Tree whereupon His dying Limbs were nailed, even that Tree were to be a pulpit for His teaching.

[Responsory7]
R. I am distressed for thee, my Son Jesus, very pleasant hast Thou been unto me; thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women;
* For even as a mother loveth her only Son, so loved I thee.
V. My life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing.
R. For even as a mother loveth her only Son, so loved I thee.

[Lectio8]
And of this teaching by Jesus Crucified cometh that which the Apostle Paul commandeth, where he saith, (1 Tim. v. 8) If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. But what is so much of a man's own house, as children are of their parents'? and parents of their children's? Of this most healthy law the Master of the Saints was pleased Himself to give an example, when, being God, He treated not as His handmaid her of whom He was the Maker and the Lord, but, being also Man, gave another to be as a son in His stead, to her of whom as Man He had been made, and whom He was leaving.

[Responsory8]
R. Fount of love and holy sorrow, Mother! may my spirit borrow Somewhat of thy woe profound;
* Unto Christ, with pure emotion, Raise my contrite heart's devotion, Love to read in every Wound.
V. That as thy Son Jesus for our sakes died and rose again, so we also who have died with Him may rise again with Him.
R. Unto Christ, with pure emotion, Raise my contrite heart's devotion, Love to read in every Wound.
&Gloria
R. Unto Christ, with pure emotion, Raise my contrite heart's devotion, Love to read in every Wound.

[Lectio9]
!Homily on the Feria
From the holy Gospel according to John.
!John 11:47-54
The chief priests therefore, and the Pharisees, gathered a council, and said: What do we, for this man doth many miracles? If we let him alone so, all will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation. And so on.
_
Homily by St. Augustine, Bishop (of Hippo.)
!49th Tract on John.
The chief Priests and the Pharisees took counsel together, but Let us believe in Him was not one of the suggestions offered. Those lost creatures thought much more how they might hurt and undo Him, than how they might save themselves from perishing. And yet they were afraid, and took counsel together, and said What do we? For this Man doeth many miracles. If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him; and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation. They were afraid of losing temporal things, but they gave no thought to eternal life, and so they lost both.
&teDeum

[Ant Laudes]
I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, * and to the hill of frankincense.
My beloved * is white and ruddy the hair of his head is like kingly purple, bound in tresses.
Whither is thy beloved gone, * O thou fairest among women? Whither is thy beloved turned aside?
A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie betwixt my breasts.
Revive me with flowers, * stay me up with apples, for I am swooning with love.

[Capitulum Laudes]
!Isa 53:1-2
v. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? And he shall grow up as a tender plant before him, and as a root out of a thirsty ground.
$Deo gratias

[Hymnus Laudes]
v. Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share thy grief divine;
_
Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.
_
Wounded with his every wound,
Steep my soul till it hath swooned
In his very blood away;
_
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In that awful judgement day.
_
Christ, when thou shalt call me hence,
Be thy Mother my defence,
Be thy cross my victory;
_
While my body here decays,
May my soul thy goodness praise,
Safe in Paradise with thee.
Amen.

[Ant 2]
When Jesus saw His Mother, * and the disciple whom He loved, standing by the Cross, He saith unto His Mother: Woman, behold thy Son! Then saith He to the disciple: Behold thy Mother!

[Commemoratio 2]
!Commemoration of Friday of Passion Week
Ant. Now the Jews' Feastday was at hand, and the chief Priests sought how they might kill Jesus; but they feared the people.
_
V. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God.
R. And defend me from them that rise up against me.
_
$Oremus.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts, that all we who of our own will do check our sins with the curb of mortification, may suffer here, and escape condemnation to eternal punishment hereafter.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio Prima]
!Isa 53:8
v. He was taken away from distress, and from judgment: who shall declare his generation? because he is cut oh out of the land of the living: for the wickedness of my people have I struck him.

[Versum Prima]
Who died for our salvation.

[Responsory Tertia]
R.br. He hath made me * desolate.
R. He hath made me * desolate.
V. And faint with sorrow all the day.
R. Desolate.
&Gloria
R. He hath made me * desolate.
_
V. My face is swollen with weeping.
R. And on mine eyelids is the shadow (of death.)

[Capitulum Sexta]
!Isa 53:5
v. But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.
$Deo gratias

[Responsory Sexta]
R.br. My face is * swollen with weeping.
R. My face is * swollen with weeping.
V. And on my eyelids is the shadow (of death.)
R. Swollen with weeping.
&Gloria
R. My face is * swollen with weeping.
_
V. O God, I have declared my life unto thee.
R. Thou hast put my tears in thy sight.

[Capitulum Nona]
!Isa 53:8
v. Who shall declare his generation? because he is cut oh out of the land of the living: for the wickedness of my people have I struck him.
$Deo gratias

[Responsory Nona]
R.br. O God, * I have declared my life unto thee.
R. O God, * I have declared my life unto thee.
V. Thou hast put my tears in thy sight.
R. I have declared my life unto thee.
&Gloria
R. O God, * I have declared my life unto thee.
_
V. Pray for us, O Virgin most sorrowful!
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

[Commemoratio 3]
!Commemoration of Friday of Passion Week
Ant. The chief Priests consulted that they might kill Jesus, but they said Not on the Feast-day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
_
V. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God.
R. And defend me from them that rise up against me.
_
$Oremus
Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we who seek the grace of thy protection, being delivered from all evils, may serve thee ever in peace and quietness of spirit.
$Per Dominum