Friday, April 2, 2010

Good Friday


Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
That we to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee!
I crucified thee.

For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation;
Thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
Think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

Johann Heerman, 1630
tr. Robert Bridges, 1899; alt.
Tune: HERZLIEBSTER JESU (11.11.11.5.)
Johann Cruger, 1640


P.S. The painting above is detail from The Ascent to Calvary by Jacopo Tintoretto (1566)


One Year Ago: Good Friday


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