Latinised Hymns

Give us the wings of faith to rise

Give us the wings of faith to rise
Within the veil, and see
The saints above, how great their joys,
How bright their glories be.

Once they were mourning here below,
Their couch was wet with tears;
They wrestled hard, as we do now,
With sins and doubts and fears.

We ask them whence their victory came:
They, with united breath,
Ascribe the conquest to the Lamb,
Their triumph to his Death.

They marked the footsteps that he trod,
His zeal inspired their breast,
And, following their incarnate God,
They reached the promised rest.

Our glorious Leader claims our praise
For his own pattern given;
While the great cloud of witnesses
Show the same path to heaven.

I.Watts

Tolli fide pinnante da
perspicientibus
sanctarum quanta gaudia,
quam splendidum decus.

Ut nos, hi quoque fletibus
planxere madidi
et luctabantur haud secus
malorum conscii.

Quae causa eis victoriae?
Uno sese animo
Agni vicisse aiunt ope
eiusque exitio.

Eiusdem in notis pedum
eodem et duce
post incarnatum sunt Deum
potiti requie.

Laudandus ergo Dominus
exemplum ob suum;
et caelum O! petentibus
quae turba testium!

MM 23–25.3.99