Lament
For the Lenten Season

And of some, compassion.--St. Jude.

OH weep for them who never knew
  The mother of our love,
And shed thy tears for orphan ones
  Whom angels mourn above;
The wandering sheep--the straying lambs,
  When wolves were on the wold,
That left our Shepherd's little flock,
  And ventured from His fold.

II.

Nay, blame them not! for them the LORD
  Hath loved as well as you:
But oh! like JESUS pray for them
  Who know not what they do:
Oh plead, as once the Saviour did,
  That we may all be One,
That so the blinded world may know
  The Father sent the Son.

III.

Oh let thy Lenten litanies
  Be full of prayer for them!
Oh go ye to the scattered sheep
  Of Israel's parent stem!
Oh keep thy fast for Christendom!
  For CHRIST'S dear body mourn;
And weave again the seamless robe,
  That faithless friends have torn.

IV.

Ye love your dear home-festivals
  With every month entwined;
Oh weep for those whose sullen hearths
  No Christmas garlands bind!
Those Iceland regions of the Faith
  No changing seasons cheer,
While our sweet paths drop fruitfulness,
  Through all the joyous year.

V.

What though some borealis-beams
  On Arctic night may flare!
Pray GOD the sunlight of His love
  May rise serenely there.
For fitful flames, oh plead the LORD
  To give His daily ray,
With manna dropped, at morn and eve,
  Along their desert way.

VI.

Oh weep for those, on whom the LORD
  While here below did weep,
Lest grievous wolves should enter in,
  Not sparing of His sheep;
And eat thy bitter herbs a while,
  That when our Feast is spread,
These too--that gather up the crumbs,
  May eat the children's bread.

Project Canterbury