O Sacred Womb, God bearing; where we see
Our sin's hand-writing torn, our souls set free.
What gift, O Virgin, can we offer thee
In all ways worthy of thy Purity -
For whom, all earthly things unworthy be?
Garden of aramanthine Chastity;
Our Mediatrix with God; behold, in thee
A Temple worthy of the Lord we see.
All Holy Virgin, who so speaks of thee
All that is glorious, errs not, verily.
But faileth rather in exalting thee,
Whose merit hidden lies in Deity.
O sacred Treasure of the Church, whom we
Behold as Priestess and as Altar, see
The Bread of Life thou givest, ceaselessly.
What can I say, O Virgin? I would be
Unwearied in my prayer and praise of thee.
Oh, pardon thou my insufficiency.
Thou art the Heaven, the Throne, yea, verily,
The Cross in whose dear Arms the Saviour lay.
Eve did the Angels censure: Mary, thee
Do Angels praise, exulting joyously;
For thou the Advocate of Eve wouldst be,
And Adam hast uplifted wondrously;
While Peace hath visited the world, through thee.
The wall 'twixt Earth and Heaven is fallen, through thee;
And men have risen to Angel-heights, through thee;
The Cross hath shone upon the earth, through thee;
And Death is conquered and despoiled, through thee;
And Idols have been overthrown, through thee.
The Church's doctrine hath been spread through thee;
The Only Son of God we know, through thee;
He took the Flesh of our Humanity
To be our Jesus and our Lord, of thee -
To Him be glory, laud, eternally.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote