He lives indeed - and in the Garment she
Had thus prepared, in her humility:
For, by her stedfastness in Grace was she
For us, and for herself the cause, that we
From Death were rescued; from our bonds set free.
The Cross hath He endured: but did not she
Offer her God in Sacrifice - so He
A Satisfaction all condign might be?
His acts were hers, and therefore shall she be
Our Sweetness and our Joy, eternally.
He was the Truth that set the nations free;
He was the Way; the tangled path did He
Make plain and even. Yea, the Life was He.
And Him - the Way, the Truth, the Life hath she
Borne in her bosom - Cause of Joy is she.
So wondrously united wilt thou be
In all that He intended, that on thee
Is found all Glory lavished that shall be
Prepared for things created. Yea, we see
The Garment of God's Splendour clothing thee.
Oh, meet and right it is, and due to thee
Who clothed thy God with Flesh, that thou shouldst be
Clothed with His Being's Beauty, who through thee
Accomplished in the Flesh, what only He
Accomplish could through His Divinity.
Oh, wondrous Contemplation, thou to be
Our Watchword and our Hope: yea verily,
Did Woman cause our woe? Tis even she
Hath brought us back our glory; even she
Who reigns in all that radiant Majesty.
Throned in the Heaven of Heavens, O Mary, be
All praise and benediction paid to thee
From men and angels ever; while through thee
All Adoration in its Source shall be
By God absorbed - the Eternal One in Three.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote