O SACRED HEAD, NOW WOUNDED

O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
How pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish, which once was bright as morn!

What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain;
Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain.
Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ‘Tis I deserve Thy place;
Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.

Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee, Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee and flee before Thy glance.
How art thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy visage languish that once was bright as morn!

My Shepherd, now receive me; my Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me, O source of gifts divine.
Thy lips have often fed me with words of truth and love;
Thy Spirit oft hath led me to heavenly joys above.

Here I will stand beside Thee, from Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me! When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish in death’s cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish, Thee in mine arms I’ll clasp.

The joy can never be spoken, above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of Life, desiring Thy glory now to see,
Beside Thy cross expiring, I’d breathe my soul to Thee.

Be Thou my consolation, my shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy passion when my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee, upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfolds Thee. Who dieth thus dies well.

About the writer: Bernard of Clairvaux, an eminent monk, theologian, scholar, preacher, and poet, was born in Burgundy, France in 1091. Aletta, his mother, was a pious woman and consecrated her son to God from his birth. Being naturally fond of seclusion, meditation, and study he sought a home in the cloister. At 22 he entered the small monastery of Citeaux and later founded and made famous that of Clairvaux. Kings and popes sought his advice since his enthusiasm and impassioned eloquence were all but irresistible. He died in 1153. Luther greatly admired him and thought him “the greatest monk that ever lived.” His published works are in five folio volumes.

Key Verse: They made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on his head, and they placed a stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery, yelling, “Hail! King of the Jews!” –Matthew 27:29

Bede

The Venerable Bede, (c. 673-735), an English monk and historian, was a brilliant scholar who was named a deacon at 19 and became a priest at 30. He wrote a number of commentaries, hymns, and historical works – including the seminal Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation (731). His writings are a valuable resource for historians and are an informational link to the key events of the medieval church.

Bernard of Clairvaux

Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153), an eminent monk, theologian, scholar, preacher, and poet, was born in Burgundy, France. Aletta, his mother, was a pious woman and consecrated her son to God from his birth. Being naturally fond of seclusion, meditation, and study he sought a home in the cloister. At 22 he entered the small monastery of Citeaux and later founded and made famous that of Clairvaux. Kings and popes sought his advice since his enthusiasm and impassioned eloquence were all but irresistible. Luther greatly admired him and thought him “the greatest monk that ever lived.” His published works are in five folio volumes. His wisdom and pious devotion influenced the church for centuries.

Boniface, Winfrid

Winfrid Boniface (680-755), the apostle of Germany, was born in Devonshire, England and became a monk after studying grammar and theology at Exeter. For a time he was a missionary to Frisia, an area comprised mostly of the modern Netherlands. In 719 Pope Gregory II commissioned him to evangelize Germany where he preached successfully for about three years. In 722, after converting a number of chieftains, Gregory consecrated him bishop. From this point he expanded his mission by founding numerous churches and monasteries and bringing in a number English missionary monks and nuns. After being named archbishop in 732 he organized the churches in Bavaria into the four bishoprics of Regensburg, Freising, Salzburg, and Passau. In 741 Pope Zacharias made him legate and charged him with the reformation of the whole Frankish church. In 753 he returned to Frisia to continue the evangelistic efforts he had begun many years earlier. Sadly, in 755, he and a group of missionaries were killed by a band of pagans who opposed their efforts. He died bringing the Gospel to the German people but his message took root and the churches, schools, and monasteries he founded had a great and lasting impact.