53. Mary, the Flower of Heaven

O Flower of Grace! divinest Flower!
God's light thy life, God's love thy dower I
That all alone Avith virgin ray
Dost make in heaven eternal May,
Sweet falls the peerless dignity
Of God's eternal choice on thee!
IMother dearest! Mother fairest!
Maiden purest! Maiden rarest!
Help of earth and joy of heaven!
Love and praise to thee be given,
Blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden!

Choice Flower! that bloomest on the breast
Of Jesus, which is now thy rest.
As thine was once the chosen bed
Of His dear Heart and sacred Head;
O ^lary! sweet it is to see
Thy Son's creation graced by thee!
Mother dearest! Mother fiiirest!
Maiden purest! Maiden rarest!
Help of earth and joy of heaven I
Love and praise to thee be given.
Blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden!

O queenly Flower! enthroned above,
The trophy of almighty love!
Ah me! how He hath hung thee round
With all love-tokens that abound
With God's own light, beyond the reach
Of angel song or mortal speech!
Mother dearest! Mother fairest!
Maiden purest! Maiden rarest!
Help of earth and joy of heaven *
Love and praise to thee be given,
Blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden.

O Flower of God! divinest Flower!
Elected for His inmost bower!
Where angels come not, there art thou;
A crown of glory on thy brow,
While far below, all bright and brave.
Their gleamy palms the Ransomed wave.
Mother dearest! Mother fairest!
Maiden purest! Maiden rarest!
Help of earth and joy of heaven.
Love and praise to thee be given,
Blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden!

O bless thee for thy beauty, then,
Delight of angels, trust of men!
A sceptre unto thee is given,
Qaeen of the Sacred Heart! in heaven,

Like His who made, O blest decree I
Thee for Himself, all else for thee!
Mother dearest! Mother fairest!
Maiden purest! jNIaideu rarest!
Help of earth and joy of heaven!
Love and praise to thee be given,
Blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden!

O godlike Creature! nigh to God!
In whom the Eternal Word abode!
The mirror of God's beauty thou,
On thee His dread perfections show
So pal})ably, men's hearts might faint
With an exceeding ravishment.
Mother dearest! ^lother fairest!
Maiden purest! Maiden rarest!
Help of earth and joy of heaven!
Love and praise to thee be given,
Blissful Mother! Blissful JNIaiden!

Yet thou didst bloom on earth at first,
In meekness proved, in sorrow nursed;
And heaven must own its debt to earth,
Sweet flower! for thy surpassing worth;
And angels, for their Queen's dear sake,
Our road to thee more smooth shall make.
Mother dearest! INIother fairest!
Maiden purest! Maiden rarest!
Help of earth and joy of heaven I
Love and praise to thee be given,
Blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden!

O Help of Christians! mercy-laden!
O blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden!
O Sinless! were it not for thee,
There were in faith no liberty
To hold that God could stoop so low,
Or love His sinful creatures so.
Mother dearest! Mother fairest!
Maiden purest! Maiden rai'est!
Help of earth and joy of heaven!
Love and praise to thee be given,
Blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden!

O Mary! when we think of thee,
Our hearts grow light as light can be;
For thou hast felt as we have felt,
And thou hast knelt as we have knelt;
And so it is, — that utterly,
Mother of God! we trust in thee!
Mother dearest! Mother fairest!
Maiden purest! Maiden rarest!
Help of earth and joy of heaven!
Love and praise to thee be given,
Blissful Mother! Blissful Maiden!