Thou Hast Broken My Bonds O Lord

(Psalm CXV.7.)

For a Postulant, on her entrance-day into Carmel.

Thou, Jesu! on this day my earthly bonds hast broken.
In Mary’s Order old, my soul true goods shall find;
And if to-day: “farewell” my quivering lips have spoken
To those who loved me best, so dear, so true, so kind,
Thou, Lord, wilt be to them far more than I could be;
And Thou wilt deign to win some sinful souls through me.

Jesu! on Carmel I shall dwell —
Thy love has called Thy child to that oasis fair;
There I desire to serve Thee well,
To love Thee there, and then to die,
There! yes, my Jesu, there!

O Jesu! on this day, Thy love my prayer has granted;
Before Thy altar throne hereafter ‘tis my part
Calmly to wait for heaven, — all pain to bear undaunted, —
And, lifting to the rays of Thy white Host my heart,
Within that fire of love all self to burn away,
And, like a seraph blest, to serve Thee night and day.
Ah, Jesu! ‘twill be mine — to dwell,
One day, with Thee on high, in heaven’s bright
mansions fair
There evermore to love Thee well,
To love Thee, and no more to die,
There! yes, my Jesu, there!

*August 15, *1895.