Scripture Verse

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Proverbs 31:10

Introduction

Words: Sil­vio An­to­ni­ano, in the Ro­man Bre­vi­ary (Ve­nice, It­aly: 1603) (For­tem vi­ri­li pec­to­re). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by the com­pil­ers of Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern.

Music: St. Pat­rick (Ho­gan) Fred­er­ick W. Ho­gan, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1868 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of An­to­ni­ano or Ho­gan (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

illustration
A Mother’s Love
Thomas B. Kennington (1856–1916)

How blest the ma­tron, who, en­dued
With ho­ly zeal and for­ti­tude,
Has won through grace a saint­ly fame,
And owns a dear and hon­ored name.

Such ho­ly love in­flamed her breast
She would not seek on earth her rest,
But, strong in faith and pa­tience, trod
The nar­row way that leads to God.

She learned, through fast­ing, to con­trol
The flesh that weigh­eth down the soul,
And then, by pray­er’s sweet food sus­tained,
To seek the joys she now has gained.

O Christ, from whom all vir­tue springs,
Who on­ly doe­st won­drous things,
To Thee, the King of saints, we pray,
Accept and bless Thy flock to­day.

All praise to God the Fa­ther be,
All praise, eter­nal Son, to Thee,
Whom with the Spi­rit we ad­ore
For ev­er and for ev­er­more.