In Mary’s Heart Immaculate
Moved by Our Lady, John Underhill has a written a new hymn which could be used for The Nativity of the BVM (8 Sept), The Most Holy Name of Mary (12 Sept), Our Lady of Sorrows (15 Sept), Our Lady of Walsingham (24 Sept) or general devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in particular.
In Mary’s Heart Immaculate
We seek a refuge sure
Against the Tempter’s darkling wiles,
Preserved for Christ, the Lord.
While sin and strife beset us round,
Divisions rend apart,
Still we, the humbled faithful yearn
For Mary’s tender heart.
Hail, full of grace, Blessed Gabriel’s word
To lowly Virgin, fair,
Revealed to mankind’s waiting hearts:
O’erflower grace laid bare.
In her obedience, our poor hearts,
Like saintly hearts before,
Are taught to lay aside our pride,
And Christ our King, adore.
Yet if we, servants of the Lord,
Would share His victory,
Our hearts must be transfixed as sure
As Mary’s at the Tree.
There Sacred and Immaculate
Shared in the saving deed
In which we must co-operate
For our souls to be freed.
So, while the devil round us prowls,
Mankind’s souls to devour,
And virtue is foregone in lands
Which once hailed God’s great power,
May we, who race to win the prize
Once earthly days are done,
Seek Mary’s Heart Immaculate
To lead us to her Son.
Suggested tunes:
Kingsfold (I heard the voice of Jesus say)
Noel (It came upon a midnight clear)