PASCHA - Easter

IX. PASCHA

[English]

Ecce dies celebris!

Lux succedit tenebris,

Morti resurrectio.

Laetis cedant tristia,

Cum sit major gloria

Quam prima confusio;

Umbram fugat veritas,

Vetustatem novitas,

Luctum consolatio.

Pascha novum colite;

Quod praeit in capite,

Membra sperent singula.

Pascha novum Christus est,

Quid pro nobis passus est,

Agnus sine macula.

Hosti qui nos circuit

Praedam Christus eruit:

Quod Samson praecinuit,

Dum leonem lacerat.

David, fortis viribus,

A leonis unguibus

Et ab ursi faucibus

Gregem patris liberat.

Qui in morte plures stravit,

Samson, Christum figuravit,

Cujus mors victoria.

Samson dictus Sol eorum:

Christus lux est electorum,

Quos illustrat gratia.

Jam de Crucis sacro vecte

Botrus fluit in dilectae

Penetral ecclesiae.

Jam, calcato torculari,

Musto gaudent ebriari

Gentium primitiae.

Saccus scissus et pertusus

In regales transit usus:

Saccus fit soccus gratiae,

Caro victrix miseriae.

Quia regem peremerunt,

Dei regnum perdiderunt:

Sed non deletur penitus

Cain, in signum positus.

Reprobatus et abjectus

Lapis iste, nunc electus,

In tropaeum stat erectus,

Et in caput anguli.

Culpam delens, non naturam,

Novam creat creaturam,

Tenens in se ligaturam

Utriusque populi.

Capiti sit gloria,

Membrisque concordia! Amen.

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IX. EASTER

[Latin]

Hail, great day of wondrous deeds!

Light to deepest gloom succeeds,

And to death new risen life.

Joy all sorrows triumphs o'er,

For the glory now is more

Than the former mingled strife;

Truth the shadow puts to flight,

What is new the old and trite,

Consolation tears and grief.

Hail to our new Passover;

What the Head did first secure

May each member hope to gain.

Our new Passover is Christ,

Who for us is sacrificed,

As a Lamb devoid of stain.

From the foe about our way

Christ delivers now the prey,

E'en as Samson once did say,

When the lion he slew of yore.

David, strong in his good cause,

Rescues from the lion's claws

And the bear's devouring jaws,

All his father's flock once more.

Samson slew the most when dying,

Jesus Christ thus typifying,

Death to Whom was victory.

Samson's name "The Sun" declareth;

As His saints' light Christ appeareth,

Whom He shines on graciously.

From the Cross's holy transom

Flow the grapes' divinest ransom

To the well-loved Church's shrine:

Round the trodden wine-press thronging,

Gentile first-fruits drink, with longing,

Draughts of new and gladdening wine.

Sackcloth, worn to rags and riven,

Is to royal uses given:

With sackcloth shod, see! peace doth go;

The flesh hath triumphed over woe.

They are from God's kingdom driven,

Who to death its king have given:

Cain hath not wholly perished yet,

But for a warning sign is set.

Though condemned once and rejected

Was this stone, it stands erected

For a trophy now, selected

As the chiefest corner-stone.

Sin, not nature, He rebateth,

A new creature He createth,

And Himself incorporateth

Jews and Gentiles into one.

To the Head all glory be,

'Mongst the members unity! Amen.

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