Our Lady's Expectation

Representative Text

1 Like the dawning of the morning
On the mountain's golden heights,
Like the breaking of the moonbeams
On the gloom of cloudy nights;
Like the secret told by angels,
Getting known upon the earth,
Is the Mother's expectation
Of Messiah's speedy birth.

2 Thou wert happy, blessed Mother,
With the very bliss of heaven,
Since the angel's salutation
In thy raptured ear was given;
Since the Ave of that midnight,
When thou wast anointed Queen,
Like a river overflowing
Hath the grace within thee been.

3 And what wonders have been in thee
All the day and all the night,
While the angels fell before thee,
To adore the Light of Light;
While the glory of the Father
Hath been in thee as a home,
And the scepter of creation
Hath been wielded in thy womb.

4 Thou hast waited, Child of David!
And thy waiting now is o'er!
Thou hast seen Him Blessed Mother!
And wilt see him evermore!
Oh! His Human Face and Features,
They were passing sweet to see;
Thou beholdest them this moment;
Mother, show them now to me!

Source: Laudis Corona: the new Sunday school hymn book, containing a collection of Catholic hymns, arranged for the principal seasons and festivals of the year #4

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Author: Frederick W. Faber

Raised in the Church of England, Frederick W. Faber (b. Calverly, Yorkshire, England, 1814; d. Kensington, London, England, 1863) came from a Huguenot and strict Calvinistic family background. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, and ordained in the Church of England in 1839. Influenced by the teaching of John Henry Newman, Faber followed Newman into the Roman Catholic Church in 1845 and served under Newman's supervision in the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. Because he believed that Roman Catholics should sing hymns like those written by John Newton, Charles Wesley, and William Cowpe, Faber wrote 150 hymns himself. One of his best known, "Faith of Our Fathers," originally had these words in its third stanza: "Faith of Our Fathers! Mary'… Go to person page >

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