April 3, Holy Cross parish,Tampere

Fr. Benjamin Durham (FSSP) offered the Holy Mass at parish of Holy Cross (Tampere, Finland) on April 3. The Mass was Commemoration of the 7 sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Here is the beautiful Sequence "Stabat Mater" of the Mass:


# Stabat Mater dolorosa, Juxta crucem lacrimosa, Dum pendebat Filius.
# 2. Cujus animam gemendtem, Constristatam et dolentem, Pertransivit gladius.
# 3. O quam tristis et afflicta Fuit illa benedicta Mater Unigeniti!
# 4. Quae maerebat, et dolebat, Pia Mater dum videbat Nati poenas inclyti.
# 5. Quis est homo; qui non fieret, Matrem Christi si videret In tanto supplicio?
# 6. Quis non posset contristari, Christi Matrem contemplari Dolentem cum Filio?
# 7. Pro peccatis suae gentis Vidit Jesum in tormentis Et flagellis subditum.
# 8. Vidit suum dulcem natum Moriendo desolatum, Dum emfsit spiritum.
# 9. Eia Mater, fons amoris, Me sentire vim doloris Fac, ut tecum lugeam.
# 10. Fac ut ardeat cor meum In amando Christum Deum, Ut sibi complaceam.
# 11. Sancta Mater, istud agas, Crucifixi fige plagas Cordi meo valide.
# 12. Tui nati vulnerati, Tam dignati pro me pati, Poenas mecum divide.
# 13. Fac me tecum pie flere, Crucifixo condolere, Donec ego vixero.
# 14. Juxta crucem tecum stare, Et me tibi sociare In planctu desidero.
# 15. Virgo Virginum praeclara, Mihi jam non sis amara: Fac me tecum plangere.
# 16. Fac ut portem Christi mortem, Passionis fac consortem, Et plagas recolere.
# 17. Fac me plagis vulnerary Fac me cruce inebriari, Et cruore Filii.
# 18. Flammis ne urar succensus. Per te, Virgo, sim defenses, In die jucidii.
# 19. Christe, cum sit hinc exire, Da per Matrem me venire Ad palmam victoriae.
# 20. Quando corpus morietur, Fac ut animae donetur Paradisi gloria. Amen.

# 1. At the cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last.
# 2. Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All his bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had pass'd.
# 3. Oh, how sad and sore distress'd Was that Mother, highly blest Of the sole-begotten One!
# 4. Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs of her dying glorious Son.
# 5. Is there one who would not weep Whelmi'd in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold.
# 6. Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
# 7. Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd, She beheld her tender child: All with bloody scourges rent.
# 8. For the sins of His own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation, Till His spirit forth He sent.
# 9. O thou Mother! Font of love! Touch my spirit from above; Make my heart with thine accord.
# 10. Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ our Lord.
# 11. Holy Mother! Pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Savior crucified.
# 12. Let me share with thee His pain, Who for all my sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.
# 13. Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning Him who mounr'd for me, All the days that I may life.
# 14. By the cross with thee to stay, There with thee to weep and pray, Is all I ask of thee to give.
# 15. Virgin of all virgins best, Listen to my fond request: Let me share thy grief divine.
# 16. Let me, to my latest breath, in my body bear the death Of that dying Son of thine.
# 17. Wounded with His every wound, steep my soul till it hath swoon'd In His very blood away.
# 18. Be to me, O Virgin, nigh, Lest in flames I burn and die, In His awful Judgment day.
# 19. Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence, Be Thy Mother my defense, Be Thy cross my victory.
# 20. While my body here decays, May my soul Thy goodness praise, Safe in Paradise with Thee. Amen

In his sermon, Fr. Durham discussed the connection between the holy liturgy and the original atmosphere at foot of the Holy Cross of our Lord. Fr. Durham asked us to contemplate, how the people close to our Lord, including the Blessed Mother, acted at foot of the Cross during the crucifixion. Did they sing or dance? Did they speak or did they have a chat? Or rather, were they just watching this most incomprehensible event in the history of mankind, in silent and deep prayer?

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.

How should we act when we go to Holy Mass? What kind of exterior and interior participation God wants from us?