Wednesday, April 8, 2015

108. Hymn for Misericordias Domini

The mass for the Second Sunday after Easter, or the Third Sunday of Easter, is named Misericordias Domini, meaning "goodness of the Lord," after the introit from Psalm 33, using as an antiphon the second half of verse 5 and the first half of verse 6: "The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made." The traditional (pre-Vatican II, historic one-year series) Epistle for the day is 1 Peter 2:21-25 and the Gospel is John 10:11-16, from which the day gets its other name - Good Shepherd Sunday. Note, the post-V2 liturgical calendar puts Good Shepherd Sunday a week later.

Rejoice, you righteous, in the Lord
Who makes men righteous by His Word!
That very word the heavens wrought;
Their host His breath to being brought.
His brimming goodness fills the earth
And gives His people's praise its worth.

He gathered waters in a heap,
Laid up the garners of the deep.
His word is right; His work is true;
And righteous acts He loves to do.
Therefore sing Him a skillful song
With instruments and voices strong!

He brings to naught the nations' plans;
His own wise counsel ever stands.
Happy the land whose God is He,
Its people His posterity.
From heaven He looks; He shapes their hearts
And to their work His grace imparts.

No king is saved by column's length,
Nor mighty man by his own strength;
No horse's speed or mettle wins
Against the One who judges sins.
On those who fear Him rests His eye;
Who hopes in Him shall never die.

For Christ traced out for us this path
When saving us from heaven's wrath:
He did not pay back spite for spite,
But trusted Him who judges right;
Bore all our sin, nailed to a tree,
That by His stripes we healed might be.

We were like sheep, gone all astray,
When home to God He led our way.
No better shepherd could there be
Than He who died for such as we.
So shall we, heeding His dear voice,
Dwell safely, fed in pastures choice!

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