Our Morning Offering – 3 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family”
Jesu Dulcis Memoria
By St Bernard (1090-1153)
Father and Mellifluous Doctor
Trans Fr Edward Caswell C.Orat. (1814-1878)
Jesu, the very thought of Thee
with sweetness fills my breast,
But sweeter far Thy Face to see
and in Thy Presence rest.
Nor voice can sing nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
a sweeter sound than Jesus’ Name,
O Saviour of mankind.
O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek
to those who fall, how kind Thou art,
how good to those who seek!
But what to those who find?
Ah this nor tongue nor pen can show,
the love of Jesus, what it is, none
but His loved ones know.
Jesus our only joy be Thou
as Thou our prize wilt be.
Jesus, be Thou our glory now
and through eternity.
Amen
Jesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th Century prayer/hymn by St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Doctor Mellifluous. The entire Hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas. Parts of this Hymn are used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.