O’erburthened by the weight
    Of her black bosom sin,
  As Christ with Simon sate
    At meat, she had stolen in. 
  Toward her Lord she drew;
    She knelt by Him unchid;
  The latchet of His shoe
    Her trembling hands undid. 
  Foot-water none was by
    Nor towel, as was meet,
  To comfort and to dry
    His hot way-weary feet;
  But with her blinding tears
    She bathes them now instead,
  And dries them with the hairs
    Of her abased head.

  And so, when Simon looked,
    And pondered, evil-eyed,
  No longer Jesus brooked
    His thought, but thus replied;
  “Simon, no kiss of peace
    Thou gav’st me at thy door,
  No oil, my head to ease,
    Didst thou upon it pour,
  Nay, for thy bidden guest
    So little hast thou cared,
  His weary feet to rest
    No bath hadst thou prepared;
  Yet hath this woman here,
    By thee with scorn decried,
  Washed them with many a tear,
    And with her tresses dried,
  And given them, from her store
    Of spikenard, cool relief,
  And kissed them o’er and o’er
    In penitential grief. 
  Therefore her joy begins,
    Her prayer is heard in heaven;
  Though many are her sins,
    They all shall be forgiven!”
  Scant mercy he receives
    Whose love for God is small;
  But he whom God forgives
    The most, loves most of all.

IV.  CHURCH FESTIVALS

A CHRISTMAS COMMUNION HYMN

(After the Meditation for Communion on Christmas Day in Eucharistica)

  Welcome, thrice blessed day! thrice blessed hour! 
    To hail you, every heart to Heaven is climbing,
  The while the snow in softly circling shower
    Draws down to meet them ’mid the joybell’s chiming;
  Like blessed morsels of that manna bread
  Wherewith of old the Lord His People fed.

  Welcome, dear dawn! if now no Angel Song
    With sudden ravishing acclaim salute thee,
  Yet everywhere Our Church’s white-robed throng
    Shall to thy first exultancy transmute thee. 
  Peace and Good Will again with holy mirth
  Proclaiming to the Universal Earth.

  Then, too, my soul, forth summoning all thy powers,
    Thyself from worldly schemes and wishes sunder,
  To worship and admire this hour of hours
    That is all miracle and the height of wonder;
  Infinity itself shrinks to a span,
  Since God, remaining God, becometh Man.

  Here is a mother with no mortal mate! 
    Here is a son that hath no earthly father! 
  A graft, on Adam’s stock incorporate,
    Who yet therefrom no mortal taint can gather! 
  A Babe to whom a new and glorious Star
  Earth’s Wisest Kings for worship draws from far.

  All hail! then, sweetest Saviour, thrice all hail! 
    The King of Kings, by David’s prophesying;
  Yet on no royal couch Thy first weak wail
    Awoke, for in a manger Thou wast lying: 
  Still for that condescension more a King
  Than having all the whole world’s wealth could bring.