V. Contempla le mie pene, o peccatore
The Call to Contemplate the Cross
Christ invites the sinner to witness the depth of His suffering and the measureless love that led Him to the cross.
Think about my sufferings, sinner, and the torment I am in; see that I don't spare myself—I hang on the cross for love of you. Consider that I left the noble kingdom; I took pity on you, and I am fixed to this bitter wood with such cruelty.✦ My love was without measure: I chose this suffering, and I willed to die, so that you might live with me in great honor.✦✦1 Look carefully. Look at the crown, sharp and so cruel; see my flesh being tormented. The gall is prepared; in this anguish, I have no faithful friend to ease my pain. Through five thick veins I pour out my blood—and you seek honor.23 —4
A Prayer of Response
The speaker responds to the vision of the Passion with a prayer for mercy and a confession of faith.
Lord, I carefully contemplate your great sorrow and your harsh Passion. O my sweet Jesus, you alone accomplished the redemption.5 My soul and heart are in affliction; I have hope and faith that, with your accustomed mercy, you will show mercy to the sinner.6 –
Read the original Latin
– Contempla le mie pene, o peccatore, E nel martìr, ch’ i’ sono: Vedi ch’ i’ non perdono A me, che pendo in croce per tuo amore.
Contempla ch’ io lasciai il nobil regno, Di te presi pietate E son confitto in questo amaro legno Con tanta crudeltate. Sanza misura fu mie caritate: Elessi tal martìre E sì volsi morire, Perchè vivessi meco in grande onore.
Contempla bene. Alla corona mira Acuta e sì crudele: Vedi la carne mia che si martira. Apparecchiato è el fele; Non ò in questa angoscia alcun fedele, Rifriger di mie pene; Per cinque grosse vene Verso ’l mio sangue, e tu cerchi d’ onore. –
– Contemplo ben, Signore, il tuo gran duolo E l’ aspra passïone. O dolce Gesù mio, tu fusti solo Alla redenzïone. L’ anima e’l cor è con afflizïone; I’ ò speranza e fede, Con l’ usata mercede Farai misericordia al peccatore. –
Scripture echoes
- ↩Phil.2.6-Phil.2.8 — who, existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to exploit, Phil.2.7 — but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and appearing as a human being. Phil.2.8 — And he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
- ↩John.15.13;Rom.5.8 — No one has greater love than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends. Rom.5.8 — But God demonstrates his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- ↩2Cor.5.15;Rom.6.8;2Tim.2.11 — and he died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised. Rom.6.8 — Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 2Tim.2.11 — This saying is trustworthy: For if we died with him, we will also live with him;
Notes
- 1 ↩caritate is the theological virtue; rendered as love per lexeme default. Charity remains an allowed alternate if a more formal theological surface is preferred.
- 2 ↩Rifriger di mie pene is taken as appositive to alcun fedele: no faithful companion who could relieve Christ's pains, not a separate main clause.
- 3 ↩Verso is read as first-person verso (from versare), 'I pour,' not the preposition verso 'toward,' which would leave the clause incomplete.
- 4 ↩Speaker-turn dash only; marks the close of Christ's speech before the sinner's reply in the next section.
- 5 ↩"tu fusti solo / Alla redenzïone" is rendered as sole accomplishment of redemption (Christ alone as Redeemer), not mere physical solitude; the line can also carry the sense of isolation in the Passion.
- 6 ↩"mercede" here is the customary favor/recompense of divine mercy, paired with "misericordia"; rendered "mercy" to keep the petition clear without archaic "meed" or "reward."
Storie Sacre and Laude of Lucrezia Tornabuoni de' Medici companion
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