Hail Lord Jesus Christ!

A Meditation on the Incarnation of Christ
by Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

Hail, Lord Jesus Christ, King of the holy angels,
Whom all the powers
of Heaven obey,
Whom the cherubim and seraphim
adore, praise, and bless for ever and ever.

Hail, Lord Jesus Christ,
True Messiah and Saint of Saints,
sent from the citadel of the Father into this world,
Whom all the holy ones from the beginning awaited,
Whom the Patriarchs
with great longing
desired to behold,
Whose coming the prophets
with divers heraldings
chanted.

Hail, Lord Jesus Christ,
Creator and Redeemer of the Human Race,
Whom the apostles and evangelists
preached to the world,
and taught to be the true Son of God
incarnate for us,
slain and risen from the dead;
and, resplendent with glorious signs and wonders,
they planted the holy Church throughout the world.

Hail, Lord Jesus Christ,
Most Mighty Warrior,
and Most Faithful Helper of the Saints,
Whom the noble martyrs,
despising the pleasures of this world,
despising also the sufferings of their own body,
have followed in the agony of the blessed Passion,
and, for the witness of faith,
with constancy have given themselves up to death.

Hail, Lord Jesus Christ,
Supreme Priest and True Pontiff,
and Eternal Shepherd,
Whom priests and Levites, doctors and confessors
have glorified by their life, knowledge and virtues,
Whom monks and hermits,
going through a hard and straitened life,
have loved with whole-souled devotedness.

Hail, Lord Jesus Christ,
Spouse of virgins,
Comfort of Widows,
Hope of Orphans,
Refuge of the Destitute,
Relief of the Sorrowful,
Eternal Salvation of Believers,
and Most Wide Gate to all them that come to Thee,
Whom,
with a special beauty of chastity,
an innumerable band of virgins follow,
bearing the spotless halo of their integrity.

Hail, Lord Jesus Christ,
Light of the World, Fount of Life,
Paradise of the Soul,
Joy of the Heart,
Giver of Grace,
Restorer of Innocence,
in Whom are hidden
all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God,
Whom to know is to live,
Whom to serve is to reign,
Whom once to have seen is to have learnt all things,
on Whom the angels long to gaze,
and are sated gazing with ever fresh desire.

To Thee be praise,
to Thee glory,
to Thee giving of thanks,
with the Father and the Holy Ghost
for ever and ever.
Amen.