A Rose Unpetalled
Benedictines Of Mary Queen Of Apostles Lyrics
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I see thy Mother's arms outspread,
As thou on this sad earth of ours
Dost set thy first, thy faltering tread;
See, in thy path I cast away
A rose in all its beauty dressed,
That on its petals' disarray
Thy feet, so light,
Dear Infant Christ, this fallen rose
An image of that heart should be
Which makes, as every instant flows,
Its whole burnt-sacrifice to thee.
Upon thy altars, Lord, there gleams
Full many a flower whose grand display
Charms thee; but I have other dreams
Bloomless, to cast myself away.
For love of Loveliness supreme,
Dying, to cast myself away
Were bright fulfillment of my dream;
I'd prove my love no easier way;
Life, here below, forgotten still,
A rose before Thy path outspread
At Nazareth, or Calvary's hill
Relieve Thy last, Thy labouring tread.
In this hymn, A Rose Unpetalled, Benedictines Of Mary Queen Of Apostles beautifully depicts the role of the Virgin Mary as the Mother of Jesus who supported and protected Him through His journey on earth, especially in His early, vulnerable years. The first stanza portrays the image of Mary standing with her arms open, ready to catch the Infant Jesus should He fall as He takes His first steps on earth. The singer then lays a rose at Jesus’ feet to provide Him with a soft, fragrant cushioning for His tender feet, representing the care and devotion of Mary towards her child.
The second stanza takes a turn from the literal to the metaphorical, with the singer offering the rose as a symbol of their own heart, which yearns to be sacrificed for Jesus. The singer declares that while many offer grand, beautiful flowers on Jesus’ altar, they desire to be like this fallen rose, cast away in devotion and love for Jesus. They believe that such an ultimate act of devotion would be the fulfillment of their dream and would represent their love for Jesus in the most profound way possible. They also express their willingness to follow Jesus even to the end, to the hill of Calvary where He laid down His life and cast themselves away like a rose before His feet.
Overall, A Rose Unpetalled is a moving ode to the devotion, love, and protection of the Virgin Mary towards her child, as well as an expression of the singer’s own deep desire to offer a sacrifice for Jesus out of pure love.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesus, to aid thy feeble powers
I see Mary reaching out to help you because as you walk on this sorrowful earth for the first time, your steps may falter and be unsteady.
As thou on this sad earth of ours
As you walk on this sorrowful earth for the first time
Dost set thy first, thy faltering tread;
Your first steps may be hesitant and unsteady.
See, in thy path I cast away
I throw away
A rose in all its beauty dressed,
A beautiful rose in full bloom
That on its petals' disarray
So that its petals will be scattered on the ground
Thy feet, so light, may softly rest. ...
So that your light footsteps may tread softly upon them.
Dear Infant Christ, this fallen rose
This rose that I have cast aside, is a symbol of my heart.
An image of that heart should be
This rose reflects the state of my heart.
Which makes, as every instant flows,
That continually dedicates itself to you,
Its whole burnt-sacrifice to thee.
Offering itself as a complete sacrifice to you.
Upon thy altars, Lord, there gleams
There are many beautiful flowers displayed on your altars
Full many a flower whose grand display
Many beautiful flowers are used to glorify and please you.
Charms thee; but I have other dreams
Although others may wish to please you with beautiful displays of flowers, I have a different desire.
Bloomless, to cast myself away.
Without any earthly beauty, I desire to offer myself completely to you.
For love of Loveliness supreme,
Out of love for the ultimate beauty,
Dying, to cast myself away
I am willing to sacrifice and offer myself to you even unto death.
Were bright fulfillment of my dream;
This would be the ultimate fulfillment of my deepest desire.
I'd prove my love no easier way;
I cannot show my love to you in a more meaningful way than by offering my entire self.
Life, here below, forgotten still,
In this earthly life, which will soon be forgotten,
A rose before Thy path outspread
I offer this rose before you, spreading it out on your path
At Nazareth, or Calvary's hill
Whether it is during your quiet life in Nazareth or during your crucifixion on Calvary,
Relieve Thy last, Thy labouring tread.
May it help relieve the burden of your last steps as you exert yourself to complete your mission.
Contributed by Joseph F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.