Bernard's notes on the Hymn: Jesus, Our Redemption

Bernard's reflections on this Hymn of Saint Ambrose—the model for his own hymns, Jesu Dulcis Memoria and Jesu Rex Admirabilis—are at least as striking as the hymn itself.

S. BERNARDUS. Super hymnum: Jesu, nostra redemptio Jesu, nostra redemptio, Amor et desiderium, Deus creator omnium, Homo in fine temporum. Quae te vicit clementia, Ut ferres nostra crimina Crudelem mortem patiens Ut nos a morte tolleres! Inferni claustra penetrans, Tuos captivos redimens, Victor triumpho nobili Ad dextram Dei residens Ipsa te cogat pietas Ut mala nostra superes Parcendo et voti compotes Nos tuo vultu saties. Tu esto nostrum gaudium, Qui es futurus praemium, Sit nostra in te gloria, In sempiterna saecula. Tantus fuit amor! Si Christus Filius Dei vivi tot membra habuisset, quot sunt stellae in firmamento coeli, et unumquodque membrum suum corpus habuisset, omnia ad passionem Christus exposuisset, antequam unam animam in faucibus diaboli non redemptam reliquisset. O qualis et quanta est clementia Domini! Quae vicit clementia mei Jesu Christi, qui non minus diligit peccatorem conversum, quam eum qui peccati maculam nunquam contraxit. Verbi gratia: Conversio peccatoris cibus et potus est Salvatoris. Inferni claustra penetrans. Homo audacter dic: Peccavi! Non te terreat ira Principis, nec timor Diaboli, nec poena infernalis, nec desperatio peccati enormis. Magis enim Judam desperatio quam peccatum quod commisit, damnavit. Ipsa te cogat pietas. Peccavimus, et pepercit: offendimus, et adhuc placatus existit. Tu nostrum gaudium. O bone Jesu, duo in me ignosce: naturam, quam fecisti, et peccatum, quod ego adjeci. Fateor quod per culpam deformavi naturam. Memento quod sum spiritus vadens et non rediens. Per me ivi in peccatum, per me redire non possum. Eia, benignissime Jesu! tolle a me quod feci, ut remaneat quod tu fecisti, ne pereat quod pretioso sanguine in tua cruce redemisti. Amen.

Saint Bernard's notes on the Hymn, Jesus, my Redeemer Jesus my Redemeer, My longing, my love, God of all, Creator— And Man, at the end of time. What mercy overcame you That you bore our crimes, Suffering death's cruelty, To raise us up from death! Piercing every lock of Hell, And ransoming your captive kin, Victor in the noble fight, Throned at God's right hand— May mercy itself constrain you To rise above our sins By sparing us, and fill  Our every longing with your face. Be you our only joy Who are our longed-for prize, In you our glory be, World without end. Amen. What a love was this! Had Christ, Son of the living God, as many members as there are stars in the firmament of heaven, and every single member its own body, He would have exposed them all to the Passion, rather than leave a single soul unsaved in Satan's jaws. What mercy is the Lord's! What mercy overcame! The mercy of my Jesus Christ, who loves a repentant sinner no less than him who never took the stain of sin. In a word: the conversion of a sinner is the Savior's food and drink. Piercing every lock of Hell. Man, say boldly, I have sinned! Let not the Prince's wrath deter you, nor fear of Satan, nor the pains of Hell, nor despair at the enormity of your sin. For it was his despair that damned Judas more than the sin he committed. May mercy itself constrain You. We have sinned, and he has spared. We have struck at him, and up to now he is gentle. Be you our joy. O good Jesus, two things in me forgive: nature, which you made, and sin, which I put in. I confess that I have mangled nature through my fault. Remember that I am a spirit going forth and not returning. Of myself I have gone into sin, I cannot of myself come back. Ah, kindest Jesus! remove what I have made, and leave what you have made, lest what upon the cross your precious blood redeemed be lost. Amen.

Jesus Our Redemption:

(John Chandler's 1837 Translation)

O Christ, our hope, our heart's desire
Redemption's only spring
Creator of the world art Thou
Its Savior and its King

How vast the mercy and the love
Which laid our sins on Thee
And led Thee to a cruel death
To set Thy people free

But now the bands of death are burst
The ransom has been paid
And Thou art on Thy Father's throne
In glorious robes arrayed

O may Thy mighty love prevail
Our sinful souls to spare
O may we come before Thy throne
And find acceptance there

O Christ, be Thou our lasting joy
Our ever great reward
Our only glory may it be
To glory in the Lord

All praise to Thee, ascended Lord
All glory ever be
To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Through all eternity