The seventh stanza.
Iesu, labentes respice
et nos videndo corrige;
si respicis, lapsus cadunt,
fletuque culpa solvitur.
Jesus, look at those falling
and by looking at us, correct us;
If you look, falls themselves fall - i.e falls lose their power, our falls
from grace cease to endanger us,
sin is washed away by tears.
The allusion is again to Peter's denial of Christ, in Luke's version [Luke
22:60-62]:
Et ait Petrus: homo, nescio quid dicis. Et continuo adhuc illo loquente
cantavit gallus. Et conversus Dominus respexit Petrum. Et recordatus est
Petrus verbi Domini, sicut dixerat: Quia primus quam gallus cantet, ter me
negabis. Et egressus foras Petrus flevit amare.
- And Peter said, Man, I do not know what you are saying. And while he was
still speaking the cock crew. And turning, the Lord looked at Peter. And
Peter remembered the word of the Lord, as he had said: Before the cock
crows, you will deny me three times. And going outside, Peter wept bitterly.
Here it is the look of Jesus, rather than simply the cock crowing, which
moves Peter to tears and repentance. Notice as with 'diluit', the suggestion
that Peter's tears constitute a sort of baptism, washing away his sin.
Don't miss tomorrow's exciting conclusion.
Oriens.
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