For Mary, Mother of our Lord

For Mary, Mother of our Lord. John Raphael Peacey* (1896-1971). First published in 100HfT and thus in A&MNS, with the title ‘Mother of the Lord’, in seven stanzas. It is based on the account of the Annunciation in Luke 1: 26-38, but includes a reference to Mary’s grief at the death of Christ. It concentrates beautifully on the love and sorrow of maternal care, but also refers to Mary’s role as ‘the second Eve’ (from Milton, Paradise Lost V. 387) who begins the world anew. The hymn remained in the A&M tradition in A&MCP and A&MRW, and is found in NEH, with the first line as ‘the Lord’ instead of ‘our Lord’. In Ireland it was included in ICH5, but with significant changes to...