O My People, What Have I Done to Thee?

Ecce lignum Crucis, in quo salus mundi pependit.
Behold the wood of the Cross, on which hung the Savior of the world. 

"Let the faithful be led to understand properly today's special liturgical act, in which the Passion of our Lord is solemnly chanted; prayers offered for the needs of the whole Church and the human race: the Holy Cross, monument of our Redemption, is adored most devoutly by clergy and faithful, the whole family of Christ: finally, as for hundred of years was the practice, all who wish and are duly prepared go forward to receive Communion with this as their chief intention, that by devoutly receiving the Body of the Lord (which He delivered this day for all men) they may enjoy richer fruits of that Redemption/ Let the priest urge the faithful to make this sacred day one of loving recollection, neither should they forget the law of abstinence and fasting." - Extract from General Decree restoring the liturgy of Holy Week

During the Adoration of the Cross on the Good Friday liturgy, the antiphons and responsories of the Improperia, or the Reproaches, is sung, "forming one of the most tragic features" of the Good Friday liturgy. The Improperia creates a mournful atmosphere during the Adoration of the Cross and presents to the faithful the sorrows of Christ, while recalling events in the Old Testament when God saved His people and they turned away from Him. 

In a spirit of reparation, let us call to mind all that God has done for us, personally in our lives, and ultimately the salvation of our souls through the death of His Son upon the Cross. 

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Improperia

1: O My people, what have I done to thee? Or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me! Because I led thee out of the land of Egypt thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior. 

O holy God! O holy God! O holy strong one! O holy strong one! O holy immortal One, have mercy upon us! O holy immortal One have mercy upon us!

2: Because I led thee out through the desert forty years: and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into a land exceeding good, thou hast prepared a Cross for thy Saviour. 

3. What more ought I to have done for thee, that I have not done? I planted thee, indeed, My most beautiful vineyard: and thou hast become exceedingly bitter to Me: for in My thirst thou gavest Me vinegar to drink: and with a lance thou hast pierced the side of thy Savior.
the Cross. 

4. For thy sake I scourged Egypt with its firstborn sons, and though didst deliver Me up to be scourged 

Between each of the next antiphons is repeated "O My people ..."

5. I led thee out of Egypt having drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea: and thou to the chief priests didst deliver Me. 

6. I opened the sea before thee: and thou with a spear didst open My side.

7. I went before thee in a pillar of could: and thou didst lead Me to the judgement hall of Pilate. 

8. I fed thee with manna in the desert; and thou didst beat Me with blows and scourges. 

9. I gave thee the water of salvation from the rock to drink: and thou didst give Me gall from vinegar. 

10. For thy sale I struck the kings of the Chanaanites: and thou didst strike My head with a reed. 

11. I gave thee a royal sceptre: and thou didst give My head a crown of thorn. 

12. I exalted thee with great strength: and thou didst hang Me on the gibbet of 

​Click here to listen to the chanting of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. John in Latin.