The Foot of the Cross

by Frederick William Faber

In The Foot of the Cross the incomparable Father Faber plumbs to the depths the meaning of Our Lady’s Seven Sorrows. Each one is described and analyzed with the precision of a theologian and the artistry of a poet, inciting new tenderness toward the sorrows of Our Heavenly Mother and the love of her Divine Son. Father Faber says, “We never advance more rapidly in love of the Son than when we travel by the Mother, and that what we have built most solidly in Jesus has been built with Mary. There is no time lost in seeking Him, if we go at once to Mary; for He is always there, always at home.” And again, “He who is growing in devotion to the Mother of God is growing in all good things. His time cannot be better spent; his eternity cannot be better spent; his eternity cannot be more infallibly secured. But devotion is, on the whole, more a growth of love than of reverence, though never detached from reverence. And there is nothing about Our Lady which stimulates our love more effectually than her dolors."

Genres: Catholic, Religion

406 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1855

About the author

Frederick William Faber, C.O., was a noted English hymn writer and theologian, who converted from Anglicanism to the Catholic priesthood. His best known work is Faith of Our Fathers. Though he was a Roman Catholic writing for fellow Catholics at that point, many of his hymns today are sung by Protestant congregations.

Reviews

[ShepherdsDelight · Rating 5 out of 5]

97/100 (= 5.8/6) ≈ 5 Stars
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"We never advance more rapidly in love of the Son than when we travel by the Mother". I don't know if I'll be able to satisfactorily sing the praises of this book.
It's unlike any I've ever read. It's not flashy, action-packed, simple or light. It's not like other excellent books on Our Lady which sing her praises rapidly, matter-of-factly, and abundantly.
It's much slower, more contemplative. Advancing step by step, carefully, piously, beautifully, poetically. It ends up reaching the same heights of praise for Our Lady as given by the saints but by a different route.
A very difficult book in some sense, requiring quiet careful meditative reading (mornings!).
I think I'll simply finish by saying I've never encountered better Lenten reading then by following Our Lady through her seven sorrows as we do with this book. Thanks be to God for inspiring his servant Fr. Faber to leave us such a masterpiece.

[Missy Funderburk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words are not enough to explain the excellence and usefulness of this book. It has to be experienced and contemplated deep in the soul. This I know for sure - there is no faster and more certain way into Jesus’ Heart than through Mary. And there is no faster and more certain way to know, understand, and love Mary than through her sorrows. I am forever grateful to God that when my soul cried out “I don’t understand!” He answered by giving me this prism of Mary to look through. I simply cannot see clearly without her, and now that I know and love her, I would never ever want to attempt to.