O Single, Unequaled Mystery

It is truly good and right
that we should give thanks to you, Lord God,
through Jesus Christ your Son,
who, being God eternal,
was pleased to become fully human for our salvation.

O single, unequaled Mystery of our Savior!
For he, being one and the same,
God most high, and perfect Man,
both supreme High Priest and most sacred Sacrifice,
according to his divine power created all things,
and according to his human condition delivered man.
By virtue of his Sacrifice he atoned for those stained by sin,
in right of his priesthood he reconciled those alienated from God.

O single, unequaled Mystery of redemption
by which those ancient wounds
were healed by the Lord’s new medicine,
and the judgment passed before on the first man
was lifted by the gifts of our Savior.

In self-indulgence Adam reached his hands to the tree.
In loving patience Christ fixed his hands to the cross.
Therefore the punishment borne by innocence
became the freedom of the debtor,
for debts are remitted to debtors
paid by him who owed nothing.

Source: Ancient Gallican Missal, freely modified from  Ancient Collects, ed. William Bright p, 41#1