Lent: Day 17

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; . . . For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. . . ."

Hymn: "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus" UMH 196
Charles Wesley, 1744

". . . Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a king,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now they gracious kingdom bring. . . ."

Prayer:

O God, what a plan you have revealed! The warring factions of the world, and the hardened hearts of your children, will be undone by the Child who was born in Bethlehem. We, who think babies are weak and powerless, have ourselves been saved by the Baby Jesus who came in such a humble way.

According to my own puny sense of time, Eternal God, this plan seems to have failed. We still make war, and our hearts are still hard. Yet you wait, and you work in and through our history, in order to bring about your will. When will I ever learn to trust that you are always on time? Past, present, and future all meet in the coming of Jesus.

Thank you for sending your own Word -- Jesus -- to be our Prince of Peace.

Advent, Week 2: Monday

Isaiah 11:1-5 (NRSV):

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

We who are the body of Christ can take a profound lesson from this prophecy of his coming. How should we reflect the likeness of the Branch of Jesse? What spirit rests on us? How do we judge? How do we treat the poor and the meek? Are we clothed in righteousness? Is it by what we do with the might of our arms, or rather the justice of our Spirit-inspired words, that the wicked are rendered no longer wicked?

Such a comparison makes me hang my head in shame. I have so much growing up still to do, and such a shortage of time in which to do it! But if I am faithful, if I permit God full control, I will progress in this "going on to perfection" that is sanctification.

Today, Lord Jesus, just for today: I choose to be more like you. May your Holy Spirit rest on me and may I then reflect you in all that I say and do.

Advent, Week 1: Friday

Romans 13:11-14 (NRSV)
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

I love the word "now" in this passage! That is so NOT how I tend to wake up! Wake, be ready, clothe and equip myself, and live a life that (literally) becomes the gospel of Jesus Christ (as it is phrased in my denomination's traditional baptismal vows).

This Christian life is not for the faint of heart. Or, if I am faint of heart, I have a Savior who has promised to be the strength in my weakness. Now. Not tomorrow, not in an hour, but NOW, I WILL be a disciple of Jesus Christ, proclaiming and eagerly anticipating his coming.

Advent, Week 1: Thursday (late)

Psalm 122:6-9 (NRSV)

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers." For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, "Peace be within you." For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good."

Peace...peace within. Within the city of God. Peace, which the Lord gives but the world cannot even understand.

Advent celebrates the promised coming of the One who is called Prince of Peace. Lord Jesus, whose reign is peace, rule in my heart, my home, my church, my city, my world.

Advent, Week 1: Wednesday

Psalm 122 (NRSV):

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!" Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem built as a city that is bound firmly together. To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.

Psalm 122:1 is one of the first verses of Scripture that I learned as a child. Of course, as a little child I believed it meant that I should be glad to go to church, which makes sense because I always was glad to go to church. Church was one of the places where I knew I was loved and cared about, where I knew I belonged.

I've learned a lot more about the celebratory Psalms since my childhood. Now I marvel at how these dear, familiar words were almost certainly sung by pilgrims making their way up to Jerusalem for the festivals. I'm also reminded, in verse 5, that Jerusalem was a new city in the time of David, in some senses a neutral one, designed specifically to be the capital, where all twelve tribes remembered their commonality and renewed their unity.

The coming of Christ as Messiah was not to the throne city, which was already reduced to being capital of a divided mishmash of a conquered, occupied nation. Instead, the Son of David came to reign among the poor, as one of them. From his borrowed makeshift feed trough of a crib to his borrowed grave, the King of kings' earthly life was marked by embraced poverty. What few possessions Jesus owned, he held very lightly. Even his clothes were taken from him and divided by his executioners. Jesus came in such a way that we could -- indeed, we must -- accept him as he is, not for what he has. He permitted nothing to come between him and people, and though he no longer walks this earth in his human body, there is still nothing in the way of approaching him.

As Michael Card put it in his song,"Jubilee," we can "look into our Judge's face and see a Savior there." Jesus is our Jerusalem, he is our Jubilee, he is our Salvation! I am glad whenever I hear, "Let us go to Jesus."

Five Things I Dig about Jesus (Meme)

Oops, it wasn't Singing Owl, it was P.S. who tagged me for this meme!

So first, here are the five things that at this moment I dig most about Jesus:

1. Jesus considered each and every one of us well worth the sacrifice of his own life.

2. Jesus, being God, still willingly experienced what we do by being born and living life to the fullest.

3. Jesus did not reduce the gospel of God to a formula; he met each person where he or she actually was, and lived the gospel (in word and actions) as each person could understand it. (IOW, Jesus wasn't lazy or careless with spreading the gospel, he instead invested some of himself in a relationship with those he met.)

4. Jesus fully respected the dignity of all people, while he himself willingly embraced the role of a servant to them. (And I particularly "dig" that he told us we should do the same.)

5. Jesus calls me--and all of us--by name and trusts us to work faithfully in his Reign, even here, now, on earth. Isn't it great how we don't have to wait for "the sweet by-and-by" to experience heaven on earth? (Not that heaven won't be much more than we're capable of imagining now...)


Here are the rules for this meme, as P.S. posted them:

a) Those tagged will share "Five Things They Dig About Jesus".
Done.

(b) Those tagged will tag 5 people.
Here we go:
April; Dr. Platypus; Paisley; St. Inuksuk; and Whistle, Fish, and Sister (at Whistle's Catblog), because I think almost everyone their Mom knows, has already been tagged. Rosie and Jenny will soon post their responses to the meme, though none of their blogfriends has tagged them. They like being the initiators of new trends; besides, Jesus does love all the little kitties and puppies and chinchillas and bunnies and other animals of the world.

(c) Those tagged will leave a link to their meme in the comments section of [the blog of the person who tagged them--meaning THIS] post so everyone can keep track of what's being posted.
Getting on it now.

Saturday Hymn - II

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds

Text: John Newton, 1779
Tune: ST. PETER (REINAGLE), Alexander Reinagle, 1836 (among other tunes)

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!

By thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.

Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see thee as thou art,
I’ll praise thee as I ought.

Till then I would thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of thy name
Refresh my soul in death!

Friday Hymn - II

Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us

I chose this hymn because a special day is nearly here: the annual Children's Choir in the Loft Sunday! Our school-age children will be the choir for the morning, and they're singing Natalie Sleeth's "Feed My Lambs" for the anthem. We won't be singing this hymn, but it came to mind as I was thinking about Sunday.

Text: Attr. to Dorothy A. Thrupp, 1836
Tune: BRADBURY, William B. Bradbury, 1859

Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need thy tender care;
In thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use thy folds prepare.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, thine we are.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast bought us, thine we are.

We are thine, thou dost befriend us, be the guardian of our way;
Keep thy flock, from sin defend us, seek us when we go astray.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Hear, O hear us when we pray.

Thou hast promised to receive us, poor and sinful though we be;
Thou hast mercy to relieve us, grace to cleanse and power to free.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! We will early turn to thee.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! We will early turn to thee.

Early let us seek thy favor, early let us do thy will;
Blessèd Lord and only Savior, with thy love our bosoms fill.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus! Thou hast loved us, love us still.

Thursday Hymn - II

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee (Jesu Dulcis Memoria)

Text: Attr. to Bernard of Clairvaux, 12th c.; Engl. tr. Edward Caswell, 1849
Tune: ST. AGNES, John B. Dykes, 1866 (among several tunes)

Iesu, dulcis memoria,
dans vera cordis gaudia:
sed super mel et omnia
eius dulcis praesentia.

Nil canitur suavius,
nil auditur jucundius,
nil cogitatur dulcius,
quam Iesus Dei Filius.

Iesu, spes paenitentibus,
quam pius es petentibus!
quam bonus te quaerentibus!
sed quid invenientibus?

Nec lingua valet dicere,
nec littera exprimere:
expertus potest credere,
quid sit Iesum diligere.

Sis, Iesu, nostrum gaudium,
qui es futurus praemium:
per cuncta semper saecula.


English Translation:
Jesus, the very thought of thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than thy blest name,
O Savior of mankind!

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but his loved ones know.

Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Tthou our prize will be;
Jesus be thou our glory now,
And through eternity.

Wednesday Hymn - II

When Morning Gilds the Skies

Text: German, c. 1744; Engl. tr. Edward Caswall, 1854 and Robert S. Bridges, 1899
Tune: LAUDES DOMINI, Joseph Baraby, 1868 (composed for this hymn)

When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

When you begin the day, O never fail to say,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
And at your work rejoice, to sing with heart and voice,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Whene’er the sweet church bell peals over hill and dell,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
O hark to what it sings, as joyously it rings,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

My tongue shall never tire of chanting with the choir,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
This song of sacred joy, it never seems to cloy,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Does sadness fill my mind? A solace here I find,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss? My comfort still is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

To God, the Word, on high, the host of angels cry,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let mortals, too, upraise their voice in hymns of praise,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Be this at meals your grace, in every time and place;
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this, when day is past, of all your thoughts the last
May Jesus Christ be praised!

When mirth for music longs, this is my song of songs:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When evening shadows fall, this rings my curfew call,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

When sleep her balm denies, my silent spirit sighs,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When evil thoughts molest, with this I shield my breast,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

The night becomes as day when from the heart we say:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear when this sweet chant they hear:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

No lovelier antiphon in all high Heav’n is known
Than, Jesus Christ be praised!
There to the eternal Word the eternal psalm is heard:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Let all the earth around ring joyous with the sound:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
In Heaven’s eternal bliss the loveliest strain is this:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Sing, suns and stars of space, sing, ye that see His face,
Sing, Jesus Christ be praised!
God’s whole creation o’er, for aye and evermore
Shall Jesus Christ be praised!

In Heav’n’s eternal bliss the loveliest strain is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let earth, and sea and sky from depth to height reply,
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Sing this eternal song through all the ages long:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Tuesday Hymn - II

Jesus Lives!

Text: Christian F. Gellert, 1751; Engl. tr. Frances E. Cox, 1841
Tune: LINDISFARNE, John B. Dykes, 1857 (among several tunes)

Jesus lives! no longer now
Can thy terrors, death, appall us;
Jesus lives! by this we know
Thou, O grave, canst not enthrall us.
Alleluia!

Jesus lives! henceforth is death
But the gate of life immortal;
This shall calm our trembling breath,
When we pass its gloomy portal.
Alleluia!

Jesus lives! for us he died;
Then, alone to Jesus living
Pure in heart may abide,
Glory to our Savior giving.
Alleluia!

Jesus lives! our hearts know well
Naught from us his love shall sever;
Life, nor death, nor powers of hell
Tear us from his keeping ever.
Alleluia!

Jesus lives! to him the throne
Over all the world is given;
May we go where he is gone,
Rest and reign with him in heaven.
Alleluia!

Monday Hymn

Come, Christians, Join to Sing

Text: Christian H. Bateman, 1843
Tune: MADRID (EVANS), Spanish melody, harm. David Evans, 1927

Come, Christians, join to sing
Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ our King;
Alleluia! Amen!
Let all, with heart and voice,
Before his throne rejoice;
Praise is his gracious choice.
Alleluia! Amen!

Come, lift your hearts on high,
Alleluia! Amen!
Let praises fill the sky;
Alleluia! Amen!
He is our Guide and Friend;
To us he’ll condescend;
His love shall never end.
Alleluia! Amen!

Praise yet our Christ again,
Alleluia! Amen!
Life shall not end the strain;
Alleluia! Amen!
On heaven’s blissful shore,
His goodness we’ll adore,
Singing forevermore,
“Alleluia! Amen!”

Second Sunday of Easter: Hymn

Christ Is Risen from tne Dead

Text: Henry Albert Becker, 1880
Tune: MAIDSTONE, Walter B. Gilbert, 1865


Christ is risen from the dead!
Darkness now no more shall reign;
Thorns no more shall crown the head
That was bowed with grief and pain:
Christ the Lord, the mighty King,
From our sin hath made us free.
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Where, O grave, thy victory?

Scoffers now no more will say:
If Thou be the Christ, come down
From the cross, and prove today
That to thee belongs the crown!
For our risen Lord and King
From our sin hath made us free,
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Where, O grave, thy victory?

Faith now knows he is the Lord,
Gives assent to his decree,
Trusts the promise in his Word,
And is crowned with victory,
Shouting praises to the King,
Who from sin hath made us free.
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Where, O grave, thy victory?

Friday Hymn

Hearts to Heaven and Voices Raise

Text: Christopher Wordsworth, 1872
Tune: HYFRYDOL, Rowland H. Prichard, 1830 (among other possible tunes)

Alleluia, alleluia! Hearts to Heaven and voices raise:
Sing to God a hymn of gladness, sing to God a hymn of praise.
He, who on the cross a Victim, for the world’s salvation bled,
Jesus Christ, the King of glory, now is risen from the dead.

Now the iron bars are broken, Christ from death to life is born,
Glorious life, and life immortal, on the holy Easter morn.
Christ has triumphed, and we conquer by his mighty enterprise:
We with Him to life eternal by His resurrection rise.

Christ is risen, Christ, the first fruits of the holy harvest field,
Which will all its full abundance at His second coming yield:
Then the golden ears of harvest will their heads before him wave,
Ripened by his glorious sunshine from the furrows of the grave.

Christ is risen, we are risen! Shed upon us heavenly grace,
Rain and dew and gleams of glory from the brightness of thy face;
That we, with our hearts in heaven, here on earth may fruitful be,
And by angel hands be gathered, and be ever, Lord, with thee.

Alleluia, alleluia! Glory be to God on high;
Alleluia! to the Savior who has gained the victory;
Alleluia! to the Spirit, fount of love and sanctity:
Alleluia, alleluia! to the Triune Majesty.

Thursday Hymn

I hope you won't mind that I'm a bit heavy on the John of Damascus/John M. Neale hymns lately. Blame it on their genius! I think the former especially has just made it to my "must meet in Heaven" list!

Let Us Rise in Early Morning

Text: John of Damascus, 8th c. Greek, Engl. tr. John M. Neale, 1862?
Tune: CWM RHONDDA, John Hughes, 1907

Let us rise in early morning,
And, instead of ointments, bring
Hymns of praises to our Master,
And his Resurrection sing:
We shall see the Sun of Justice
Ris’n with healing on his wing,
Ris’n with healing on his wing.

Thy unbounded loving-kindness,
They that groaned in Hades’ chain,
Prisoners, from afar beholding,
Hasten to the light again
And to that eternal Pascha
Wove the dance and raised the strain,
Wove the dance and raised the strain.

Go ye forth, his saints, to meet him!
Go with lamps in every hand!
From the sepulcher he riseth:
Ready for the Bridegroom stand:
And the Pascha of salvation
Hail, with His triumphant band,
Hail, with His triumphant band.

Wednesday Hymn

O Sons and Daughters, Let Us Sing

Text: Jean Tisserand, 15th c. (Latin), Engl. tr. John M. Neale, 1851
Tune: O FILII ET FILIAE, 15th c. French

O sons and daughters, let us sing!
The King of Heaven, the glorious King,
Over death today rose triumphing.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

That Easter morn, at break of day,
The faithful women went their way
To seek the tomb where Jesus lay.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

An angel clad in white they see,
Who sat, and spake unto the three,
“Your Lord doth go to Galilee.”
Alleluia! Alleluia!

That night th’apostles met in fear;
Amidst them came their Lord most dear,
And said, “My peace be on all here.”
Alleluia! Alleluia!

When Thomas first the tidings heard,
How they had seen the risen Lord,
He doubted the disciples’ word.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

“My piercèd side, O Thomas, see;
My hands, My feet, I show to thee;
Not faithless but believing be.”
Alleluia! Alleluia!

No longer Thomas then denied;
He saw the feet, the hands, the side;
“Thou art my Lord and God,” he cried.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

How blessed are they who have not seen,
And yet whose faith has constant been;
For they eternal life shall win.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

On this most holy day of days
Our hearts and voices, Lord, we raise
To Thee, in jubilee and praise.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Tuesday Hymn

Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain

Text: John of Damascus, 8th c. (Greek), Engl. tr. John M. Neale, 1859
Tune: ST. KEVIN, Arthur Sullivan*, 1872 (numerous other tunes sometimes used)

Come, ye faithful, raise the strain of triumphant gladness;
God hath brought forth Israel into joy from sadness;
Loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke Jacob’s sons and daughters,
Led them with unmoistened foot through the Red Sea waters.

’Tis the spring of souls today; Christ has burst his prison,
And from three days’ sleep in death as a sun hath risen;
All the winter of our sins, long and dark, is flying
From his light, to whom we give laud and praise undying.

Now the queen of seasons, bright with the day of splendor,
With the royal feast of feasts, comes its joy to render;
Comes to glad Jerusalem, who with true affection
Welcomes in unwearied strains Jesus’ resurrection.

Neither might the gates of death, nor the tomb’s dark portal,
Nor the watchers, nor the seal hold thee as a mortal;
But today amidst the twelve thou didst stand, bestowing
That thy peace which evermore passeth human knowing.

“Alleluia!” now we cry to our King immortal,
Who, triumphant, burst the bars of the tomb’s dark portal;
“Alleluia!” with the Son, God the Father praising,
“Alleluia!” yet again to the Spirit raising.



* Note: Yes, this is Arthur S. Sullivan, of Gilbert and Sullivan operetta fame. And did you ever wonder who composed the tune for "Onward, Christian Soldiers"? Yep. Sir Arthur did. There's your church music trivia for the week!

Resurrection Day - Easter Sunday

The Day of Resurrection

Text: John of Damascus, 7th c. (Greek); tr. by John M Neale, 1862
Tune: LANCASHIRE, Henry T. Smart, 1835

The day of resurrection! Earth, tell it out abroad;
The Passover of gladness, the Passover of God.
From death to life eternal, from earth unto the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over, with hymns of victory.

Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal of resurrection light;
And listening to his accents, may hear, so calm and plain,
His own “All hail!” and, hearing, may raise the victor strain.

Now let the heavens be joyful! Let earth the song begin!
Let the round world keep triumph, and all that is therein!
Let all things seen and unseen their notes in gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen, our joy that hath no end.

Holy Week: Good Friday (Lent 39)

He Never Said a Mumbalin' Word

Text and tune: African-American Spiritual

They crucified my Lord,
And he never said a mumbalin’ word;
They crucified my Lord,

Refrain:
And he never said a mumbalin’ word.
Not a word, not a word, not a word.

They nailed him to a tree,
And he never said a mumbalin’ word;
They nailed him to a tree,

Refrain

They pierced him in the side,
And he never said a mumbalin’ word;
They pierced him in the side,

Refrain

The blood came trickalin’ down,
And he never said a mumbalin’ word;
The blood came trickalin’ down,

Refrain

He bowed his head and died,
And he never said a mumbalin’ word;
He bowed his head and died,

Refrain

Holy Week: Maundy Thursday (Lent 38)

Bread of the World

Text: Reginald Heber, 1827
Tune: EUCHARISTIC HYMN, John S. B. Hodges, 1868

Bread of the world, in mercy broken,
Wine of the soul, in mercy shed,
By whom the words of life were spoken,
And in whose death our sins are dead.

Look on the heart by sorrow broken,
Look on the tears by sinners shed;
And be thy feast to us the token,
That by thy grace our souls are fed.