Another palate cleanser: a view of the fields of the mesa just 3 miles west of my house. Perhaps this will help my system becalm itself after the wreath episode.As a possible entry into claiming who we are and what has shaped us, I hereby invite folks to share three of their favorite hymns--and why, of course. You may define "hymn" very broadly as any spiritual song. Tunes may shape the answers but let's have texts to think about. Doesn't have to be your top three. If you want to name one, that's fine. Seven, that's fine too. It's just an invitation to share our spiritual resources and delight each other.
Very off the top of my head:
1.
#686 in the Hymnal 1982: "Come, thou fount of every blessing" by Robert Robinson, 1735-1790, text somewhat altered (Tune: Nettleton, from A Repository of Sacred Music, Part II, 1813). OK, this is my best friend's favorite, but it's one of mine too. I love the imagery and poetry of it ("streams of mercy never ceasing," "here's my heart, O take and seal it"). The tune just washes over one, like bathing in a fountain of grace and joy. Here's verse three:
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee:
prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, oh, take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
What an eloquent restatement of St Paul's discussion of sinning when wanting to do righteousness. We admit our failure while recommitting ourselves in trust to God who is our hope. There is a combination of gritty reality and soaring hope here.
2.
# 782 in Wonder Love and Praise: "Gracious Spirit, give your servants" words by Carl P. Daw, Jr., born 1944 (Tune: Abbot's Leigh by Cyril Vincent Taylor, born 1907). I am a great fan of Daw's hymns and find the tune Abbot's Leigh incredibly stirring. We sang several different texts to this tune at St Cuddy's (it is used twice in Wonder Love and Praise and three times in the Hymnal 1982). Here is the first verse:
Gracious Spirit, give your servants joy to set sin's captives free,
hope to heal the broken-hearted, peace to share love's liberty.
Through us bring your balm of gladness to the wounded and oppressed;
help us claim and show God's favor as a people called and blessed.
I like how it helps us recognize and claim our vocation to follow Jesus in making Isaiah's prophecy a reality in people's lives and that it operates out of a "theology of abundance." We are called, blessed, gifted, and graced to serve.
3.
# 761 in Wonder Love and Praise, "All who hunger gather gladly" by Sylvia G. Dunstan , 1955-1993 (Tune: Holy Manna from The Southern Harmony, 1835). The text is (c) 1991 by GIA Publications, Inc. I trust that sharing the second verse with you falls under fair use and may encourage sales of WLP, a supplement to the Hymnal 1982 that has some lovely hymns in it.
All who hunger, never strangers,
seeker, be a welcome guest.
Come from restlessness and roaming.
Here, in joy we keep the feast.
We that once were lost and scattered
in communion's love have stood.
Taste and see the grace eternal.
Taste and see that God is good.
That, methinks, requires no comment. What divine hospitality!
For the bonus round: Personent hodie in Latin and sung vigorously with a strong beat, and St Patrick's Breastplate (# 370 in the Hymnal 1982).
Anyone care to join in? If you post at your own place, do be so kind as to let me know. Thanks!
--the BB
