Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Seasonal Hymns: Holy Days 361-370

Ss. Philip and James
361
O Jesus, blest the grace of Love – C Wordsworth

O Jesus, blest the grace of Love
Shed on our hearts by thee;
Which makes us to another's soul
Dear as our own to be.

"Follow thou me?" that question dear
Thou once to Philip said;
He followed thee, and on the way
To heav'n he others led.

Today with thine own brother, Lord,
Philip is linked in love;
As kindred, to each other joined
By graces from above.

O bring us to that holy place,
That heav'nly home above;
Where kindred shall as angels be,
And ev'ry word be Love. 
St. Augustine of Canterbury
362

Sing praise to Christ the Saviour – R Watson

Sing praise to Christ the Saviour
the Lord of heav’n and earth;
whose glory spans the ages,
and brings all life to birth.
In sending his apostles
he speaks the hopeful word,
that through his timeless offering
creation is restored.

In humble, quiet obedience
Augustine heard God’s call,
spurred by his Holy Father
his purpose to fulfil. 
Though doubtful and uncertain,
beset by anxious fear,
sweet Wisdom’s inspiration
gave strength to persevere.

As bearer of the gospel
to England’s shores he came;
and ‘neath the spreading oak tree
preached boldly of the same
Lord Christ, who in compassion
redeemed a world of sin,
unlocking heaven’s kingdom
for all who trust in Him.

So moved by his oration
both excellent and true,
his new won royal patron
allowed their passage through;
into the royal city,
led by the holy cross
with joyful alleluias,
to seek and save the lost.

Now lift we then our voices
to sing Augustine’s praise,
that by his prayer and pattern
we may receive God’s grace;
and bearing the same gospel
apostles we may prove,
in every word and action
to celebrate Christ’s love.

St. Barnabas
363
The son of consolation – M Coote

The son of Consolation!
Of Levi's priestly line,
Filled with the Holy Spirit
And fervent faith divine,
With lowly self-oblation,
For Christ an offering meet,
He laid his earthly riches
At the Apostles' feet.

The son of Consolation!
Oh, name of soothing balm!
5It fell on sick and weary
Like breath of heaven's own calm!
And the blest son of comfort,
With fearless, loving hand,
The Gentiles' great Apostle
Led to the faithful band.

The son of Consolation!
Drawn near unto his Lord,
He won the martyr's glory,
And passed to his reward.
With him is faith now ended,
Forever lost in sight,
But love, made perfect, fills him
With praise, and joy, and light.

The son of Consolation!
Lord, hear our humble prayer,
That each of us Thy children
Such blessèd name may bear!
That we, sweet comfort shedding
O'er homes of pain and woe,
Midst sickness and in prisons,
May seek Thee here below.

The sons of Consolation!
Oh, what the bliss will be,
When Christ the King shall tell them
"Ye did it unto Me!"
The merciful and loving
The Lord of life shall own,
And as His priceless jewels
Shall set them round His throne.

St. Alban
364
Alban, high in glory shining – G George

Alban, high in glory shining, 
friend on earth of Christian priest,
risking life to give him succour
was through him from sin released;
then the great surrender making,
caring not for pain or loss,
owned his Lord in full allegiance
as a soldier of the Cross.

Steadfast in the hour of danger,
ready still to pay the price,
mocked and scourged e’en as his Master,
garbed and led to sacrifice.
On the slopes above the city
roses flowered as he passed by,
and the first of Britain’s martyrs
on a green hill knelt to die.

But the seed then sown was quickened
far beyond all mortal ken.
On that hill there rose an Abbey,
witness of the faith to men.
Down the ages countless thousands
bowed before their Lord divine,
and in gratitude have scattered
gems and flowers on Alban’s shrine.

Still today rings out the challenge
of the Saviour of the world;
still his soldiers fight his battles,
with the flag of faith unfurled.
Glory be to God the Father,
glory be to God the Son,
glory to the Holy Spirit
for Saint Alban’s victory won. 

365
We sing of holy Alban and his suffering for the Lord – D Pepin

We sing of holy Alban and his suffering for the Lord,
of resounding words of witness for the Christ whom he adored;
of his boldness and his daring and his dying by the sword;
his faith is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! . . . His faith is marching on.

I worship and adore the true and living God, he said,
as the darkening world of evil raged in torment round his head;
in the strength of Christ he trod, as he to martyrdom was led;
his words are marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! . . . His words are marching on.

For the Lord himself had died upon a hill of dread and shame;
all forsaken on a cross, the King of Glory is his name;
here with Alban and the Saints of God his victory we proclaim;
his power is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! . . . His power is marching on.

It was here, a British hillside, green and beautiful with flowers,
that the martyr made a stand for Christ against those evil powers;
so in Christ’s name we shall witness and his triumph can be ours,
his glory marches on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! . . . His glory marches on.

We celebrate the courage of a martyr true and bold;
we remember now his witness for the Lord in days of old;
we rededicate ourselves today, his Gospel to be told;
the Good News marches on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah! . . . The Good News marches on. 

Nativity of St. John the Baptist
366
The great forerunner of the morn – the Ven Bede / J Neale trans

The great forerunner of the morn,
the herald of the Word, is born;
and faithful hearts shall never fail
with thanks and praise his light to hail.

With heavenly message Gabriel came,
that John should be the herald's name,
and with prophetic utterance told
his actions great and manifold.

John, still unborn, yet gave aright
his witness to the coming light;
and Christ, the Sun of all the earth,
fulfilled that witness at his birth.

Of woman born shall never be
a greater prophet than was he,
whose mighty deeds exalt his fame
to greater than a prophet's name.

All praise to God the Father be,
all praise, eternal Son, to thee,
whom with the Spirit we adore
for ever and for evermore.

Ss. Peter and Paul
367
Two stalwart trees both rooted – Latin / LeCroy trans

St. Mary Magdalene
368
Lift your voice rejoicing, Mary – Latin / E Charles trans

Lift your voice rejoicing, Mary,
Christ has risen from the tomb;
on the cross a suffering victim,
now as victor he is come.
Whom your tears in death were mourning,
welcome with your smiles returning.
Let your alleluias rise!

Raise your weary eyelids, Mary,
see him living evermore;
see his countenance how gracious,
see the wounds for you he bore.
All the glory of the morning
pales before those wounds redeeming.
Let your alleluias rise!

Life is yours for ever, Mary,
for your light is come once more
and the strength of death is broken;
now your songs of joy outpour.
Ended now the night of sorrow,
love has brought the blessed morrow.
Let your alleluias rise.

St. James
369
For thy blest saints, a noble throng – C Alexander

For all thy saints, a noble throng,
who fell by fire and sword,
who soon were called, or waited long,
we praise thy name, 0 Lord;

For him who left his father's side,
nor lingered by the shore,
when, softer than the weltering tide,
thy summons glided o'er;

who stood beside the maiden dead,
who climbed the mount with thee,
and saw the glory round thy head,
one of thy chosen three;

who knelt beneath the olive shade,
who drank thy cup of pain,
and passed from Herod's flashing blade
to see thy face again.

Lord, give us grace, and give us love,
like him to leave behind
earth's cares and joys, and look above
with true and earnest mind.

So shall we learn to drink thy cup,
so meek and firm be found,
when thou shalt come to take us up
where thine elect are crowned.

The Transfiguration
370
O wondrous type, O vision fair – Latin 15th cent. / Hymns Ancient and Modern


O wondrous type! O vision fair
of glory that the Church may share,
which Christ upon the mountain shows,
where brighter than the sun he glows!

The law and prophets there have place,
the chosen witnesses of grace;
the Father's voice from our the cloud
proclaims his only Son aloud.

With shining face and bright array,
Christ deigns to manifest today
what glory shall be theirs above
who joy in God with perfect love.

And faithful hearts are raised on high
by this great vision's mystery;
for which in joyful strains we raise
the voice of prayer, the hymns of praise.

O Father, with the eternal Son,
and Holy Spirit, ever One,
vouchsafe to bring us by thy grace
to see thy glory face to face.

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