Ascension Hymn (and Easter Hymn) - THAXTED
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,473
    A couple years ago I wrote an Ascension hymntext set to THAXTED, somewhat in response to the Easter hymn "Three Days." It's been presented here on the forum and generally well received.

    For those parishes using hymnody, it might be a neat bookend to use the two hymns at the beginning and end of the season.

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    Here's M.D. Ridge's Easter text

    1.Three days our world was broken; the Lord of life lay dead.
    “Take up your cross,” he told us who followed where he led.
    Would we now hang in torment with thieves on ev’ry side,
    Our Passover shattered, our hope crucified?
    Three days we hid in silence, in bitter fear and grief.
    Three days we clung together where he had washed our feet.

    2.Three days-and on the third day, the women came at dawn.
    His tomb, they said, was empty, his broken body gone.
    Who could believe their story? The dead do not arise,
    Yet he walks among us, and with our own eyes
    We’ve seen him at this table; we’ve share his bread and wine.
    Hearts burning bright within us, we’ve seen his glory shine.

    3.Three days our world was broken and in an instant healed,
    God’s covenant of mercy in mystery revealed.
    Two thousand years are one day in God’s eternal sight,
    And yesterday’s sorrows are this day’s delight.
    Though still Christ’s body suffers, pierced daily by the sword,
    Yet death has no dominion: the risen Christ is Lord!

    Copyright information and purchasing here:
    http://www.ocp.org/compositions/40024
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    Here's mine for Ascension

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  • PolskaPiano
    Posts: 255
    Adam, I'd love to use your text. Is there a place to purchase or is it free to use?
    I love THAXTED and your text is a breath of fresh air for Ascension in OF parishes.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,189
    Adam's hymn has a Creative Commons license: CC-BY-SA. Just acknowledge Adam Wood and if you use it with different music or make any minor textual change, share it with the same license.
  • Beautiful text! I love that you quote various lines that are already part of Ascension.
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 548
    Wonderful!! Only question is about verse 3:
    “The Lord THAT once was crucified”.

    Shouldn’t “that” be “who”?
    Thanked by 1irishtenor
  • lmassery
    Posts: 422
    Not trying to hijack this thread, but would like to point out that I have set Adam’s excellent hymn to melody only, text only, and included a pdf and high res png of it for use in worship aids here at my website (with his permission)

    https://www.antiphonrenewal.com/entrance-antiphon-hymn-project
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,507


    CC-BY-SA.

    I accidentally read this as Sea, Sea, by the Sea
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,473
    Bumping for Ascension bring soonish.
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • CGM
    Posts: 696
    I'd bring a soonish if I knew what one was.
  • Cmanfro
    Posts: 18
    Aaaah, yes, those ancient instruments

    Aye, bring ye the soonish here now!
  • francis
    Posts: 10,810
    arhhh... let us drink of the soonish! tis a jolly mead!
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,881
    This has become a staple at our parish the last few years. I love it.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood