God of Grace and God of Glory Hymn - Timely for this Weekend
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 328
    Many months ago, long before I thought about anything happening at the Vatican this weekend, I decided to use the hymn God of Grace and God of Glory found here (https://hymnary.org/text/god_of_grace_and_god_of_glory). It turns out the hymn is pretty well-timed for what's happening in the life of the Church at present, particularly this weekend...

    May I propose two extra verses that perhaps say it well - (and yes, I know that 'clerics' makes it awkward, but it is a heck of a lot more specific (rightly so) than 'men' or 'folks'):

    In these days proud clerics deny Thee adoration which is Thine
    And instead corrupt Faith's dowry leading souls in hell's design;
    Grant us wisdom, grant Thy Spirit toward the purging of these errors,
    Toward the purging of these errors.

    Now at last, when night is darkest, set ablaze Thy rising Son
    To immerse Thy Church in splendor with Thy grace to make her one -
    One with Thee in truth unending, holding fast to Thy decrees,
    Holding fast to Thy decrees.
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 539
    1) Why ask the people of God to sing a hymn damning bishops participating in a Synod that hasn’t even happened yet?

    2) “Set ablaze thy rising Son” sounds painful and torturous, bringing to mind the case of Charles and David Rothenberg.

    Fosdick’s text is fabulous, and says all that needs to be said.
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 328
    Damning bishops - not sure where you get that from. I think we all have to be living under a rock to miss what it is they hope to accomplish at this thing.

    But I take your point on the 'rising Son'. Back to the drawing board.

    Fosdick’s text is fabulous, and says all that needs to be said. Well, I don't know if I agree with that, or have to be limited to that. Unless the great, great grandchild of Fosdick wants to sue me or something... I can't spare any extra money at the moment.

    (By the way, this is all more of an academic exercise than a practical one...)
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 328
    And it is not as if Fosdick's text is devoid of narrating current events or speaking of conditions "on the ground" in his day:

    "Lo! the hosts of evil round us
    scorn the Christ, assail his ways!"

    "Cure your children's warring madness;
    bend our pride to your control;
    shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
    rich in things and poor in soul."

    "Save us from weak resignation
    to the evils we deplore".

    We have a 190+ message post under the heading of 'TLM Catholics and Geocentrism and Young Earth Creationism', with the first several posts very concerned about this supposedly growing phenomenon, but then we have a fairly crazy synod with a pretty headstrong Modernist agenda on our doorsteps and it's seen as crazy to even suppose we could turn IT into something to pray/sing about. I might not be the chief lyricist here, but I don't think it's half bad to pray about, and if it's not bad to pray about, it's not bad to SING about, either... Hence, the rather paltry, but still real, attempt.
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 328
    Lastly, I cite Msgr. Charles Pope's article, the entirety can be found here: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/msgr-pope/shangri-la

    "The second issue with the instrumentum laboris is that it diminishes the one thing necessary if nature (or anything) is going to be better: the completion of the number of the elect, which will then usher in a renewal of all creation. Completing the number of the elect obviously presumes a vigorous evangelization, but the instrumentum is strongly unevangelical! It speaks of listening not proclaiming, of learning not teaching.

    Simply put, there cannot be a restoration of the physical world (the environment) unless and until the full number of souls is brought to Christ and saved by him. As a Church, our work is always, first, and foremost to bring souls to Christ. We are not simply to become environmental activists or to parrot the views of secular extremists who, neglecting God, worship creation rather than the Creator.

    Let’s look at an essential biblical text that teaches the connection between winning souls for Christ and the renewal of all creation:

    The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, but in hope, for the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Yes, we know that the whole creation has been groaning together until the present time (Romans 8:19-25).

    Creation is eagerly waiting to be set free from futility, corruption and disorder, but that will only take place when the full number of the Children of God is completed and revealed. Creation will be imperfect and incomplete until the work of summoning souls is completed.

    St. Peter says something similar in the following passage:

    What kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness as you long for and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be dissolved by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:11-13)."
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    Considering Sunday is Rosary Sunday... perhaps it would be better to say the Rosary asking the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede...
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Sympathizing with the content,
    still the form could be fine-tuned.
    First one must preserve the meter:
    extra syllables be pruned.
    Failing to rhyme all three endings
    leaves a text that's rather ru'ned,
    leaves a text that's rather ru'ned.
    Thanked by 5GerardH Liam MarkS Adam Wood CHGiffen
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,942
    The lyrics are far from ripe, as it were.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    The original needs no improvement.
    Thanked by 2Liam CHGiffen
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Well, I don't think he meant it as a revision; just a new text on the same tune.
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 328
    .
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Another draft:

    In these days proud men deny Thee
    adoration which is Thine,
    Casting off the Faith that shields us
    from the enemy's design:
    Purify us by your Spirit,
    Only Fire that can refine.

    Now at last, when night is darkest,
    Raise the sign of Thy dear Son
    To restore all things in splendor
    with Thy grace to make us one:
    One, Thy Church, in truth unending,
    One with Thee as ages run.
  • JacobFlahertyJacobFlaherty
    Posts: 328
    Nice! A nice take. Thank you, in all sincerity, for the thoughtfulness of a reply. :)
Add a Comment