Faith of our Fathers is as good as always.

Funnily enough, I find many of Luther's works relevant in these times. I sympathize very much with his situation, much as I may disagree with the path he ended up taking.

Ave Verum Corpus

While this hymn is first and foremost an affirmation of the True Presence, I think there is an allegory to the Church, which ever follows her Divine Lord. Applying the hymn to the Church, we affirm the full corpus of the deposit of Faith, which is true, unchanging and perennial. Conceived from the pierced side of the New Adam, she is the Mystical Body of Christ, mysteriously incorporated into the very body of her Divine Spouse. Like her Lord, she has also Mary for her mother. Like her Lord, she will follow Him through the terrors of his passion and death.

Being thus conceived and incorporated, she is inviolate, but she is not immune from the taunts, jeers, scandals, stripes, thorns, nails, or contempt with which Christ was assailed. Nor are her members yet delivered from these present sorrows. Indeed, lost souls may hemorrhage from her side, like water. And what a piercing pain that is!

Going the way of the cross, she is assured of her victory over death and hell, though even Peter himself deny her or Judas betray her or the religious intelligentsia reject her, or if virtually the entire body of apostles should flee their posts in terror. Though abandoned, she remains true to the end.

When Christ returns, will he find faith on earth? I think the answer will be yes--but not much faith. I think, just as Our Lady brought St. John to the foot of the cross, so will she bring some to the foot of the Church's cross. On the other hand, without Our Lady's direct intervention, I think the answer would likely be no. But that's just my opinion.

Amazing times we are living in.

I love St John Henry Newman's text Firmly I Believe and Truly.

I thought of another relevant text in my CanticaNOVA collection. I like to sing this to O Waly Waly.

I lift my eyes to you, O Lord,
Until you speak your promised word;
Mine like the eyes of maids who stand
Until the mistress waves her hand.

So shall I wait upon your will,
Commands that seem of good or ill.
For even harshest words from you
Shall still prove holy, kind and true.

So Jesus listened and obeyed
When in his human will afraid.
Despised, rejected, sought and killed—
He yet attended to your will.

So may this Church which you have wrought,
And with your own blood dearly bought,
Delight to ponder and obey
The hard or gentle words you say.

Have mercy, Lord, have mercy long,
Our very weakness render strong,
Until the earth, like heav’n is filled
With sweet concordance to your will.

C. 2005 CanticaNOVA Publications.

TRUTH has a Topical Index header in several GIA hymnals; it's remarkable that the Battle Hymn of the Republic isn't among the entries.

teachermom24, do you have the music for the vespers hymn?

This is the source for the vespers hymn:
http://gregorian-chant-hymns.com/publications/vespers-christ-the-king.pdf

Our family set the English to "All Creatures of Our God and King", adding the alleluias and making a couple changes in verses 3 and 7 for sing-ability. Works wonderfully!