I know, Chrism, I know. I'm working, I'm working...
The Latin hymns, like the best collects, and many of the Introits and Communios, make the most beautifully intimate petitions. You help us, God, and you want to help us. Save us. You are God. You are powerful and loving: help us.
The Psalms are full of singing about singing, so I don't think it's inherently a problem. I like the impetus for this text, but I feel like verse 2 (We've done awesome things with music) contradicts the valid sentiment of verse 1 (leaving no room for pride).
I'm also not sure what Verse Three is about... "The Church has been wrong for centuries, but it's okay because through it all she's had glorious music?" (I admit, I identify with this sentiment sometimes, but it hardly seems appropriate to criticize church while at church.)
I love the last verse, though- reminiscent of "All Creatures" and "Ye Watchers" (my favorite songs about singing).
Let Easter alleluias fill this place for God has sanctified the human race, fulfilling all the pledges of His grace, Alleluia!
Why seek the Living One among the dead? The Lord was raised in glory as He said. That we might follow where our Master led, Alleluia!
The path of glory shines before our eyes: the Christian road that leads beyond the skies. By crucifixion and by death we rise, Alleluia!
The stone and soldiers kept their watch in vain, And Christ, once raised, shall never die again. All praise and honor to the Lamb once slain. Alleluia!
Come quickly, Jesus, prove your promise true. Bring all creation into life anew: a living sacrifice of praise to You, Alleluia!
c. Kathleen Pluth. This text may be used freely in parishes during Eastertide 2011. All other rights reserved.
While trying to figure out why Kathy is not more famous than Brian Wren or Fred Green, I ran across one of the most awful (AWFUL!) examples of trite lyric writing combined with pathological communal narcissism. Like a car wreck, I couldn't look away- and also like a car wreck, I have to call all my friends (you people) and tell you about it.
A House Has Different Rooms Fred Kaan
A house has different rooms, we go through many doors; the church is like a house and all its space is ours.
The church is like a home, a roof to shelter all: together and apart, from toddler to the tall.
We're here in Jesus' name, who said that he would be among us in the crowd or met as two or three.
From Hope Publishing. I checked out some more of homeboy's hymn texts. Whoa.
Wow, Adam... the hymn tune popped right into my head for this one... The accent is on EVERY 2nd and 4th Beat! Each phrase has a quarter note pickup and the last note of each phrase is a dotted half.
La | Do La Ti Sol | La.. Do | Re Ti Do La | Ti.. Re | Do La Ti Sol | La.. Do | Ti Sol Fa Re |Ti.. (and, yes, this Ti is a M6 from the previous note!)
Regarding Engelberg, F. Bland Tucker's precise and daring paraphrase of the Hymn to the Philippians (Phil 2:6 ff) sets the standard, to which I gladly yield: All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCpDjti6Z_g
The really sad thing about the "house has many rooms" thing is that he's obviously riffing off C.S. Lewis' famous analogy in Mere Christianity, urging people not to stay in the hall forever but to pick some denomination and get food and warmth. It's not Fair Play to steal somebody's analogy and twist it into something supremely wrongheaded.
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