Out to a deserted place

Out to a deserted place, Jesus takes his leave to pray,

Seeking holy solitude at the close of frantic day.

 

When they came from synagogue, Simon's mother-in-law lay

Fever-bound in bed, until Jesus took it all away.

 

This news spread around, and so multitudes for healing came.

All the city gathered there; Jesus healed them all the same.

 

So to a deserted place Jesus takes his leave to pray,

Then to other towns they go, spreading gospel on the way.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2024, after Mark 1:29-39.

MUSIC: Tune AUS DER TIEFE RUFE ICH, attr. Martin Herbst, 1676,

 

 

Back to lectionary readings, now for year B, present or anticipated. It feels like the gospel of Mark doesn't get much love hymn-wise, and if I say it's my favorite gospel (and I do) then it logically follows that I should try to do something about that lack of love.

Jesus came to tell a story (The Ballad of the Sower)

Jesus came to tell a story to a crowd one day,

                  with so many people waiting to hear what he'd say.

Told a story of a sower with his seed in hand; 

                  what he wanted them to know was where the seed did land.

Jesus told his stories; do we understand?

                  Jesus told his stories; will we ever learn to understand?

 

Seed that fell upon the pathway didn't last too long, 

                  for the birds came down to eat it and to sing their song.

Seed that fell upon the hard rock grew up way too fast; 

                  then the sun rose up and scorched it, and it could not last.

Jesus told his stories; do we understand?

                  Jesus told his stories; will we ever learn to understand?

 

Seed that fell into the briar patch never had a chance;

                  all the thorns grew up and choked it 'fore it could advance.

But the seed that fell on good soil grew into good grain,

                  multiplying and advancing, soaking up the rain.

Jesus told his stories; do we understand?

                  Jesus told his stories; will we ever learn to understand?

 

Jesus came and told his story so that we might know 

                  what it means to be so fruitful on the path we go.

Be the ones who hear the good word and accept it true

                  so it grows in us and shows us what to say and do.

Jesus told his stories; do we understand?

                  Jesus told his stories; will we ever learn to understand?

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2024, after Mark 4:1-9.

MUSIC: Tune MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, US folk melody.

An experiment in taking old folk tunes and ballads as musical material for telling the parables of Jesus.

The spark is in living

The spark is in living, receiving and giving,

A life lived together in time and in place. 

No longer divided, with true care provided, 

This spark brings new light to the whole human race.

Let each day now teach us (let no one deceive us) 

For striving and winning to no more resign,

But in daily journey, not contest or tourney,

We find the true measure of God's own design.

 

For wins do not make us, nor will failure break us,

But in daily life is where our God draws near. 

Not mountaintop treasure nor valley of pleasure,

But in each day's working the Spirit is here.

No matter how lowly, each day bears the holy,

And everyday life bears the spark of God's grace; 

That spark waits in living, receiving and giving,

In lives lived together in this time and place.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2024.

MUSIC: Tune ASH GROVE, Welsh folk melody.

 

 

The inspiration for this one came while watching a movie. That's new. Otherwise, a reminder (to myself as much as anyone) not to get hung up on constantly seeking mountaintop experiences, lest you miss the divine grace of the everyday.

When sages saw a hopeful sign

When sages saw a hopeful sign in one great shining star,

They set off on a journey, no matter how bizarre, 

To see a promised King born in a Land so very far.

These sages did follow a star, traveling far.

These sages did follow a star.

 

They first came to Jerusalem where royalty did reign,

But those who heard their question pulled back in fear and pain.

They finally learned where they should go and traveled on again,

These sages still followed a star, traveling far.

These sages still followed a star.

 

The star struck forth ahead of them and brightly led the way

To Bethlehem in Judah, and there the star did stay,

And there they found the house in which the promised child did stay.

These sages had followed a star, traveling far.

These sages had followed a star.

 

They knelt in worship of the child the star foretold as King, 

But then they saw a vision that told a frightful thing,

So they went home a different way to ward off Herod's sting,

And gave thanks that they followed a star, traveling far

They gave thanks that they followed a star.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, January 2024, after Matthew 2:1-12

MUSIC: Tune GOD REST YOU MERRY (or GOD REST YE MERRY), 

            traditional English melody.

 

 

It seems as if the habit of conflating the journey of the Magi told in Matthew into the nativity story found in Luke is a hard one to break. (Even one of my own texts suitable for Epiphany does so, at least a little.) This represents an attempt to let the Matthew account stand on its own. The tune is of course from a familiar Christmas carol that seems to have faded from use, at least a little bit. (As is often the case, the tune is public domain but many arrangements you might find are not; report accordingly.)

*edited to fix error in measures 2 and 6