Three Ash Wednesday Hymns

Three possible hymn texts for Ash Wednesday. The first, from about a decade ago (!!!), not based on any particular scripture, has something of a childlike quality to it (and yes, a slant reference to a fictional boy wizard in that first stanza). The second includes one of the principal scriptures assigned to Ash Wednesday in particular set to a tune I can only imagine is familiar, even if my mind hears it a little differently than most churches will. The final one takes up another Ash Wednesday text with a little more resoluteness, and reminds me that Charles Gounod, the nineteenth-century French composer of operas and other classical works, actually did spend some time in England composing hymn tunes for English use. 

These ashes marked upon the brow in strokes both dark and fine--

No lightning bolt, no magic spell found in this cross of mine.

But what, then, does this marking do? These faces that I’ve seen

Marked with that sooty, smudgy cross; what do these ashes mean?

They tell me I’m a child of God, yet made of dust and clay,

And that in time this mortal form returns to dust some day.

And yet the cross reminds me, too, this life is not in vain;

That any day lived in my Lord is never loss, but gain.

Though years be short, and life be quick to flee our feeble hold,

Oh, let me live in God’s good will in years both young and old,

And when this mortal body takes its final, dusty rest,

My soul will not be without hope, but be forever blessed.

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, 2014
MUSIC: Tune: CAITHNESS, Scottish Psalter, 1635

You teach us, if in union with you we choose to live, 

In sweet and sure communion with all the love you give, 

Our gifts should not be posing or full of false display; 

But in your love disclosing you give us words to say.

 

To hallow and adore you and seek your reign to come,

You bid us pray, and then do for all, not only some; 

To seek you in a still space, a quiet room to pray – 

Not public noisy, loud place of vain, coarse show and play.

 

Teach us in time of fasting to lay earth’s pleasures down

With hope and smile yet lasting, not sore or gloomy frown.

Lead us to lay aside here those treasures we adore,

But cling to gifts you hold dear and give to make us more.

 

Wipe out our preening bluster, reject our prayers of pride; 

Refuse vain words we muster with no true faith inside.

Forgive our rude transgression, and lead our prayers to be

Full sure and true confession that only you we see.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, February 2021; after Matthew 6:1-21

MUSIC: Suggested tune PASSION CHORALE, Hans Leo Hassler, 1621. 

Rend your hearts and not your garments, let repentance never cease.

Fast with weeping and with mourning, let your cries to God increase.

Turn to God with all your heart, so that sin and wrong depart.

 

Let your heart be broken fully for the sin we all have done.

Swayed by fear and filled with hatred, webs of wrong that we have spun; 

Turn from such indulgence now! Our God longs to show us how.

 

Let your heart be broken also for the right we have not done;

Works of love and life-repairing that we still have not begun.

Let us turn to God aright and do justice in God’s sight.

 

Now return to God Almighty all of your allegiance due; 

Slow to anger, sure in loving, gracious, merciful, and true,

Turn to God with all your heart, so that sin and wrong depart.

 

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2021; after Joel 2:12-13

MUSIC: Tune LUX PRIMA, Charles Gounod, 1872.