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

See this child laid in a manger

See this child laid in a manger, with his father standing by;

Mother resting from her labor gives a warm and weary sigh.

Jesus Christ as infant coming, all creation standing by.

 

See this child brought to the Temple, cradled in his mother's arms.

Hear the cries from nearby strangers to his parents' great alarms.

Prophets name the child as holy, who for us will suffer harms.

 

See this child and family dwelling, knowing not the threat they face.

Sages from the Eastern empires bear him gifts with awe and grace.

Then, by royal rage endangered, must the family find safe space.

 

See this child back in the Temple, asking questions wise and true.

When his parents found him still there, they chastised with much ado,

But he said, "I am my Father's, and his business I must do."

 

See this child back with his family, growing up and growing wise,

Growing in his Father's favor and as well to human eyes.

Let us learn this holy pattern; let his model be our prize.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, December 2023, after passages from Luke 2 and Matthew 2

MUSIC: Tune TRINITY, Peter Cutts, 1983, as found in The Presbyterian Hymnal, 1990. Copyright 1983 Hope Publishing Company. All rights reserved. (not reproduced here due to copyright)

 

 

I don't know why, when I am normally quite proficient at working with public domain tunes, I keep coming back to this one tune that didn't even make it into Glory to God. (It is in the previous 1990 The Presbyterian Hymnal, which is where I first learned it.) This is the third text of mine that has latched onto this tune and refused to let go. The text was provoked by an online discussion of the sometimes-cloying sentimentality of hymns or carols that try to take up Jesus's infancy/childhood, of which we know little. I tried to stick with those things that we do have in scripture, which mostly comes from Luke 2 (with a dash of Matthew 2 thrown in). 

Look who gathers at Christ's cradle!

Look who gathers at Christ's cradle! Who beholds the Savior-child?

See his mother hovering o'er him, by his newborn charms beguiled.

Joseph too, his earthly father, now beholds the scene with glee; 

Humble peasants, willing servants, these the first this child to see!

 

Now we see not only humans gathered at his cradling place; 

Sheep and oxen, God's creation, now behold the infant's face.

Lowing, bleating, hear their chorus wilder than the loudest horn; 

These the first to sing the praises of the Savior newly born.

 

From afar come lowly shepherds, hastening to the place of rest,

Eyes all full of shock and wonder at this sight so plain and blessed;

Hear them tell of angel chorus singing of this holy one;

These the first to bear their witness to this newborn Savior-son.

 

Kings nor princes found this manger; mighty warriors did not come; 

Yet the birth of this child-Savior was for all, not just for some. 

Will you bring your joyous worship? Will you come adore this Son?

All who seek the Lord are welcome; there is room for everyone.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, December 2023.

MUSIC: Tune COPELAND, Michael Corzine, 2000.

I know exactly to "blame" for this hymn. She posted a curious nativity scene image and labeled it "Look who gathers...", which happens to be the incipit of a hymn the church we both attended at the time (I assume she still does) commissioned for the anniversary of its long-time pastor, many years ago.  Of course my brain started writing immediately, and this is the result. I note from Facebook that the hymn took its final-for-now form on the birthday of the pastor honored by the original hymn (the tune name is his name). [Note: I hope the composer will forgive me for using and sharing the tune llike this...]

The Spirit of the Lord our God (Advent 3B)

The Spirit of the Lord our God fell on the prophet's heart, 

Anointing him to bring good news to those once kept apart; 

To bring release to prisoned ones and captive bonds destroy.

Pray for the freeing joy of God; pray for that freeing joy.

 

The Spirit of the Lord did fall out in the wilderness,

On one sent out there to foretell the One who comes to bless;

To preach repentance to the folk, the powerful to annoy.

Seek out the wildsome joy of God; seek out that wildsome joy.

 

The Spirit of the Lord did lead an angel to proclaim

Unto a woman who would bear the Son of God in name; 

She sang of lifting up the low, God's saving to deploy.

Go share the soulful joy of God; go share that soulful joy.

 

The Spirit of the Lord calls us to live this joy today, 

In prayer and gratitude, you see the will of God at play

To sanctify you, keep you sound, your witness to employ.

Now live the saving joy of God; now live that saviing joy.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, December 2023, after Advent 3B verses 

            (Isaiah 61:1, John 1:6-8, Luke 1:46-55, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24)

MUSIC: Tune CAROL, Richard Storrs Willis, 1850.

 

 

I suppose it was inevitable that I would revisit some of these Advent hymns. Here a hymn that focused on the epistle reading only (one I still consider a favorite) has a contrast in this text that seeks to touch on multiple readings for Advent 3B (even if the Magnificat is somehow relegated to an *alternate* reading, I will never accept that failure and will incorporate it into every Advent that involves me).