Second Sunday in Lent Year A

In preparation for our services while I am out of the state for the next two Sundays I thought I would let you know a little about the hymns.

This week, our closing hymn will be “Lift High the Cross”, by George Kitchin.  In my reference book about the hymns and scriptures for the week, the author tells us that we lift many things in church.  I think that is certainly true of Grace Anglican….we must lift the altar over the rail, we lift the banners to hang on the wall, we lift our hymnals to get started in the service, we lift our eyes to watch the procession and we see the acolyte of the day lift the cross to lead the procession. 

Lifting implies many things.  It implies the exertion of energy, it gives honor, and it calls attention to that which is being lifted.  We hope and pray that our efforts, blessed by God, will lift the presence of Christ and be uplifting to all present. 

This Sunday’s gospel – John 3:1-17 - is the moving account of Jesus with Nicodemus.  Jesus tells of being born from above, of winds blowing where they will, of things heavenly and earthly, and of the God who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.  He also speaks prophetically of the Son of Man, lifted up as the serpent in the wilderness, who will grant believers eternal life.

An eerie comparison - Jesus and the serpent – yet full of profound & meaningful truths.  Just piquing your interest for the gospel of the day.  See what you think in how things are “lifted up” and why. 

The Sequence Hymn this week that surrounds our gospel reading will be “O love, how deep, how broad, how high”.  Notice, another reference to the word “high”!  Originally, this hymn had 23 verses and survives in only one source, a manuscript from the 15^th century, where it appears as a nativity hymn.  This Sunday you will find only 6 verses to sing, and breaking after the third verse for the reading of the gospel of John 3:1-17.  “For God so loved the world….”

Our processional hymn will be “The God of Abraham praise”. This is one of the two English paraphrases in our hymnal of the Yigdal, the Jewish articles of faith written down in the twelfth century and put into verse about 300 years later.  The words were written by Thomas Olivers, possibly around 1763.  After hearing the Yigdal chanted in the Great Synagogue in London, Olivers was moved to arrange it as an English hymn.  He found it a source of inspiration.  Not only did he Christianize it, but his complete version comprises twelve stanzas!  This Sunday, you will only find 5 of those original 12 in our hymnal to lift high as the cross – carved by Bill Grace for Grace Anglican Church - is lifted high toward the altar.  Note all the phrases in this hymn that are about being lifted:  “…who reigns enthroned above, God who reigns on high, thanks be to God on high, on eagle’s wings upborne to heaven ascend, on Zion’s sacred height, with heaven our songs we raise…”

May we strive, in our lives, to draw the world’s attention to the Son of Man lifted up, to honor the Crucified One, and to express the energy of life overcoming death.

Ref:

The Hymnal 1982 Companion, Raymond F. Glover

Tune My Heart To Sing, Wayne L. Wold