Proper 10 [15]Measuring up before God's plan |
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| Scripture | Theme | Hymns |
|---|---|---|
| 2
Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 --or-- Amos 7:7-15 |
David danced before the Lord --or-- The Lord measures His people |
261: Lord
of the Dance 730: O Day of God, Draw Nigh |
| Psalm
24 --or-- Psalm 85:8-13 |
God, the King of Glory --or-- Listening to the Lord |
96: Praise
the Lord Who Reigns Above 181: Ye Servants of God |
| Ephesians 1:3-14 | God's plan revealed | 142: If
Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee 144: This Is My Father's World 150: God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens 151: God Created Heaven and Earth 152: I Sing the Almighty Power of God |
| Mark 6:14-29 | Christ after the death of John the Baptist | 79: Holy
God, We Praise Thy Name 90: Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones 154: All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name 155: All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name 440: Let There Be Light 555: Forward Through the Ages 567: Heralds of Christ |
We all want to experience joy and fulfullment, and sometimes we come close. More often, though, we fall short. Sometimes it is because we don't have enough resources or skill. Sometimes we don't have a good enough plan. Much of the time, though, we fall short because we don't even understand where joy comes from or what it truly means to be fulfulled. We equate joy with success and set goals and aspirations to achieve it. We measure it by wealth or power or fame. We seek fulfullment through fleeting standards that become meaningless within our own generation--standards that have no lasting value. How much better our lives would be if we understood and sought joy and fulfillment in God's terms!
The lectionary passages this week challenge the way that we understand joy and fulfillment. Amos warned Isreal that God would measure His people against His own plumb line. Amos' message did not go over well with the king or his priest. John the Baptist confronted Herod with his illegal marriage to Herodias. John's message did not go over well, either. Although they were rejected by the earthly rulers and felt discouraged at times, they experienced real joy and fulfillment. They aligned their lives with God's standards and faithfully proclaimed the word of the Lord. Surely the heavenly hosts rejoiced over the witness of these servants.
This week's featured hymn was written by John Athelstan Laurie Riley. Riley was instrumental in development of the English Hymnal in the 19th century. Drawing from ancient church tradition, he crafted a hymn of praise. The first stanza calls on the nine choirs of angels to raise the glad strain; the second looks to Mary to magnify the Lord; the third invites the saints to sing along; the fourth joins us all in praising the Trinity. Each is accompanied with choruses of Alleluia. There is such joy hearing choirs raise their voices, and better yet, joining with them in the chorus.
The tune dates back nearly five centuries and appeared with many hymns from the Genevan Psalter. Riley crafted the meter of his hymn to its soaring melody line. The tune came to be associated so strongly with Riley's words that the tune is commonly known by another name, VIGILES ET SANCTI, which is Latin for Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones.
Read the words of the hymn and imagine the choruses sung by heavenly choirs. Find joy in every alleluia. Remember Mary's fulfillment. Embrace the witness of the saints. Experience the love of God, shared in each person of the Trinity.
| 1. Ye watchers and ye holy ones,
bright seraphs, cherubim, and thrones, raise the glad strain, Alleluia! Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers, virtues, archangels, angels' choirs: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! | 2. O higher than the cherubim,
more glorious than the seraphim, lead their praises, Alleluia! Thou bearer of th' eternal Word, most gracious, magnify the Lord: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! |
| 3. Respond, ye souls in endless rest,
ye patriarchs and prophets blest, Alleluia! Alleluia! Ye holy twelve, ye martyrs strong, all saints triumphant, raise the song: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! | 4. O friends, in gladness let us sing,
supernal anthems echoing, Alleluia! Alleluia! To God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, Three in One: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! |
God wants us to know joy and fulfullment. Sing in gladness. Alleluia!
God bless you--
Lection at HymnSite.com
God bless you!
| Passages suggested are from The Revised Common Lectionary: Consultation on Common Texts (Abingdon Press, 1992) copyright © by the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT), P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville TN 37203-0003. Reprinted with permission of CCT. |