how awesome it is to be singing St. Bede's hymn each Ascension day, knowing that he died on Ascension evening in 735 and that the Church has been singing his hymn ever since he wrote it? The Monk from Jarrow continues to bless us even after all these centuries. "A hymn of glory, let us sing!"
01 May 2008
Did I mention
how awesome it is to be singing St. Bede's hymn each Ascension day, knowing that he died on Ascension evening in 735 and that the Church has been singing his hymn ever since he wrote it? The Monk from Jarrow continues to bless us even after all these centuries. "A hymn of glory, let us sing!"
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We sang this one tonight at Evening Prayer. My son (age 5) has recently decided that he's going to be the world's loudest singer in church and has no problem with singing the liturgy. After the first verse, he joined in, as the world's loudest singer, on all the "alleluias" of this hymn. :) I think I need to urge pastor to select more hymns with repetitive phrases for the younger crowd.
I didn't know that St. Bede died on Ascension evening. I love that hymn and we sang it tonight, of course.
I didn't know that either. Holy St. Bede pray to God for us, and prayers to you and yours on the Feast!
What a wonderful icon.
Having just done Orthodox Easter I am developing an interest in icons.
Did you realise that the top of halo sitting outside the frame represents the heavenly encroaching on the earthly?
I expect you did.
I have to admit that I like Wordsworth's ascension hymn more.
But Bede definitely is a venerable bad-ass in many ways, and this hymn is one of them.
Oh, and Scott... you silly man. Bede was a Lutheran. :-)
I agree with Pr. Lehmann. In the hymn, Bede definitely brings out all the things we Confessional Lutherans love in hymns. In its stanzas, we sing back to God the very words He gives us in Holy Scripture. The unspoken but clear "for us and our salvation" runs through each stanza, especially 4-6.
You know this hymn reminds me a lot of "From Heaven Above To Earth I come." Of course, it has its introductory verse. But, really, it behas the angel's declaration, explaining the facts/promise (stanzas 1-4), then our praising response concluding in doxology (stanzas 5-6). Can't beat that!
David,
What have you been up to all these years? It's good to see your name, and it's entirely unsurprising to see you faithfully confessing the faith.
Charlie
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