Catholic Spirit
With tender conviction I sense love is calling,
no grace is withheld, nor forgiveness repressed,
all people are held in unfathomable comfort,
this love is eternal, forever expressed.
The judgment some fear is a human construction,
for grace is a scandal for those who would judge,
they see it as fair to condemn, exact hatred,
while mercy is something they want to begrudge.
For me none is distanced from love by an action,
a word or a deed, we might not understand,
yet God’s love is wider, beyond comprehension,
if you share this creed, my friend, give me your hand!
[For me none is distanced from love by an action,
compassionate grace, could not set us apart,
for God’s love is wider, beyond comprehension,
if you share this creed, then we are of one heart.]*
*Alternative last stanza after conversation and critique by Pesky Methodists, thankyou!
© Andrew Pratt 5am 29/11/2021 - 4/12/2021
Link to A version of John Wesley’s sermon
hymnsandbooks 
This may sound odd from me, since I’ve set some of your texts, but this one goes very well with Kremser.
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Thank you. I have to admit to not knowing Kremser.
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https://hymnary.org/tune/kremser
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Thank you for this Andrew – I have loved Wesley’s ‘Catholic Spirit’ sermon since I was a student. May I use it when I get around to doing a sermon on a sermon? With acknowledgement of course.
I think your hymn goes quite well to ‘Was lebet, Was schwebet’ also used for ‘O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness …’
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