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Love inspired the anger – hymn

Love inspired the anger: Hymn for Lent 3 – John 2: 13-22

 

1          Love inspired the anger
            That cleared a temple court,
            Overturned the wisdom
            Which their greed had wrought.

2          Love inspired the anger
            That set the leper free
            From the legal strictures
            That brought misery.

3          Love inspired the anger
            That cursed a viper’s brood:
            Set on domination,
            Self with God confused.

4          Love inspires the anger
            That curses poverty,
            Preaches life’s enrichment,
            Seeks equality.

5          Love inspires the anger
            That still can set us free
            From the world’s conventions
            Bringing liberty.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 1993 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd & The Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes

Singing the Faith 253 (also published in 4 other books)
Metre: 6 6 6 5 Trochaic
Tunes: NORTH COATES; TEMPLE COURT

A Hymn for Lent 2 – All the pain and hurt and horror

Mark 8:31
8:31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Hymn: All the pain and hurt and horror 

1	All the pain and hurt and horror, 
	loss, denial and mistrust, 
	hovered round as Jesus waited 
	for his friends to re-adjust.
	Lost within misunderstanding:
	thought that love was just a dream, 
	knew that it would be so easy, 
	they're confounded by Love's scheme.
	
2	Jesus taught that love would conquer 
	only through integrity, 
	that the way his life was pointing 
	tested his humanity.
	Jesus felt that Peter's challenge 
	undermined his purpose here, 
	spoke quite harshly, underlining, 
	made his need both plain and clear.
	
3	Death was now the final action,
	Jesus spelt out to his friends.
	To them this was not expedient, 
	not the way Messiah ends.
	Love would be denied if actions 
	led to violence or defence, 
	Jesus, lamb led to the slaughter, 
	death the cost of Love's expense.

Andrew Pratt 8/2/2012 Words © 2015 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd
Tune: LUX EOI
Metre: 8.7.8.7D

A laser like tongue – A hymn inspired by Jesus baptism which might be used as a dramatic reading

A laser like tongue – A hymn inspired by Jesus baptism which might be used as a dramatic reading.



A laser like tongue used when speaking God's word, 

an arc-light to shine through the crass or absurd. 

The prophet had spoken of just such a voice, 

embodied in John who would offer God's choice.

	

A preacher from Galilee joined in the crowd, 

not hidden, John pointed and called him out loud.

The lamb, God's anointed, Messiah had come, 

the Spirit confirming that this was God's son.

	

The world and God's people spun round by this man 

discovered that grace had a limitless span; 

and this, while offending the pious, the priest,

brought joy to the ones once regarded as least.

	

Some soon caught the essence, the crisis, the power, 

the challenge of Jesus to twist or devour 

their present conceptions, their life-long deceit, 

to turn them, re-focus, and make them complete.

	

And so those around heard both challenge and choice, 

the sense of authority rang through his voice. 

The call to leave everything seemed so absurd 

and yet they responded to Jesus's word.

	

That word is still rippling, extending through space, 

it reaches through time and it tells of God's grace;

it sharpens perception, it rings in each ear, 

the spirit is moving, the Kingdom is near.



Andrew Pratt (born 1948) based on Isaiah 49 vs 1-7; Mark 1: 9 – 15; John 1 vs 29-42 

© Stainer & Bell Ltd. 

Metre: 11 11 11 11

Tune: PADERBORN (Paderborn Gesangbuch 1765) Perhaps this text could be read dramatically rather than sung?

The Space Shuttle Columbia remembered – a hymn

The Space Shuttle Columbia – a hymn written at the time of its launch and explosion – remembered BBC 2 12/2/2024 - They reached for stars, beyond our grasp… written 4th February 2003.



1	They reached for stars, beyond our grasp,

	they rode beyond the clouds,

	we gazed in wonder, seized by awe,

	now friends grasp empty shrouds.



2	A thousand searing fiery shards

	had flared across the sky,

	as crowds looked up in disbelief,

	and framed the question 'Why?'



3	Can God be found amidst this loss?

	Is love a present fact

	when torn by pain, in misery,

	we lack the power to act?



4	O God make known your presence now,

	yes, show your boundless love

	as through the tears and loneliness

	we/they search the skies above.



Andrew E Pratt (born 1948) written 4th February 2003. Words © 2003 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.

Metre: CM