Tag: penitence

As summer ends a hymn to challenge us – The Christ was a vagabond

As we begin (for Methodists, a new Methodist year this hymn challenges us, not to look at others, but to be honest about our own faithfulness to the example of Jesus.

The Christ was a vagabond, penniless stranger, 
or so some would style him, deriding his call. 
And those who would follow, were they any nearer 
the total self-giving, of giving their all? 

And we at this moment, are we any better? 
Our silver excuses, have we got it right? 
The poor are still with us? Then love of our neighbour 
is vacuous, meaningless, blinding our sight. 

The wealth of this nation is at our disposal, 
yet few hold the purse strings, have power to decide, 
while others are crippled. Iniquitous ‘sharing’ 
will leave them impoverished, nowhere to hide. 

With wages and taxes we barter for people, 
define what is poverty, pity the poor, 
but then, when the homeless and helpless come knocking, 
we bar them from pavements while locking the door. 

We bathe in hypocrisy, claim to be righteous, 
great God will you open our eyes to the plight 
of those we have damaged, derided, diminished: 
the Christ in the other, still hid from our sight. 

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
© 2017 Stainer & Bell Ltd.
Words © 2017 © 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: 12 11 12 11
Tune: STREETS OF LAREDO

A hymn for reflection and penitence at the New Year’s turning – How can people praise…

1	How can people praise the Godhead,
	save in humble penitence?
	How can we avoid the verdict
	of these years' indifference?
	If our God has come among us
	then we have betrayed a call;
	out of selfish pride our grasping
	puts our gain ahead of all.

2	If that God was born among us
	then the people of that birth
	suffered taunting and derision,
	persecution on this earth.
	Driven from their given cradle,
	scattered seeds upon the wind;
	Christians led that desecration
	and, we wonder, will it end?

3	Holocaust, crusades, apartheid,
	inquisition, slavery,
	all have had a Christian presence,
	justifying butchery;
	every century adds locations
	pictured on a map or chart
	scenes of human devastation
	hatred honed, become an art.

4	Now we stand and, just like Peter,
	we've no cause to strut or crow,
	we are self-deceived if claiming
	righteousness, our debts you know:
	debts of love we owe each other,
	debts we never can repay;
	for two thousand years' denial
	Lord forgive, for this we pray.

5	Enter rooms of desolation,
	bring your love to cleanse, to spare;
	'Peace be with you', once you uttered,
	let us hear and let us share;
	bring us from this darkest moment
	into dazzling, gleaming light,
	as the new year’s day is dawning
	end the horror of our night.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2001(alt 2022)  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: 8 7 8 7 D
Tunes: CONVERSE; MANOR HOUSE