Love divine and tenderness
The Eucharist with baptism today began with that wonderful hymn "Come down, O Love divine" to "Down Ampney" by Ralph Vaughan Williams. I played Henry G.Ley's voluntary on the tune. The words are such an inspiration. "Let holy charity mine outward vesture be and lowliness become mine inner clothing. True lowliness of heart that takes the humbler part and o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing". Cardinal Hume understood this so well. Bishop George last night at the confirmation said that none of us are worthy of the love of God.
Bianco de Siena has this sublime thought:
"O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn to dust and ashes in its heat consuming: and let thy glorious light shine ever on my sight, and clothe me round, the while my path illuming".
It reminds of me Wesley's great "O thou who camest from above" - "kindle a flame of sacred love on the mean altar of my heart. There let it for thy glory burn with inextinguishable blaze; and trembling to its source return, in humble prayer, and fervent praise" "Jesus, confirm my heart's desire to work, and speak, and think for thee: still let me guard the holy fire, and still stir up thy gift in me".
The setting today was by Sir Sydney Nicholson in C - simple but effective. The anthem was a rather strange marriage of "Jesus Christ our Lord is risen" set to Brahms's version of Haydn's "St Anthony Chorale" and I followed it with one of Brahms's tender variations. The words are too joyful for the melody!
In a couple of weeks we shall sing "Our blest redeemer e'er he breathed his tender last farewell a guide a Comforter bequeathed with us to dwell". I love that word
"tender". Not a male virtue perhaps but we should be tender-hearted and forgiving towards each other.
Bianco de Siena has this sublime thought:
"O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn to dust and ashes in its heat consuming: and let thy glorious light shine ever on my sight, and clothe me round, the while my path illuming".
It reminds of me Wesley's great "O thou who camest from above" - "kindle a flame of sacred love on the mean altar of my heart. There let it for thy glory burn with inextinguishable blaze; and trembling to its source return, in humble prayer, and fervent praise" "Jesus, confirm my heart's desire to work, and speak, and think for thee: still let me guard the holy fire, and still stir up thy gift in me".
The setting today was by Sir Sydney Nicholson in C - simple but effective. The anthem was a rather strange marriage of "Jesus Christ our Lord is risen" set to Brahms's version of Haydn's "St Anthony Chorale" and I followed it with one of Brahms's tender variations. The words are too joyful for the melody!
In a couple of weeks we shall sing "Our blest redeemer e'er he breathed his tender last farewell a guide a Comforter bequeathed with us to dwell". I love that word
"tender". Not a male virtue perhaps but we should be tender-hearted and forgiving towards each other.
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