Because we don't have distribution hymns, during communion distribution yesterday I was praying through several of the hymns in the Advent section. When the last table was finished, my hymnal was still open to Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending. So my mind was still caught up in the words:
Every eye shall then behold Him
robed in glorious majesty.
and
Those dear tokens of His passion
still His dazzling body bears,
cause of endless exultation
to His ransomed worshipers.
With what rapture gaze we on those glorious scars!
So, like two transparencies, one on top of one another, Simeon's song was added to the newer hymn:
For my eyes have seen Thy salvation
which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people.
My eyes have seen "those dear tokens of His passion" in the Supper and will see them in fullness at the second coming.
And He has prepared that suffering, that cross, that passion, those scars "before the face of all people," or according to the other set of words, "every eye shall then behold Him."
We believe in Scripture interprets Scripture. But Scripture also interprets hymns. And sometimes it even happens that hymns illuminate parts of Scripture.
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The idea of not having distribution hymns saddens me.
ReplyDeleteSpending my time just watching other people take communion is a weird thought...
If the organist feels such an obligation to PLAY that she doesn't commune because of doing what she perceives to be her duty, then it's better not to have the distribution hymns. Then you know that she knows she is free to leave the organ and approach the altar.
ReplyDeleteThere was a great method at the country church we were at 20 years ago. The organist would start a hymn, and people would be singing along, and she would leave the organ in the middle of one of the early stanzas, commune, and go back to the organ. If it was a long hymn, she'd join in, accompanying the congregation again at the start of a stanza. But if they'd finished that song, she'd just pick up the next distribution hymn and start 'em singing. That worked well, because the organist could commune, the congregation was led in their meditation, and they would just keep on beltin' out those hymns even when the organ just dropped out. Our congregation here wouldn't do that.
Sorry to hear that you didn't get to chat with Pastor yesterday.