Voices Found: The persistent widow, October 19, 19th Sunday after Pentecost VF 25, 94
The sunflower symbolizes determination of women to shine brightly through any challenge
The Persistent Widow
Voices Found #25
Jesus describes a forceful woman,
a widow who refused to bend
before a judge, a man of power,
whose judgements worked to no good end:
she knew that she had power, too,
and trusted in the strength she knew.
Words: Michael Hudson
Music: Wer nur den lieben Gott, Georg Neumark (1621-1681)
Hudson's well-crafted text leads the singer through the parable (Luke 18:1-21a) with an economy of words. The coupling of this text with the seventeenth century hymn tune demonstrates not only a good marriage between text and tune, but also surreptitiously recalls the original text. Here is the first stanza of the text translated by Catherine Winkworth:
If thou but trust in God to guide thee,
And hope in him through all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength whatever betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on a rock that naught can move.
In boldness, look to God for help
Voices Found # 94
In boldness look to God for help,
like womenfolk who dared
to ask that Jesus heal a child,
that crumbs of grace be shared,
that outcast ones be welcomed to
the feast God has prepared.
In boldness lean on God for strength,
and healing from disease,
of mind and body, heart and will,
whose bondage Jesus frees.
Reach out and touch the hem of Christ,
and gather spirit's ease.
Words: Mary Louise Bringle
Music: Morning Song, melody att. Elkanah Kelsey Dare (1782-1826), harm. Thomas Foster
Comments
Post a Comment