The Sixth Commandment, by Lutheran & Catholic numbering, says: "You shall not commit adultery." Further to my series of hymns on the decalog, here is my shot at a hymn on this commandment... Again, it was tough to be as brief as I wanted, given the scope of the material that needed to be crammed into these stanzas. If anyone can write a tighter hymn that says the same thing, show me how!O Christ, You are the Bridegroom
Who, for the Church Your Bride,
Laid down Your life to save Her
And rose up glorified:
Build up in faith and honor,
Renew with love and life,
This mystery embodied
In every man and wife.
O Christ, whose Virgin mother
Clove to her husband pure,
And whose unblemished virtue
Life's trial did endure:
Give us pure hearts and faithful,
Chaste both in word and deed,
And in each wedded union
Plant good and fruitful seed.
Christ, who at Cana's wedding
Gave gladness by Your gift,
So, through long years of marriage,
Our spouses' hearts uplift.
Make him and her together
One body, heart and mind,
And let no man divide them
Whom God in one shall bind.
Christ, who the fallen woman
Told, "Go and sin no more,"
Have mercy on our weakness;
Condemn not, but restore!
Forgive and heal the conscience
Seared by desire and sin;
Help us, by meek correction,
Your straying lambs to win.
By mutual submission,
Christ, keep our wedlock strong;
If any cannot marry,
Keep him from doing wrong.
At last, dear heav'nly Bridegroom,
Draw us into Your breast,
And joyfully present us
At Your high wedding feast!
2 comments:
You've probably noticed by now that I have a deep respect for visual rhymes & near rhymes, what my 12th grade English prof called "slant rime" (sic).
I could see myself choosing this as a wedding hymn.
As for "slant", sometimes that's the best you have to wor with, and it has a long tradition.
Post a Comment