Children, let us love not in word
or speech
but in deed and truth.
1 John 3:18
I
love this part of the church year. Maybe it’s the post-resurrection stories of
Jesus’ surprise appearances. Perhaps it’s the formation of church doctrine as
the Apostles grapple with conflicting opinions about Jesus’ divinity and
humanity. It could be the closeness of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy
Spirit. Perhaps it’s just that the rush of Christmas and Easter are in the
rear-view mirror and summer ordinary time is just down the road.
Over
the past few weeks the second reading has been taken from the first letter of
John. (BTW This is the same John who wrote the fourth gospel.) Today’s reading
affirms something we’ve heard recently; the call to belief in Christ and love
of neighbor. The first verse of this pericope (a fancy word for “portion”) offers
an important qualification and can be found at the top of this article.
******
I’ve
tried to sprinkle a mix of traditional hymns and contemporary compositions into
the music this Easter season. Here are
some bullets on today’s selections:
• The
refrain of Vine and Branches (#355) is based on the familiar image Jesus used
to describe our relationship with Him. The verses come from John’s gospel.
• Tell
It Out (see the reprint box in this bulletin) is an upbeat composition by
Timothy R. Smith and is part of a recent strain of contemporary liturgical music.
I hope you enjoy singing and hearing it
as much as I.
• They’ll
Know We Are Christians (#582) could be described as a throwback selection. I
hope this article makes clear why this is an appropriate choice for today’s
liturgy.
Blessed
to be at St. Mary’s
Bruce
PS
To
those visiting St. Mary’s; especially those coming to celebrate the First
Communion of a family member: WELCOME!
To
the First Communicants: Congratulations!
You are now welcome to join our dynamic children’s choir. For more info; go to the music ministry link
at Home - St. Mary's Nutley.
To
the teachers: THANK YOU!
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