 St Alban’s Episcopal Church Bolivar, Missouri Tuesday, March 22, 2022 Lucien Deiss“Keep in Mind”   Lucien Deiss (1921-2007) The hymn we have been singing every week during Lent, Keep in Mind, is only one of hundreds of hymns based in scripture, written by this French Roman Catholic priest. Deiss was a seminary professor, scripture scholar and liturgist. He was also reported to be constantly joyful and his photos all tell that same story. He also wrote several books, including The Christian Celebration, and It’s the Lord’s Supper: Eucharist of all Christians, and one I am trying to find, Keep In Mind: Reflections to Renew the Spirit. Some of his hymns in English were especially popular the US, during the time of Vatican II and the renewal that began then. I do share his conviction that knowing the whole of scripture and learning to exegete it well is productive of joy and peace. The hymn we sing is based partly on 2 Timothy 2:8-12. It was published in 1965, the year I graduated from high school; I have loved it ever since. But notice – the “threats” in Timothy are not present; only the assumption that we will endure with the Lord. Refrain: Keep in mind that Jesus Christ has died for us and is risen from the dead.He is our saving Lord, he is joy for all ages. Verses: If we die with the Lord, we shall live with the Lord. If we endure with the Lord, we shall reign with the Lord. In him all our sorrow in him all our joy. In him hope of glory, in him all or love. In him our redemption, in him all our grace. In him our salvation, in him all our peace.  The Second Reading for Sunday 2 Corinthians 5:16-20 We regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.  Thought for the day…  |
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