There are few hymns that are addressed to, or focus on, the Holy Spirit. Sunday’s Hymn of the Day, Come, Holy Ghost, Creator Blest (LSB #498), is one such hymn. It is of ancient
origin, from at least the eighth century, and generally attributed to the great
Frankish scholar and theologian, Rhabanus Maurus (though sometimes Gregory the
Great or Charlemagne are given credit). In the Middle Ages, it was one of the
best loved and most frequently used invocations of the Holy Spirit, and its
singing was accompanied by the use of incense, candles, bells, and rich
vestments. The last two stanzas are explicitly Trinitarian, making it ideal for
Trinity Sunday: stanza six (like Luther’s explanation to the Third Article of
the Creed) affirms that it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us to know the Triune
God aright, and stanza seven is a doxology—a hymn of praise to Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit.
Rabanus Maurus (c. 776-856) was
born of noble parents at Mainz, and educated at Fulda and Tours under Alcuin,
who is reputed to have given him the surname, Maurus, after the saint of that
name. In 803, he became director of the school at the Benedictine Abbey at
Fulda. He was ordained priest in 814, spending the following years in a
pilgrimage to Palestine. In 822, he became Abbott at Fulda, retiring in 842. In
847, he became archbishop of Mainz. He died at Winkel on the Rhine, February 4,
856. This distinguished poet-theologian wrote extensive biblical commentaries,
the Encyclopaedic De Universo, De Institutione Clericorum, and other works
which circulated widely during the Middle Ages. Some of his poems, with English
translations, are in Helen Waddell's Mediaeval Latin Lyrics. He is the author
of some of the following hymns:
O Come, Creator Spirit, come
Christ, the fair glory of the holy angels
Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
Creator Spirit, by whose aid
Although his hymns are over 1,000 years old they
still remain relevant speaking to our time.
Collect for
peace: O God, from whom come all holy
desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that
peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your
commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may
live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Image of the Trinity,
copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
Collect for Peace,
Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
No comments:
Post a Comment