Sunday’s Hymn of the Day is Rise, Shine, You
People (LSB #825). It tells how the Son of the Most High God has
entered into human history and defeated the powers of evil. He brings us
freedom, light, and life and healing. In response, we are to tell how the
Father sent His son to save us and tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave
us.
Rise, Shine, You People” was written by Ronald Klug
after a colleague at Augsburg Publishing House requested that he write a hymn
for the Epiphany season. This verse from Isaiah inspired the hymn. “It was
published in a bulletin insert for the fourth Sunday in Epiphany (the first
Sunday in February) in 1974. The gospel that day was Luke 4:21–30, where Jesus
went to the synagogue with the people on the Sabbath and read the scroll from
Isaiah 42: 'The Spirit of the Lord is on
me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent
me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.' Or,
in the words of the hymn, ‘Christ the
Lord has entered our human story,’ and, evil is ‘reeling.’ So ‘rise, shine,’
celebrate, and hurl ‘your songs and prayers against the darkness.’” Of that
line, Klug says:
I had in mind an image: I was staying at St.
Augustine’s House, a Lutheran monastery near Oxford, Michigan, for Holy Week.
The week ended with an Easter Vigil. We started in the chapel around 11:30 PM,
and at midnight rang bells and declared ‘he is risen,’ then sang Easter hymns
into the midnight. I remember the feeling of absurdity, the foolishness of the
gospel, but also spiritual warfare, our hymns and prayers ‘hurled’ at the Evil
One, like an inkpot!
(That reference is to the story about Martin Luther
throwing an inkpot at the devil—and leaving a spot on the wall—while he was in
hiding at Wartburg Castle in 1521–1522.)
Ronald Allan Klug was born in Milwaukee and studied at
Dr. Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota. He earned a BS in education in
1962. He taught, was a school principal and did graduate studies in English at
the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He then worked for two publishing
houses, and in 1976 began teaching at the American School in Fort Dauphin,
Madagascar. He became a freelance writer.
The tune, “WOJTKIEWIECZ,” is named for the composer.
It was his family name, which was lost early in this century when an
immigration official suggested it be changed to Wood![2]
Prayer for those involved in occult practices or
afflicted by demons: O God,
almighty Father, You told us through Your Son, "Truly, truly, I say to
you, whatever You ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you."
He has commanded and encouraged us to pray in His name, "Ask, and you will
receive," and has also said, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I
will deliver You, and you shall glorify Me." We unworthy sinners, relying
on these Your words and command, pray for Your mercy with such faith as we can
muster. Graciously free [name] from all evil, and undo the work that Satan has
done in [him/her], to the honor of Your name and the strengthening of the faith
of believers; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and
reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.[3]
[1] Luther’s Seal, copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[3] Lutheran Service Book, © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
[4] Prayer of Saturday of the Week of Pentecost 2, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II ©1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
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