by Norene Morrow
This, being the November issue of The HighWay, my thoughts go to the special observances of the month. Along with the feasts of All Saints, All Souls and the Reign of Christ, we have Remembrance Sunday. Last year, I wrote about three hymns that continue to be a traditional part of many Remembrance Day services — O God Our Help in Ages Past, Eternal Father Strong to Save and O Valiant Hearts. What they have in common is that their words speak of hope in times of great distress; words that still have relevance today.
While it is important to retain hymns that link us to our past, it is equally important to move forward and incorporate themes that reflect values for which we continue to strive. That is why I am so delighted that we have a peace and justice section in our hymnbook. Many of these hymns take us one step further, by speaking of the need for peace and understanding among all people and nations. One of my favourites is Let There Be Light (572), a hymn that would also work well as a prayer or for meditation. It is unique in the realm of hymn writing because it creates compelling images through the repetition of a single word in each line. The last verse is particularly interesting because it uses four of the repeated words from previous verses to recap the hymn’s powerful message.
Let there be light,
Let there be understanding,
Let all the nations gather,
Let them be face to face;
Open our lips,
Open our minds to ponder,
Open the door of concord,
Opening into grace;
Perish the sword,
Perish the angry judgement,
Perish the bombs and hunger,
Perish the fight for gain;
Hallow our love,
Hallow the deaths of martyrs,
Hallow their holy freedom,
Hallowed be thy name;
Thy kingdom come,
Thy spirit turn to language,
Thy people speak together,
Thy spirit never fade;
Let there be light,
Open our hearts to wonder,
Perish the way of terror;
Hallow the world God made.
The text and music were written by two Canadians, both of whom just happened to be born in November. Poet, Frances Wheeler (later, Wheeler Davis) was born in Winnipeg in 1936. She graduated from the University of Manitoba in Honours English, married, got an MA at the University of Toronto, and now lives outside Montreal, where she continues to write. Robert J.B. Fleming (1921-1976), one of Canada's leading composers, was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan and received his training from such notable composers as Healey Willan and Herbert Howells. He specifically wrote this tune for these words in 1968.
If you have never taken a look at the hymns in the peace and justice section (572-597) of Common Praise I urge you to do so. O Day of Peace and Let Streams of Living are already favourites because of their well-known tunes and For the Healing of the Nations is easily learned. Among the more contemporary hymns, check out O Healing River and Lion and Lamb, a wonderful song that I have also used during Advent. (It can be a bit tricky for congregational singing. Some teaching would be needed.) Also see Make Me a Channel of Your Peace and Let There be Peace on Earth in Songs for a Gospel People. They have been around for decades, and most congregations love singing them.
Finally, #588 is a little hymn from Korea called Come Now, O Prince of Peace. We have used it at the Cathedral for about three years, but do not sing it as a hymn. Our Remembrance service always starts with an Act of Remembrance that includes four intercessions and the lighting of candles. After each intercession, one verse of this hymn is used as a sung response. The content of each intercession and response are thematically related, creating what I think is a meaningful way to start the service. As always, if you would like a copy of these intercessions or have any other questions, please feel free to contact me through St. Michael’s or nmorrow@shaw.ca.
