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O SACRED HEAD, NOW
WOUNDED
O sacred head, now
wounded, with grief and shame weighed down,
now scornfully
surrounded, with thorns thine only crown;
O sacred head, what
glory, what bliss till now was thine!
Yet, though
despised and gory, I joy to call thee mine.
How pale thou art
with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn;
how does thy face
now languish, which once was bright as morn!
Thy grief and
bitter passion were all for sinners' gain;
mine, mine was the
transgression, but thine the deadly pain.
What language shall
I borrow to thank thee, dearest friend,
for this thy dying
sorrow, thy pity without end?
Oh, make me thine
forever, and should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never,
never outlive my love to thee.
Text: Paul Gerhardt
1607-1676
Passion/Palm Sunday
is an interesting time in Lent. The day begins with a joyous
procession including palm branches and music. We hail Jesus, the
King, who rides into Jerusalem to the delight of the cheering
crowds. However, by mid-morning, the tone turns more somber. During
the reading of the Passion, we cry out, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
Jesus, wearing a crown of thorns, is greeted by a taunting, jeering
crowd on his way to the cross.
I feel a sense of
grief and sadness for the way Jesus was treated that day and for my
betrayal of him every day. And yet, because of Christ’s sacrifice,
all who believe in the promise of forgiveness may have eternal life.
This hymn has been
sung by Christians for centuries and expresses the hope that Christ
has given to us through his passion and death on the cross. Many
composers have created larger works based on it, including Johann
Sebastian Bach in his St. Matthew Passion. The last verse provides
all we need to remember when we come to the end of our earthly
journey. Faith in Jesus as our Savior gives us strength to deal
with the pain and adversity of this life and promises us the joy of
life eternal in Christ’s love.
Lord, be my
consolation; shield me when I must die;
remind me of thy
passion when my last hour draws nigh.
These eyes, new
faith receiving, from thee shall never move;
for all who die
believing die safely in thy love.
Marlene Hallstrom,
Associate in Ministry |
