Christian Fürchtegott Gellert (1715–1769) translated by  Frances Elizabeth Cox (1812–1897)*

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, ‘Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?’ When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!’ So the rumour spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’
 
This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
 

For me one of the most unsettling experiences of this crisis came early on. It was a Saturday afternoon and we were still able to move relatively freely. I was in Hexham and decided to pop into one of the supermarkets to get one or two things we needed. It was only when I went in and saw the yards of empty shelves that it really hit home the severity of the crisis that we are living through. It wasn’t that I couldn’t find toilet roll or pasta, the go-to product for the savvy crisis hoarder. It was that we were limited to a certain number of fruit and vegetables, there weren’t the things to bake, and even bread was in short supply.

 

Bless the Lord, the God of Israel,
who has come to set us free.
He has raised for us a Saviour
sprung from royal David’s tree.
Through his prophets God had spoken
of the hope the Christ would bring;
of his faithfulness and mercy
let each generation sing.
 
Long ago God made a promise
he would set his people free,
that in all our life and worship
we might know true liberty,
to be holy, to be righteous
in his sight throughout our days;
now this child will be a herald
making ready all God’s ways.
 
Let all people know salvation
through forgiveness of their sin,
as our God in his compassion
bids a shining dawn begin.
So may all who dwell in darkness
see the shadows disappear
while he guides our feet in pathways
where his peace is ever near.
 
To the Father be all glory
with the Spirit and the Son,
as it was, is now and shall be
while eternal ages run.

Word that formed creation, earth and sea and sky;
Word that brings salvation, Word that will not die;
speak now in us that we might hear your call;
Living Word of Jesus, sound within us all.

Love that formed and named us, filled this clay with breath;
Love that seeks and claims us, Love beyond all death;
come now and fire the life that flows from you;
Love that raised up Jesus, raise us up anew.
 
Song of joy and wonder, sound so wild and free;
voice of wind and thunder, boundless as the sea;
Music of God, the love that casts out fear;
Song that sang in Jesus, sing within us here.
 
God of all creation, form our hearts anew;
God of our salvation, lead us home to you;
Spirit, inspire our hearts to hear your call;
living God of Jesus, come renew us all!  .

Copyright: Common Worship © The Archbishops' Council  © The Archbishops' Council 2000;
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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