Second Sunday After Epiphany
Not only will we celebrate the wedding at Cana this week where Jesus performs one of his first miracles, but we will continue our journey through the visioning process and 1 Thessalonians 4:20, which talks about testing. Testing, or trials, are referred to in the prayer that Jesus taught us (Save us from the time of trial). Throughout the history of society, many different types of people in different situations and cultures have been through a time of trial, whether it be individually or corporately.
Jesus at the wedding at Cana was part miracle, part prank. Not only was changing hundreds of gallons of water into wine a miracle, but Jesus then turned to the steward, who while being baffled that the good wine had not been served yet, turned to the hosts and questioned their choice for saving the good wine until the end.
God tests us to turn our own water into wine, and to also go out and find wine in the world to celebrate the joy and praise that we all have for God.
PRELUDE
Wedding Day At Troldhaugen - Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg's piano output is most known for his Lyric Pieces. These short works, which number in the many dozens, are some of the most charming, emotional, passionate, and colorful pieces in the literature.
It's become a bit of a tradition of mine to play this particular Lyric Piece whenever the wedding at Cana gospel is presented. The piece is in ABA form. The A section is joyous and celebratory, with an ornamented melody on top of an open fifth progression that travels around the circle of fifths. The B section, while retaining the open fifths, is more serene, built around a descending four note figure. The piece closes with the exact music that it opens with along with a coda. It ends with ascending and descending open fifths with a sudden, joyous fortissimo chord.
OPENING HYMN
Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
This is a wonderful "past, present, future" hymn as we continue to go through Epiphany. It first addresses Jesus' birth and baptism in stanzas one and two, the present acts that we discuss today in stanza three (wedding at Cana), and finally, the future, where he overcomes sin and saves us from all of our future sins.
A key word in this hymn is the word "manifest." It is sung ten total times, including the short refrain-like phrase, "God in flesh made manifest." The adjective meaning that Jesus was, at the time, the empirical, undeniable presence of God on earth. Throughout the hymn, the birth, baptism, and actions of Jesus are all made manifest as well.
The tune, named after the birthplace of Mozart and one of the largest cities in Austria (SALZBURG), was composed by Austrian composer Jakob Hintze. The harmonization we have in our ELW hymnal was created by J.S. Bach.
HYMN OF THE DAY
Signs and Wonders
Susan Palo Cherwien is most commonly known as the wife of composer and church musician David Cherwien, but Susan's hymn writings and poems are truly in a class of their own.
The idea here is that we travel out into the world, head out, sharing our wine, seeking out wine in the world. The hymn tells us to "heed Christ's call" and step outside of the church with the good news of Christ defeating death.
Christ changing that water into wine was certainly both a sign and a wonder. The Gospel even calls this the "first of his signs." It's these stories that inspire us to go out into the world "dancing." The hymn starts with these signs and wonders, and ends with us, dancing out into the world performing our own signs and wonders, as small as they may be.
OFFERING
Speak, O Lord - Getty/Townend; arr. John Ferguson
I never would have thought that I would find a John Ferguson arrangement of a Keith Getty/Stuart Townend song. Ferg takes this beautiful melody and crafts it in such a way that it emphasizes and clarifies the meaning of the text, where we come to the Lord and receive the food of the Holy Word. While maintaining the original melody, he also adds in several countermelodies and countermotives that are perceivable throughout the piece as well.
COMMUNION HYMNS
Soul, Adorn Yourself With Gladness
This is one of the most theologically complex hymns in our entire hymnal. If we could sum it up with one line, I would probably choose line three from the first stanza, "Bless the one whose grace unbounded this amazing banquet founded."
Unity, eagerness, joy, and peace are all common themes throughout the stanzas. The metaphor of a bride meeting her husband exists throughout the second stanza. In the third, the sense of wonder through the miracle of communion almost overcomes the writer, calling it a "glorious consolation" and labeling the Bread of Life as "boundless."
Around You, O Lord Jesus
I actually use this lovely text and tune quite a bit at the REJOICE service. To my recollection, it is the first time it has been used at the traditional service.
It's a beautifully simplistic poem based around the idea of joining Jesus at the Holy table of Communion. We hear the invitation of Jesus and gratefully accept it. This invitation brings us closer to Jesus and into his loving heart from where we will never depart.
This tune, despite coming from a Dutch psalmbook dating from c. 1570, actually sounds much more like it was written in the mid to late 19th century. The melody has a beautiful lilt and is supremely singable.
CLOSING HYMN
Thine The Amen
Numerous times now, I've referred to this Herbert Brokering text as a "stream of consciousness" hymn. It has no punctuation, and it continually cycles through various things we are thankful and grateful for. Where this hymn intentionally lacks in organization and structure, it makes up for it in pure spirit, thankfulness, and outright praise. It is almost as though we are speaking in tongues.
The tune accompanying this by Charl Schalk is extremely appropriate for the characteristics of the text. Moving almost constantly on step-wise eighth notes, the music allows the text to just roll off the tongue. In the final line of the hymn, the music goes all the way up the scale and beyond, which paints the text of the stanzas beautifully.
POSTLUDE
Freu Dich Sehr, BWV an. 52 - J.S. Bach
Bach two weeks in a row? I guess it doesn't hurt to get my yearly quota out in two weeks.
Bach wrote several settings of this chorale. This is one that was discovered after his death, and I have yet to find a professionally made recording of it. This makes me excited, since there is no standard of excellence that has already been established, which is usually what internally prevents me from playing the more well known Bach works.
This is a quick, sprightly dance in 12/8 that resembles a gigue, a dance that would end a lot of Bach's through composed piano works such as the suites and partitas. The tune is presented clearly on top of the structure, decorated with characteristic Bach ornamentation, sequences, and other lovely expressions of Bach's love for his music and his creator.
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