THE CROSS UNFOLDS A PATH WITHIN

The Cross unfolds a path within

Verse 1
Upon the hill where Christ was slain,
He bore the weight of sin;
A spark was lit within my soul,
New life began within.

Verse 2
No longer bound by sin’s harsh chain,
Its grip is torn away;
A deeper strength now stirs in me,
A light for night and day.

Verse 3
The Cross unfolds a path within,
Where hidden grace is found;
Amid the rush of daily life,
God’s silence speaks profound.

Verse 4
An anchorite within my heart,
A sacred, quiet place;
Where Christ abides in stillness deep,
And fills my soul with grace.

Verse 5
O mystery of Love Divine,
That draws my soul to Thee;
Through Cross and death I rise anew,
In truth and liberty.

Verse 6
So let the world in turmoil turn,
Its fleeting shadows fall;
For Christ now lives and reigns within,
My Life, my Lord, my All.

The above hymn is structured in Common Meter (8.6.8.6) so it can be sung to well-known tunes such as Amazing Grace.

The hymn was inspired by Matthew Chapter 27

A GREAT AND MIGHTY WONDER

 

Devoted Reverend Vanessa Wyse Jackson, deeply attuned to the mystery of the Incarnation, held a special love for the hymn, "A Great and Mighty Wonder."

During the holy season of Nativity, she gently ensured that the hymn found its place within the liturgy, believing that the ancient words and solemn melody helped to bring hearts into quiet expectation.

For Reverend Vanessa, the hymn was more than music; it was a doorway into contemplation, echoing the eternal Word entering time. The sacred hymn invites all who hear it to prepare with reverence and awe for the coming of Christ.

A GREAT AND MIGHTY WONDER

Verse 1;

A great and mighty wonder, 

A full and holy cure;

The Virgin bears the Infant, 

With Virgin honour pure!

Repeat the hymn again:

"To God on high be glory

And peace on earth to men!" 

Verse 2;

The Word becomes incarnate

And yet remains on high;

And cherubim sing anthems

To shepherds from the sky.

Repeat the hymn again:

"To God on high be glory

And peace on earth to men!"

Verse 3:

While thus they sing your Monarch,

Those bright angelic bands,

Rejoice, ye vales and mountains,

Ye oceans, clap your hands.

Repeat the hymn again:

"To God on high be glory

And peace on earth to men!"

Verse 4:

Since all He comes to ransom,

By all be He adored;

The Infant born in Bethl'em

The Saviour and the Lord.

Repeat the hymn again:

"To God on high be glory

And peace on earth to men!"

Verse 5:

And idol forms shall perish,

And error shall decay,

And Christ shall wield His scepter,

Our Lord and God for aye.

Repeat the hymn again:

"To God on high be glory

And peace on earth to men!"

A Great and Mighty Wonder is an ancient carol based around the words of St Germanus (c 634 - 732), traditionally sung to the tune "Es is ein Ros entsprungen" published in "Alte Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesang" (Köln, Germany, 1599) and harmonised by Michael Praetorius (1571-1621). 

The words of St Germanus were translated by John Mason Neale (1818-1866).

                                             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snkX6SxWAiw

With thanks to Youtube

Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Nativity Scene with Angels and Animals"