HYMN: The Holy Feast Is Ready

I've been working on something for about a month now, though the deep digging on it has happened in the last week. I had an idea for a hymn based on Luke 14:15-24, the Gospel appointed for the Second Sunday After Trinity in the LSB 1-year lectionary. Finally it came together about a week ago--at least, the bones of the idea. I wrote three verses, but it felt like it was missing something. I changed some things around and added a fourth verse, and this is what has come out. Any feedback would be appreciated.

The Holy Feast Is Ready

1. The holy feast is ready.

The Master bids you, “Come!”

His Gospel calls to many—

To ev’ry land and home.

The Lord in grace has spoken:
“Come forth, you lame and blind.

Come forth, you poor and broken.

You here a welcome find.”

2. With blood and body given,

Our hunger He would feed.

This living Bread from heaven

Would meet our ev’ry need.

But woe and condemnation

To those who love their hoard

And spurn the invitation,

For they have their reward.

3.We hear, compelled, unwilling.

Begrudging, we come near.

All shame forever stilling,

He calms the sinner’s fear.

The Master, holy Jesus—

Himself the Host and Feast—

In mercy He receives us,
The greatest and the least.

4. We are the guests invited

To eat this Gospel feast,

And by our Lord delighted

We are from sin released.

Forgiven saints, we gather

Your glory to confess,

O Spirit, Son and Father—

Our God, forever blest.

© 2013, Alan Kornacki, Jr.
76 76 D
Tune: EWING (LSB 672)--at least temporarily