HYMN: You Shall Love the Lord Your God.

I’m still working on my writing project: one hymn (at least) for every Sunday in the Church year in the LSB One-Year Lectionary. Each text brings me closer to completion, when I will eventually (self-)publish a booklet containing all my hymns to that point. 

This text deals with the Propers for the Eighteenth Sunday After Trinity, which includes Matthew 22:34-46. The Gospel appointed for this Sunday (which, incidenally, really is for this coming Sunday) shares the account of a confrontation with the Pharisees, who attempted to entrap Jesus in a legal question concerning which commandment is the greatest. Jesus, of course, will not be trapped. Anyway, here is my treatment of this text. Feedback is love.

You Shall Love the Lord Your God

1. “You shall love the Lord your God”;

Love, the first and great command,

Heart and soul and mind unflawed.

Only perfect love will stand.

Only One such love has known:

Love incarnate, Christ, alone.

2. And the second great command:

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love received from God’s own hand,

Free to give in boundless wealth.

Truly Christ the crucified

Loved His neighbor as He died.

3. I confess, O Christ, my Judge,

I do not love as I should.

All my service I begrudge.

I grow weary seeking good. 

You allow me no vain part,

Claiming body, mind, and heart.

4. Teach me, holy Lord, I pray,

How to love as You love me,

Living blameless in the day,

Loving neighbors selflessly.

Washed in grace, I walk the vale.

Show me mercy when I fail.

5. Two-fold love is satisfied

In Your holy, precious blood,

For in perfect love You died,

Cleansed me in Your crimson flood.

Only through Your love I can

Love and serve both God and man;

(c) 2018, Alan Kornacki, Jr.

77 77 77

Temporary Tune: Gethsemane (LSB 436)

Occasion: Trinity XVIII