HYMN: O Christ, High Priest and Sacrifice

As I go through the texts I’ve already written to see which ones I’d like to rewrite or write another text for, the Fifth Sunday in Lent was one of those that stuck out to me. My first text for Lent V is a metric Psalm, and it’s a decent text, but it doesn’t talk about the propers very much. Looking at the Gospel appointed for this Sunday, John 8:42-59, nothing stood out for me to wrap my head around for a hymn text. The Epistle, however, Hebrews 9:11-15, gave me plenty of inspiration. That being said, I’ve been pondering this text for about three months, and nothing major occurred to me. And then I came to the community where I spent my Vicarage year, Norborne, Missouri, and suddenly words started to flow. After writing “O Lord, My Soul Is Overcome,” I picked up my notes for Lent V again, and suddenly I had some new thoughts. This text is what came from those thoughts. I’m not quite as confident about this text as I am about my other two recent texts, but there’s at least something to build on here. Your feedback is appreciated. 

O Christ, High Priest and Sacrifice

1. O Christ, High Priest and Sacrifice,
Who bore our sins upon the tree,
Your blood has paid our ransom price.
Your sinless death has set us free.
O Paschal Lamb, You took our place
To give Your people endless grace.

2. O Man of Sorrows, holy Son,
The Father’s wrath You bore in flesh.
Our full redemption You have won,
Our souls with peace You now refresh,
For You have earned the victory
Upon the cross most willingly.

3. O Jesus Christ, the sinner’s friend,
Whose regal head was crowned with thorn,
With meekness, silence to the end
You felt creation’s bitter scorn.
As we adore Your holy scars,
Teach us to love Your cross as ours.

4. O Advocate, Your righteous blood
Before the Father ever cries,
The water from Your side, a flood
To cleanse the sinner in His eyes.
And as You draw us near Your throne,
Your Father has become our own.

5. O Savior, innocent in death,
In You our death has lost its sting.
Oh, grant that we with ev’ry breath
Rejoice Your endless love to sing.
O holy Lamb of God, we raise
To You glad hymns of thanks and praise.


(c) 2020 Alan Kornacki, Jr.
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ALL EHR UND LOB (LSB 500)
Fifth Sunday in Lent