For a year and a half now, I've been working on writing a hymn text for every reading in the Easter Vigil. It started as I wrote a hymn based on an ancient homily for Holy Saturday. After speaking to the Reverend Doctor John Fleischmann about his hymn text for the Exsultet chant for the Easter Vigil, we decided we would work on a text for every reading in the Vigil service. As I usually do, I leapt in head-first to take on the project, and late last month I wrote the final text.
I also decided upon completion of the final text that I wanted to have truncated versions of those texts, knowing that not everyone wants to sing numerous hymns with ten stanzas. This blog post is the result of that desire for shortened texts. I will list each reading, and then I will post the stanzas for each text that I feel would give a good summary without singing the whole of each text. I hope this is helpful for those of you who lead the Vigil or desire to take up this ancient and salutary service.
Each text is written in the 77 77D meter. While I'm debating whether to seek our new tunes, one particular new tune, or one or several familiar tunes to fit the texts, there are numerous familiar tunes associated with that meter.
The Easter Vigil
Exultet text by Rev. Dr. John Fleischmann
Exultet: Rejoice, You Choirs of Angels (with an original tune)
Homily text
The Creation: Genesis 1:1-2:3
1. O Father of creation;
O Word, begotten Son;
O Holy Spirit, brooding:
By You is all begun.
By water You have washed us,
Creating us anew.
Now bless Your new creation.
Conform our lives to you.
9. The seventh day, God rested,
Creation’s work now stilled,
His mighty work completed,
Accomplished as He willed.
As we await the new Day,
The “very good” restored,
We praise You for creation,
Our great Creator Lord.
The Flood: Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13
1. O Lord, You made the waters
And sent them to the earth.
Though water brings destruction,
It also gives new birth.
Oh, pour on us a wellspring,
A great baptismal flood,
To drown old wretched Adam
In Christ’s own watered blood.
9. Oh, grant us faith, dear Father,
Through this baptismal tide,
To trust Your Word of promise
And in Your grace abide.
Protect Your chosen children
Who shelter in Your nave,
Who bear Your name forever,
Who trust Your might to save.
The Testing of Abraham: Genesis 22:1-18
The Sacrifice Appointed
1. The Sacrifice appointed
Is Christ, the Paschal Lamb:
The Substitute most pleasing,
The self-appointed Ram.
He let Himself be captured
In thickets of our sin,
And in His cross and Passion
Our ransom He would win.
Israel's Deliverance at the Red Sea: Exodus 14:10-15:1
1. Lift up your eyes, O people.
Your enemies draw near.
Cry out to God for mercy.
Fear not! The Lord is here!
He never will forsake you
To perish in the dust.
He hears your plea and answers,
In Him alone you trust.
Salvation Offered Freely to All: Isaiah 55:1-11
1. O Christ, the living Water
Who satisfies our thirst,
Who cleanses hopeless sinners
By sin and death accursed,
Oh, bathe Your whole creation—
A great baptismal tide—
Where holy blood is mingled
With water from Your side.
4. “My thoughts and ways are higher
Than your ways,” says the Lord,
“For powerful in purpose
Shall be My holy Word.
Like rain to feed creation
From heav’n above shall spill,
My Word returns not empty,
But works My holy will.”
A New Heart and a New Spirit: Ezekiel 36:24-28
1. Oh, draw us from the nations
And gather us to You.
Pour out baptismal waters
To cleanse like morning dew.
Create in us a new heart;
Cut out our heart of stone.
Remove our love of idols;
Lead us to You alone.
2. Within us put Your Spirit
To be Your dwelling place,
And make Your Law our pleasure,
Obeying by Your grace.
Grant us to be Your people;
Our God forever be!
Yes, gather us together
Unto eternity.
God's Faithfulness to Israel: Deuteronomy 31:19-29 (and 32:1-43)
1. The Lord our God is faithful.
His Word is sure and true;
It always will accomplish
What He sets out to do.
His people, as He promised,
At last to Canaan came,
The land of milk and honey.
All glory to His name!
8. O faithful God, we praise You.
Your sacred song we sing.
You blot out our transgression.
From You all graces spring.
Oh, lead us to that country
With milk and honey blest.
Christ’s holy blood and body:
Our endless Paschal Feast.
The Valley of Dry Bones: Ezekiel 37:1-14
The Word Gives Life and Spirit
1. The Word gives life and Spirit
To people dead in sin.
It draws us to the Church doors
And welcomes us within.
Lord, breathe on Adam’s children,
That we may rise and live.
Send forth Your faithful prophets,
Your holy Word to give.
6. “These bones, O man, are Israel.
Oh, hear My children cry:
‘In exile we are hopeless;
Our bones are very dry.’
But I, their God, shall call them
To raise them from their graves
And bring my people homeward.
I am the Lord who saves.”
Job Confesses the Redeemer: Job 19:19-27
1. The world is full of torments.
My allies seek my shame.
The hand of God has touched me;
My flesh sticks to my frame.
Have mercy! Oh, have mercy!
From sorrow do I flee.
Like God, their words pursue me;
Why do they follow me?
2. Pay heed to my confession.
With confidence I cry:
He lives, my great Redeemer!
And even when I die,
I know that I shall see Him.
Yes, I myself shall see!
On earth He will be standing.
How yearns my heart in me!
Jonah Preaches to Ninevah: Jonah 3:1-10
Send Forth Your Faithful Preachers
1. Send forth Your faithful preachers,
And call us to repent.
Grant faith that we may listen
And heed the one You sent.
With sackcloth and in ashes
We call, O God, to You.
Oh, turn us from our evil;
Our steadfastness renew.
The Gathering of God's People: Zephaniah 3:12-20
1. Fear not, fear not, O Zion!
Rejoice! Oh, shout and sing!
The mighty One will save you:
The Lord, your God and King.
Behold, the King is with you
To guard you in the fray.
No judgment stands against you.
Your foes He drove away.
2. Fear not, fear not, O Zion!
Let not your hands grow weak,
For He shall be the refuge
Of all the humble, meek.
Their lips speak no deception.
Their deeds shall bring no shame.
No evil shall befall them
Who call upon His name.
3. Fear not, fear not, O Zion.
Oppressors meet their end.
The outcast He will gather.
On Him you may depend:
To praise you to the nations,
To calm your every fear,
To gather you together.
The Lord is with you here.
The Fiery Furnace: Daniel 3:1-30
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