July 26, 2020 8th Sunday After Pentecost

Our first reading from 1 Kings tells of Solomon’s dream in which Solomon pleases the Lord with his desire to “discern what is right.” One line from the Old Irish poem “Rop tu mo Baile” (translated by Mary Byrne) reads:
        “Be thou my meditation by day and night.
         May it be thou that I behold even in my sleep.”

The reading and the poem meet in our prelude as the hymn tune Slane. The poem “Rop tu mo Baile” was translated and versified by Eleanor Hull into “Be Thou My Vision,” which we sing to the melody called Slane.

The reading from Romans begins, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” Our sequence hymn “Like the murmur of the dove’s song” responds at the end of every verse- “Come, Holy Spirit, come.” This is an invitation to oneself to be open and receive even challenging messages. The first verse suggests something quiet or difficult as well as something strongly felt like wind or fire--
        “Like the murmur of the dove’s song,
         Like the challenge of her flight,
         Like the vigor of the wind’s rush,
         Like the new flame’s eager might:
         Come, Holy Spirit, Come.”
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Our postlude is a canon from Hymnal 1982. A canon features one melody joined by the same melody at a different time. Due to our unique circumstances, I’m alone in the loft and will sing a canon with the organ filling in for others. The text is made up of a few verses from Matthew which respond to our gospel reading --
        “Seek ye first the kingdom of God
         And its righteousness,
         And all these things shall be added unto you;
         Allelu, alleluia!
         Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
         Allelu, alleluia!”