Scenes from a Welcome

As the promised livestream for Archbishop Dennis Schnurr's Cincinnati Mass of Welcome appears to have gone all adjuticor on us, let's be grateful for the real-time audio feed being provided by the Queen City's Sacred Heart Radio.

Somebody's got some 'splainin to do... but not the music people -- opening hymn: Walker's majestic Laudate Dominum (i.e. the arrangement made popular by The NAC).

SVILUPPO: OK, looks like the vidstream's been fixed. And they've even put up a copy of the worship aid... nice.

SVILUPPO 2: Hopefully the on-demand video will be posted... but in the meantime, the Mass is ended... and your narrator coulda listened to that choir all day; kudos again to the music folks. Wow. Just... wow.

Anyways, between the lot of us, we've all heard no shortage of Hyfrydol-set hymns over the years -- "Alleluia, Sing to Jesus" and "Lord, You Give the Great Commission" come easily to mind... but the lyrics used with its melody to close out today's liturgy were especially brilliant, and wonderfully powerful:

Church of God, elect and glorious,
Holy nation, chosen race;
Called as God’s own special people,
Royal priests and heirs of grace;
Know the purpose of your calling,
Show to all His mighty deeds;
Tell of love that know no limits,
Grace that meets all human needs.

God has called you out of darkness,
Into His most marv’lous light;
Brought His truth to life within you,
Turned your blindness into sight.
Let your light so shine around you
That God’s name is glorified;
And all find fresh hope and purpose
In Christ Jesus crucified.

Once you were an alien people,
Strangers to God’s heart of Love;
But He brought you home in mercy,
Citizens of heav’n above.
Let His love flow out to others,
Let them feel a Father’s care;
That they too may know His welcome
And His countless blessings share.

Church of God, elect and holy,
Be the people He intends;
Strong in faith and swift to answer
Each command your master sends;
Royal priests, fulfill your calling
Through your sacrifice and prayer;
Give your lives in joyful service —
Sing His praise, His love declare.

And, well, we'd be hard-pressed to find a better mission statement than that... so let's do it even better tomorrow than we did yesterday, eh?

PHOTO: Archdiocese of Cincinnati

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