Category Archives: Lent

“Hosanna” – Streaming Page CXVI Day 6

Monday Before Lent Atrophied your knees, Weary your feet, Rusty the locks of the ancient gates – Prepare the way. Cry, Blessed is He! as He comes, To save, to rule, to save. Stagnant your hopes, Vacant your dreams, Silent and silenced the voice which cries – In the wilderness prepare the way! See, HeContinue reading ““Hosanna” – Streaming Page CXVI Day 6″

“Your hearts and minds, prepare them…” – Streaming Page CXVI Day 5

The moment in the Easter narrative that always captures my attention most powerfully is the story of Palm Sunday, of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, hailed as king yet his death from that moment assured. This is the theme of today’s Page CXVI song, the beautiful “This Blessed Day”, accompanied by my new poem forContinue reading ““Your hearts and minds, prepare them…” – Streaming Page CXVI Day 5″

“Fast from… Feast on…” – Streaming Page CXVI Day Four

When I was younger, comfortable in low-evangelical churches where Lent was not observed, the season and its observances always seemed a semi-Catholic imposition. Our school chaplain would wear purple and people gave up eating sugar. That was mostly all I knew about it. When I came slowly to understand its value, it came with theContinue reading ““Fast from… Feast on…” – Streaming Page CXVI Day Four”

“Were you there…?” – Streaming Page CXVI Day Three

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? None of us today can answer “yes”. Yet the truth and power of that moment is never diminished, how much time stretches between us and it. Today’s track from Page CXVI’s “Lent to Maundy Thursday” combines two old hymns: “Were You There?” and “O The Deep, Deep LoveContinue reading ““Were you there…?” – Streaming Page CXVI Day Three”

“Before the throne of God above…” – Streaming Page CXVI Day 2

Well, as Lent approaches, so does the release of Page CXVI’s “Lent to Maundy Thursday”, and so it is with great excitement that I am posting the second track of the album, one of my favourite hymns: “Before the throne of God above”. When we could use this season before Easter as a time toContinue reading ““Before the throne of God above…” – Streaming Page CXVI Day 2″

“And can it be that I should gain…”: Streaming Page CXVI’s “Lent to Maundy Thursday”

What is the first note of Lent? Ash Wednesday – this year on March 5th, next Wednesday in fact, will in most churches sound a low and melancholy tone, pregnant with penitence and reflection. But contemporary hymnsters, Page CXVI, begin their “Lent to Maundy Thursday” with jubilation: Charles Wesley’s classic “And can it be thatContinue reading ““And can it be that I should gain…”: Streaming Page CXVI’s “Lent to Maundy Thursday””

Qui Habitat Part 5 (Fifth Sunday of Lent)

Today’s poem continues my series for the Sundays of Lent, due to finish next week with Palm Sunday. Each poem draws on the psalm and the Gospel reading for the day, as well as some of the other set readings where appropriate. You can find the readings that it based upon here. Qui Habitat PartContinue reading “Qui Habitat Part 5 (Fifth Sunday of Lent)”

Qui Habitat Part 4 (Fourth Sunday of Lent)

A father had two sons. One wished his father dead and demanded his inheritance now. And his father gave it to him. Squandering his father’s money, the son found himself starving and, without friends or resources, he returned, tail between his legs, to seek his father’s forgiveness. The father welcomed him back as though heContinue reading “Qui Habitat Part 4 (Fourth Sunday of Lent)”

Qui Habitat Part 2 (Second Sunday of Lent)

Today’s poem follows on from my poem of last Sunday, the second of five lenten poems paralleling the Psalms with Jesus’ movement towards the Cross. Today Jesus continues His ministry in the face of the Pharisees’ and Herod’s threats, but pauses for a moment to mourn over Jerusalem’s refusal to trust in Him. The twoContinue reading “Qui Habitat Part 2 (Second Sunday of Lent)”