O Christ Who Came

O Christ who came / through ancient prophet voices
Declaring hope / when hope was all but spent
Who offered life / to those beyond our choices,
Whose words beyond / our foolish wisdom went.
O Burning Bush / aflame for all creation,
Who bids us all / to turn aside and see;
O Christ who came / in hope that we might hasten
Your kin-dom come—— / and set your people free.

O Christ who came / to fisher-folk confounded
yet left at once / their boats and nets behind
To join your work / of holy hope unbounded
Good news proclaim / and captives to unbind.
O Christ the Text / the Word of God brought to us
Who spread the feast / and beckoned all to dine;
O Christ who came / determined to renew us
Your kin-dom come—— / in water, bread, and wine.

O Christ who came / in rushing Wind of Spirit
In Pentecost / of welcome flaming bright
Unstop our ears / that we might finally hear it;
Soften our hearts / as well, restore our sight.
O Calling God / whose voice is never ending,
Whose hope is strong / whose Spirit yet does roam;
O Christ who comes / in all we are befriending
Your kin-dom come—— / your children welcome home.

. . . O Christ who comes / in welcome wide extending,
Now through our lives—— / invite your children home.

Text: David R. Weiss, b. 1959 (text, 2005, © 2008 David R. Weiss)
Tune: Irish tune, arr. John Barnard, b. 1948, LONDONDERRY AIR (O Christ the Same, With One Voice hymnal #778 – © 1982 Hope Publishing Co.)

Permission is given to photocopy O Christ Who Came for use in worship.

Author’s note: O Christ Who Came uses the beautiful haunting tune called “Londonderry Air” (most well-known for the Irish Ballad, “Danny Boy,” but also for the hymn, “O Christ the Same”). This text is triune, in picturing Christ as present through the Hebrew prophets, in Jesus’ ministry, and in the activity of the Holy Spirit … from Pentecost to the present.