I was amused by the first line of the hymn given today for the Office of Readings in the American English breviary. Here's the whole thing:
Joseph of Nazareth, you are the man
Last in the line that rose from David, King.
Down through the royal generations ran,
And ends with Jesus Christ.
Gabriel from heaven came to Mary's side,
Came with the joyful promise of a King,
Came to you also, Joseph, to confide
That God conceived this Child.
Guardian and foster-father of the Christ,
Honor to you, so chosen by our God!
Husband of Virgin Mary, you are first
To show us Christian love.
Yes, St. Joseph, you are the man. Pray for us.
The breviary credits the text to a Stephen Somerville. Does anyone know if this is the same (Fr.) Stephen Somerville who famously renounced his membership on ICEL and who was, if I remember rightly, the priest-on-set during the making of The Passion of the Christ?
3 comments:
yes, Fr. C, that first line is rather amusing. it's a nice hymn, though. St. Joseph is one of my favorite saints, even though we know little about him. i went to the 6:45 am Mass a St. Theresa's on the feast day. it was nice feast day. PEACE! ~tara t~
Yes, he was the same Father Stephen Somerville who rejected his past in the ICEL.
https://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/p001rpInto.htm
I just happened across your comment as I am looking for the organ accompaniment for the tune COMPASSION. However, it is lost, as so many ICEL publications have been, in the river of time.
Thanks for the comment and link!
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