Wednesday, July 15, 2020
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: Seeds and Weeds
We hear Jesus tell another parable in
this week’s Gospel. Last week we heard about the seeds; this week we hear about the weeds. I shared some of the most popular hymns and anthems about nature and creation last week so I decided to search for a lesser known hymn text or anthem written about seeds and weeds, or sowing, growing, weeding, etc. The results of my search sent me to some interesting links. One was a rather silly children’s song, “Everything We Do and Say” sung to the same tune as “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” “Everything we do and say, we are sowing seeds. If I whine or tell a lie, that is sowing WEEDS!” (Yes, it was in all caps.)
And then there was the following hymn from 1838 that caught my attention. I am not sure what tune was sung with this text but it is not surprising that I could not find a recording of it.
Ye Christian men pray notice well!
Our Saviour in the Parable
Does clearly prove and plainly show,
What Satan in the Church can do.
(Later in stanza six):
This Parable will shew us plain,
That Saints and Sinners will remain:
As members of his Church and State,
Till Jesus comes to separate.
There is one hymn in
The Hymnal 1982 that mentions seeds and weeds (and
tares), and it is “Come, ye thankful people, come.” Listen carefully to the second stanza:
All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.
“Come, ye thankful people, come”
St. George’s Windsor
Sung by The Schola Cantorum of St. Peter's in the Loop, Chicago
