Philippian Hymn

 

PHILIPPIANS 2

What’s the first song you ever memorized? Was it the ABC song? Was it Do, Re, Mi or Yankee Doodle? Do you remember memorizing The Star Spangled Banner, My Country Tis of Thee or God Bless America? How about A Mighty Fortress is Our God?

I ask those questions because our reading from Philippians is an early Christian song or hymn describing Jesus as an obedient servant. The hymn is not a call to imitate Christ, which would be impossible, but for you and me to be “in Christ” and to treat each other as Jesus loved his disciples.

Now, did you know that Martin Luther wrote many songs? We call them hymns. Luther’s hymns were a confession of faith, not personal feelings. They were written not to be read, but to be sung by the whole congregation. Luther’s people learned to sing them. Practices were set during the week for the entire congregation; and in the home, after the catechism hour, the family was encouraged to sing.

Luther’s most important hymns are O Lord Look Down from Heaven Behold, Lord Keep Us Steadfast in Thy Word, and A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, the most well-known of Luther’s hymns.  A Mighty Fortress Is Our God is known as the “Battle Hymn of the Reformation.” And, believe it or not, even good Catholics know and sing this hymn in their churches.

Luther also wrote hymns for Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. There are hymns that teach us about the Ten Commandments, The Lord’s Prayer and the Lord’s Supper. If you don’t know any of these hymns, ask your parents to find them on the internet, and ask them to sing along! That’ll be fun for all!

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless all children, and give their fathers and mothers the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.