"O Come, Let us adore Him" with the Christmas Crèche
Crown Him With Many Crowns
image provided by Sr. Christina M. Neumann
This morning, my fingers delighted in playing the chords and melody of a hymn which had been chosen by Sr. Rebecca, whose week it is to lead Office, lector at Mass, and select the music. In other words, it’s “her week for liturgy.”
She had picked “Crown Him With Many Crowns” for Friday’s Mass, and it is my turn to provide accompaniment on the keyboard in our chapel. The arrangement I use is in the key of D, which is probably my favorite anyway.
Along with the ease for playing and the beautiful sound, this hymn also has lovely words of praise to our King. They were, I discovered with a little research, written by an Anglican convert to Catholicism. Not too long after becoming Catholic in his forties, Mathew Bridges (1800-1894) wrote this magnificent hymn.
Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.
This is one of those songs which, for me, lifts the heart. Its words do inspire my soul to praise and hail our “matchless King” who died for us.
Reflecting on this also inspires me again to live my life in a way that will please Him, rather than myself. I pray I may do so as a faithful subject of so great a King.
Resources:
Recommended Stories
About the Author
After fourteen years of working at St. Anne's Living Center, a care facility for elderly and disabled persons, Sister Christina now serves at St. Francis Convent and retreat center in Hankinson, ND. Along with other duties there, she also writes a blog for her religious community of Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen. Read more at ndfranciscans.org/fiat
