A favorite hymn of mine is Ride on! Ride on in majesty!, particularly
by the tune of Winchester New. (On Jordan’s Bank, another favorite, is a
more well known hymn commonly sung to that tune.)
Since the subject of the
hymn is the Triumphal Entry, it is associated with Palm Sunday. But my parish sung it as the
recessional hymn this Passion Sunday morning yesterday, and it indeed does meditate
on the Passion of our Lord.
I’ve always found the
contrast in the following lyrics brilliant and moving.
In lowly pomp ride on to die.
Christ’s Triumphal Entry is majestic, yet at the
same time lowly, on a donkey even, and a ride to his death on the cross. And Henry Milman captured that so well
in so few yet clashing words.
I have to confess I could not quite finish the last
verse yesterday. The words of the hymn and my inability snuck
up on me and suddenly caught me unawares. Those
darn allergies made me tear up, don’tcha know.
Ride on, ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
bow your meek head to mortal pain;
then take, O Christ, your power and
reign.
May you, too, find this Passion Week and the coming
Palm Sunday and Holy Week moving with a fresh vision of the majesty, humility,
love and Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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