Pentecost/Process

My practice for several years has been to read the Sunday readings early in the week and compose a hymn or poem based on them. Lately, this has yielded double results: Something in the readings strikes me as good material for a congregational hymn, but something else grabs me on a more personal or narrative level. So I've been writing two pieces a week based on the Sunday readings and sharing them on separate days. I'm traveling this week, though, so I'm sharing both here today. First, a congregational hymn, which tends to be more of a prayer from the community or exhortation to the community. This one is prayer:

You led us through the desert then
and brought us to the promised land.
O Spirit, lead us once again
until we reach the journey's end!

Let whispers of the mighty wind
that blew 'til water stood as walls
blow gently now across our skin
in loving answer to our call.

These little pillars of the flame
that led us onward through the sea:
Ignite our hearts to speak the name
of Christ who sets the captives free.

O, Breath that moved upon the seas
and moves forever where it wills,
come fill us with your perfect peace
who trust that you are moving still.

O wind that moves us, move through us:
Enkindle flames wheree'er we go
that all the world in exodus
may follow where your breezes blow.

This is the less congregational take, a personal narrative spoken by someone who was in the room:

And suddenly there came a sound,
a driving wind  to overturn
our lives and set them gently down
'mid flames that dance but do not burn.

We who were captive to our fears
have seen a light, and we go free.
These flames have opened eyes and ears;
and now our shackled tongues will speak.

He once appeared, there where we were,
and stood as close as I to you:
This wind just like his whisper stirs,
and all of us are born anew.

Today the stirring of his breath
is wind and fire and thund'rous roar.
Our whole world toppled with his death—
this Spirit builds it up once more.

Take off your shoes and heed the voice
that speaks out of the living flame,
for Christ has died—O earth, rejoice!—
and Christ is risen—bless his name!

Often, I write the congregational version first, and that helps me figure out what I really want to focus on in approaching the readings. And then I write the version where I really focus on that, even if it wouldn't work for a hymn. One of these days, I will probably stop posting both, but I think writing both is good practice.

Deckengemälde Ausgießung des Heiligen Geistes in der Oberseifersdorfer Kirche Photo By ErwinMeier - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68151920