Laetere Sunday, Rose Sunday, Mothering Sunday, Mothers' Day... one Sunday, many names. And so my challenge to choose a hymn from BPW to share.
On the grounds that this Sunday is the 'day off' from Lent I have extended my scope to include the subject index in the back of the hymnbook, and even to the small selection for Mothering Sunday. In the end I opted for this one (BPW 500) which seems the most fitting...
Lord of the home, your only Son
Received a mother's tender love;
And from an earthly father won
His vision of your home above.
Help us, O Lord, our homes to make
Your Holy Spirt's dwelling place;
Our hands and hearts' devotion tell,
May faithful lives your glory show.
Pray we that all who with us dwell,
Your love and joy and peace may know;
And while our lips your praises tell,
May faithful lives your glory show.
Teach us to keep our homes so fair,
That were our Lord a child once more,
He might be glad our hearth to share,
And find a welcome at our door.
Lord, may your Spirirt sanctify
Each household duty we fulfil,
May we our Master glorify
In glad obedience to your will.
Albert F Bayly (c) OUP
I like the image of our homes being a place where the child-Christ, the boy Jesus, would be glad to live - I likee it, and it challenges me.