Christ, In Whose Passion Once Was Sown

Christ, in whose passion once was sown
All virtue of all saints to be,
From the white field of these thy own
We praise the seed and sower, thee.

Thine was the first and holiest grain
To die and quicken and increase;
And then came these, and died again,
That spring and harvest should not cease.

From thee, the martyrs, we from those,
Each in thy grace’s measure, spring;
Their strength upon our weakness flows
And guides us to the goal we sing.

These were thy great ones: we, thy least,
One in desire and faith with them,
Called by the Lord to keep one feast,
Journey to one Jerusalem.

Tune: Mein’ Seel’, O Gott, muss Loben Dich L.M.
Music: Michael Praetorius, 1571-1621
Text: Walter Shewring