Hymn

The definition of the word hymn means to praise.  Here is your challenge for the week – What is your favorite hymn?  And the most important part is why is it your favorite?  What memory or story comes to mind when you sing or hear that hymn played?  I have so many favorites, but I definitely can recall a story that still brings a smile to my face when I hear “How Great Thou Art.”  We used to travel to different places each year for conventions related to the small business that my husband and I owned.  The destination this particular year was Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  During the convention, everything is planned out for us, from meetings during the day, meals, and many times an evening group activity.  A company called the Bar T 5 (still there today) was one such planned event, which was a western themed cookout and show.  I remember being so excited when our whole group was picked up in covered wagons.  We travelled by our horse drawn covered wagons into “the beautiful Cache Creek Canyon.”  As we arrived at the camp, which was set up for a cowboy-style dinner, we got settled at our tables, excited about the evening ahead.  After a delicious dinner of all the proper cowboy “fixins”, the entertainment began.  By this point, dusk had turned to darkness.  Being out in the wilderness, with no interruption of artificial lighting, the beauty of the night sky, showcasing a zillion twinkling stars, took my breath away.  I had never witnessed such beauty.  During the show, one of the cowgirl entertainers sung my now favorite hymn, “How Great Thou Art.”  As I listened to the words of the song, I gazed at the other show that was happening above me.  

                                    “Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder

                                    Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made

                                    I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder

                                    Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

                                    Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee

                                    How great Thou art, how great Thou art!”

That’s what hymns do to us.  They are a meant to connect us and praise God.  I’ll never forget that moment of connection that I had that evening.  There are hymns that we sing during Mass that have brought genuine tears to my eyes.  They help me praise God, thank God, be humbled before God, and celebrate my faith because of God.  I hope my memory will encourage you to recall a memory of faith from your own favorite hymn.  My favorite helped me “consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.” 

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16