O Blessed Spring
O Blessed Spring
Our hymn during communion on Sunday is by the hymn writer Susan Palo Cherwien (1953-2021), author of our hymn, All-embracing God. O blessed spring is centered in the Christian idea of the Tree of Life where Christ is the vine and source from which all life grows. Susan’s poetry is beautiful, layering the different stages of human life, the seasons of creation, and Christ presence and centrality throughout our life cycle. Her verse unfolds like a ‘bud into a blossom’ to borrow the words of Michael Hawn, professor of church music at Southern Methodist University, with the singer arriving at the last stanza with a ‘sense of wonder that comes from glimpsing sacred mystery.’
Susan drew her inspiration for this hymn from a striking bronze sculpture by Paul Granlund that hangs over the baptismal font at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This sculpture embodies the image of John 15:5 ‘I am the vine; you are the branches.’ Granlund cast a tree with four branches depicting the four ages of human life, with Christ as the central trunk.
I love this hymn and this sculpture. Meredith and I had this hymn sung at our wedding. For us the idea of being grafted to Christ the Vine throughout all seasons of life – the good and the hard – was not only a beautiful image to behold, but one of unmeasurable comfort, joy, and hope. It is one that continually reminds us of the importance of our faith and the power of belonging to and actively participating in Christan community regardless of what life brings our way.
O blessed spring, where Word and sign
Embrace us into Christ the Vine:
Here Christ enjoins each one to be
A branch of this life-giving Tree.
Through summer heat of youthful years,
Uncertain faith, rebellious tears,
Sustained by Christ’s infusing rain,
The boughs will shout for joy again.
When autumn cools and youth is cold,
When limbs their heavy harvest hold,
Then through us, warm, the Christ will move
With gifts of beauty, wisdom, love.
As winter comes, as winters must,
We breathe our last, return to dust;
Still held in Christ, our souls take wing
And trust the promise of the spring.
Christ, holy Vine, Christ, living Tree,
Be praised for this blest mystery:
That Word and water thus revive
And join us to your Tree of Life.
Words: Susan Palo Cherwien © 1993 Augsburg Fortress 1993.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. OneLicense.net #A-717214.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Ben Keseley, Minister of Music
PS. There is a great twelve-minute piece by David Cherwien, Susan’s husband, on this hymn including a performance of David’s setting of this hymn on youtube. Well worth a listen.