I wrote new verses to that very silly All Saints Day hymn
“I sing a song of the saints of God”: If you know this hymn, you probably have a strong opinion about it.
One way or the other.
Yes, the tune is a little songsongy. Yes, the tone is a little precious and earnest.
Yes, songs that are basically lists are a decidedly mixed blessing.
Still, here’s what I love about this hymn and its inclusion in one of the authorized hymnals of The Episcopal Church: It invites us to think about saints in the broadest (and arguably most biblical) sense.
Saints are heroes of the faith, sure. But they’re also flawed human beings like you, me, … and lots of other people that my pals on Facebook thought it might be fun to put into the song.
To that end, I give you a remix of this less-than-august November favorite — to love or hate. There are four new verses you can add or swap in for your celebrations this Sunday, or more likely just enjoy at your desk or on your commute today.
I only wish I’d been able to get to more of the ideas people shared (thanks, friends). For those I did get to, I’ll try to cite the inspiration for each verse as it comes by.
Last thing: Although the tune and lyrics are in the public domain in the U.S., I don’t have any fancy music notations software. To try to help render the new verses singable, I put beats one and three in bold. Some extra quarter and eighth notes are required to make some of them work.
(This is the only purpose for which it’s permissible to emphasize those beats, incidentally.)
By Kyle Oliver via prayr.cc (CC BY 2.0)
THE “IMPERFECT”/”CONVERTED” VERSE
(Inspired by Rosemary Beales)
The saints we embrace had need of grace;
could be boastful, fickle, or wrong.
These pillars of faith, through flaws and mistakes,
taught us “when I’m weak, I’m strong.”
For one was a zealot, a thorn in the side
of the Savior the other confessed then denied.
Still they wrote and preached and served — even died.
May I imitate these two.
(Peter & Paul)
EVERY LENT MADNESS WINNER VERSE
(Inspired by Scott Gunn, with helpful feedback from Marianne Allison)
The life of a saint is more than restraint;
their lives can be joyful or raucous.
So for learning, laughs, and love of brackets
in Lent we gather to caucus.
Four winners were writers, and one was a nurse;
one dealt the New Deal, one saw The Christ first,
One would hate to have won, still for better or worse,
all wear halo number two.
(C.S. Lewis, Charles Wesley, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, George Herbert, Florence Nightingale, Frances Perkins, Mary Magdalene, Francis of Assisi)
[PRINCE SYMBOL] VERSE
(Inspired by Sandra Montes)
The saints we seek are each unique,
formed whole in the image of God.
And some have born their culture’s scorn,
called dreamers, freaks, or odd.
And one brought us Drag Race while looking divine;
one bold purple prophet wrote Sign ‘O’ the Times.
All are called to the feast like it’s 1999.
“No exceptions,” proclaim these two.
(RuPaul & Prince)
Finally, a serious and much better executed verse that friend of the site Miranda Hassett shared on Facebook …
By Pamela Grenfell Smith via Miranda Hassett (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0*)
* Not the usual blanket license for this site, notice.
I sing of those who loved the Lord
by serving the lost and least,
of Sojourner, Harriet, Jonathan,
and Absalom, freedom’s priest.
Of great brother Martin who dreamed a dream,
and all workers of mercy in Jesus’ name.
They let justice flow like a mighty stream,
and I mean to be one too!
Have a verse or a fragment to share? Join the kinda outrageous Facebook thread, or leave your response in the comments.
The full post on Creative Commons Prayer has the original verses and a link to a truly wonderful little children’s book for those who don’t hate this hymn.
Photo credits from collage: “RuPaul at a party for the launch of her Starrbooty DVD” by David Shankbone via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0); “Statue of C. S. Lewis looking into a wardrobe” by Genvessel via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0); all others public domain.
