O, Blessed Spring*

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 tears,

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. 

---Susan Palo Cherwien; (c) 1993 

*(A hymn to be sung to the old English folk song, "The Water is Wide [I can't get o'er]"