“Oh Wondrous Image, Vision Fair,” ELW 316
Devotion
Oh, wondrous image, vision fair
of glory that the church may share,
which Christ upon the mountain shows,
where brighter than the sun he glows!
With Moses and Elijah nigh
the'incarnate Lord holds converse high,
and from the cloud, the Holy One
says, "This is my beloved Son."
With shining face and bright array,
Christ deigns to manifest today
what glory shall be theirs above
who joy in God with perfect love.
And faithful hearts are raised on high
by this great vision's mystery;
for which in joyful song we raise
the voice of prayer, the hymn of praise.
O Father, with the'eternal Son,
and Holy Spirit, ever one,
we pray you, bring us by your grace
to see your glory face to face.
This hymn paints the varied images of Christ, as he appears in scripture and in the hymns of the Epiphany season. Verse 2 echoes the resounding declaration of God as God announces, "This is my beloved Son; listen to Him." The words recall Jesus' baptism and the beginning of his public ministry, when his heavenly Father rejoices over what has occurred and for what he sees as the future of his work here on earth for all humanity.
Epiphany is the time when we as God's people in the twenty-first century are invited by these images to discover God anew within our lives. Life is shaped by so many events—the daily happenings of the news, something special and unique within our relationships, the loss of a family member, a sudden illness, a new addition to the family or a job promotion or loss. In all these significant matters we need the support of an outreaching, ever-present God who wishes to be present in the daily affairs of our personal lives, right where we live, work, and affect the welfare of people around us.
Prayer
God of glory, all faithful hearts are raised on high by this great vision and mystery; for which in joyful song we raise the voice of prayer, the hymn of praise. Amen.