Today’s hymn from Sing Praise is from one of my favourite contemporary hymnwriters, Bernadette Farrell. The form of the hymn is six verses of three short lines and a chorus, the words of which are “Unless a grain of wheat shall fall upon the ground and die, it remains but a single grain with no life”.
“Unless a grain of what shall fall” is based on Jesus’ explanation to his followers that his death was necessary in order that he could rise again in a new and eternal form and send the Holy Spirit, just as a seed has to be buried in the earth in order to sprout and come to life as a new plant.
In different ways, the verses call people to the Christian life, and are balanced to show that Jesus gives as much as he demands. We are called to die, live and eventually reign with Jesus; to serve him and follow him; to make our home in him as he makes his home in us in order to bear much fruit; to remain in him and let his word live in us; to love and be loved; and finally, without any action demanded of us, to accept the peace that he gives which the world cannot give.
All these sayings are to be found in John’s gospel, and are worthy of reflection as we approach Good Friday and Easter.
I found the verses of this hymn surprisingly difficult to sing and play at the same time – I suppose because my voice is so used to following the melody which my right hand is playing – and I had to rewrite the music to enable myself to play the melody and harmony together. I also found the suspensions in the harmonies difficult to fathom at first. And I found the hymn as a whole difficult to pace, and had to go on the internet and find a recording to listen to so that I could decide its speed. And the recording made it clear that the verses are soloists’ items with the choir as a whole only singing the chorus, and that the suspensions aren’t really that important in the whole effect.
Of course, modern science would now not say that the seed “dies” when it falls to the ground and germinates – but it is still true that the seed must take the irrevocable step of germinating when it falls, otherwise it will never issue into a plant to bear fruit. But the imagery is still helpful in picturing the cross: unless he dies he cannot bring the redemption that saves others and builds his body.
I was tempted to leave this song until the daily NT readings get round to John 12 in a couple of weeks – but today’s sing was a useful rehearsal!