Hymn: Wisdom's Feast

This hymn was written after my first Gospel mass at the vibrant community of St. Benedict the Moor in Dayton, Ohio. All of the sacred art is Afrocentric--a welcome change from the usual racist portrayals of Afro-Asiatic biblical characters as Europeans. God as maternal Holy Wisdom, the most common feminine image of God in the Bible, shone forth to me with powerful and mournful compassion through the radiant face of the Black Madonna as I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament after the liturgy.

Let us come in to Wisdom’s holy house,
Let us come in to Wisdom’s holy house;
When we come home to you and you welcome us in love,
Dear God, you live in our midst.

Let us sing out to Wisdom’s holy name,
Let us sing out to Wisdom’s holy name;
When we join in glad praise of your overflowing love,
Dear God, you live in our midst.

Let us heed all of Wisdom’s holy words,
Let us heed all of Wisdom’s holy words;
When we live by the truth that you speak to us in love,
Dear God, you live in our midst.

Let us share now in Wisdom’s holy feast,
Let us share now in Wisdom’s holy feast;
When we’re fed by your Son at the banquet of your love,
Dear God, you live in our midst.

Let us go forth to Wisdom’s holy world,
Let us go forth to Wisdom’s holy world;
When we share all the gifts you pour out on us in love,
Dear God, you live in our midst.

Text: Laura M. Grimes, inspired by Proverbs 9, copyright 2012
Tune: Let Us Break Bread 10 10 with refrain

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