line and letter lettuce poetry by H.S. Mozolak: Christ the King Litany

Friday, November 18, 2011

Christ the King Litany

Harvey S. Mozolak

Christ the King
you opened the boundary of heaven’s kingdom
entering by the power of the Spirit
the Virgin’s womb
to toil within our sinful turmoil

reign in our hearts
reign in our thoughts
reign in our doing

you crowned the Magi’s visit
with your innocent wisdom
a treasure hidden in infancy
greater than Solomon’s gift

let us serve you…
in the trust you give
in the deepest hope you arouse
in the love, yours that you make ours

you are a king who obeys his Father
and our Father in heaven
hallowed of old
ancient David knew your dominion
and your will be done

reign in our hearts
reign in our thoughts
reign in our doing

you preached
brought and bought
a monarchy measured in hearts
you conquered

let us serve you…
in the trust you give
in the deepest hope you arouse
in the love, yours that you make ours

the scepter of your rule
called disciples
the robe of your healing
covered lepers
the sword of your word
cut claims to lesser others
the light of your resurrection
orbs the world with eternity

reign in our hearts
reign in our thoughts
reign in our doing

bow with palms waved in palms
knees ground to ground
eyes shut to the earth
voices sealed in song
hosanna blessed is he
the Lord of power and might

let us serve you…
in the trust you give
in the deepest hope you arouse
in the love, yours that you make ours

you were ridiculed and purple mocked
bruised despised rejected and ignored
by kings governors emperors and priests
but the poor and shunned
became your court you acquit
in the grace of mercy’s richness

reign in our hearts
reign in our thoughts
reign in our doing

you are a king whose crown
drips rubies of bleeding blessing

let us serve you…
in the trust you give
in the deepest hope you arouse
in the love, yours that you make ours

your throne was wood
and you were nailed to it
lifted on a hill of pain and death

reign in our hearts
reign in our thoughts
reign in our doing

Jesus king of the Jews
and through them all the nations
below
all beneath the Nazarene monarch

let us serve you…
in the trust you give
in the deepest hope you arouse
in the love, yours that you make ours

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comments and use of material

Comments on the poems are welcomed. They are helpful in the sense that criticism can weed the garden by pruning out misspellings, grammatical and factual errors. I am open to suggestions for tightening the tension a line or verse might need. And beyond aiding with the editing, it is pleasing and sometimes surprising for this poet to know which words and phrases, ideas and images others find lasting or well-turned from the earth of our ordinary words. Thank you advance for your responses.

All poems and photographs are copyrighted material. Please ask for permission to share them on line, in print and any other manner. You may make such requests by emailing me at the address found on this page under "about me" and then clicking on "complete profile" or you may as part of a comment, leave your email address for me get back to you on your request. Thanks for your respect and courtesy in this matter.

some biographical information

Pastor H.S. Mozolak lives in the Lake Norman area just north of Charlotte, NC. A member of the clergy of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC), he received his B.A. from Concordia Senior College of Ft. Wayne, IN in 1965 and both the B.D. and M.Div. from Concordia Theological Seminary in 1969 and 1974. He has served parishes in Antwerp and Oberlin, Ohio and also in the Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park. He is the recently retired Pastor Emeritus of St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Scott Township, PA. He writes largely in the areas of liturgy, religious drama and poetry. Writing verse has been a part of his almost daily routine since early high school. In 2012 he began his 22nd volume. The total output of poems now numbers over 3000. Liturgical writings include a full pericopal set of Eucharistic Prayers, poetry for the three year lectionary, offertory and post-communion prayers, several prayer volumes including A Palette of Cries and Prayerphrases and Javelins. He has authored a set of children's stories, Tales from the Slovak Within. He may be contacted using the email link above under "About Me-- View Complete Profile-- Contact Me" or by mail at 14917 Almondell Drive, Huntersville, NC, 28078.