There are many wonderful hymns for Pentecost, but if we were pressed to choose just one for the day, my money would be on the ninth century Latin hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus". This hymn appears — count them — four times in various translations and paraphrases in our hymnal.

We most often sing this hymn to the translation by John Cosin (1594–1672) found at Hymn 504. This year, however, we are singing these very words in an anthem by American composer Leo Sowerby (1895–1968).

So then, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to sing another translation of this venerable hymn. And we will sing a more recent translation by John Webster Grant (1919–2006) found at Hymn 502.

It is suggested that of the translations in our hymnal, this translation by Grant comes closest to the original Latin, but that it is still a poetic paraphrase.

It captures my attention from the very first stanza:

"O Holy Spirit, by whose breath,
life rises vibrant out of death;
come to create, renew, inspire;
come, kindle in our hearts your fire."

By the way, that word "kindle" is very popular at Pentecost! We will also sing it in Hymn 516 ("Come down, O Love divine") this Sunday.

There are other lovely, unfamiliar (to me, anyway) turns of phrase in Grant's hymn: "burning love" "God's energy," "Flood our dull senses with your light".

At Pentecost especially, I give thanks for the work of the Holy Spirit in our creative endeavors. And all of this music and these varied translations are, I believe, the Spirit at work.

It is my prayer that the Spirit continues to create, renew, and inspire, not just our church music but our entire lives.