1 Forth in the peace of Christ we go;
Christ to the world with joy we bring;
Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips,
Christ in our hearts, the world's true King.
2 King of our hearts, Christ makes us kings;
kingship with him his servants gain;
with Christ, the Servant-Lord of all,
Christ's world we serve to share Christ's reign.
3 Priests of the world, Christ sends us forth
the world of time to consecrate,
the world of sin by grace to heal,
Christ's world in Christ to re-create.
4 Christ's are our lips, his word we speak;
prophets are we whose deeds proclaim
Christ's truth in love, that we may be
Christ in the world, to spread Christ's name.
5 We are the church; Christ bids us show
that in his church all nations find
their hearth and home, where Christ restores
true peace, true love, to all mankind.
Source: CPWI Hymnal #307
First Line: | Forth in the peace of Christ we go |
Title: | Forth in the Peace of Christ We Go |
Author: | James Quinn |
Meter: | 8.8.8.8 |
Language: | English |
Copyright: | © 1969, 1987 James Quinn, published by OCP Publications Inc. |
Scripture References:
st. 3-4 = 1 Pet. 2:9
Irish Jesuit James Quinn (PHH 220) wrote the text to this hymn in Edinburgh, Scotland, as poetic commentary on sections of Vatican II‘s "Constitution on the Church" (chap. IV, see. 34-36; and chap. I, see. 1). The text was first published in Quinn's New Hymns for All Seasons (1969).
"Forth in the Peace of Christ We Go" emphasizes our responsibility as Christians to spread the gospel: we go to the world preaching Christ with joy (st. 1); we go as kings to show our servanthood to the King and to all people (st. 2); we go as priests to minister with the message of God's healing grace (st. 3); we go as prophets to speak his word (st. 4); we go as the church to bring Christ's peace and love (st. 5).
Liturgical Use:
As a dismissal or recessional hymn; in conjunction with sermons on "prophet, priest, and king"; at high festivals of the church.
--Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1988