And still he call us (website only)
Jesus once broke bread with Judas,
washed Peter’s feet,
knowing their hearts of betrayal,
lies and deceit.
And still he calls us,
and still he sends.
And still he meets us,
and calls us friends.
Jesus broke bread with Zacchaeus,
called from the tree,
shining a light on his darkness;
setting him free.
Refrain
Jesus broke bread with five thousand,
and more, it’s said.
No one was perfect among them,
yet all were fed!
Refrain
Jesus broke bread at Emmaus
with friends in need;
opened their eyes to the new life:
Risen indeed!
Refrain
Words: © Andrew Murphy
Suggested tune: ‘Stories of Jesus’ (H&P 153)
Metre: 84.84. and refrain
Ideas for use
Ideal for use when younger children are present, this is a hymn in the tradition of “teaching hymns” (cf. hymns by Fanny Alexander Hill e.g. There is a green hill far away, StF 284). It also adds to the relatively small number of hymns in Singing the Faith that re-tell stories from the life of Jesus. (See Jesus' ministry - a gap in Singing the Faith?)
More information
Andrew Murphy notes that the words of the hymn are “deliberately over-simple, but also designed to supplement the teaching or preaching of the stories, where the more in-depth thought and theology takes place”.
For this version, four verses have been selected from an original of seven. These chosen verses focus on moments when Jesus “broke bread” with friends and disciples, while retaining the sense of “full circle” that Andrew creates by beginning in the week of Christ’s passion, and concluding with a story of resurrection. The verses draw on:
John 13: 1-17 (washing Peter's feet, with the presence of Judas emphasised)
Luke 19: 1-10 (Zacchaeus)
Matthew 14: 13-21 (feeding of the 5,000) and in the other gospels
Luke 24: 13-35 (on the road to Emmaus)
Andrew’s original verse 2 is below.
Andrew also deliberately uses an older tune (“Tell me the stories of Jesus”) and says that, when this hymn has been sung, “there is a growing sense of grace and power as we go through the verses with the repeated mantra of the chorus”. He adds that the fact that it is a tune not included in Singing the Faith arguably “strengthens the case to reinvent it for a new generation”.
(Original verse 2)
Jesus shared words with a woman
down by the well.
Love touched the wounds of her past life,
freely she’d tell.
Refrain