A new transfiguration hymn

I enjoy hymn writing, and often find the most useful tactic is to write words which can be sung to a well-known melody. The following hymn was written for the feast of the Transfiguration one year. I sung this to Paul Cooper's remix of 'O little Town of Bethlehem",  but it should fit any (DCM, that is Double Common Metre or 8686 hymn tune). In a more traditional setting I would probably use Kingsfold (I heard the voice of Jesus say).  Most hymn books have a metrical index just inside the rear cover which lists the tunes and their metres. If you have difficulty understanding what these strange numbers (8686, 7777 etc) mean, it is the number of syllables in each line of a tune. e.g. o li-ttle town of beth-le-hem (8 syllables), how still we see thee lie (6 syllables)

The usual rules apply. Feel free to use and tweak if necessary in a worship situation.

Transfigured Christ. Your presence here
Makes faith and sight combine.
Through incandescent clouds of white
God’s blazing Son, You shine.
Now to our feeble human minds 
You’re veiled but not concealed
We see in You the Father’s face
The heart of God revealed.

We partly know, and dimly see, 
As through a mirror’s gaze.
And yet Your words can make a world
And set our lives ablaze.
Our hearts are tinder dry and cold
We walk through sorrow’s night
And yet within our darkest hours 
You say “let there be light”.

Transfigured Christ. We cannot stay 
Upon the mountain peak
When evil screams and claws the earth
You call us “Go and speak.”
Come plant your footsteps in our world
And help us follow too.
To offer healing in Your name.
To all who cry for You.

Sue Wallace 2011
(inspired by John G Whittier’s 
“O love O life”)