You Are a Priest Forever

It's Vianney Sunday tomorrow, and here's a perfect song to pay tribute to our dear priests.  This song was composed by Annie Karto, a Catholic singer-songwriter during the Year of Priests. 

It can be used for an ordination service, or as a special song in honor of priests.

I wrote down a brief organ accompaniment which I have shared below. Feel free to use it and improvise as per your requirements.

Heading to the lyrics:

You are a Priest Forever

Ch:You are a priest forever

Set apart, Holy one.

You are a priest forever

With you I have placed my only son.

1. Your hands hold his Body

In your care, his precious blood

Lift him high, for all the world to see

There can be no greater Love.

2. Intercede for my people

Shepherd their hearts, as my own.

Be my light, to guide their weary souls

Back to my heart, their home

Give it a listen :

Sheet Music : 

You  are a priest forever

Updates

Please take note : I have replaced page 2 of the sheet music for the Gloria - Mass of St. Cecilia.

Everybody, do try singing this tune. It's very simple to learn, easy to remember, beautifully written and totally grows on you!
Follow the link below!


http://mosaicofchurchmelodies.blogspot.in/2014/07/mass-of-st-cecelia-gloria.html

Thank you Lord - Don Moen

This has got to be one of my favorites! Written by a gifted song writer and a wonderful worship leader,  it's Don Moen at his best! This version is simply beautiful.
We sung this at a confirmation mass as the post-communion hymn. Was so heartening to see all those young voices thanking and praising God together. Alternatively, this song would also make for a good recessional hymn, ending mass with a big thanks to the Almighty!

 In the words of Don Moen, take a brief minute and say a 'Thank You to God' for all the blessings that you cannot see!

Sing along with the lyrics :

Thank you Lord - Don Moen

I come before you today
And there's just one thing that I want to say
Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord
For all you've given to me
For all the blessings I can not see
Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord

With a grateful heart, with a song of praise
With an outstreched arm, I will bless your name

Thank you Lord, I just want to thank you Lord
Thank you Lord, I just want to thank you Lord
Thank you Lord

For all you've done in my life
You took my darkness and gave me your light
Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord
You took my sin and my shame,
You took my sickness and healed all my pain
Thank you Lord,Thank you Lord

With a grateful heart, with a song of praise
with an outstretched arm, I will bless your name

Thank you Lord,I just want to thank you Lord
Thank you Lord,I just want to thank you Lord

Thank you Lord,I just want to thank you Lord
Thank you Lord,I just want to thank you Lord

Give it a listen here :

Go right ahead and try it out on your organ! Here's the sheet music :

Sheet Music : Thank You Lord

Hope you enjoyed listening to this hymn! Keep the feedback coming..

Lord I Lift Your Name on High

Trivia! This awesome worship song is written and composed by Rick Founds! For the longest time, I used to think it was by Hill Song or the Maranatha Singers! This worship song is probably one of the most popular praise and worship numbers, that I'm sure must be a favorite of most of you.

I was scouting for an appropriate version to post here and was in a dilemma as to which version I should choose. There's a loud and jumpy rock version by Petra, that I'm sure would go very well with the audience at a gospel rock concert! Then there's the prayerful, musically-rich version by the Maranatha Singers. My personal favorite would  however be the instrumental, karaoke, sing-along, pray-along-with version.

My vision is that this blog should cater to a wide genre of people, young and old, soft-music-lovers and rock-music lovers alike! So there you go, all the three versions to aid you in lifting the Lord's name way up high!

Lyrics :

Lord I Lift Your Name on High

 Lord, I lift Your name on high
Lord, I love to sing Your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us

Ch : You came from heaven to earth
To show the way
From the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high

Give it a listen here :

The first is the prayerful version which can be sung at a mass as a recessional hymn. The next is the gospel-rock version , followed by the Karaoke version to sing along with and pray with. Listen to all of them and choose your pick!

1) Slow version, apt for a church service




2) Gospel-rock version




3) Karaoke version :
You could sing along, singing aloud making it your prayer to the Lord

Mass of St. Cecilia - Gloria

Next in the series of posts on Mass Settings is the "Mass of St. Cecilia" by Estela García-López and Rodolfo López. It is actually written for a bi-lingual assembly, to be sung partly in Spanish and partly in English. St. Cecilia is known as the patron saint of music and in my (humble) opinion, this tune does justice to her!

I recently happened to stumble upon this setting and was immediately drawn to it on account of its simple, catchy and energetic tune!  I changed the tune (albeit very slightly) to make it easier for the kids to sing along.  A requisite for children's hymns is that they should be simple, easy to pick-up and easy to memorize. This tune definitely ticks the boxes for each of those.

I ended up creating a midi version for myself to share with the children as it helps in learning the tune correctly. All you choir animators, feel free to put it to some good use :)

Find below the lyrics, the midi version, the video and sheet music for the same.

Lyrics:

Gloria - Mass of St. Cecilia  

Glory, glory to God, in the highest

And on earth peace to people, people of good will.

 1. We praise you, we bless you, 

 We adore you, we glorify you, 

 We give you thanks, for your gre-at glory, 

Lord God, Heavenly King, 

O God, almighty Father.

Glory, glory to God in the highest,  

And on earth peace to people, to people of good will.

 2. Lord Jesus Christ, Only begotten Son, 

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, 

You take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us; 

You take away the sin of the world, receive our prayer; 

You are seated, at the right hand of the Father, have mercy(3) on us.

Glory, glory to God, in the highest

And on earth peace to people, people of good will.

3. For you alone are the Holy One; 

You alone are the Lord. 

You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, 

With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, the Father. 

Amen

Glory, glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace to people, people of good will.

Here's the midi version : (English translation)
I've put in the English translation for the same. You can sing along with the tune using the sub-titles. If you wish to sing along, make sure you turn on captions and view the video in full screen mode. To hear the bilingual (Spanish-English) version, click on the second video on this page.

Give it a listen here : (Spanish-English version)

Sheet music: (English version)

To buy the sheet music, please click here. It includes choral arrangements, guitar and piano accompaniments etc. for the bilingual (Spanish-English) version.

Below is a minimalistic arrangement that you could use. Pair it with a good beat on the organ, play the right hand accompaniment and you should be good to go!

To save the music, right click the image for the sheet music below, click  "Save As" and download it to a location on your computer.

Mass of St. Cecilia (English) - page 1

Mass of St. Cecilia (English) - page 2

Hope you enjoyed this Gloria taken from mass settings for the "Mass of St. Cecilia". For many other mass settings click here.

Children's Hymns PlayList

For all the children out there!  Here's the entire collection of hymns you could learn/sing/action-dance to! Write to me by leaving a comment if there's any specific hymn/song that you would like to be listed here. Happy listening :)

Here's a quick look at all the children's hymns covered below.

1. All Day Song - Evie Tornquist
2. Alleluia, Give thanks to the risen Lord
3. Come Let Us Sing For Joy
4. Come on and celebrate
5. Cry Of My Heart
6. Jesus I Believe What You Said 
7. Glory Glory Lord
8. Give me Oil in my Lamp
9. He's Got The Whole World
10. This Is The Day - Bob Fitts

Kiddos! Listen to all your favorite gospel songs here :

Bridal Marches PlayList

A collection of the most popular marches/tunes to be used while the bridal entourage enters/exits the church.

Bridal Marches 

1. Mendelssohn's Wedding March 

2. Pachelbel Canon in D

3. Prince of Denmark March

4. The Bridal March

5. The Wedding Song - Ave Maria (Instrumental)

6. Water Music - Handel

Nuptial Hymns Playlist

A quick and easy way to listen to all the nuptial hymns catalogued here! Listen to all the nuptial hymns here and if you need to the music/lyrics any specific wedding hymn/song, click on the links below!

Nuptial Hymns : (To be sung after the exchange of rings/Lighting of the Unity candle)

1.Each for the Other
2. I Accept You

3. The Glory of Love

4. The Marriage Prayer

5. The Wedding Song

6. This Is The Day
7. We Celebrate your Love

8. Wherever you go (Song of Ruth)

9. With This Ring

Mass Settings : Revised Mass of Creation

Next in the series of different arrangements for Mass Settings, is the Revised Mass of Creation by Marty Haugen based on the New Roman Missal. It includes the Gloria, Acclamation, Holy Holy, Mystery of Faith, Amen and Lamb of God.
This is the prefect if you wish to have a solemn mass setting. The S-A-T-B voices make for some truly harmonious melodies. I encourage you to go through the entire choral arrangement for this one.I will post that soon.


Click on each of the links below to take you to a detailed post on each section of the mass, comprising of the  audio and the lyrics pertaining to it. If you wish to listen to the settings for the entire mass, click on the video below. For the lyrics though, you would have to navigate to the particular post.

Revised Mass of Creation ( Marty Haugen)

Gloria

 Acclamation

Holy Holy
Amen

Proclamation - We proclaim

Proclamation - When we eat

Proclamation - Save us Saviour

Lamb of God

You can listen to the entire mass here :

Downloads :

You can download the sheet music for the entire choral arrangement here :
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/mass-of-creation-choral-accompaniment-edition-sheet-music/19515255??aff_id=490947

Mass of Creation - Lamb of God

Coming to my favourite part of the mass, from this setting! The "Lamb of God" from the "Mass of Creation" by Marty Haugen. A simple tune, with a haunting harmony. Pay attention to the alto harmony for this one. It's truly enchanting!

Here are the lyrics :

Mass of Creation - Lamb of God

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world

Have mercy on us (2)

Lamb of Go , you take away the sins of the world

Have mercy on us (2)

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world 

Grant us your peace

Give it a listen here : 

Mass of Creation - Proclamation/Mystery of Faith (Save us Saviour)

Next in line, in the series of posts on Mass Settings for the "Mass of Creation" by Marty Haugen is the Proclamation - Save us Saviour. A sombre tune which perfectly supplements the other parts of the mass.

Here are the lyrics:

Save us Saviour

Save us Saviour of the world

For by your cross and resurrection 

You have set us free (2)

Give it a listen here :

Mass of Creation - Proclamation (When we eat)

Next in the series of posts on the Mass of Creation by Marty Haugen, is the "Proclamation - When we eat". A nice solemn melody accompanying the proclamation.
Find the audio and the lyrics below.

Lyrics :

When we eat this bread

When we eat this bread and drink this cup

 We proclaim your death, Oh Lord

Until you come again

Give it a listen here : 

Mass of Creation - Amen

Continuing with the series of posts on the mass settings for the "Revised Mass of Creation" by Marty Haugen is this post, which covers the audio and the video for the great "Amen". It's quite a simple melody , sounds wonderful if you sing the S-A-T-B harmonies! Do give it a try.

Here are the lyrics :

Mass of Creation - Amen

Amen (3),

Amen (3)

Listen to the tune here :

Mass of Creation - The Mystery of Faith/Proclamation

Next in line in the series of posts on the "Mass of Creation" by Marty Haugen,  is the Proclamation/Mystery of faith. Below is the audio and the lyrics to "We proclaim your death ". Stay tuned for the next posts in this series for the tunes to "Save us Saviour" and "When we eat this bread".

Lyrics : 

Mass of Creation - We proclaim your death 

We proclaim your death, Oh lord

And profess your resurrection

Until you come again (2)

Give it a listen here :

Mass of Creation - Holy Holy

A hymn of praise, the "Holy Holy" taken from the Mass of Creation, by Marty Haugen.
If you ever sing this, do try it out with the S-A-T-B voices. Its got an awesome tune and an awesome sound!

Here are the lyrics :

Holy, Holy

Holy(3), Lord God of Hosts

Heaven and earth are full of your glory

Hosanna in the highest

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord

Hosanna in the highest(2)

Give it a listen here :

Mass of Creation - Alleluia/Acclamation

Continuing the series of posts on mass settings based on the New Roman Missal, this is the second post in the series for the "Mass of Creation" mass settings, composed by Marty Haugen. Below is the Acclamation to be sung during Ordinary Time.
Personally, I find this setting apt for a mass where the crowd includes mostly the  religious and clergy. I would say it is fit for an ordination mass or a mass where a nun takes her final vows!

Here are the lyrics: 

Alleluia/Acclamation - Mass of Creation
Alleluia (4)

Alleluia (4)

Open our hearts Oh Lord,

To listen to the words of your Son

Alleluia (4)

Alleluia (4)

Give it a listen here :

Gloria - Mass of Creation

I love the arrangement of the Gloria from this setting. The harmonies are so well written that it indeed takes the mass to an altogether different level. This Gloria takes a bit of effort to master, in terms of getting each of the voices right. However, the end result is worth every bit of effort and is very rewarding. We've sung it a quite a few times now and it has slowly but surely turned into one of our favourites. Give it a listen soon, you may just add it to your list of favourites too!


Here are the lyrics :

Gloria - Revised Mass of Creation 

Glory to God in the highest

And on earth peace to people of good will. 

 1. We praise you, we bless you, 

 We adore you, we glorify you, 

 We give you thanks for your great glory, 

Lord God, Heavenly King, 

O God, almighty Father.

Glory to God in the highest

And on earth peace to people of good will. 

2. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, 

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, 

You take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us; 

You take away the sin of the world, receive our prayer; 

You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. 

Glory to God in the highest

And on earth peace to people of good will. 

3. For you alone are the Holy One; 

You alone are the Lord. 

You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, 

With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, the Father. 

Amen 

Glory to God in the highest

And on earth peace to people of good will.

Give it a listen here :

Mass Settings : Mass of Light

Starting today, I am going to be posting an entire series of the different arrangements of the Mass Settings, based on the New Roman Missal.

Each of these would include the Gloria, Gospel and Lenten Acclamation, Holy Holy, Memorial Acclamations, Amen and Lamb of God.

I've been scouting for easy-to-learn, easy - to- teach mass settings based on the New Roman Missal over the last year. All those will find a mention here! I hope this would aid the choir animators world-wide! If you have some other versions in mind that I could include here( perhaps even your own composition), do write to me here.

To start the series, here's the "Mass of Light" composed by David Haas.

Click on each of the links below to take you to a detailed post on each section of the mass, comprising of the  audio and the lyrics pertaining to it. If you wish to listen to the settings for the entire mass, click on the video below. For the lyrics though, you would have to navigate to the particular post.

Mass Settings - Mass of Light ( David Haas )

Gloria

 Ordinary Time Acclamation

Lenten Time Acclamation

Holy Holy

Proclamation - We proclaim

Proclamation - When we eat

Proclamation - Save us savior

Lamb of God

You can listen to the entire mass here : 

Mass of Light - Lamb of God

This is the last post in the series of posts covering the Mass of Light by David Haas. Below is the audio and the lyrics for the Lamb of God. A very soothing tune, it would be ideal to have a violinist play the entire melody line, with a light piano accompaniment before you get the congregation to join in. It is a must-hear, must-adopt, must-sing tune! This is an ideal example of what church music is all about !

Here are the lyrics :

Mass of Light - Lamb of God 

Lamb of God, you take away, 

The sins of the world

Have mercy on us (2)

Lamb of God, you take away, 

The sins of the world, 

Have mercy on us(2)

Lamb of God, you take away,

The sins of the world, 

Grant us peace

Give it a listen here:

Mass of Light - Proclamation (Save us savior)

This is the last post in the series of posts, enlisting the proclamations included in the "Mass of Light".
This arrangement is by David Haas. Stay tuned for the Lamb of God coming up in the next post!

Here are the lyrics:

Proclamation - Mass of Light

 

The Mystery of Faith

 

Save us savior of the world
Lord by your cross and resurrection
You have set us free (3)

Give it a listen here: 

Mass of Light - Proclamation (When we eat)

Continuing with the series of posts on the mass settings for the Mass of Light (David Haas), this is the second proclamation from the same collection.

Here are the lyrics :

Proclamation - When we eat this bread 

The mystery of faith
When we eat this bread and drink this cup
We proclaim your death Oh lord
Until you come (3) again

Give it a listen here :

Mass of Light - Proclamation (We proclaim your death.. )

Continuing with the series of posts on the mass settings for the "Mass of Light", this is one of the settings for "Proclamation" from the same collection. The other two will follow in the coming posts.

Here are the lyrics:

Proclamation - We Proclaim..

The mystery of faith
We proclaim your death Oh Lord
And profess you resurrection
Until you come (3) again

Give it a listen here: 

Mass of Light - Holy Holy

This is the next post in the series of posts for the mass settings based on the New Roman Missal.
Below is the "Holy Holy" taken from the "Mass of Light" composed by David Haas.

Here are the lyrics :

Mass of Light - Holy Holy

Holy, Holy
Holy Lord, God of Hosts
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the highest(3)

Give it a listen here : 

Mass of Light - Lenten Time Acclamation

This post is the third post covering Mass Settings for the "Mass of Light" by David Haas.
Below is the audio and the lyrics for the Lenten Acclamation/Alleluia.

Here are the lyrics :

Mass of Light - Acclamation (Lenten Time)

Ch : Glory to you, Oh word of God
Lord Jesus Christ (2)

I am the light of the world, says the Lord
Whoever follows me, will have the light of life

Give it a listen here :

Mass of Light - Acclamation/Alleluia ( Ordinary Time)

Continuing the series of posts on mass settings based on the New Roman Missal, this is the second post in the series for the "Mass of Light". Below is the "Alleluia" from the same setting, composed by David Haas to be sung during ordinary time.


Here are the lyrics :

Alleluia (Ordinary Time) 

Mass of Light- David Haas

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia (2)

Speak Lord, your ser-vant is listening

You have the words of everlasting life.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia (2)

Mass Of Light - Gloria

A vibrant, majestic Gloria based on the New Roman Missal.  The arrangement is by David Haas and is a part of the settings for the "Mass Of Light". Stay tuned for an entire series of posts for Mass Settings based on the New Roman Missal!
The tune is quite repetitive, so  I'd classify it as a must learn,easy-to-pick-up Gloria. I am going to attempt teaching the kids from the children's choir the same!
The tune is rich and has a truly majestic aura about it. It would be a good choice for nuptial masses. The tune being easy, it wouldn't take much effort for the congregation to join in at the verses.

Here are the lyrics : 

Gloria - Mass of Light 

Glory to God in the highest,  glory to God

And on earth peace to people, to people of good will. (2)

 We praise you, we bless you, 

 We adore you, we glorify you, 

 We give you thanks for your great glory, 

Lord God, Heavenly King, 

O God, almighty Father.

Glory to God in the highest,  glory to God

And on earth peace to people, to people of good will. 

 Lord Jesus Christ, Only Be-g-ot-ten Son, 

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, 

You take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us; 

You take away the sin of the world, receive our prayer; 

You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. 

Glory to God in the highest,  glory to God

And on earth peace to people, to people of good will. 

For you alone are the Holy One; 

you alone are the Lord. 

You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, 

With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, the Father. 

Amen 

Glory to God in the highest,  glory to God

And on earth peace to people, to people of good will.

Give it a listen here :

All Day Song

This is a wonderful song by Evie Tornquist for children and the young at heart. I heard Evie only very recently. Her voice has a rich tone, and she's an absolute joy to listen to.
I recommend purchasing this album. It's got some truly wonderful hymns from the 80s and all the hymns are easy to sing along with.
You could sing it as a recessional hymn, or at a children's retreat. The kids would love if they have  some actions to go with the words of the song!

Here are the lyrics :

All Day Song

Love him in the morning, when you see the sun arising
Love him in the evening, 'cause he took you through the day
And in the in-between time, when you feel the pressure coming
Remember that he loves you and he promises to stay.  


(Love him) Love him in the morning, when you see the sun arising
(Love him) Love him in the evening, 'cause he took you through the day
(Love him) And in the in between time, when you feel the pressure coming
(Coming) Remember that he loves you and he promises to stay.

When you think you got to worry
'cause it seems the thing you do (Oh yeah)

Remember he ain't in a hurry

He's always got time for you

(Love him) Love him in the morning, when you see the sun arising
(Love him) Love him in the evening, 'cause he took you through the day
(Love him) And in the in between time, when you feel the pressure coming
(Coming) Remember that he loves you and he promises to stay! (3)

Give it a listen here : 

Downloads:

You can download it from iTunes at just Rs. 12/-  or 0.99$.
Click on the image below to download the song directly from iTunes! Happy listening!



If you loved listening to Evie, the album is available for purchase here:

The Spirit and the Bride

This song by Matt Maher talks about the Lord’s great love and how we can always find refuge in Him. It is well suited to be sung during praise and worship sessions or during a gospel rock concert.

Here are the lyrics:

The Spirit and the Bride

For all the thirsty in need of the river
For all the sleeping hearts waking from their slumber
For everyone still standing at the shoreline, come

For all the hurting souls running from their healer
For all the skeptics running from an answer
Let everyone who hears these words say come

For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come

For all the Pharisees, empty on the inside
For all the lovers who spent their love on a lie
For the forgotten, the Father's heart says come

For all the fatherless looking for approval
For all the daughters who've never heard they're beautiful
Let everyone who hears these words say come

For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come
For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come

Amen, amen
Come, Lord Jesus, come again
Until then, until then
Grace and peace be ours, amen
Amen, amen
Come, Lord Jesus, come again
Until then, until then
Grace and peace be ours, amen
Till You come again
Peace be ours, amen
Till You come again
Till You come again

For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come
For the Spirit and the Bride say come
Yeah, the Spirit and the Bride say come

Give it a listen here :



I am sure you will enjoy this one!

Water Music - George Frideric Handel

Another fantastic number to choose whilst the bridal entourage is entering and exiting the church.
This one's called Water Music. A fantastic piece of music, composed by Handel!

Give it a listen here :

This Is The Day

Another Bob Fitts classic, which makes for a perfect entrance hymn!

Here are the lyrics :

This Is The Day

This is the day

That the Lord has made

I will rejoice and celebrate

This is the day

That the Lord has made

I will rejoice

I will rejoice and celebrate

He goes before me

He walks beside me

He lives within me

He's the lover of my soul

He's my defender

He's my provider

His overflowing mercies

Are brand new every day

I will rejoice

I will rejoice and celebrate

I will rejoice

I will rejoice

I will rejoice

Rejoice and celebrate

Give it a listen here :

Cry Of My Heart

Enjoy this awesome song by Terry Butler. A great song expressing your hunger for the Lord. It indeed is the cry of my heart to follow you O Lord!


Here are the lyrics :

Cry Of My Heart

It is the cry of my heart

To follow You

It is the cry of my heart

To be close to You

It is the cry of my heart

To follow all of the days of my life

Teach me Your holy ways oh Lord

So I can walk in Your truth

Teach me Your holy ways oh Lord

And make me wholly devoted to You

Open my eyes so I can see

The wonderful things that You do

Open my heart up more and more

And make it wholly devoted to You

Give it a listen here! 

The version below has got a good groovy beat to it!

God Will Make A Way

A song of hope and trust which serves as a reminder of God's unfailing, unconditional love. It is written by Don Moen.
We were taught this song in school. many years ago, by our wonderful music teacher, Mrs. EP. This song has stayed with me ever since. A song to lift you up when you're feeling low and at other times, remind you of 'His' unfailing love.

Here are the lyrics :

God Will Make A Way

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

Oh, God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me

And rivers in the desert will I see

Heaven and Earth will fade but His Word will still remain

And He will do something new today

Oh, God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me

And rivers in the desert will I see

Heaven and Earth will fade but His Word will still remain

And He will do something new today

Oh, God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way, He will make a way

Give it a listen here :

You could choose this hymn for a funeral mass, to comfort the bereaved members or also at a healing service and a novena mass. It can also be sung as a recessional hymn.

Updates ..

To all the viewers, there are a few useful updates to the site. Please take note.

1) Easy navigability :  

Each post now has a header with links to take you directly to the Audio/Lyrics/Downloads section.

Here's a sample of what you should be looking our for. This is seen in every post, located just below the post's title.

Navigation Links                                

2) Section for Downloads :

Also, look out for the section on Downloads. It's my attempt at encouraging you all to buy original music and support the artists/composers. In the Downloads section, which is available per post and also  on the "Downloads" page, you will be able to "purchase" the audio CD, the sheet music, choral arrangements and the instrumental arrangements.

3) Downloads Page :

Additionally, there's a new page added titled "Downloads".  Here you will find a list of all the hymns arranged alphabetically, with direct links to the e-commerce websites you can purchase the audio CD, sheet music , vocal arrangements and instrumental arrangements.


These changes are made with a view to increase the navigability and the user experience around the site.

Please leave it a comment or an email if you have any other suggestions to improve the site!

A big thank you to all of you!

Table of Plenty

Lyrics >> Audio >> Downloads

This hymn titled "Table of Plenty" is composed by one of my favorite church music composers, Dan Schutte. The hymn has such a chirpy and vibrant vibe to it! It has very meaningful lyrics and a perfectly accompanying melody.
It's been a while now that I've  have been wanting to teach the kids from the children's choir the same. But I've always been skeptical about it, since it's not-so-easy a tune, especially when the choir breaks into voices.

Children's Choir

This year our parish priest gave the Chidren's Choir an opportunity to sing for the Maundy Thursday service. The kids were so very excited and motivated and their excitement rubbed onto me as well! I finally mustered the courage to teach them the hymn.

The trick to conquering a problem , is breaking it into smaller bits, and solving them one at a time and that is exactly what I did. I initially thought I'd have them sing  the chorus in unison, and have a soloist do each of the verses. However, they were so eager to learn, and so enthusiastic about it that they actually sang it exactly as is done in the track  below! What a proud moment that was, to see them so involved in their singing! Above is a picture of the choir, during the practice session just before mass.Thank you E for this picture!

Lyrics :

Here are the lyrics

Table of Plenty 

Ch : Come to the feast of heaven and earth!
Come to the table of plenty!
God will provide for all that we need,
here at the table of plenty.

O come and sit at my table
where saints and sinners are friends.
I wait to welcome the lost and lonely
to share the cup of my love.

O come and eat without money;
come to drink without price.
My feast of gladness will feed your spirit
with faith and fullness of life.

My bread will ever sustain you
through days of sorrow and woe.
My wine will flow like a sea of gladness
to flood the depths of your soul.

Your fields will flower in fullness;
your homes will flourish in peace.
For I, the giver of home and harvest,
will send my rain on the soil.

Audio :

Give it a listen here
 

Download :

If you enjoyed the track, do consider buying it by clicking the download link below.
It comprises links to the audio CD, sheet music, vocal lead sheet, keyboard accompaniment

 DOWNLOAD LINK : Table of Plenty


I hope you liked that track! Please feel free to leave a comment if there is any specific hymn you are looking for. I'll try my best to be of some help!

Litany of Saints - Matt Maher

I must admit the timing of this post is so totally wrong! Easter was over more than a month ago and here I am posting a Litany of Saints.

Two reasons for that :

1 ) The litany is beautiful . I love the tune and the sound of Ora pro nobis. It's my all time favourite litany!

2) The words and the tune transport me back to the 'Kopel'/chappel in Goa.
I still vividly remember everyone from the village gathering for the rosary, an uncle reciting the Laadaein in Latin followed by a wholesome serving of boiled chick peas (chone) mixed with mini neatly cubed coconut pieces and Port wine!

With my nana's passing, I really doubt if we'll ever attend one of those gatherings again. However,  I'm certain those memories will last a life time!

Here are the words :

Litany of Saints 

Saint Michael (Pray for us)

Saint Timothy (Pray for us)

Saint Elizabeth (Pray for us)

Holy Mary (Pray for us)

Ora pro nobis (Ora pro nobis)

Juan Diego (Pray for us)

Katherine Rexal (Pray for us)

Saint Francis (Pray for us)

Saint Lucy (Pray for us)

Ora pro nobis (Ora pro nobis)

Saint Nicholas (Pray for us)

Saint Cecilia (Pray for us)

Saint Joseph (Pray for us)

Saint Gabriel (Pray for us)

Ora pro nobis (Ora pro nobis)

Ora pro nobis (Ora pro nobis)

Give it a listen here. The tune is haunting! It could well serve as a chant.

An Ode to our dearest Nana Emilia!

It's been seven whole days since our beloved Mai/Nana left for her heavenly abode. It's still difficult  to digest the fact that we will never see her, hug her, kiss her, hear her, listen to her, touch her, feel her, pull her leg or have our leg pulled in return! We miss you dearly our dearest Nana. 

Nana at a cousin's wedding!

My sister penned this beautiful eulogy for my Nana's funeral. It was so crisp and complete at the same time, painting a wonderful picture of the person my Nana was! There are such wonderful memories associated with each and every line in this rhyme scheme! 

An Ode to Nana

How do I sum up the life of a person so dear to us,

in words so few,
It indeed is an arduous task,
I'm sure you will agree too.

'Nana' as we fondly called her,
had the energy levels of a teenager.
Within minutes, cook up a fantastic meal she would,
to match no other.

Nana always made it a point to be present for every social event,
be it a rosary,a funeral or a wedding.
and I think, that today,we being present here in such large numbers,
just seems right and fitting.

God-fearing and a devout Catholic,
 She remained till her last day,
Walking her way up the chotti  to the chapel,
 to hear mass every day.

Nana loved the pomp,
She loved the limelight,
A true kantarist to the core she was
and could do without a mike!

Nana loved to dress up well
and be presentable at all times.
She was never too old for a perfume or two.
and built up a solid collection over time.

Nana was a sport 

and loved participating in every event to the tee
She was never shy to sing a song to the crowd or shake a leg or two

 in spite of her hurting knees.

A generous heart she had
and always knew  to only 'give' and 'give'.
Helping people in need was second nature to her
A motto she followed throughout the life she lived.

Nana never held any grudges
and was a forgiving lady.
She mingled with one and all
always on the look-out for the needy.

Nana was a fiercely independent and resourceful  lady
and was always up to something
Gardening was a hobby she thoroughly enjoyed
Her beautiful garden,a witness fine.

A  person with immense positivity,
She radiated the same to others with unfailing regularity.
Her chirpy attitude spoke volumes about her zest for life,
And bother never she did, about life's nitty-gritties.

'Mai' as her  three children would affectionately call her ,
was a caring and devoted mother.
with 'Pai' passing away in 1986,
she worked tirelessly to keep the family always together.

In our younger days, we remember going 'kajini'  with Nana
to get 'kantam' and 'jamuns'.
Our May holidays seemed incomplete without the lovely taste of mangoes from her trees,
That seemed to get over too soon.

She was one of the most unassuming grannies
And with her we had a strange connect.
Share with her anything under the sun we could,
She was indeed 'Nana Gen-next'!

Nana was truly a blessed lady,
to have lived to see her children's grandchildren.
I'm sure she must be looking down on us today with a content heart,
As our lives without her, we begin.

Coincidentally,today happens to be the day Nana and Papa got married
Not too long ago,just 61 years,
Today in heaven, together, they will celebrate their anniversary
and look down on their children with a joyous cheer.

 So, farewell till we meet again,dearest Mai and Nana.
There's no one who can fill up the void  you have created in our lives today.
We will cherish each and every moment we've spent with you

And we miss you dearly already...

 

I am ever grateful to God for giving all of us such a wonderful person who played her role as a daughter, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, a sister ,an aunt, a friend and  a neighbour to the tee!

Heaven Got Another Angel!

True to the words of this song, Heaven indeed got another Angel in the form of Nana. We sung this at Nana's funeral, while we bade a tearful adieu to our most dearest angel !
Here are the lyrics to the song : LYRICS

And for those of you who knew her and also those who didn't , here's a quick look at Nana's obituary note - Obituary Note 

We love you dearest Mai/Nana! Thank you for leaving us with the most wonderful, fun - filled memories we will cherish for a lifetime! Viva Nana!

P.S. This blog on church music, is a dedication to my dearest Nana who was a connoisseur of music, especially the Latin church rites, Goan folk music and other Konkani numbers.