Sing of Mary

Sing of Mary, pure and lowly,
Virgin mother undefiled,
Sing of God's own Son most holy,
Who became her little child.
Fairest child of fairest mother,
God the Lord who came to earth,
Word made flesh, our very brother,
Takes our nature by his birth.

Sing of Jesus, son of Mary,
In the home at Nazareth.
Toil and labour cannot weary
Love enduring unto death.
Constant was the love he gave her,
Though he went forth from her side,
Forth to preach, and heal, and suffer,
Till on Calvary he died.

Glory be to God the Father;
Glory be to God the Son;
Glory be to God the Spirit;
Glory to the Three in One.
From the heart of blessed Mary,
From all saints the song ascends,
And the Church the strain reechoes
Unto earth's remotest ends.

Words: Roland F. Palmer (1938)
Music: PLEADING SAVIOR 87.87 D (Christian Lyre, 1830)

Come Down, O Love Divine

Come down, O love divine, seek Thou this soul of mine,
And visit it with Thine own ardor glowing.
O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear,
And kindle it, Thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn, til earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
And let Thy glorious light shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

Let holy charity mine outward vesture be,
And lowliness become mine inner clothing;
True lowliness of heart, which takes the humbler part,
And o’er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing.

And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power of human telling;
For none can guess its grace, till he become the place
Wherein the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling.

Words: Discendi, Amor Santo, by Bianco da Siena, d. 1434; tr. Richard Frederick Littledale (1867)
Music: Down Ampney Meter: 66.11 D, by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Every Time I Feel The Spirit

Refrain:
Every time I feel the spirit
Movin’ in my heart I will pray
Every time I feel the spirit
Movin’ in my heart I will pray

Up on the mountains my Lord spoke
Out of His mouth came fire and smoke
Looked all around me, it looked so fine
I asked the Lord could it be mine (Refrain)

The Jordan river is chilly and cold.
It chills the body but not the soul.
There aint but one train upon this track.
It runs to heaven and then right back (Refrain)

Oh, I have sorrow and I have woe
I have heartaches here below
But while God leads me I’ll never fear
For I know that He is near (Refrain)

Traditional African American Spiritual

Magnifiez avec moi le Seigneur (Magnificat)

Antienne - Magnifiez avec moi le Seigneur , Exaltons tous ensemble son nom.

Versets:

1 - Je bénirai le Seigneur en tout temps. Sa louange sans cesse en ma bouche.

2 - Car c'est en Dieu que mon âme se loue ; Qu'ils jubilent de joie tous les humbles.

3 - Goûtez, voyez comme est bon le Seigneur ; Bienheureux qui en Dieu prend refuge !

4 - Je cherche Dieu : le voici qui répond, Et de toute frayeur me délivre.

5 - Des coeurs brisés le Seigneur Dieu est proche ; De l'angoisse il délivre les humbles.

6 - Au Christ Jésus qui est né de Marie, Rendons gloire et louange éternelles

Texte e musique du Lucien Deiss

See my other blog postings in the Contemporary Catholic series.

Bring Flowers of the Rarest

Bring flowers of the rarest
bring blossoms the fairest,
from garden and woodland and hillside and dale;
our full hearts are swelling,
our glad voices telling
the praise of the loveliest flower of the vale!

Refrain:
O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today!
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.
O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.

Their lady they name thee,
Their mistress proclaim thee,
Ah, grant that thy children on earth be as true
as long as the bowers
are radiant with flowers,
as long as the azure shall keep its bright hue

Sing gaily in chorus;
the bright angels o'er us
re-echo the strains we begin upon earth;
their harps are repeating
the notes of our greeting,
for Mary herself is the cause of our mirth

O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today!
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.
O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.

Spirit of the Living God

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me (2x)
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me
Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me

Composer: Daniel Iverson (1935)

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Tune: ODE TO JOY)

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing(sometimes chanting) bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

Historical Information

Words: Henry van Dyke (1907)
Music: ODE TO JOY 87.87 D (Ludwig van Beethoven)