Favorite Lenten Songs

[nyj]

I think everyone has their favorite hymns, I know I certainly do. For the Lenten season, my favorite song is "Wondrous Love". I have an album from GIA Publications which is called Wondrous Love and is a compilation of songs written by Marty Haugen (if you sing in a choir with any regularity, you know who he is). On this album is an adaptation of this beautiful tradition american hymn and everytime I hear it, I am moved deeply. I was lucky enough to get our music minister last year to get the ok from our priest to sing this last year (though we sang the version found in the church hymnal). Anyways... here is Marty Haugen's adaptation... feel free to sing along.

Wondrous Love

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of bliss,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul?

The night before the end of his life, of his life,
The night before the end of his life,
The night before the end, my Lord sat with his friends,
and offered them a share in his death and his life;
he offered them a share in his life.

As you have shown the way, let us love, let us love,
As you have shown the way, let us love;
As you have shown the way, so teach us every day,
to simply be the way of your love, of your love,
to simply be the way of your love.

Up from the holy flood, I will rise, I will rise;
Up from the holy flood, I will rise;
Up from the holy flood, the water and the blood,
to praise the living God, I will rise, I will rise,
to praise the living God, I will rise.

And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, I'll sing on;
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on;
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity, I'll sing on, I'll sing on,
and through eternity, I'll sing on.

 

[Avila]

Don't really know of any. I admit that our church attendance has been slacking lately, and we never seem to make it to many masses during Lent. We're working on it, though. I do like Marty Haugen and also Michael Joncas.

 

[Sarah Magdalene]

One of my favorites is the spiritual "Were You There." Always gives me chills. (good ones, mind you!)

 

[filosofer]

Lord Jesus, Think on Me

Lamb of God, Pure and Holy

 

[nyj]

Originally posted by Sarah Magdalene
One of my favorites is the spiritual "Were You There." Always gives me chills. (good ones, mind you!)

I love that song. At the execution vigils here in Oklahoma, that is typically one of the songs we sing.

 

[ZooMom]

I don't guess I know any 'Lenten' songs. Mind you, I only sing in church...and...well...it's best not to dwell on that.

I remember we were singing "40 days and 40 nights" as the recessional hymn last week. I don't know what it wiil be this week.

 

[AngelAmidala]

Originally posted by nyj

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of bliss,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul?

We sing part of this in the contata my church choir is doing this year. It is a really powerful song.

I can't remember the name of it...but there's another hymn we sang part of last year in another contata...and it's also powerful.

See, from His head, His hands, his feet.
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e're such love and sorrow meet?
Or thorns compose so rich a crown.

*shudders* We sang it without piano accompaniment....whoa....gives me goosebumps even thinking about it.

 

[Avila]

I do like "Were You There" and "What Wondrous Love Is This".

I don't know if it is a Lenten hymn, but I looooove "Let All Mortal Flesh Be Silent". Quite humbling and haunting.

 

[AngelAmidala]

*nods* That's a good one as well.

There's lots of good music that can be sung during Lent.

 

[nyj]

Another song I like during the Lenten season is Shepherd Me O God.

Shepherd me O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life.

 

[Wolseley]

Well, y'all know my views on this already, but I'll say:

Anything, so long as it wasn't written by the St. Louis Jesuits.

Palestrina is good.

 

[Avila]

I loooove Palestrina!!! I also like Thomas Tallis (have you heard the Lamentations of Jeremiah? - chills!!!).

 

[Wolseley]

I had a prof in college who asked me once, "What, in your opinion, is the greatest piece of music ever written?"

I instantly replied, "Handel's Messiah."

She blinked and said, "Well, that didn't take long."

And I said, "No, it didn't, did it?"

 

[nyj]

Originally posted by Wolseley
"What, in your opinion, is the greatest piece of music ever written?"

I instantly replied, "Handel's Messiah."

Shubert's "Ave Maria".

 

[Avila]

I can't decide!!!! I love the Messiah. I've sung Schubert's Ave Maria and love it. But, there's all kinds of early music - chants, madrigals, etc. Baroque (all those guys are cool), Classical, Romantic, the list goes on.... Can I just say that I love almost all music, and that I have a favorite for each category (and my categories are incredibly specific )?

 

[AngelAmidala]

Another baroque fan!!!! I love the baroque music period!! It is just such an awesome time of music. My favorite composer is Bach...but others, like Handel, are good as well. I love Handel's Messiah!

 

[HisLamb]

I remember when I was in Catholic grammar school (a looooonnnngggg time ago) we used to sing "O Salutaris Hostia" during lent. I hope I have that spelled right...

I wish I could remember the others now. It'll come to me when I'm asleep tonight...

 

[HisLamb]

NUTZ! I posted that before I remembered to say something else. These Senior Moments are really a pain.

Anyway, one of the more modern (don't look at this, Wolseley) hymns I really love is "We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe". Now I think that's the title...

"We remember how You loved us
to Your death
And yet we celebrate
for You are with us still
And we believe that You will come
in Your Glory, Lord.

We remember, we celebrate, we believe"

That one gets the tears going every time.