We're marking World Day of the Poor in Hymns on Sunday this week. Established in 2017 by Pope Francis, it's a Sunday set aside to reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel. This year's theme is "You are my hope".
Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER
SONG: CHRIST, BE OUR LIGHT
Artist: Choirs of the Diocese of Leeds
Words/Music: Bernadette Farrell
Recording: Herald HAVPCD 397
Longing for light, we wait in darkness
Longing for truth, we turn to You.
Make us Your own, Your holy people
Light for the world to see.
Refrain:
Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in Your church gathered today.
Longing for peace, our world is troubled
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow'r to save us.
Make us your living voice.
Refrain:
Longing for food, many are hungry
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us Your bread, broken for others
Shared until all are fed.
Refrain:
Many the gift, many the people
Many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another
Making Your kingdom come.
Refrain:
SONG: HOPE IS OUR SONG
Artist: Viva Voce/John Rosser
Words/Music: Shirley Murray/Barry Brinson
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941300
Refrain:
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
Nothing, nothing in all creation
can separate us from the love of God.
This is our faith:
trouble may break us,
grief overtake us,
sickness and death,
this is our creed:
no place so distant
God is not present,
knowing our need,
Refrain:
Powers of our day,
angel and devil,
danger and evil
make their own play;
God's love is sure,
unseen but seeing
heart of our being,
comfort and cure,
Refrain:
Never alone,
though human error,
turmoil or terror
shake every bone,
hope is our song:
hope that is joyous,
born with Christ Jesus,
where we belong,
Refrain:
SONG: THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS JUSTICE AND PEACE
Artist: Taize Community Choir
Words/Music: Jacques Berthier
Recording: Taize 2002
The kingdom of God is justice and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Come, Lord, and open in us the gates of your kingdom.
SONG: BREAD FOR THE WORLD
Artist: St Thomas More Group
Words/Music: Bernadette Farrell
Recording: OCP 1991
Refrain:
Bread for the world
A world of hunger
Wine for all peoples
People who thirst
May we who eat
Be bread for others
May we who drink
Pour out our love
Lord Jesus Christ
You are the bread of life
Broken to reach
And heal the wounds
Of human pain
Where we divide your people
You are waiting there
On bended knee
To wash our feet with endless care
Refrain:
Lord Jesus Christ
You are the wine of peace
Poured into hearts once broken
And where dryness sleeps
Where we are tired and weary
You are waiting there
To be the way which beckons us
Beyond despair
Refrain:
Lord Jesus Christ
You call us to your feast
At which the rich and pow'rful
Have become the least
Where we survive on others
In our human greed
You walk among us
begging for your ev'ry need
Refrain:
SONG: GOD OF THE POOR (BEAUTY FOR BROKENNESS)
Artist: Graham Kendrick
Words/Music: Graham Kendrick
Recording: Integrity Music 2015
Beauty for brokenness
Hope for despair
Lord, in your suffering
This is our prayer
Bread for the children
Justice, joy, peace
Sunrise to sunset
Your kingdom increase!
Shelter for fragile lives
Cures for their ills
Work for the craftsman
Trade for their skills
Land for the dispossessed
Rights for the weak
Voices to plead the cause
Of those who can't speak
Refrain:
Friend of the weak
Give us compassion we pray
Melt our cold hearts
Let tears fall like rain
Come, change our love
From a spark to a flame
Refuge from cruel wars
Havens from fear
Cities for sanctuary
Freedoms to share
Peace to the killing-fields
Scorched earth to green
Christ for the bitterness
His cross for the pain
Refrain:
Rest for the ravaged earth
Oceans and streams
Plundered and poisoned
Our future, our dreams
Lord, end our madness
Carelessness, greed
Make us content with
The things that we need
Refrain:
Lighten our darkness
Breathe on this flame
Until your justice
Burns brightly again
Until the nations
Learn of your ways
Seek your salvation
And bring you their praise
Refrain:
SONG: FATHER OF EVERLASTING GRACE
Artist: St Michael’s Singers of Coventry Cathedral
Words/Music: Charles Wesley/Christopher Norton
Recording: Kingsway KMCD 583
Father of everlasting grace,
Thy goodness and Thy truth we praise,
Thy goodness and Thy truth we prove;
Thou hast, in honour of Thy Son,
The gift unspeakable sent down,
The Spirit of life, and power and love.
Send us the Spirit of Thy Son,
To make the depths of Godhead known,
To make us share the life divine;
Send Him the sprinkled blood to apply,
Send Him our souls to sanctify,
And show and seal us ever Thine.
So shall we pray, and never cease;
So shall we thankfully confess
Thy wisdom, truth, and power, and love;
With joy unspeakable adore,
And bless and praise Thee evermore,
And serve Thee as Thy hosts above:
Till, added to that heavenly choir,
We raise our songs of triumph higher,
And praise Thee in a nobler strain,
Out-soar the first-born seraph’s flight,
And sing, with all our friends in light,
Thy everlasting love to man.
SONG: GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN
Artist: Choir of the Cathedral of St Paul, Wellington, Michael Stewart (dir), Richard Apperley (organ)
Words/Music: Jeremiah Rankin/Ralph Vaughan Williams
Label: RNZ 2020
God be with you till we meet again,
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
’Neath His wings protecting hide you,
Daily manna still provide you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Put His loving arms around you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again;
keep love’s banner floating o’er you,
smite death’s threat’ning wave before you;
God be with you till we meet again.
