Rorate Caeli - Advent Prose

It has been a while since I have posted a song here, so here are two versions of Rorate Caeli which I have prepared. The first is an English setting to the traditional chant (click on the pictures for the full sized version - my apologies for the difference in notation between pages one and two - I did these at different times and haven't had the time to put the difference right) and the second is a metrical paraphrase to a German chorale tune.




HYMN By David Schütz
(Based on the Tune: Wer nun den lieben Gott [Neumark])

Do not be angry, Lord, forever
do not remember how we've sinned.
Your holy city and your temple
where once we praised you, lies in ruin:
Pour down, O heavens, from above,
righteousness, peace, salvation, love.

Like those unclean, we sinned against you;
like faded leaves, we drift away.
Your face is hidden from your people,
our sins have caught us in their sway.
Pour down, O heavens, from above,
righteousness, peace, salvation, love.

“You are my witnesses, my servants;
I chose you that you may believe.
I am the Lord, there’s none beside me;
look to none other power to save.”
Pour down, O heavens, from above,
righteousness, peace, salvation, love.

“O comfort, comfort all my people,
my saving power shall not be slow.
So do not fear, for I will save you;
your scarlet sins shall be like snow.
Pour down, O heavens, from above,
righteousness, peace, salvation, love.

A hymn in honour of St Peter (for 21st Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A)

I had forgotten that I had written this, and only found it today as I was preparing for leading singing at Mass this Sunday. It is very suitable for the Gospel for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) and for any festival of St Peter. Tune: Any 8.7.8.7.8.7.8.7 tune will do, try "Ode to Joy".

1. When the Lord asked his disciples,
“Who do people say I am?”,
they replied, “Some say Elijah,
some a prophet—just a man.”
“But,” he told them, “more important
is the answer you would give.
I now ask you: what do you say?
Speak the faith by which you’d live.”

2. When Saint Peter said to Jesus,
“You’re the Christ, the Son of God!”
he confessed the truth from heaven,
not revealed by flesh and blood.
Then the Lord Christ said to Peter,
“On this Rock I’ll build my church.
God will bind and loose in heaven
what you bind and loose on earth.”

3. For our priests and for our bishops,
and for Benedict, our pope,
let us pray to God the Father,
firm in faith and strong in hope.
Let us take hold of the promise
made by Jesus Christ our Lord:
“Never shall the gates of Hades
overcome the Church of God.”

"Festival of Joy": A Corpus Christi Hymn to a tune by my daughter

My daughter has written a tune which she wants to play at mass. It is a little repetative, but very simple, despite its rather odd metre: 667.667.77.667.



Festival of Joy
A hymn for Corpus Christi
By David Schütz to a tune by Madeline Schütz-Beaton (667.667.77.667)

1. Come, all those who labour!
Come, all who are weary!
Come, find comfort and relief!
Here God welcomes you and
Here God gives salvation
At the table of the Lord.
Here the weary find their rest.
Here the hungry will be fed.

Chorus:
In this heav'nly banquet,
In this marriage feast, yes,
In this festival of joy.

2. Here the angels gather,
Here the saints of heaven
Join the Church of God on earth.
Here God gives his riches,
Here the Fount of Wisdom
Pours his grace for all the world.
Heav'n and earth are joined as one
In the wedding of God's Son. (Chorus)

3. Come, repentant sinners,
Come, all faithful Christians
Take the body of the Lord.
All who thirst for justice,
All who hope for heaven,
Drink the chalice of his blood.
Come, O Lord, our faith renew.
Come and make us one in you. (Chorus)

"When the Spear of Sin and Pride": A hymn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

This is one of the few hymns I have written since becoming Catholic. I used it first at Our Lady's Church in Ringwood where I was music coordinator for several years under the admirable Fr Gregory Pritchard (now in charge of the charred St Joseph's at Chelsea).

The tune is a simple folksong ("Parsley sage rosemary and thyme"--made famous by Simon and Garfunkel). John Bell of the Iona Community is really good at doing this sort of thing. It works well, because the tune is dignified and familiar, but is also fresh in that it hasn't been used for a spiritual song before as far as I know.

I wrote a much longer version of this hymn, which draws on the tradition of the seven sacraments flowing from the side of Christ (Catechism 766, 1225), but I never quite got it right. I will post it when I do.

Tune: Scarborough Fair (Hymns Old and New 485)
7.7.7.7

1. When the spear of sin and pride
forced a wound in Jesus' side,
John saw blood and water flow
from his heart to earth below.

2. Living water, fount of life,
Welling up from deep inside,
Streaming from the throne of the Lamb
Healing every race and land.

3. From his heart flows precious blood,
Filled with life, a saving flood,
Flowing in baptismal streams
Where we wash our garments clean.

© David Schütz

Commentary/Biblical references:
Verse 1: John 19:34 Blood and water from his side, pierced by the spear, wounded by the sin of the world (They shall look upon him whom they have pierced)
Verse 2. Fount of life (John 7:38), Living water, the river of life (Ezekiel 47, Revelation 22:1) flowing from the temple, the city of God, the throne of the lamb, for the healing of the nations.
Verse 3: The elect wash their robes in the blood of Christ and make themselves clean (Rev 7:14) (Rock of Ages: "Foul, I too the fountain fly; wash, me Saviour, or I die.")

Psalms of David: Psalm 90:1-17

Many years ago when I was parish pastor of the Lutheran Churches in Knox, Frankston and Berwick in Melbourne, I tried to get the folk singing psalms by paraphrasing the psalm for the day into metrical hymns to be sung to well known tunes. There is a long tradition of this in reformed Christianity, but it is fairly unknown in the Catholic Church. (In fact, it is prohibited to replace the responsorial psalm used in the liturgy with a paraphrase.) Over the years, I did a fair few of these, and many of them were published in the Lutheran Worship Resources, and every now and again I hear of one of them being sung about the traps.

Anyway, this following hymn is one of the better examples of the genre. It is a popular metre and can be sung to many tunes, including the ever popular "Ode to Joy", but for the best effect, use the Haugen tune I have suggested. Nb. On no account ever use the words that Haugen wrote for this tune. Pure pantheism which has more in common with American Indian spirituality than Christianity.

PSALM 90:1-17 Tune: Haugen's “Song at the Centre”, Gather Australia 399 or As One Voice, Vol. 2, No. 74; otherwise Hyfrydol TIS 233, Friend LH 426, or Austria TIS 93
8.7.8.7D

1. Lord, throughout all generations,
you have been our dwelling place,
long before the birth of mountains,
long before the world was made,
you were God then, now and ever,
everlasting still the same,
but one word returns us mortals
back to dust from whence we came.

2. For a thousand years of history
are as nothing in your sight,
they’re like yesterday now passing,
like an hour in the night;
they are swept away on waking
like a dream at break of day,
they’re like grass that grows in morning,
and in evening fades away.

3. Lord, your angry indignation
has consumed us all with fear,
for our sin and our transgression
by your light has been made clear.
Lord, your wrath has been our burden,
as our short lives pass away.
All our lives are filled with suff’ring,
and our years end with a sigh.

4. We may live for seven decades--
if we’re strong, then maybe eight--
but their span is grief and sorrow
when they’re gone, we fade away.
Yet before your mighty anger,
should we not all be afraid?
So that we might have true wisdom,
teach us how to count our days.

5. Turn, O Lord, and have compassion!
How long will your people wait?
Fill our hunger in the morning
with your steadfast love and grace,
so that we may rise rejoicing
and be glad through all our days.
For as long as we have suffered,
give us joy and happiness.

6. Let the work of your salvation
be made plain in human sight;
show your people and their children
the great splendour of your might.
Let your blessing and your favour
be on us, O Lord our God:
bless our passing small achievements
with your everlasting word.

"Rest me in Jesus" (based on Thomas a Kempis)

This is probably the very first hymn that I ever wrote, more than 25 years ago. In many ways, it remains my favourite. It is a paraphrase of a passage from the "Imitation of Christ" by Thomas a Kempis (III:21).

To be sung to Monksgate (TIS 561)
65.65.6665

1. Above all things my soul
must rest in Jesus.
In everything my soul
must rest in Jesus.
Help me, my loving Lord,
to take you at your word.
Let nothing be preferred
to rest in Jesus.

2. Beyond my body’s health,
rest me in Jesus.
Beyond all earthly wealth,
rest me in Jesus.
Beyond all fame and power,
all honour of the hour,
all passions that devour,
rest me in Jesus.

3. Above all gifts desired,
rest me in Jesus.
Above all hopes inspired,
rest me in Jesus.
Above all promises,
all comforts in distress,
all dreams of happiness,
rest me in Jesus.

4. I cannot be content,
except in Jesus.
Grant me my heart’s intent
to rest in Jesus.
You made us for your will
and we are restless still
in everything until
we rest in Jesus.

© David Schütz

"In the Deserts of this Barren World": A wedding hymn based on John 15

I wrote this for a friend's wedding. There should be more wedding hymns which have profound texts and familiar simple tunes that people who never sing can sing when they come to a wedding.

To be sung to THAXTED by Gustav Holst
15.15.15.15.15.15

1 In the deserts of this barren world
where joys are all postponed,
we would seek to bear the fruit of love
we cannot bear alone.
Though the sands of time are shifting,
we would seek a steadfast way
where our hearts may dwell together,
abide, remain and stay.
And when all life-giving springs and streams
lie empty, dry and drained,
we would seek a new commanding word
to give us life again.

2 There was one who said,
"Abide in me, as I abide in you;
as my Father has shown love to me,
so I have loved you too.
Now I give you my commandment,
as my Father gave to me:
give your lives for one another,
and let your love be free.
And whatever you may ask through me,
he'll give you from above,
so your joy will be complete and you
will bear the fruit of love."

© 2003, David Schütz. You have permission to use this hymn, but please acknowledge me as the author and owner of the words.