More precious than all sacred books

More precious than all sacred books
Are you, Lord Christ, the Living Word.
You speak God's life, but who will hear
When we would fight — pride as our sword

........God is our Maker. God is Love.
........God sends us courage from above.


O Saviour, Friend, we must repent,
But who knows how, where to begin?
Open our ears to heed your voice
Before we break your heart again.

........God is our Maker. God is Love.
........God sends us courage from above.


Should we not love as you love us
And drink that Cup which would not pass,
Nail all our wants upon the Cross,
And in you find our needs surpassed?

........God is our Maker. God is Love.
........God sends us courage from above.


Lest idle fears become false gods,
We will trust God, fear no one else;
Return to Christ with every breath
By loving neighbours as ourselves.

........God is our Maker. God is Love.
........God sends us courage from above.


Copyright © 2006 by Vincent Uher
Suggested tunes: Old 113th, alt., St. Catherine, Ryburn (Norman Cocker)

"The Incarnation of the Human Values Necessary to My Life"

A German Catholic priest told that one day he saw a painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary hanging in place of honor in the cabinet of Field Marshal Hindenburg. As the priest did not hide his surprise, Hindenburg (who was a Lutheran) said, "I see in the Blessed Virgin the incarnation of the human values necessary to my life."

It is possible to dream of a better definition of what Mary has brought to the world? To a world completely abandoned to proud egoism, Mary teaches the humility of Bethlehem. To a world dominated by money and greed, she recalls the poverty of Nazareth. To a twisted, dishonest world, she brings truth and simplicity. To a world that gets more and more hardened by hatred every day, she repeats her lessons of gentleness. To an impure and vain world, she offers the testimony of her fertile virginity. To an aged world, she brings her eternal youth.

H. Engelmann
Excerpt from his book I Lost the Faith (J’ai perdu la foi, p.91)

Our Lady of the Sign - The Theotokos Bearing Christ

Click here to see a contemporary icon of "Our Lady of the Sign" that is the official icon of the Archdiocese of Denver in the United States of America. This archdiocese keeps the Feast of Our Lady of the New Advent on December 16th.

Click here. for a beautiful Eastern Orthodox apse containing and ikon of Our Lady of the Sign. Also, an Eastern Orthodox explanation of this ikon is included.

O Christ the King

O Christ the King, the royal banners rise.
Thy Cross, thy standard we raise to the skies,
And hail thee, “Lord!” and bow before thine eyes.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

Transfigured thou upon the mountain’s height
Revealed the glory of the Bridegroom’s face
And showed to them thy purpose and thy Light.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Cross, thy throne where thou wast lifted high
Embracing all the broken world’s dark heart
Till blood and water gushed when pierced was thine.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

Death could not hold thee, nor a tomb contain,
O Love and Life, who now from heav’n dost reign,
The King of kings, the Lord who healeth pain.
Alleluia. Alleluia.

____________________________
Copyright © 2006 by Vincent Uher
This text is sung to the tune Sine Nomine

O Living Lord

______________________________________

On the Occasion of the Birthday of Fr. James T. Moore, Ph.D

O Living Lord,
In thine own Mother thou didst rule and reign.
Nine months her womb all heaven did contain.
Thou heaven’s Lord, within her flesh sustained —
Her blood, thy grain.

Come down from heav’n,
O Bread of Angels by her milk once fed,
For thee we hunger, Thou our Living Bread.
Thy precious Blood to sinners, pray, extend,
O Life without end.

Light of the world,
Star of the morning, Sun of righteousness,
From thy pure Chalice we taste holiness.
By thine own flesh our souls and bodies bless,
Divine Presence.

O Mary’s Son,
Blest be thy Father, Maker of all things.
“Blest be thy Spirit, “ all creation sings.
Blest our redemption! Let all bells now ring
For Christ the King.

____________________________
Copyright © 2006 by Vincent Uher
This may be sung to the tune Ora Labora

Bright torches in the darkest night

Bright torches in the darkest night,
The saints of God as lights yet shine.
Lord, let our witness rise with theirs,
And through their prayers give grace divine.

A dimly burning wick were we,
But now our faith fills with thy fire
For thou art all consuming love —
Thy perfect will our hearts desire.

Unite thy saints through every age
And cleansed from sin lift us above,
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
One God in glory, one in love. Amen.

____________________________
Copyright © 2006 by Vincent Uher
This may be sung to the tune Winchester New

Lo, How She Brings Life With Her

Lo, how she brings Life with her
Concealed beneath her heart,
Eve’s daughter, brave and chosen,
God’s partner to his art.
Her will knit with divine will
Desires his Word be done.
For God she weaves within her
The body of their Son.

Elisabeth her cousin
A child will bring to birth –
God’s answer to her longing,
A prophet for the Earth.
“Peace be with you,” said Mary.
Her cousin’s babe did dance
The merry steps of best man:
The Bridegroom’s here, at last.

Elisabeth cried out then,
“The child within me leapt!
When he heard your sweet greeting,
With joy my baby stepped.”
She spoke full of the Spirit,
With insight from the Lord,
“How is it you come to me
The Mother of my Lord?”

Great Mary, Anna’s child,
A daughter born to Israel,
A virgin undefiled,
She sang out as a woman
Brought up on Hannah’s song,
“O praise, my soul, God’s greatness.
Rejoice, our Lord is strong.”

All ages call her blessed
Just as she once foretold.
Blest is she amongst women,
Her Child blest from of old.
Blest is she who believes God
Who carries God’s true Word.
Her Son both God and human
Fulfils great Gabriel’s word.

Our Saviour, God of mercy,
Remembers Abraham’s fold.
Praise God who casts down tyrants.
Rejoice! Our God is bold.
So sing we with blest Mary
To magnify the Lord
Who raised up his handmaiden.
Oh, holy is the Lord!


Copyright © 2006 by Vincent Uher
This may be sung to the tune Far Off Lands
or to the tune Wie lieblich ist der Maien

Especially for the liturgical observances of the Visitation, Nativity of St. John Baptist, Advent III, Advent IV and for Masses for the Respecting of Life.

At a Wedding Feast in Cana

At a wedding feast in Cana
Jesus, Mary, and their friends
joined to celebrate a marriage-
covenant which on Love depends.
And the party it went on
till the bowls of wine were gone.
Mary nudged her Son Christ Jesus,
urged him to step up and please us.

"Dearest woman, let's have no show.
You know well it's not my time."
Mary smiled and told the servants,
"Follow all his words sublime.
Do whatever he may say.
It's the way he'll save the day."
And the servants did her bidding
and to Jesus all were listening.

Jesus guided all their actions
and turned water into wine.
How amazing this great wonder
his first miracle and sign!
It was not to raise the dead
or to heal as it is said,
but to keep a party going --
this his first and wondrous showing.

Let us hearken then to Mary
and do all that Christ shall say.
Heal the sick and feed the hungry,
love the living of each day.
Walk on water when we must,
make disciples of the lost.
Raise the dead and banish demons.
Preach and teach through all the seasons.

Praise and worship to the Father
Laud and glory to the Son,
For the Holy Spirit muster
songs of joy on every tongue.
With Our Lady walk the way
leading to Christ's glorious day
when the faithful rise to meet him
and rejoicing we will greet him!


Words: Copyright © 1998 by Vincent Uher. All rights reserved.
Music: Genevan Psalm 42 ("Comfort, Comfort, ye my people")
Meter: 87877788

Bread of Salvation

Bread of Salvation
heaven sent to earth,
Chalice of our redemption
and new birth!

Covenants sealed
by blood in ages past
broke we betraying God
whom we loved last.

Yet God's own mercy flowed,
and we must tell —
a chosen daughter
met by God's angel.

'Hail, full of grace!
Your child shall be adored.'
'Here I am,' Mary said,
'to serve the Lord.'

Mary our Mother
gave her very blood
to bring to birth
our Saviour and our God.

Jesus Redeemer,
Mary and God's Son,
dying upon the cross
Salvation won.

Flesh from his Mother,
water and the blood
gushed forth to save us all
for Life in God.

New Covenant
he sealed with his own Blood.
"Remember me
and drink my Cup of Love."

Taste and believe
the goodness of the Lord –
His Body, and his Blood
for you outpoured.


Words: Copyright © 1997-2007 by Vincent Uher. All rights reserved.
Music: Song 46
Meter: 10 10

Song 46 is the only tune for this text. The marriage of words and music is a blessed one that none should put asunder. The words were written while in preparation for the Annunciation, March 25th.

Flight into Egypt - From Egypt Home

Click here for tune.

Lonely travellers from the stable
Out beneath the hard blue sky
Journeying, wandering, hoping, praying
For the safety of their child
While our mother Rachel's weeping
Fills the streets of Bethlehem.
Kyrie eleison.

Warned by angels, moved to save him
Who was born our kind to save,
Joseph leads his holy family
Far from Herod and harm's way.
Mary shielding and consoling
Jesus Christ the Son of God.
Kyrie eleison.

Fleeing from the land of promise
They in Egypt find a home
Strange the workings of God's mercy --
House of bondage now God's throne.
But for sons who all were murdered
Sorrow breaks the House of Bread.
Kyrie eleison.

True the tale of flight and exile.
Out of Egypt comes God's Son.
Angels tell of Herod's dying.
All is ended, all begun.
Jesus will grow up in Nazareth
And the world will all be stunned.
Kyrie eleison.

---

Words: Copyright © 1997 by Vincent Uher. All rights reserved.
Music: Divinum mysterium
Meter: 87 87 87 7

The Galveston Carol

"Glory be to God on high!"
the angels surely sang,
And shepherds in the fields
stood amaz-ed by the sign.
"Go and see God's own Child
with his mother meek and mild.
He's the Lord's own anointed.
He's Christ of whom we sing.
He's your Friend and your Brother and your King!"

Now with haste we go with them,
To David's city blest,
To Bethlehem where Christ is born
As prophets long confessed.
Come and see God's own Child
with his mother meek and mild.
He's the Lord's own anointed.
He's Christ of whom we sing.
He's our Friend and our Brother and our King!

At the crib we bend the knee
Astounded at the sight.
A carpenter who with his wife
presents a boy of Light.
Glory be! God the Child!
See, his virgin mother smiled!
He's the Father's beloved
He's Christ of whom we sing.
He's our Friend and our Brother and our King!

Small and frail and in her arms
we know for us he came.
For common folk he'll die and live
And take us home again.
Hope and joy come to you
And the love of Jesus too!
All our hearts we will give him,
His glory we will sing.
He's our Friend and our Brother and our King!

---

Words: Copyright © 1997 by Vincent Uher. All rights reserved.
Music: The Wassail Song (Here we come a-wassailling among the leaves so green)

Sing of Mary, blest is she!

Sing of Mary, blest is she!
Mother of the Saviour!
"Yes!" said she to Gabriel's plea,
"Yes!" to God forever.
"Yes!" for every woman born.
"Yes!" for every nation.
"Yes!" for all of the unborn.
"Yes!" for all creation.

Sing of Joseph, vexed was he,
Troubled and perplex-ed
Till an angel in a dream
Peace to him directed.
"Take the Virgin as your wife.
Love her baby wholly.
Love the infant as your life.
He's God's Son most holy."

Sing of Jesus, blest is he
In the Lord's Name coming,
Born in great humility
Every person loving,
Prince of Peace and Counsellor--
Wonderful the telling!--
Came to earth to save us all
And to share his blessing.

Mary, Joseph join us now
And all saints in glory
As we tell his love for all
In the sacred story.
Angels, shepherds, and the kings
To Christ's side are running.
Let all people ready now
For his second coming.

Glory be to God on high!
Glory in the highest!
Peace on earth, goodwill to all
From the Lord Most Highest.
Blessings come for everyone,
Graces to God's credit
From the Father with the Son
Through the Holy Spirit.

---

Words: Copyright © 1996-2006 by Vincent Uher. All rights reserved.
Music: Tempus adest floridum (Piae Cantiones)
Meter: 76 76 D