Recordings » Borne by Grace (1998)
Title: Borne by Grace: Songs of Contemplation and Praise
Artist: Kathleen Deignan, Anima Schola
Year: 1998
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Musician(s): Gina Sader-Rubenstein, Gregory Hauck, Greta Sibley, Kathleen Deignan, Marion Najamy, Mary Anne McFadden
This album is collection of some of Sister Kathleen’s favorite prayers, poems, psalms, and biblical prophecies that have come to her as songs of wonder and thanksgiving. They are ecstatic hymns of praise in response to the mystery and mercy of being “borne by the grace of the Spirit.” The lyricism of these compositions is enriched by the musical ensemble Anima Schola and the orchestration of guest keyboardist Paul Avgerinos.
-Kathleen Deignan, CND
“Borne by grace, we are drawn toward the discovery of our original nature, and with it, our true birthright and our inheritance. Borne along by grace, we find ourselves on the path to our real homeland, inspired to sing in our mother-tongue ecstatic hymns of thanksgiving and praise. These are songs that have welled up within me, in response to the mystery and mercy of such blessing.”
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Track |
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Lyrics |
| 01. |
Before We Speak |
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| 02. |
Borne By Grace |
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| 03. |
Song of the Ransomed |
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| 04. |
Lovely Love |
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| 05. |
Arise, Shine Out |
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| 06. |
Psalm of Thanksgiving |
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| 07. |
Accept, O God, Our Glad Thanksgiving |
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| 08. |
Song of the Pilgrim |
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| 09. |
Let Justice Descend |
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| 10. |
Cry Out for Joy and Gladness |
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| 11. |
Garment of Sorrow |
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| 12. |
Nightsong |
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| 13. |
Beloved City |
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Based on text by Hüub Öosterhuis
(guitar & vocals: Deignan; percussion: Najamy, Sader-Rubenstein; keyboards: Avgerinos)
Before we speak, you’ve already heard us,
you are the only one, our God.
Before we go to you, you’re already near us,
in us and above us, eternal and unseen.
You live in us, you, the only one, our God.
We love you, for you dare to be with us here.
We thank you, God, for you care for us.
People are not too lowly for you.
What would be left of your covenant with us
if there were no justice here upon earth?
We remind you again of your great acts of love,
of the word you once gave unto us, your Holy One.
Show to us, God, if only for this time,
that what we desire can really come true.
And though we may die, we shall be born again,
that it can happen again and again.
Peace upon earth, justice be done,
fear be allayed, hunger appeased.
Bread to be broken, joy to be shared,
this is our hope for now and for always.
Based on “Prayer to the Divine Tutor” Clement of Alexandria
(guitar & vocals: Deignan; keyboards: Avgerinos)
May we live in the peace that comes from you.
May we journey toward your city,
borne by the grace of your Spirit.
Night and day ’til the last day of all
may our praises give you thanks.
All things belong to the Living One
who makes them live as one.
All wisdom and beauty, all justice and good,
belong to you, O God.
Age after age, O sustainer of life,
all glory be to you.
Based on Isaiah 52
(guitar & vocals: Deignan, with Hauck, McFadden, Sibley; percussion: Najamy, Sader-Rubenstein; keyboards: Avgerinos)
Those whom Yahweh has ransomed return.
They come to Zion shouting for joy!
Hope and gladness go with them,
Sorrow and weeping are over.
Praise God! Alleluia! Savior of all humankind.
The Lord is gathering a people.
Praise God! Alleluia! Mountains and heavens exult.
The Lord consoles the afflicted.
Praise God! Alleluia! Zion is singing again.
Music sounds from her ruins.
Praise God! Alleluia! We have been born of God’s love.
On whose hands is carved our name.
Praise God! Alleluia! On every roadway we graze.
Each bare height is our pasture.
Praise God! Alleluia! Who brings us to springs of new life.
The one who loves us is leading us.
Based on 19th century Shaker “Hymn of Love”
(guitar & vocals: Deignan and Hauck; keyboards: Avgerinos)
Love the inward new creation.
Love the glory that it brings.
Love to lay a good foundation
in the line of outward things.
Love a life of true devotion.
Love your lead in outward care.
Love to see all hands in motion.
Love to take your equal share.
Love to love what is beloved.
Love to hate what is abhorred.
Love all earnest souls that covet
lovely love and its reward.
Love repays the lovely lover
and in lovely ranks above.
Lovely love shall live forever,
loving lovely loved love.
Based on Isaiah 60: 1 ff.
(guitar & vocals: Deignan; keyboards: Avgerinos)
Arise, shine out, for your light has come
and the glory of Yahweh is rising on you. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Above you Yahweh now rises,
and upon you God’s glory appears.
The nations come unto your light,
and the world to your dawning brightness
Lift up your eyes and look around,
your people are gathering about you.
Your sons return from far away,
and your daughters are tenderly carried.
Based on Psalm 116 (guitar & vocals: Deignan, with McFadden, Sibley;
keyboards: Avgerinos)
How shall I make a return to you, Lord,
for all the good you have done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and call on the name of the Lord.
Your justice and your mercy, Lord,
reveal to me your tender heart.
You take the side of the simple ones.
You save me in my time of need.
My soul return unto your rest,
the Lord has been so kind to you.
No longer tears to blind your eyes;
no longer ways to make you fall.
I love you, Lord, for you hear my cry;
you bend to listen when I call.
The fear of death kept my freedom bound.
I cried your name—you rescued me.
I will to sing my vows to you.
May your whole earth awake and hear,
within the courts of your house,
O Lord, within your heart, Jerusalem.
Based on text by Hüub Öosterhuis
(guitar & vocals: Deignan; keyboards: Avgerinos)
Accept, O God, our glad thanksgiving,
our praise of you whose help is sure.
Your light has risen on the living.
Your love endures forevermore.
O God, you helped me in my sadness.
I called to you, you set me free.
You are my song and my gladness.
And like a friend, stand up for me.
And your right hand is strong to save us.
And your right hand is raised up high.
And I shall sing of all you gave us.
For I shall live, I shall not die.
We sing this song to you, proclaiming
“This is the day which you have made.”
And we rejoice in it, acclaiming
you as our God, so long delayed.
Based on Psalm 84
(guitar & vocals: Deignan, with Sibley; percussion: Najamy, Sader-Rubenstein; keyboards: Avgerinos)
And when they pass through this arid valley,
they change it to a place of running springs.
O, Lord, how I love your dwelling place.
How my heart longs and pines to be
near you.
Even the tiny sparrow finds a home with you there.
And the swallow nests her young in your altars.
O, how happy are they who live in your sight.
How they never cease to sing and to praise you.
Happy the ones finding their strength in you.
The pilgrims whom you lead to the heights.
The valley of the weeper is utterly changed,
when your people fill it with your praises.
Like early rains that come down upon the earth,
and clothed it with your grace and your joy.
Based on Isaiah 40 and 45
(guitar & vocals: Deignan, with Hauck, McFadden, Sibley; percussion: Najamy, Sader-Rubenstein; keyboards: Avgerinos)
Let justice descend, O heavens,
like dew from above.
Like gentle rain let the sky drop it down.
Let earth open up
and salvation bud forth.
Clear a path to the suffering lands,
a highway for our God.
Construct the road for the advent of hope—
a way to bring love near.
Bring low the mountains that bar God’s way,
of pride and greed and power.
Greet the poor in their valleys of pain—
build up their weakness.
This is the dawn of the new age, the sun of justice breaks through the night.
Rising in hearts at once wounded and healed—earth’s liberator comes!
Based on text by Hüub Öosterhuis
(guitar & vocals: Deignan; keyboards: Avgerinos)
Cry out for joy and gladness,
singing of salvation, too.
For great in the midst of you is
the Holy One of all the earth.
The Lord is near; God’s word is here—
the new world is at hand.
We give Christ praise, these holy days,
at whose coming we will stand.
Make straight a way for the son of day
that Christ’s coming may be sure.
And turn around so you may be found
with a heart that’s clean and pure.
Christ is our light—who brings us sight,
and counsel and wisdom, too.
The radiant sun, the risen one
who shall make all things new.
Based on Baruch 5: 1–9
(guitar & vocals: Deignan, with Hauck, McFadden, Sibley; percussion: Najamy, Sader-Rubenstein; keyboards: Avgerinos; mandolin: N. Sibley)
Take off your garment of sorrow, O Jerusalem,
and put on forever the beauty of the glory of God.
Robe yourself in the justice
that comes from God.
On your head, the crown of glory
of the Everlasting One.
Your splendor will shine under heaven
in the light of grace.
Your name—the peace born of healing
and the glory of holiness.
All those who’ve suffered the exile
shall come home in time.
Carried by God in mercy
on the everlasting way.
The mountains and valleys before us
shall be made plain
So we may walk in safety
in the presence of our God.
Arise, O city of justice,
now to dwell in peace.
The memory of God shall gather us
in jubilation.
The blessings of earth have been given
as we journey on.
With mercy and justice our escort
as we make our way to God.
Based on Psalm 4
(guitar & vocals: Deignan, with Sibley; percussion: Najamy, Sader-Rubenstein; keyboards: Avgerinos)
Now in peace I lie down.
Now in peace I may fall asleep so quickly.
You alone, O my God, can make me rest secure,
O Yahweh, O Yahweh.
God, guardian of my rights, you answer when I call,
when in trouble, you come to my relief.
Now be good to me and hear my prayer, O Yahweh.
Why shut my heart so long—loving my delusions,
chasing after lies.
I have come to know that you do wonders for the ones you love, O Yahweh.
Now the darkness has come, and I rest upon your heart,
in the stillness of the night,
and make sacrifice of my own soul, O Yahweh.
Based on Sirach 24: 11ff
(guitar & vocals: Deignan, with Hauck, McFadden, Sibley; percussion: Najamy, Sader-Rubenstein; keyboards: Avgerinos)
In the beloved city, we shall come to dwell,
encircled by the people of paradise,
and rooted in the garden of life.
We shall grow tall like the cedar in the
countryside, like the cyprus standing
high upon the hill. And we shall be like
the palm tree that is set by the sea,
like fuscia in the fields growing wild.
We shall grow tall like the maple,
standing strong as oak,
like the fruit tree all abloom in the grove.
And like a garden of spices we shall spread perfume,
give fragrance to the winds all around.
We shall give fruit like the vineyards
with their vines in bloom,
give our lifeblood for the sweet tasting wine.
And we shall drink it together, tasting the power and joy,
our pleasure in the garden of life.
