Recordings » Stations (1997)

Avoglia; After a prayer of St. Cyprian

It is with you that we journey, O Christ,
And we walk with our steps in your footprints.
It is with you that we journey, O Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ, you are our guide,
Burning flame who lights our path.

Pioneer of salvation, you lead us home,
You draw us towards the Creator.

O Christ the Way, you make the pledge,
That those who seek will find.

O Christ in glory, as you are now,
So the faithful ones shall come to be.

Deignan

Who could believe what we have heard,
and to whom has the power of been revealed?

Like a young plant he grew before us, like a root in desert ground,
Without beauty to attract our eyes, without majesty to be found.
A man of constant sorrows, knowing the taste of pain;
A man to make us hide our eyes - we took no account of him.

Ours were the sufferings he carried, ours the sorrows he bore,
But we thought of him as punished, struck by God, brought low.
Yet he was pierced through for our sins, crushed by the weight
Of our faults - on him lies a burden that brings us peace.
By his wounds we are healed.

By oppression and law he was taken. Would anyone plead his cause?
He was torn away from the living, struck down in death for our faults.
They gave him a grave with the wicked, they gave him a tomb with the rich.
Though he'd done no wrong, they accused him;
though innocent, took his life.

YHWH's been please to crush him, crush him with suffering and pain.
If he offers his life in atonement, He'll see his kindred again.
He will have life forever, and through him God's wish will be done.
His soul's anguish completed,
He'll know the joy of God's beloved one.

Avoglia

O Beautiful One!

Fairest child of all the earth, singular son of godly birth
We look to you with wonder and with love.

No more gracious flower shall grow,
No star more faithful light bestow.
We look to you with wonder and with love.

No tree shall bear such fruit again,
No moon rise pale as you were then.
We look to you with wonder and with love.

Hope and faith can let us see, the beauty of that mournful tree.
We look to you with wonder and with love.

Crucified we sing to you, yes the faithful die to live anew.
We look to you with wonder and with love.

All glory to the holiest: Gardener, Vine and Fruitfulness.
We look to you with wonder and with love.

Deignan

We sing of holy Bethany, refreshment of the Lord,
House of hospitality, where Jesus is loved and served.

We remember, Lord, in Martha, the wild honey of her love,
Her ministry of feeding was your joy.
As she cared for all your needs, Lord, a strength overtook her soul.
Her selfless labor bore the resurrection.

We remember, Lord in Mary, the sweet honey of her love,
Her ministry of presence was your joy.
As she beheld your beauty, Lord, a radiance clothed her face.
Her contemplation saw the resurrection.

We remember, Lord, in Lazarus, the warm table of his love,
His ministry of friendship was your joy.
As he shared with you the simple sign of bread and companionship,
You promised in return the resurrection.

Avoglia
After Psalm 103

Refreshing our strength, renewing our life, you come to us, O God.

As far as the east is from the west,
You remove us from our sin and guilt and fear: Blest are You!

You, the Lord, secure the rights of all,
You reclaim us for the side of the oppressed: Blest are You!

Though we die as flowers in the fields,
You revive us with your everlasting love: Blest are You!

Deignan
Adapted from a prayer from the Carmina Gadelica

Peace between neighbors, peace between kindred,
Peace between lovers: the peace of Christ.
Peace between persons, peace between spouses,
Peace between families: the peace of the love of Christ.

Pax amor Christi, pax amor Christi,
Pax amor Christi, pax amor Christi.

Peace between brothers, peace between sisters,
Peace between friends: the peace of Christ.
Peace between nations, peace between creatures,
Peace between foes: the peace of the love of Christ.

Peace in the north lands, peace in the south lands,
Peace in our world: the peace of Christ.
Peace in the east lands, peace in the south lands,
Peace upon earth: the peace of the love of Christ.

Peace be before us, peace be behind us,
Peace be between us: the peace of Christ
Peace be within us, peace be about us,
Peace all around us: the peace of the love of Christ.

Deignan

Come now, let us be on our way,
Come now, let us go to Jerusalem, for my hour has come.

You my disciples, the new world is with you,
So be wise as the serpent, gentle as the dove.

The bread which I give you is my own life to share:
Receive this broken body; serve it everywhere.

The cup which I offer is the mystery of my love,
The promise of salvation written in my blood.

I shall be with you as you join to share one bread,
Feasting on my Spirit - rising from the dead.

No longer servants, now you are my friends,
Living in my Spirit, the life which never ends.

Avoglia
Adapted from a prayer of Abba Rufus

Your loving will, O Abba, Your loving will be done,
Your loving will, O Abba, be done. Amen

O obedience, salvation of the faithful - O Jesus, obedient unto death.

O obedience, mother of all the virtues - O Jesus, obedient unto death.

O obedience, food of all the saints - O Jesus, obedient unto death.

O obedience, companion of the angels - O Jesus, obedient unto death.

text and tune Deignan
Matt. 3:16-17; Mk. 1:10-11; Lk. 3: 21-22

Filius, Filius Meus, You are my son, my delight,
My son in whom I take pleasure.

Because you love God's word and preach it, you are my son.
Because you walk God's and teach it, you are my son.

Because you thirst for peace is true, you are son.
Because God's dream is lived in you, you are my son.

Because God has anointed you, you are my son.
Because God's Spirit grows in you, you are my son.

Because you hear my song and sing it, you are my son.
Because you taste my joy and bring it, you are my son.

Because you are my flesh and blood, you are my son.
Because you are the gift of love, you are my son.

Avoglia

Remember, O Lord, in the wilderness,
The way our hearts were put to the test.
You came to us, Lord, and you gave us rest,
And called us home to live in your holiness.

I will sing. O God, so that everyone may hear
How you caught me as I fell, how you made my path so clear.

When I cried out: "My God!" - you were there to save my life,
Then you healed all the wounds I had suffered in the strife.

Let us sing to our God who will always be our friend,
Whose holiness will stand even if we fall again.

Avoglia

Now they followed Jesus, now they followed Jesus.

Simon the Cyrenean , who helped him bear the cross.
Women of Jerusalem, lamenting over him.
Two others who were criminals, were led away with him.

Now we follow Jesus, now we follow Jesus.

Our journey in the gospel, Lord, will lead us home to you.
We bear our lives of service, Lord, we bring our love and pain.
Your spirit fills our hearts, O Lord, with thanks and holy power.
All praise to you for leading us in grateful sacrifice.

Avoglia

My people what have I done to you, how have I offended you?
Answer me...

I led you from bondage to freedom,
And you handed me over to your priests.

I opened the sea wide before you,
And you opened my side with a lance.

I bore you up with manna in the desert,
And you struck me down with many stripes.

I gave you saving water from the rock,
And you gave me bitter gall to drink.

I gave you a royal scepter,
And you gave to me a crown thorns.

I raised you to the heights of glory,
And you have raised me high on a cross.

Deignan; Adapted from a hymn by St. Bernard of Clairvaux

O Jesus, joy of loving hearts, O fount of life, O light within,
From the poor bliss that earth imparts,
We turn so hungry to you again.

Your truth unchanged has ever stood,
You save the ones who call on you.
To those who seek you, you are good;
To those who find you, you are everything.

We taste you, O our living bread,
And long to feast upon you still.
We drink of you, O fountainhead,
Our thirsty souls, we beg you fill.

Our restless spirits yearn for you,
where e're our changeful lot is cast.
Glad when your gracious smile we see;
Blest when our faith can hold you fast.

O Jesus, ever stay with us,
Make all our moments calm and bright.
Chase the dark of night away,
Shed on our world your holy light.

Deignan; Adapted from a hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas

Hail Cross, our only hope, our God reigns from a tree!
Hail the Lamb of Sacrifice, whose death has made us free!

Faithful cross, tree alone among all other trees,
Loving nails, loving wood, bear your loving burden.

Soften your branches noble tree, let your hardness give way,
Offering gently your support for the body of the King.

You alone were worthy to bear the victim of all time,
And like the ark gave shelter to a shipwrecked world.

Tree of beauty bathed in splendor of the King's own blood,
Favored tree whose branches held the ransom of the world.

Cross on which life surrendered death and by that death gave life,
His side poured forth a healing stream to was our sins away.

Eternal glory to our Creator, and to our Savior, the Word,
Praise to the Spirit, Counselor, let God be adored!