In 2017, Pope Francis established the World Day of the Poor. It's a Sunday set aside in the Catholic liturgical calendar to reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel. This year's theme is "Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor".
Holy Trinity Cathedral Photo: RNZ / Paul Bushnell
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: THE SERVANT SONG
Artist: OCP Session Choir
Words/Music: Richard Gillard
Recording: Journeysongs
Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant too.
We are pilgrims on the journey
We are brothers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ light for you
In the night time of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the the peace you long to hear.
SONG: THE KINGDOM OF GOD
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: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Artist: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury (dir)
Words/Music: Charles Wesley/John Stainer
Recording: Argo 414609
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling;
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesu, thou art all compassion;
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation;
enter every trembling heart.
Come, Almighty, to deliver;
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee:
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
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:
God of the poor
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: GRESFORD
Artist: Black Dyke Band
Music: Robert Saint
Recording: OBRASSO Records 2013
SONG: FATHER OF EVERLASTING GRACE
Artist: St Michael’s Singers, Coventry
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 honor 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,
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Put His arms unfailing round 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 divide you,
God be with you till we meet again.
