Top Catholic Songs

Now, here's a favorite Thanksgiving list from Catholic guitarist/worship musician, George Lower. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

Nick Alexander here...

When I was nine years old, I had dropped the chance to be Simon.... from Alvin and the Chipmunks.

My family had just moved to New York City, and my mother took a sales job at Macy's. One of the perks of working there is that, every Thanksgiving, you and your family all had to trudge yourself out of bed at three-o-clock in the morning, head over to a decrepid warehouse, one which had been converted into a huge costuming facility, and get yourselves made up into any number of costumes, to march in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

It was my first time, and I was looking forward to being a clown. We were to march in front of the Muppet bus--the same schoolbus that was in The Muppet Movie. All the muppet characters were inside the bus, looking out, waving to thousands of children on the streets, and millions of viewers in their homes. It was exciting.

But while I waited in line, there was this costume facilitator wandering throughout the lines, calling for anyone to be "Simon". The one who was supposed to be Simon called out sick, and he needed a tall replacement. I happened to have been tall for my age, the perfect height, and so he singled me out. "Wanna be Simon?"

Being my first time, I was confused. I didn't want to separate from my sister, and, well, I was scared. This was uncharted territory. I was trained to be a clown. I could handle being a clown. There were thousands of clowns at this event, and I could smile and be goofy in relative anonymity. But ... a Chipmunk? I'd be the center of attention, (for a little bit), and have to shake hands with tons of children.

The man came to me three times. Three times I refused. I had to be the clown. And to think, for all these years, having memories of being a clown in the parade, I could have been Simon.

So, this Thanksgiving, I thank God for the choices I've faced throughout my life, and the blessings that God had given to me. But many of these same blessings were the result of hard, crazy choices that, had I refused, would never had come again. I've since learned that I have to trust Him, even when presented with a crazy opportunity, knowing that He would be there to bring more blessings from it. Most of my wonderful blessings in life came as a result of trusting God in uncharted territory for me--including converting to the Catholic Church.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody. Give Thanks to our wonderful Lord, who always has a tremendous plan for your lives, a tremendous crazy opportunity that would mix the best of your talents, the uniqueness of your character, with the needs of the community that you live in. Who raises up incredible saints.

And be sure to check out the Thanksgiving related posts on this board.

Gerard Faucheux writes:

By Your Hand is my interpretation of Matthew 6:25-34. After over twenty years of marriage (and just recently leaving my 30's behind) and constant employment with regular raises, I am still amazed that we seem to be doing just as well as when we first started out together. It doesn't seem to matter how much money I make, or how hard I work - we always seem to be making just enough. Sometimes things get tough, usually when I get so wrapped up in trying to handle everything on my own, but when I come to my senses and call out to God, things ALWAYS work out! I feel like God wants to keep me in a place where I know that I need Him as my provider, as my heavenly Father. Why do I forget so often?

Lord, I am SO thankful for the many blessings that You have given us throughout our lives. I had no choice of where or when I would be born. I know that because of You, well, I've got it pretty good. Thank you for being faithful to me, even when I lost my way. I hope that I am being a faithful servant with the gifts that I have been given. Thank you Lord!

By Your Hand
Words and music by Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.

I could work from dawn till dusk, every minute I'm awake
I could work my fingers to the bone
It really doesn't matter how much money I could make
It would never be enough on my own.

By Your hand I am fed
By Your hand I am clothed
By Your hand I am sheltered
By Your hand I'm made whole
Where would I be without You Lord
For by Your hand I am. By Your hand I am.

Think about the birds they neither sow nor reap nor store
Yet we're worth so much more than them.
And think about the lilies they do not spin, they do no chores
But Solomon never dressed as well as them.

So I won't worry about what I eat or wear
I'll just put my trust in You.
I'll seek You first and Your righteousness
'cause that is all I have to do.

Copyright © 2005 Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.

Bob Filoramo has written an exceptional song for Thanksgiving, one which the lyrics really speak for themselves.

ETA: Bob writes: "Thank You Jesus was written for my brother's wedding. My brother had been through some very difficult times and as I considered how God had rescued him, what he had come through and where he was that day, I could think of nothing else to say but "Thank You Jesus"; hence the refrain: What can we say but thank you Jesus?

We often try real hard to praise God eloquently with lots of words and that's great, but sometimes it hits me that all I need to say is Thank You Jesus fro all that you've done for me. That's basically the origin and spirit of the song.

Enjoy:

Thank You Jesus

We are in awe as we behold what You have done.
We stand amazed as we see Your plan unfold.
What can we say, what can we do
To express our gratitude
for revealing Your great power in our lives?

What can we say but "Thank You, Jesus!"
for all that You have done for us?
What can we say but "Thank You, Jesus!"
for all that you have done in our lives?

We once were lost, but now we have been found.
We were dead through our sin but now we live.
Wev'eve been set free by Your blood
By Your precious, saving blood.
Now we're heirs to Heaven, children of God.

We're in Your care and so we do not fear.
Abundant life is all that lies in store;
Life filled with peace, life filled with joy
life that is secure
In the hands of the Almighty, Jesus Christ

Copyright (c) Robert M. Filoramo (ASCAP)

Nick Alexander here...

This is a list of my favorite Thanksgiving songs.

1. Thanks by Ceili Rain
2. Give Thanks to the Lord by John Michael Talbot
3. Thank You Lord by Celeste Zepponi
4. Lead Me Home by Matt Maher
5. Give Thanks to the Lord by John Flynn
6. Thank You Lord by John Grassadonia
7. Ps 118: Give Thanks to the Lord by Songs In His Presence
8. Tithe After Tithe by yours truly
9. Thanks and Praise by John Angotti
10. Thanksgiving Prayer by Bobbie Fisher
11. Give Thanks to the Lord by Tom Booth
12. Psalm 118 (Give Thanks to the Lord) by Joe Hand

There were a number of artists that are not on iTunes yet, that I would have liked to have added. John Polce has an excellent song called Thank You Lord. Ed Becker, off his "What Precious Love" CD, has a wonderfully infectious Thank You Jesus. Mike Harrison has a very nice rendition of Give Thanks to the Lord. And I really would have preferred to have used John Michael Talbot's Lord, It Is Good, which is currently not recorded. (Fifty albums in, yet this is not recorded... interesting).

I'm sure there is a number of people who would wonder how many renditions of Psalm 118 one would want in a playlist, but I assure you, listening to all these different renditions really drive home the thankfulness we ought to give Almighty God, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Friend. It's truly powerful.

Sean Clive writes:

Thanksgiving Songs and thoughts...

1. Easter Song by Glad - Thanks be to God for the Resurrection!
2. Artist by Ben Calhoun - Thanks be to God for His creation - for creating us and loving us and holding us in being!
3. Remember Me by Sean Clive - Thanks be to God for the true "Thanksgiving" = the Eucharist
4. Thy Kingdom Come by Joel Stein - Thanks be to God for those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith that we may stand on their shoulders to get a better view of the Glory of God!
5. If God Was Chocolate by Ceili Rain - (I'm a Chocaholic) - Thanks be to God for calling us to His table to feast on the Bread of Life!
6. Breathe On Me, Breath of God by Glad - Thanks be to God for breathing His life into us!
7. Breathe In Me by Critical Mass - Thanks be to God for forming us and shaping us so that we might know Him!
8. Now You Come to Me by Kitty Cleveland - Thanks be to God for His Mercy and Forgiveness and His desire to bring us to Him! I have never heard such beauty!
9. Lead Me Home by Matt Maher - Thanks be to God for the Cross, the Perfect Sacrifice...!
10. Our God Is Here by Chris Muglia - Thanks be to God for the Church, the Mass, the people His Son has claimed, for living among us and dying for us!
11. Turn Around Slowly by David Kauffman - Thanks be to God for our families and our children - born and unborn!
12. We Have Come by Steve Angrisano - Thanks be to God for the Eternal Feast of Heaven!
13. Amen by Take 6 - Thanks be to God for His love!

Thanksgiving is coming up in a week. If you were to choose your favorite songs that offer Thanks to God, what will they be?