Top Catholic Songs – share, learn, promote

My wife Susan wrote a poem about one of her ancestors Nancy Ward. Susan's Father, born and raised in Amarillo Texas, passed on the story of how a Cherokee maiden entered the Johnson Family tree. The Family had a strong Christian Faith that Nancy received as her own faith in the Good Lord. I made a song out of the poem(ballad)

A reflection on the Good Lord's abiding presence through our past even when we are in any way conscious of His presence and mercy

We must use our, God-given intelligence. to develop HIs creation for the common good in all areas 
of science and technology, The Church( through the Second Vatican Council and in the Catholic Catholic Catechism cautions us about the dangers of utopianism. thinking that we can create a heaven on Earth
without God.
Only from a Catholic (Universal revealed Trut perspective) can we properly handle the evils that confront us, be they ecological, sanitary, social, physical, or moral. For believers recognize that evil, like the weeds that grow up along with the wheat, will always shadow the good in this life. Even when evil’s shadow seems to envelop the good completely, as in the horrors of war and school shootings, rays of good still break through to provide us hope that God, though seemingly absent, reigns – right here, right now.

As we prepare for the solemnity of Our Lady's Immaculate Conception it is good to ponder the great Love God had for Mary in preparing her to become the mother of His beloved divine Son (the new Adam) as well as her becoming the new Eve. It is also good to ponder the great humility and obedience she practiced in the great graces the Good Lord gave her
 LYRICS:

LYRICS:
AM/EM AM            EM   AM/ EM   AM       EM   AM/EM  AM       Em/AM
Lord      have mer cy -  Christ  have mer cy - Lord       have mer cy
In your tender mercy
Dear Lord we implore thee
Listen with favor to our prayer
Offered through our Mother Mary
Heed the sighs of your lowly ones
Who intercede with utter confidence
For all your daughters and sons
Who search for You in shadows
You know our weakness and enemy
how we are deceived so easily 
How our hearts are restless
Hungry for love and purpose

LYRICS
IN JOYFUL HOPE
Intro chords   B - A -E 
B7                             E        A7                                    E
We wait in Joyful Hope in silence and sacred  songs
B7                A7         B7                                                E/A/E
Longing to see you longing for your merciful embrace
B7                                                         E

I wrote this song after the 9/11 attacks. In scripture and throughout salvation history we see the Good Lord permitting certain obvious evils to happen for His own long-term divine salvific purposes. The temptation and fall of Adam and Eve and the rejection/crucifixion of our Divine Savior Jesus - all interactions with the mystery of evil that were permitted in the exercise of our free will and His salvific purpose. Every morning in the Office of Readings we are offered the choice of singing Psalm 67 that  tells of God's loving control of History: (You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).) Here is a section of Psalm 67

O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.

Ant. Come, let us praise the Lord; in him is all our delight.

My wife Susan and I wrote the lyrics. One line states love discriminates truth it conceals is a reference to Jesus concealing His divine personhood to most people until his public ministry, when he gradually revealed His Divine identity.

                                     PSALM 22
 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
 Why are you so far from helping me from the words of my groaning?
 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
  and by night, but find no rest 
    
    Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
     In you our ancestors trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.

A prayer for help to do God"s will realizing the essential need of His grace.

This is like a new psalm. Lyrics:

Now in your kingdom of Peace - We work and pray and daily feast
On you The Word and Living Bread - By which we live and daily fed
Daily you perfect us in your will - how to listen and be still
You teach us what we must do -  to humbly follow you        

The evil one shall not prevail
Your mercy will never fail
For By your cross, we are victorious
For you are God all glorious
We Praise you Lord for our salvation
All you angels, His power proclaim;

A song of Joyful Hope for Christ's coming in the fullness of time.

The TE Deum is an ancient hymn. It is unique in that it is a permanent part of the Divine Office. It is said(sung) at the end of Matins/Vigils/Office of Readings after the final reading and before the closing prayer on Sundays and Holy Days
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.