David Gawron writes: This one lyric line (the favorite I've ever written) sums the song up:
"The broken shackles of humanity cannot compare at all to what lies ahead."
The song stems from the phrase in the rosary, which prompted me to think, "Hmm... what IS it like at the moment we die?" So the lyrics explore that theme, and all the potential emotions attached to that.
The verses were written rather easily, but I couldn't come up with a chorus, opposite of how I usually write. My housemate at the time (I was in graduate school at the Franciscan University of Steubenville), Jim Moran, had a little tune he'd wander around humming sometimes. He didn't have words for it or or verse ideas, but it was a great tune. It is now the At The Hour chorus, and it works fantastically as a complement to the verses.
The verses are very pensive and melancholy, as we say goodbye to the corporal life we've known. The chorus is supposed to be the angels greeting us as we pass into eternity with our Lord Jesus. An artist created two watercolor paintings to illustrate the lyrics:
At the Hour of Our Death
Words and Music by David Gawron
Click here to listen: soundclick.com/song/4948369
Time stands still from where I lay
I feel my life slippin’ away
The Holy Spirit breathes into me, O Lord
My bruised and battered soul is set free...
Scripture says, "By His wounds we are healed." Are we not His body? Then it could be said that when we expose our wounds to others in a spirit of humility, they too find healing, because in that humility, that truth, they find Jesus hidden within us, in the distressing disguise of the poor.
Deliver Me From Me
Deliver me from me
From this earthly tent, sagged and leaking
Deliver me from me
From this earthen vessel, cracked and dried
Deliver me from me
From this flesh, so weak and worn
Lord, deliver me, from me... into Your Mercy
Into Your Mercy
Into Your Mercy
Into Your Mercy
Lord, deliver me from me... into Your Mercy
...deliver me from me
From this flesh, so weak and worn
Lord, deliver me from me... into Your Mercy | Latin text | An English translation |
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Donna Lee writes:
My song, Whispers From Heaven has helped me in my own healing process. My daughter would have been 22 years old this year. Making the decision to have an abortion when I was 22 years old in 1986 changed my life forever. It is something that I have thought about every day of my life since then. In the beginning of my music ministry I was too afraid to talk about it when I gave my testimony about my return to the Catholic church. It was in Australia at a Marian conference that I was singing at in 1994 where I finally got the courage to talk about it. Ever since then it is hard for me not to share about because God's forgiveness, love and mercy is infinite. My story is too long to tell here. Some of you have heard it. I am such a fan of Divine Mercy and I speak and sing of it wherever I can. My personal journey of forgiveness has been a long one and although I have forgiven myself, and I know that God forgave me and my daughter too--I still can't help but think about what she may have looked like or the woman that should would have become and all the things I missed out on being a mom for the first time. Thank you Jesus for your mercy. You can listen to my song here in its entirity, since itunes only runs 30 seconds of it.Gerard Faucheux writes:
A few years ago, during midnight mass in Brookhaven, Mississippi, a song was played that just kind of settled in my soul. I don't really remember the melody or the words - just the feeling. Something about the dark church and the sound of the guitar and gentle singing just created something that has never left. During one of my long commutes, ideas started coming, comparing the awesomeness of God with the frailty of a little baby and other paradoxes due to Jesus, the son of God, the 2nd person of the blessed trinity, coming to live as one of us, to die as one of us, to die for all of us. Why? For love of us. I still don't understand this love. Even on my best days, I don't deserve this love. Yet while we were sinners, he died for us. (Rom 5:8) Wow! Thank you, Jesus!
I was thrilled (and extremely nervous) to be able to play and sing this song in my home church, St. Joseph's in Paulina, Louisiana a few years ago. A dark church - midnight mass - the sound of guitar and (somewhat) gentle singing - I hope that someone else was touched and changed the way that I was years before.
God Almighty, Little Child Words and music by Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr. God Almighty, little child. King of Kings so meek and mild. Creator of the universe cradled in her arms to nurse. Why did You come? Why leave Your home? Why become a creature so low? You came because You loved, now let us love You. On Your birthday, Jesus, it’s time to recall That You humbled yourself to save one and all. So we sing Glory to God in the Highest And on Earth, peace to all. We lift our voice in Alleluias For You came to save us all, For You came to save us all. Earth creator, on Earth You dwell. Omnipresent, Emmanuel. Unbound by space, unbound by time. Confined by days and trapped by night. Equal to God, but You lived as man, I try, but I cannot understand. Your ways are high above the ways of man... Glory to God in the Highest And on Earth, peace to all. We lift our voice in Alleluias For You came to save us all, For You came to save us all. Copyright © 2005 Gerard C. Faucheux, Sr.Susan Bailey writes:
Wait with Me is based on readings from a book detailing the locutions received by Fr. Don Stefano Gobbi, the founder of the Marian Movement of Priests from the Blessed Mother. In these readings, Mary speaks about her waiting for the Christ Child to be born. I found these readings to be a wonderful way to reflect upon Advent, a beautiful season of joyful expectation that is so overshadowed by the noise and chaos of the commercial Christmas of the world. Written in the first person and arranged and performed in a simple and peaceful manner, you can imagine the Blessed Mother sharing her reflections with you on the coming of Christ Jesus as a baby into the world. This song is available on through iTunes, and is on two albums: Wait with Me: Advent of the Promised Son and Mater Dei. Visit my website to see how you can purchase the albums. You can listen to the song in its entirety here (or here for dial-up users).
Wait with Me based on #462, #484 and #508 of To the Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons by Don Stefano Gobbi Beloved child, enter in this mystery This blessed time as we wait for the Holy Son Come inside of my immaculate heart And wait with me, oh wait for Him to come! Come feel my sigh of expectation The spark of love, the moan of desire As I wait now in labor With a love that burns like fire The nightime comes and darkness swallows The fading light, the end of day And yet His light envelopes me In His ecstasy, His way Prepare your hearts now for this moment In quiet solitude and song And let the tranquil peace of soul Mark the passage of night to dawn