The readings for Lent have a wonderful rhythm that swings between “you need to repent, you terrible sinner” and “God loves you so incredibly much and will forgive everything.” The Fourth Sunday of Lent is overflowing with God’s abundant love and grace.
While planning music for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, focusing on God’s love and grace is the order of the day, but we don’t want to stray too far from the need for repentance, either. It is only in recognizing his own debasement that the prodigal finally returns to his father.
Music Suggestions for
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Gathering Song:
Amazing Grace
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see.
Responsorial:
Taste and See by Adam Wood
Preparation of the Gifts Song:
Our Father, We Have Wandered
And hidden from Your face;
In foolishness have squandered
Your legacy of grace.
But now, in exile dwelling,
We rise with fear and shame,
As distant but compelling,
We hear You call our name.
Communion Song:
Taste and See
the goodness of the Lord.
Song for Sending Forth:
Jerusalem, My Destiny
Jerusalem, my destiny!
Additional Notes for
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Amazing Grace is the quintessential American hymn, and the perfect expression in our culture of "once was lost, but now am found." It is so well known and loved, that using it as a gathering song is a fantastic way to get a congregation singing. Assuming you don't then do the world's hardest Kyrie, you can keep that momentum going, and keep your people singing and participating throughout the Mass. I encourage you to use the original "wretch" text, instead of the sanitized "and set me free." People know how the song goes. You don't want your anyone in your congregation pulled out of the song with thoughts of "why did they go and do that?" And besides- we are wretches, that's part of the point.
"Our Father We have Wandered" is a wonderful text I found while plumbing the depths of the Gather Comprehensive hymnal. I've never heard it used in Mass by anyone else, but there it is in a very popular hymnal, set to the lovely Passion Choral tune.
If old hymns aren't your thing, or if you know your homilist is preaching on the Epistle, you might want to also look at Iona Community's "Behold, I Make All Things New."