SONGS IN PROGRESS

Set 1:

Songs inspired by Pope Francis' Prayer for the Earth, 2015 Encyclical: Laudato si

YOU EMBRACE THE SMALLEST OF CREATURES

You embrace the smallest of creatures

You embrace the whole universe

Your tenderness knows no end

We, too, rest in your arms.

You embrace the widest of oceans

You embrace the thinnest of hopes

Your tenderness knows no end

We, too, rest in your loving arms.

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

POUR UPON US ALL

Pour upon us all

The power of your love,

That we may be mindful how we walk on this earth.

Pour upon us all

The power of your love

That we may protect every beauty

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

WINE US, DINE US

1: Wine Us. Dine Us

 

Wine us. Dine us.

Intoxicate us all with awe.

Intoxicate us all with awe.

As we discover

the wonder of the universe

 

Wine us. Dine us.

Intoxicate us all with awe.

Intoxicate us all with awe.

as we discover

the wonder of the universe

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

2: Teach Us to Be Filled With Awe

​

Teach us. Teach us

Teach us to be filled with awe.

Teach us to be filled with awe

as we discover 

the wonder of the universe

 

Teach us. Teach us

Teach us to be filled with awe.

Teach us to be filled with awe

as we discover the wonder

of the universe

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

LET NOT THE NEEDY BE FORGOTTEN

Refrain:

Let not the needy be forgotten.

And let not the hope of the poor be stripped away.

 

1 What then is the task for people of faith

   When those who've fled for their lives

   Arrive here doomed to be second class? (Ref)

 

2 Community blossoms when we ensure 

   That all those trampled by greed 

   Are lifted. This is the prophet's call.  (Ref)

 

3 How great the division waiting to heal,

   Estrangement waiting for reuniting:

   Gardens in hope of rain. (Ref)

 

4 The whole of creation, sharing the world 

   Together, forming a single beauty:

   All of us in shalom. (Ref)

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

FILL US WITH PEACE

Fill us with peace. Fill us with peace.

That we may live as sisters and brothers,

Fill us with peace. Fill us with peace.

That we may live harming no one.

​

© 2016 Bret Hesla

FILL US WITH YOUR PEACE

Fill us. Fill us.

Fill us with your peace.

That we may live as sisters and brothers,

Harming no one.

​

© 2016 Bret Hesla

Congregation:

Encourage us, we pray.

    Encourage us, we pray.

Encourage us, we pray.

    Encourage us, we pray.

 

Cantor:

In our struggle for justice.

    In our struggle for peace.

In our struggle for justice.

   In our struggle for peace.

 

On the pathway of healing 

     Healing for all the earth

On the pathway of healing 

    Healing for all the earth

 

Mmmm...

​

© 2016 Bret Hesla

ENCOURAGE US, WE PRAY #1

ENCOURAGE US, WE PRAY #2

Congregation:

Encourage us, we pray.

Encourage us, we pray.

Encourage us, we pray, O God.

 

Cantor:

In our struggle for justice,

   In our struggle for peace,

In our struggle for justice,

Encourage us

In our struggle for healing,

    Healing all the earth.

In our struggle for healing.

Encourage us

In our struggle for wholeness,

In our struggle for love

Mmmmm

​

© 2016 Bret Hesla

Carousel, carousel

A merry-go-round of miracles

Fill us up with wonder at the wonders of the universe.

​

Wow-leluya, Wow-leluya

Wow-leluya, Wow-leluya

Wow.

Halleluya!

​

© 2016 Bret Hesla

CAROUSEL

BRING HEALING TO OUR LIVES

Refrain:

Bring healing to our lives that we protect this earth.

Bring healing to our lives that we protect this earth.

Bring healing to our lives that we protect this earth

    and all its beauty.

 

1. Soften those who only look for gain

    Gain derived by damaging the planet and the poor

    May we see beyond the bottom line

    In these fair meadows,

    In these fair woodlands.

 

2. May we live like we are not alone,

    Knowing how our choices ripple far outside our lives.

    Other creatures also have a home

    In these green pastures, by these still waters.

 

3. Wake us from dominion's siren spell

    Turn us from disrupting all the rhythms that restore

    May we stand in awe and be renewed

    In silent nights. In holy nights.

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

All powerful God

You are present in the whole universe

And in the smallest of your creatures

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

ALL POWERFUL GOD

YOU EMBRACE: Prayer of the Earth Part 1

You embrace with your tenderness

all that exists

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

POUR OUR UPON US:  Prayer of the Earth Part 2 

Pour out upon us

Pour out upon us

the power of your love

​

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

HELP US TO STAND WITH:  Prayer of the Earth Part 3 

Refrain:

Help us to stand with our abandoned and forgotten

brothers and sisters

​

1. Fill us with grace, oh, to claim one another

    Fill us with grace, God of the poor

​

2. Fill us with peace, oh, to live as a family

    Fill us with peace, God of the poor

​

3. Fill us with strength, oh, to struggle for justice

    Fill us with strength, God of the poor

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

BRING HEALING TO OUR LIVES: Prayer of the Earth Part 4

Bring healing to our lives,

sowing beauty, sowing light

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

TEACH US TO DISCOVER: Prayer of the Earth Part 5

1. Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,

    united with every creature

    and thank you, Life among us

​

2. Fill us with a reverent awe and respect

    in wonder for every creature

    and thank you, Life among us

​

3. Gazelles, crows, gorilla and dolphins and dogs

    we bless them all- every creature

    and thank you, Life among us

​

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

FOR JUSTICE, LOVE AND PEACE: Prayer of the Earth Part 6

For justice, love and peace,

give us courage in our struggle

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

Set 2:

Non-Pope Songs

TO BE STEWARDS

Chorus:

To be stewards of creation

To be guardians of our home

We must care as much for ditches 

As for pristine piney woods.

 

1. The atmosphere above us

    The aquifers below

    The pillars of existence stand in peril.

 

2. The great things held in common

    to often now are sold.

    And there's no app that can reverse extinction

 

3. The seeds with wings are waiting

    Jambpacked into the dark.

    They'll fly in glory when the pod cracks open.

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

SNOW-GLOBE WORLD (I'M GLAD THERE ARE PEOPLE)

1. I'm glad there are people who know wild mushrooms 

And don't share their secret locations

I'm glad there are people who net butterflies

Even though I feel bad for the captured 

I'm glad there are people who memorize poems

Like the Cremation of Sam Magee

I sing in praise of the bright colored glitter of 

people that swirl in our snow globe world.

 

2. I'm glad there are people who listen to cars

And know what clicks might signify trouble

I'm glad there are people who run marathons

And spend all of their free time in training

I'm glad there are people who take me to task

When I pretend that I'm not copping out

I sing in praise of the bright colored glitter of 

people that swirl in our snow globe world.

 

3. I'm glad there are people who like to stay home

Reading novels while on the front porch swing

I'm glad there are people who study the past

And wear old funny clothes on the weekends

I'm glad there are people who like to keep books

And make sure that the figures are jake

I sing in praise of the bright colored glitter of 

people that swirl in our snow globe world.

 

4, I'm glad there are people who speak in three tongues

And can help me share tools with my neighbors

I'm glad there are people who're outraged by stuff

That I see in the news then ignore it

I'm glad there are people who go for the pink

when the proper shoe color is brown

I sing in praise of the bright colored glitter of 

people that swirl in our snow globe world.

 

5. I'm glad there are people who think that a bug

Has a worth quite the same as what ours is

I'm glad there are people who get out and spray

So the wedding outside is successful

I'm glad there are people who don't like to read

Who would rather watch movies and dance

I'm so thankful for all of the

Six billion pieces of

Bright colored glitter that

Swirl in this beautiful

Blizzarding, shimmering

Breathtaking, love making

Flickering, magical

Home of a

Snow globe world.

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

ROBED IN GLORY

1. Scientists have seen and heard

    The moment that the universe

    Began in a great exploding fury.

    Waves that have been traveling

    Thirteen billion years to bring

    A hum to our ears, like bushes burning.

 

Chorus: 

    May God grant us all release.

    From small devices set us free

    To see how this world is robed in glory.

    Put my bare feet in the mud.

    This cold and soggy life is good.

    Oh see how this world is robed in glory.

 

2. Female badger won't delay

    Any time she finds a mate to

    Make the exchange and save the union

    Many months inside of her

    Keeps the egg and womb apart

    Until time is right to let them mingle. 

 

3. Dead crow lying on the ground

    Other crows soon gather round

    To voice something deep by squawking loudly

    Watching them place sticks and things

    There beside the fallen bird

    I see all the flow'rs by my father's gravestone 

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

ON THE EIGHTH DAY

Introduction:

They say that way back when God made the world in six short days

And rested on the seventh, 'cause it's Sunday.

But don't you kind of wonder

what happened that next Monday?

Well, let me tell you God got up 

And went right back to work:

 

On the very next morning the eighth day

God made more rocks

On the very next morning the eighth day

God made more rocks

New rocks over here

rocks over there

New rocks coming out everywhere

With absolutly no sign at all

of when this party might be slowing down.

 

9th Day: Germs

10th day: Spiders

11th day: Gravity

12th day: Doughnuts

13th day: Chaos

14th day:  Rules

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

NOW THAT WE'VE SEEN

Now that we've seen what dominion has done

    Let us pray to be members instead.

The good we need do is now largely not done

    And so much of what is isn't good

The lines at the bottom bring few to the top

    While the lines of extinction grow long

Now that we've seen what dominion has done

    Spirit, bring us back humbly to earth.

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

HER SONG SPINS A BLACKNESS

1. Her Song spins a blackness full of stars

    Her Song wakes the wonder in my heart.

    Let every string strum, strum with gratitude

    That Her Song comes spinning all the world

    On this pregnant holy night.

    When Heaven gave a tiny kick

    Inside the belly of the earth

 

2. Her Song swells the apple on the tree.

    Her Song tethers Mary to the babe.

    Let every voice cry, cry with gratitude 

    That Her Song comes swelling all the world

    On this pregnant holy night.

    When Heaven gave a tiny kick

    Inside the belly of the earth

 

3. Her Song weaves the magi with the poor.

    Her Song soothes the fear of letting go.

    Let every horn blow, blow with gratitude 

    That Her Song comes weaving all the world

    On this pregnant holy night.

    When Heaven gave a tiny kick

    Inside the belly of the earth

 

4. Her Song woos the shepherds to the dance.

    Her Song thrums in strangers shaking hands.

    Let every foot jig, jig with gratitude 

    That Her Song comes wooing all the world

    On this pregnant holy night.

    When Heaven gave a tiny kick

    Inside the belly of the earth

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

COME REST FROM YOUR LABORS

1. Hang up your tools

    Put down your pen

    Hand off your work

    Unglove your hands

    The good night awaits

    Come rest from your labors now.

 

2. Lay down your head

    Empty your mind

    All will be still

    All will be fine

    The good night awaits

    Come rest from your labors now.

 

Bridge:

    Oh, let the Brush that paints upon

    The canvas skies with sunset love

    Apply great swaths of scarlet calm

    Upon your setting soul.

 

3. Come softly sing

    Come gently pray

    With thankful hearts

    Let all things fade

    The good night awaits

    Come rest from your labors now.

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

COME AND MAKE THE PEOPLE WHOLE

Whole. Come and make the people whole. 

Come and make the people whole. 

Come and make the people whole. 

 

Heal now the sick society that won't help

the fam'lies needing help to be whole.

Come and make the people whole. 

 

Heal now the broken laws that favor rich folks, 

and block the rising of the poor folks. 

Come and make the people whole. 

 

Heal now the deep infection of white priv'ledge, 

the wound that festers in the in-crowd. 

Come and make the people whole. 

 

Heal now the fear that keeps us all from seeing 

that we are all a single body. 

Come and make the people whole. 

 

Help us to find a room for every person

To find a home for every people

Come and make the people whole. 

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

BE A LOVE SONG

1. Healthy water healthy air

    Healthy wages healthy food

    Healthy body healthy town

    We can make the people whole 

    We are sharing over greed

    We are daycare over drones  

    We are kindness over fear

    We can make the people whole 

 

Refrain:

    Too many workers and fam'lies

    Too many children and elders

    Too many roofers and cleaners

    in silence –no health care, no living wage.

    This world is made by what we sing out for or fail to.

    Be a love song: work to make the people whole. 

 

2. Put your shovel in the soil

    Fill your hand with seeds to sow

    Strike your hoe against the weeds

    We can make the people whole 

    Make a vow to find a way

    Clear a path to better days

    Make it wide enough for all

    We can make the people whole. (Refrain)

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla

ALL THE WATER IN THE WORLD

(no recording yet)

All the water in the world

All the water in the world

Pours down from the heavens 

All the water in the world

All the water in the world

Pours down from the sky

Let's look up now and get our faces wet. Oh,

Let's look up now and get our faces wet

With water, like love pouring down. [get our faces wet] 

With water, like love pouring down.

 

All the water in the world

All the water in the world

Flowing free in the river 

All the water in the world

All the water in the world

Flowing free in the stream

Let's step in now and get our pant legs wet. Oh,

Let's step in now and get our pant legs wet

With water, like love flowing free. [get our pant legs wet] 

With water like love flowing free.

 

All the water in the world

All the water in the world

Welling up in the ocean. 

All the water in the world

All the water in the world

Welling up in the sea. 

Let's stand close now and feel the pounding waves. Oh 

Let's stand close now and feel the pounding waves

Of water, like love welling up. [feel the pounding waves]  

Of water, like love welling up.

 

© 2016 Bret Hesla and Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

​

WE GIVE OURSELVES TO THE EARTH

We give ourselves to the earth

We give ourselves to one another

We give ourselves to the earth and one another

    and find ourselves in ChristC

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

FEEDING EVERYONE

Seeds sown deep in the soil,

Reaching up to the sun.

Harvest full from the fields,

Feeding everyone

Feeding everyone

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan and Bret Hesla 

Refrain:

Shalom, shalom is the table we share

Shalom, shalom is the table we share

​

1. May we eat in such a way that

    all bodies will thrive

​

2. May we farm in such a way that

    all people will thrive

​

3. May we live in such a way that

    this planet will thrive

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan and Bret Hesla

SHALOM IS THE TABLE WE SHARE

Refrain:

We love this world

We love this world

You made them all, both large and small

We love this world

​

1. Swimming in the sea, creeping on the ground

    Flying in the air, sea monsters playing

​

2. Jumping like a frog, sleeping like a sloth

    Roaring like a dino, sea monsters playing

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

WE LOVE THIS WORLD: Psalm 104

FOR THIS RARE GOOD FOOD: A Mealtime Prayer

For this rare good food,

    for this rare good drink,

We give thanks to God

    and the earth that sings.

May we share the blessing of this life

Amen.

 

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

BROTHER SISTER CREATURES

1. Huge and tiny beings,

        each one part of our family

    Hearing, smelling, seeing,

        each one part of our family

​

Refrain:

Brother, sister creatures of the ground

Brother, sister creatures of the sea

Brother, sister creatures of the air

Oh, I love my brother, sister creatures

​

2. Loud and quiet beings,

        each one part of our family

    Moving, touching, feeling,

        each one part of our family

​

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan

ALL WE WANT IS JUSTICE: A Bodhisattva Chant

Refrain:

All we want is justice

All we want is liberation

Til every person's safe to breathe

    To live and thrive in peace

All we want is justice

All we want is liberation

​

1. God, I have this hope

        that understanding can heal

God, I have this hope

        that peace is possible

​

2. God, I have this dream

        We're guarding one another

God, I have this dream

        That world is possible

​

3. God, I have this call

        I'm hungry but cannot eat

God, my heart is sick

        til all are freed

​

© 2016 Richard Bruxvoort Colligan and Yang Jia Lian