A catalog from Richard Bruxvoort Colligan
Prayers for the Earth:
Singing Our Resolve (or something like that)
Welcome from Bret Hesla & Richard Bruxvoort Colligan
You're in a secret special vault of a musical/liturgical project in progress. The two of us have worked/played together with these ideas for the last year and are now excited to welcome additional collaborators (you, potentially).
The song cycle seems to be about care for our planet and everything in it. Maybe pieces like these might help us dream about our future, name our fears and hopes, even renew our commitment to sharing our little planet.
We thought of you because we admire your way in the world and know you to be a wildly creative person. Or maybe we picked you out of the phone book at random. You'll never know for sure.
If you don't happen to resonate with any of it or if it's not the right time for you, that's cool, too
Grateful for your goodness in the world,
Bret & Richard
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