Memento Mori: Prayerful Reflections with Lenten Chants & Hymns
Painting: Vantitas, Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts (fl. 1660–1683)
Holy Week is a time of deep reflection. Our prayer is to lead us into ourselves and draw on Christ’s redemptive sufferings for our transgressions for all of history. Salvation history pivots on the moments of the Easter Triduum and finds in our hearts, through fasting, abstinence and prayer, a closer connection to Christ in the depths of his humanity, as well as spiritually as the God-Man.
Sacred hymns and chants of the Lenten period are some of the richest music of the liturgical year. Many a sacred musician, myself included, find the music of Holy Week to be our favourite.
Reflecting on the texts of some of the Lenten chant hymns points to self-reflection, to penitence, to spiritual refuge – and as Christ dies on the Cross, our minds and hearts turn to our own death. How do we fare? Are our souls ready? Christ, through His Passion, opened the gates of Heaven, but are we worthy to enter them? Our actions may not have repercussions now, but such texts bring forth thought of our final judgement
Momento Mori – remember, we too will die.
I hope this Holy Week, you can not only listen to some beautiful Lenten chants, but pray with the text in silence, cleaving from it deep and profound prayers, as a greater engagement during this time of fasting and penitence to draw closer to Christ and the sacraments that bring us true life.
ATTENDE DOMINE | LISTEN
Hear us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against thee.
1. To thee, Redeemer, on thy throne of glory:
lift we our weeping eyes in holy pleadings:
listen O Jesu, to our supplications.
2. O Thou chief Cornerstone, Right Hand of the Father:
Way of salvation, Gate of Life Celestial:
cleanse thou our sinful souls from all defilement
3. God, we implore The, in thy glory seated:
bow down and hearken to thy weeping Children
pity and pardon all our grievous trespasses
4. Sins oft committed now we lay before thee:
with true contrition, now no more we veil them:
grant us, Redeemer, loving absolution.
5. Innocent, captive, taken unresisting:
falsely accused, and for us sinners sentenced,
save us, we pray thee, Jesu our Redeemer.
PARCE DOMINE | LISTEN
Refrain: Spare, O Lord, spare Thy people, lest Thou be angry with us forever.
1. Let us bow down before the avenging wrath;
let us weep before the Judge;
let us cry forth in prayer of supplication,
and all fall prostrate in prayer.2. By our sins we have offended thy clemency, O God;
pour out on us thy pardon from on high,
Thou Who dost forgive.3. Offering an acceptable time,
give streams of tears to wash the sacrifice of our heart,
which joyful charity enkindles.4. Hear, thou merciful Creator,
the tearful prayers poured forth during this holy fast of forty days.5. Beloved searcher of hearts,
thou knowest the infirmities of men;
show pardoning grace to those who return to thee.
AUDI BENIGNE CONDITOR | LISTEN
1. O merciful Creator, hear!
To us in pity bow Thine ear:
accept the tearful prayer we raise
in this our fast of forty days.2. Our hearts are open, Lord, to Thee:
Thou knowest our infirmity;
pour out on all who seek Thy face
abundance of Thy pardoning grace3. Our sins are many, this we know;
spare us, good Lord, Thy mercy show;
and for the honor of Thy name
our fainting souls to life reclaim.4. Give us self-control that springs
from discipline of outward things,
that fasting inward secretly
the soul may purely dwell with Thee.5. We pray Thee, Holy Trinity,
one God, unchanging Unity,
that we from this our abstinence
may reap the fruits of penitence. Amen.
