Our Father, we have wandered

This is the FIRST in the Lenten Hymn-of-the-Day Project.

It's great to see so many beautiful Lenten PIECES uploaded, but I hope more will join in uploading HYMNS!

I have very little good to say about modern Roman Catholic hymnody. However, this text, which appears in "Ritual Song" is really quite splendid, perhaps because it's "style" is very "traditional".

The "calf and robe and ring" mentioned at the end of verse 2 is making comparison to the celebration given at the return of the prodigal son.

I've played this very "straight," only "filling out" the harmony. Very few "changes" were made, but I did transpose the hymn up one whole step in order to mesh with the Krebs piece posted below.

The organ is heard AT THE GREATEST DISTANCE.

PLEASE HELP OUT WITH THE HYMNS! :-)

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 in fear and shame,
As distant but compelling,
We hear you call our name.

And now at length discerning
The evil that we do,
Behold us, Lord, returning
With hope and trust in you.
In haste you come to meet us
And home rejoicing bring,
In gladness there to greet us
With calf and robe and ring.

O Lord of all the living,
Both banished and restored,
Compassionate, forgiving
And ever loving Lord,
Grant now that our transgressing,
Our faithlessness may cease.
Stretch out your hand in blessing,
In pardon and in peace.

Words, Kevin Nichols (b. 1929)
Music, Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612),
harm. J. S. Bach (1685-1750)