“For the Repose of Souls” - a special piece by Father Todd

Hello, all!

I’d like to share an improvisation that just flowed through me tonight while at Bethany House. I had been thinking about so many loved ones who have recently left the Church Militant to join the Church Triumphant – not to mention the many who joined the Church Triumphant in years past. As I sat in the Chapel praying for the repose of their souls, the thought occurred to me that I might offer that prayer in the form of music.

This recording – a pure improvisation in the moment – is the musical prayer that resulted. It combines the African-American spiritual “Going Home” (which was used in the Largo of Dvorak’s “New World Symphony”) and that great hymn of the faith, “For All the Saints”.

In case you would like to see the words, here they are…

“Going Home”

Tune: African-American Spiritual

Going home, going home;
I’m just going home.
Quiet light, some still day;
I’m just going home.

It’s not far, just close by;
through an open door.
Work all done, care laid by;
going to fear no more.

Mother’s there expecting me.
Father’s waiting, too.
Lots of folk gathered there;
all the friends I knew.

All the friends I knew;
I’m going home.
Nothing’s lost, all’s gain.
No more fret nor pain.
No more stumbling on the way.
No more longing for the day.
Going to roam no more.

Morning star lights the way;
restless dream all done.
Shadows gone, break of day;
real life begun.

and

“For All the Saints”

Tune: Sine Nomine

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy Name, O Jesus, be for ever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
and win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

(Continued in comments...)