These chants are ones I’ve been using for many years in progressive Christian worship, interfaith/spiritual life on campus, and many other settings in my career. In some cases I’ve changed the words to make them more compatible with progressive theology. So the words I list here don’t necessarily line up with the versions played online.
- Mira que te mira, mira que te mira, mira que te mira, mira le – (“See that you are seen” – a quote from St Teresa of Avila, 16th c. Spanish mystic) -- LISTEN
- Busca el tu que nunca es tuyo (4x) (Seek the you that is never yours) – Antonio Machado – tune by Jim Burklo
- Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, Bodhi svaha…
(Buddhist Heart Sutra: Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone utterly beyond…) Lots of online versions of this
- Humble thyself in the sight of our God
Humble thyself in the sight of our God
And he/she shall lift you up
Higher and higher
And he/she shall lift you up LISTEN
- O God hear our prayer, O God hear our prayer
When we call, answer us
O God hear our prayer, O God hear our prayer
Come and listen to us.... LISTEN
- What does the Lord require of you?
What does the Lord require of you?
To seek justice, and love mercy, and
walk humbly with our God
To seek justice, and love mercy, and
walk humbly with our God LISTEN
- Ooh, ooh, ooh, adoramus te, Domine LISTEN
- I am sending you light, to heal you, to hold you
I am sending you light, to hold you in love LISTEN
- Jubilate Deo, omnis terra, servite Domino
in leatitia, Allelujia, Allelujia, in leatitita
Allelujia, Allelujia, in leatitia
(Rejoice in God, all the earth
Serve the Lord with gladness) LISTEN
- The river is flowing, flowing and growing
The river is flowing, down to the sea
Mother carry me, your child I will always be
Mother carry me, down to the sea LISTEN
- Come and fill our hearts with your peace
You alone O God are holy
Come and fill our hearts with your peace
Allelujia LISTEN
- Sing allelujia to our God
Sing allelujia to our God
Sing allelujia
Sing allelujia
Sing allelujia to our God..... LISTEN
- Stay with me, remain here with me, watch and pray
Watch and pray (Taize) LISTEN
- One bread, one body
One God of all
One cup of blessing which we bless
And we, though many, throughout the earth
We are one body in this one bread...... (St Louis Jesuits) LISTEN
- Prepare ye the way of our God
Prepare ye the way of our God (Godspell) LISTEN
- Within our darkest night, you kindle the fire
that never dies away, never dies away (Taize) LISTEN
- Bless the Lord, my soul
And bless God's holy name
Bless the Lord, my soul,
Who leads me into life (Taize) LISTEN
- Return again, return again
Return to the land of your soul
Return again, return again,
Return to the land of your soul
Return to who you are
Return to what you are
Return to where you are
Born and reborn again.... (Shlomo Carlebach)
- Ubi caritas, et amor
Ubi caritas, Deus ibi est (Taize)
(Where there is charity, and love, there is God) LISTEN
- Round and round we go
We hold each other’s hands
And weave our lives in a circle
The day begins (or: is done) and the dance goes on LISTEN
- The will of your love, the will of your love
Be done on earth, as it is in heaven.... LISTEN
- Love, love, love, people this is your call
Love your neighbor as yourself for God loves all LISTEN
- Great peace they surely have
Who in our God confide
Who cast on God all care
And in God's love abide..... (Jim Garrison)
- Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And its righteousness, and all these things
Shall be added unto you, allelu, alleluia LISTEN
- Om nama Shiva, Om nama Shiva,
Om nama Shiva, Shiva Om nama.... (Hindu – “I bow to Shiva”)
- Truly this is the house of God
Holy ground
Truly this is the house of God
Holy ground
- Goodbye (or: goodnight), friend of mine
Take your rest
Lay your weary head
Upon your Savior's breast
I love you, but Jesus loves you best
So goodbye, goodbye, goodbye....
- May the blessings of God rest upon you
May God’s peace abide with you
May God’s presence illuminate your heart
Now and forever more LISTEN
- Oh, emptiness, source of all that matters,
Spirit, give to us hearts that are trusting.... LISTEN
- Nada te turbe, nada te espante
Quien a Dios tiene, nada le falta
Nada te turbe, nada te espante
Solo Dios basta.....
(Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing you dismay
He/she who has God lacks nothing
Only God suffices.... St Teresa of Avila, 16th c Spanish mystic) LISTEN
- In our God I’ll be ever thankful,
In our God I shall rejoice
Look to God, do not be afraid,
Lift up your voices, our God is near
Lift up your voices, our God is near LISTEN
- Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh,
Surrexit Christus, allelujia!
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh,
Cantate Domino, allelujia!
(Christ is risen, sing to the Lord!) LISTEN
- Spirit we adore you
Lay our lives before you
How we love you.... LISTEN
- Praise God, the love we all may share
Praise God, the beauty everywhere
Praise God, the hope of good to be
Praise God, the truth that makes us free (Doxology)
- Now in peace O Lord
Let thy servant go -- allelujia
For my eyes have seen
Your salvation – allelujia LISTEN
- Surely the presence of our God is in this place
I can feel your mighty power, and your grace
I can feel the brush of angel’s wings,
I see glory on each face,
Surely the presence of our God is in this place. LISTEN
- O Great Spirit
Earth sun sky and sea
You are inside, and all around me LISTEN
- Just as long as I'm in this world
I am the light of this world---- LISTEN
- When I went down to the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way
O sisters, come on down, come on down
Donít you want to go down
O brothers, come on down,
Down to the river to pray..... LISTEN
- Day by day, day by day
O dear God, three things I pray
To see you more clearly
Love you more dearly
Follow you more nearly
Day by day LISTEN
- There is one world, one people, one fellowship
There is one God, who is Mother/Father of all LISTEN
- Be not afraid, I go before you always
Come, follow me, and I will give you rest LISTEN
- Our God is an awesome God
Who soars like the Spirit dove
With power, truth and love
Our God is an awesome God LISTEN