“O Deus Ego Amo Te,” Prayer of St. Francis Xavier by the heavenly Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.
“O Deus, ego amo te, O God I love Thee for Thyself…”

More about this outstanding group of nuns via CBS Sunday Morning:

The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, a secluded group of nuns living in the farmlands north of Kansas City, have become the unlikely rock stars of traditional classical music. Tracy Smith takes us on a first-ever look inside the place where it all happens.

I found this report somewhat moving:

This beautiful hymn has been in my head lately.

Here’s a fantastic rendition by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra:

For the 4th Sunday of Lent: God of Mercy and Compassion as sung by the Daughters of Mary:

Lyrics:

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The Finlandia Hymn from Jean Sibelius’s patriotic masterpiece, Finlandia is simply one of the most beautiful melodies ever composed. I never tire of hearing it.

This live performance of the hymn (This is My Song version) by the male choir Cantus on October 16, 2010, brought tears to my eyes.

Lyrics:

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a song of peace for lands afar and mine;
this is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine:
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine:
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,
a song of peace for their land and for mine.

Here, via The American Catholic, is a tribute to the “brave Finnish troops who defended their nation against the Soviet Union in the Winter War of 1939-1940 and the Continuation War of 1941-1944.”

An English translation of the Finnish lyrics:

O, Finland, behold, your day is dawning,
The threat of night has been banished away,
And the lark of morning in the brightness sings,
As though the very firmament would sing.
The powers of the night are vanquished by the morning light,
Your day is dawning, O land of birth.

O, rise, Finland, raise up high
Your head, wreathed with great memories.
O, rise, Finland, you showed to the world
That you drove away the slavery,
And that you did not bend under oppression,
Your day is dawning, O land of birth.

Finland now faces a very different sort of invasion.

It remains to be seen whether the country can survive the massive influx of Middle Eastern men seeking asylum in the country.

My favorite epiphany hymn as sung by the USC Thornton Chamber Singers. Arranged by Shawn Kirchner at the 2014 Winter Gala. Jo-Michael Scheibe, conductor; Clara Kim, violin; Teddy Gabrielides, double bass; Aram Arakelyan, piano.

Bonus rendition by the Minnesota Boychoir:

Lyrics:

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