During the season of Lent, FaithND will provide meditations on this season of preparation through musical offerings from the many Notre Dame choirs and sacred music ensembles. Songs will be featured on Ash Wednesday, each Tuesday and Saturday of Lent, and every day of Holy Week through the Octave of Easter.

Notre Dame Magnificat Choir – The 40 dedicated members of the Magnificat Choir (formerly known as the Women’s Liturgical Choir) normally offer music for the 5 P.M. Saturday Vigil Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, including the Masses following Notre Dame home football games (changes to Masses and liturgical music are currently in place due to the pandemic).

It can be difficult during this season of penitence, fasting, and almsgiving, it can be easy to lose sight of the love that God has for us. Perhaps we find ourselves more frustrated over our sinfulness than grateful for the mercy and love of God in the person of Jesus Christ. The Magnificat choir gives us the opportunity this week to meditate on the following words: “What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss to bear the dreadful curse for my soul”. This is the love that frees us from death and one that we can look forward to come Easter Sunday when we will “sing on!”

(Lyrics)
“What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!
When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, sinking down;
when I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb, who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
while millions join the theme, I will sing!
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on!”

Copyright: Public Domain
Bilingual Arrangement: Brian McNulty

For more songs, please visit Songs of Notre Dame: A Lenten Offering