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 Folk Choir – The Folk Choir serves the University of Notre Dame as one of the principal liturgical choirs, normally singing every Sunday during the academic year at the 11:45 A.M. Mass in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (changes to liturgical music are currently in place due to the pandemic).

Danielle Rose is an alumna of the Folk Choir from the Class of 2002. Danielle is a singer, song writer, and recording artist who frequently collaborates with the Folk Choir. The lyrics of this song implore God to “break down these walls, take all [our] brokenness,” a request more fitting than ever as we approach the mystery of our salvation and prepare to walk the way of the cross with Jesus. As we meditate with this beautiful piece, let us consider how our journey of repentance and reconciliation through the season of Lent has brought us to this Holy Week. As we prepare to take up the cross with Christ, we pray that he will also “lift the cross that we have laid upon [our] souls.”

(Lyrics)
You are all I am not
You are all that I am
Break down these walls
Take all my brokenness
Rebuild me to shelter your name

You are all I am not
You are all that I am
Jesus, break down these walls
Take all my brokenness
Rebuild me to shelter your name

Help me forgive myself
Help me to lift the cross
I’ve laid upon my soul
Help me to look at myself
Through your eyes
To see all I am
And still be satisfied
Help me forgive myself

You are all I am not
You are all that I am
Jesus, break down these walls
Take all my brokenness
Rebuild me to shelter your name

Within my secrets, Jesus
There you reside
And I need you to reconcile
To renew all that’s inside
For if I want to love you
Then with your love, Jesus
I must love myself humbly, too

“Shelter Your Name” by Danielle Rose.
Copyright 2001 World Library Publications

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