Mass Songs During My High School Days

When I was in high school, we had this Mass which was celebrated every first Friday of the month, or the "First Friday Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus". Every class had their designated seats, and, luckily for us, our post was located in the front side of the quadrangle. In our class, each of us were close and we had a good relationship with one another. And every time we sing, we, the girls especially, being emotional in nature, would sing wholeheartedly, that sometimes we could feel our tears flowing on our cheeks. I'd like to share the following songs, with each description. And with the motto, "Fortes-In-Fide" which means, "Strong In Faith" and the school's guiding principle of becoming "Men and Women for Others", that hopefully you will like this song. (Please feel free to click on each title to hear the song.)

Prayer for Generosity, written by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the patron saint of our school.

PRAYER FOR GENEROSITY

Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous
Teach me to serve You as I should
To give and not to count the cost
To fight and not to heed the wounds
To toil and not to seek for rest
To labor and ask not for reward
Save that of knowing that I do Your most holy will

Anima Christi, which means Soul of Christ, is based on one of St. Ignatius' favorite prayers.

ANIMA CHRISTI

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, give me strength

Hear me Jesus, hide me in Thy wounds
That I may never leave Thy side

From all the evil that surrounds me, defend me
And when the call of death arrives, bid me come to Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints forever

A high school student, Manoling, then became Fr. Manoling Francisco, S.J., wrote this song.

I WILL SING FOREVER

I will sing forever of Your love, O Lord
I will celebrate the wonder of Your name
For the word that You speak is a song of forgiveness
And a song of gentle mercy and of peace

Let us wake at the morning and be filled with Your love
And sing songs of praise all our days
For Your love is as high as the heavens above us
And Your faithfulness as certain as the dawn

I will sing forever of Your love, O Lord
I will celebrate the wonder of Your name
For the word that You speak is a song of forgiveness
And a song of gentle mercy and of peace

I will sing forever of Your love, O Lord
For You are my refuge and my strength
You fill the world with Your life-giving spirit
That speaks Your word
Your word of mercy and of peace

CODA:
And I will sing forever of Your love, O Lord
Yes I will sing forever of Your love, O Lord

Written for congregational singing during a retreat in Baguio, this song is dedicated to Fr. Pedro Arrupe, S.J. who, as a person utterly captivated by the love for Christ serves as an example of simple, loving service. (source taken from Bukas Palad)

IN HIM ALONE

REFRAIN:
In Him alone is our hope
In Him alone is our strength
In Him alone are we justified
In Him alone are we saved

What have we to offer
That does not fade or wither
Can the world ever satisfy
The emptiness in our hearts
In vain we deny (REFRAIN)

When will you cease running
In search of hollow meaning
Let His love feed the hunger
In your soul till it overflows
With joy you yearn to know (REFRAIN)

DESCANT:
In Him alone is our hope
Unto Him I pour out my heart
He alone will save me
With His love and mercy.

Fr. Manoling, a Jesuit priest, wrote this song in his 2nd year in high school about the turmoil around him and the disquiet within him.

ONE MORE GIFT

REFRAIN:
If there's one more gift
I'd ask of You, Lord
It would be peace here on earth;
As gentle as Your children's laughter
All around, all around

Your people have grown weary
Of living in confusion
When will we realize
That neither heaven is at peace
When we live not in peace (REFRAIN)

Grant me serenity within
For the confusions around
Are mere reflections
Of what's within
What's within me (REFRAIN)

This is a prayer for Oblation (Offering) composed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order.

TAKE AND RECEIVE

Take and receive, O Lord, my liberty
Take all my will, my mind, my memory
All things I hold and all I own are Thine
Thine was the gift, to Thee I all resign

Do Thou direct and govern all and sway
Do what Thou wilt, command, and I obey
Only Thy grace, Thy love on me bestow
These make me rich, all else will I forego.

A translation to Tagalog of the previous song, "Take and Receive".

PAGHAHANDOG SA SARILI

Kunin Mo, O Diyos, at tanggapin Mo
Ang aking kalayaan, ang aking kalooban
Isip at gunita ko, lahat ng hawak ko,
Ng loob ko ay aking alay sa 'Yo

Nagmula sa 'Yo ang lahat ng ito
Muli kong handog sa 'Yo
Patnubayan Mo't paghariang lahat
Ayon sa kalooban Mo
Mag utos Ka, Panginoon ko

Dagling tatalima ako
Ipagkaloob Mo lang ang pag-ibig Mo
At lahat ay tatalikdan ko
Tatalikdan ko

I vividly remember dancing with this song during our graduation day. This was written by Manoling, along with Johnny Go and Louis Catalan, and finished this song until midnight.

HUMAYO'T IHAYAG

Humayo't ihayag (Purihin Siya!)
At ating ibunyag (Awitan Siya!)
Pagliligtas ng Diyos na sa krus ni Hesus
Ang Siyang sa mundo'y tumubos

KORO:
Langit at lupa, Siya'y papurihan
Araw at tala, Siya'y parangalan
Ating 'pagdiwang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa tanan
Aleluya

Halina't sumayaw (Buong bayan!)
Lukso sabay sigaw (Sanlibutan!)
Ang ngalan Niyang angkin singningning ng bituin
Liwanag ng Diyos sumaatin (KORO)

At isigaw sa lahat
Kalinga Niya'y wagas
Kayong dukha't salat
Pag-ibig Niya sa inyo at tapat