Gracious God

Alameda native Jesse Manibusan is a composer of several hymns we sing at St. Michael, most notably Open My Eyes and this week’s Lenten selection, Gracious God. 

In addition to composing, Jesse gives concerts, workshops, parish missions, and retreats to all age groups. His work is dedicated to helping others deepen their faith and cultivate a joy that inspires service. He earned an MA in Multicultural Ministries from the Franciscan School of Theology Berkeley. In 2014, he received the National Catholic Youth Award, for Presenter/Artist Category by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministries, Inc.

In Gracious God, we are challenged to give ourselves over to God, in the desert of Lent. We can claim the great love God gives us and respond by loving others.

The first two lines of the refrain are what God does for us:

Gracious God, mercy is your name.

Redeeming Love, you give your life away.

The second two lines are our response to this gift of his Son on the cross:

Gracious God, we bless your holy name.

Receiving love, we give our lives away.

The verses lead us to reflect on our journey through the desert as we thirst for God’s grace to fill our emptiness and in response reach out to our neighbors as we see Christ in them.

God is good!

               All the time!

All the time!

               God is good!

Trivia Question: what do the composers of our first three Lenten hymns have in common?

*** Tune in next week as we reflect on the music of Stations of the Cross. ***

Gracious God

Jesse Manibusan

1. Lead us, Lord, into the desert;

lead us through the wilderness.

Through this journey we will follow,

for we long to see your face.

2. In this time of sacred struggle,

in this time of sacrifice,

we rejoice, for we remember

that you lead us into life.

Refrain

Gracious God, mercy is your name.

Redeeming Love, you give your life away.

Gracious God, we bless your holy name.

Receiving love, we give our lives away.

3. Lord, we hunger for your presence;

Lord, we’re thirsting for your grace.

When consuming all but you, Lord,

all we gain is emptiness.

4. Teach us, Lord: who is our neighbor?

Is it friend, or enemy?

When we welcome or condemn them,

it is you, O let us see.