Every Wednesday we invite you to Pause and Pray with us. Today’s Pause and Pray was written and curated by Isaac Garrigues-Cortelyou.

MEDITATE:

Ubi Caritas (Plainchant version from Liber usualis (ed. 1961) – performed by Choeur Gregorien de Paris)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_QEP-RHYLY

PRAY:

Below is an English translation of the three stanzas of the latin Ubi Caritas text that remain in use in the Taize community in France, taken from C. Michael Hawn’s article “History of Hymns: Ubi Caritas” for United Methodist Discipleship Ministries: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-ubi-caritas

Christ’s love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart.

As we are gathered into one body,
Beware, lest we be divided in mind.
Let evil impulses stop, let controversy cease,
And may Christ our God be in our midst.

And may we with the saints also,
See Thy face in glory, O Christ our God:
The joy that is immense and good,
Unto the ages through infinite ages. Amen.

MEDITATE:

Ubi Caritas (2007 choral setting by Ola Gjeilo – Performed by VOCES8 and Ola Gjeilo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxu7XuElJ9g

PRAY:

Gracious, Loving, and Mysterious One –
We give you thanks for your presence among us.
We give thanks for our alone-ness and our togetherness.
We give thanks for our communities and our sanctuaries.
We give thanks for our history and our days ahead.
Help us be present to ourselves and each other as you are present with us.
Amen.
(I. Garrigues-Cortelyou, 2022)