Hymn of the Week: November 14, 2022

Hymn of the Week

There is a Longing in Our Heart

Glory to God: 470

Text and Music Anne Quigley 1992
 

There is a longing in our hearts, O Lord,
For you to reveal yourself to us.
There is a longing in our hearts for love
we only find in you, our God.

For justice, for freedom, for mercy;
Hear our prayer. In sorrow, in grief:
Be near; hear our prayer O God.

For wisdom, for courage, for comfort:
Hear our prayer. In weakness, in fear:
Be near; hear our prayer O God.

For healing, for wholeness, for new life:
Hear our prayer. In sickness, in death,
Be near; hear our prayer O God.

Lord save us, take pity, Light in our darkness.
We call you, we wait:
Be near; hear our prayer O God.

There is not a lot of information out there about this marvelous hymn. Anne Quigley leads a very private life but her hymns are full of beauty, lyricism, and poignant poetry. I encourage you to let the words wash over you as you listen. The hymn itself is found in the section of our hymnal entitled Prayer. Let this hymn be a prayer we all can say together on this day.

A respected composer and liturgist, Anne Quigley has her music featured in the Decani Choral Music Series in England. She was also a member of the St. Thomas More Group of composers, who were associated with a study center in the parish of St. Thomas More, North London, from 1969 until 1995.

Anne may be best known for her song, “There is a Longing,” but also composed the beautiful compositions “The Seven Last Words from the Cross” and “Take, Lord, and Receive.”