It was written by Australian Roman Catholic Loretto sister, composer, teacher and liturgist
Deirdre Brown (b 1936) - source - as a fruit of a graced moment she experienced after receiving the Catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation (source).
The song was the title-track for a recording (cassette and later CD) released by
Australian Carmelite friar Paul Gurr OCarm - and this has led many people to
incorrectly attribute him as the author and/or composer. The recording was released by Spectrum Publications in 1986, and was accompanied by a printed
music-book (ref), which is now out-of-print.
Hymn-books where the hymn has been published include:
- Together in Song, Australian hymn book II, published by HarperCollinsReligious, East Melbourne in 1999
- Gather Australia,
- As One Voice
The tune by Brown in unnamed. It has a 3/4 time signature, and in the key of C the first few notes are CDE G_ AGED G_, with accompanying chords C / Em / F / G.
Downloads
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Original recording by Paul Gurr
Solo singer with piano
Singer with band, inlcuding the extra verse
Solo singer with guitar
Choir practice materials - guitar and keyboard
Instrumental - piano, played by the composer
Instrumental - synthesizer, with Fijian words on-screen
Lyrics
The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website and here in the Loreto archives.The song has five (originally four*) verses, each one being four lines long. A rough outline is:
1. Come as you are, that’s how I want you
Come as you are, feel quite at home
Close to my heart, loved and forgiven
Come as you are, why stand alone?
2. No need to fear, love sets no limits
No need to fear, love never ends
Don’t run away, shamed and disheartened
Rest in my love, trust me again
3. I came to call sinners, not just the virtuous
I came to bring peace, not to condemn
Each time you fail, to live by my promise
Why do you think, I’d love you the less?
4*. Go to my people, sit with the broken,
go to my people, stand in their pain.
Let Love transform the darkest of places,
I will be with you, wherever you go.
5. Come as you are, that’s how I love you
Come as you are, trust me again
Nothing can change, the love that I bear you
All will be well, just come as you are.
* Verse 4 was not part of the original song, but was added later for the profession of vows in religious life in Sr Deirdre Browne's community.
See also
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