From Ashes to the Living Font

This is a hymn for Lent - which starts from ashes so is suitable for Ash Wednesday.   It has verses particular to each of the Sundays in Lent.

It was written by American Roman Catholic author, hymn-writer, composer, liturgist and editor, Alan J. Hommerding (b 1956), and first published by World Library Publications in 1994.   

A Spanish translation, Por el sendero Cuaresmal by Georgina Pando-Connolly has also been published.

With meter 8.6.8.6, tunes it is set to include:

• SAINT FLAVIAN, composer unknown, from Day's Psalter - “The Whole Booke of Psalmes Collected into Englysh Metre”, London, 1562.  
• BANGOR (Tansur) by William Tans'ur (1734).

Image adapt from RawPixel

Downloads

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Buy downloadable keyboard / guitar sheet music from GIA Publications

SATB choir arrangement with organ and trumpet, by James E Clemens

Examples

Choir with organ, live in a church-service:

Virtual choir with piano:

Organ with small choir:

Singer with piano - 4 part arrangement:

Singer with guitar:

Choir with organ, tune TBA

Instrumental - organ. Tune BANGOR

Instrumental - piano backing with saxaphone (?) voice - excellent for learning the tune:

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:

1 From ashes to the living font your  ...

2 Through fasting, prayer, and charity ...

3 (1st and 2nd Sundays)  From desert to the mountaintop ...

3 (3rd Sunday)  For thirsting hearts let waters flow ...

3 (4th Sunday)  We sit beside the road and plead ...

3 ( 5th Sunday) Our graves split open, bring us back ...

4 From ashes to the living font ...
... Through cross and tomb to Easter joy, in Spirit-fire fulfilled.

See more ...

• Hymns for Lent
• Hymns for Ash Wednesday

KEEP IN CASE ORIGINAL IS REMOVED, BUT DO NOT DISPLAY 1 From ashes to the living font
your Church must journey, Lord,
Baptised in grace, in grace renewed
By your most holy word.

2 Through fasting, prayer, and charity,
Your voice speaks deep within,
Returning us to ways of truth
and turning us from sin.

3 (1st and 2nd Sundays)
From desert to the mountaintop
in Christ our way we see,
so, tempered by temptation’s might
we might transfigured be.

3 (3rd Sunday)
For thirsting hearts let waters flow
Our fainting souls revive;
And at the well your waters give
Our everlasting life.

3 (4th Sunday)
We sit beside the road and plead,
“Come, save us, David’s son!”
now with your vision heal our eyes,
the world’s true Light alone.

3 ( 5th Sunday)
Our graves split open, bring us back,
your promise to proclaim;
to darkened tombs call out, “Arise!”
and glorify your name.

4 From ashes to the living font
your Church must journey still,
Through cross and tomb to Easter joy,
in Spirit-fire fulfilled.