LORD, HAVE MERCY / GLORIA

When we prepare for Sunday Mass, the opening rites set the spiritual tone for everything that follows. This score brings together two essential moments of that gathering: a gentle, pleading "Lord, Have Mercy" by C.D. Okorie, and a bright, joyful "Gloria" by G.M. TerKimbi. Okorie’s Kyrie is marked *Dolce*, asking the choir to sing with a sweet, reverent humility as the congregation calls to mind their need for God's grace. It is a simple, direct prayer that leads us naturally into the celebration.

Once the absolution is given, the mood shifts entirely with TerKimbi’s "Gloria." Written with an *Allegro* tempo, it bursts forth with the angels' song, "Gloria in excelsis Deo." The arrangement weaves the Latin refrain through the English verses, allowing the choir to proclaim the praise, blessing, and adoration of the Father and the Son. We sing through the familiar sections—praising the heavenly King, asking the Lamb of God for mercy, and finally lifting up the Holy Spirit in the concluding "Amen."

For a choir director, having these two pieces together offers a wonderful contrast in dynamics and emotion. The Kyrie grounds us in quiet reflection, while the Gloria lifts our voices in uncontained joy. It is a fitting pairing for festive Sundays and solemnities, guiding the faithful from the quiet of repentance straight into the majesty of God's glory.