TEAR YOUR HEARTS

When the season of Lent begins, the liturgy calls us back to basics: fasting, weeping, and mourning. Jude Nnam’s "Tear Your Hearts" captures this solemn invitation perfectly, drawing its text directly from the prophet Joel. It is a staple for Ash Wednesday and the penitential weeks that follow, reminding the congregation that true repentance happens internally, not just in outward displays.

As a choir, singing this piece requires a deep sense of reverence and dynamic control. The opening lines, "Even now, say the Lord, return to me with all your hearts," are set with a gentle but urgent pleading. When the harmony unfolds into the reminder that God is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger," the music swells with a profound sense of hope. It is a beautifully through-composed anthem that allows the different voice parts to carry the weight of the scripture, making it a moving reflection for the Offertory or Communion during the Lenten season.