LORD HAVE MERCY

When we gather for Mass and prepare our hearts during the Penitential Rite, we need music that helps us genuinely ask for God's grace. Joseph Ohanonome’s "Lord Have Mercy" does exactly that. Right at the top of this handwritten solfa score, the composer leaves a clear instruction for the choir: to sing it "tenderly in a pleading manner." It is a gentle, earnest cry for forgiveness that draws the whole congregation into a space of quiet reflection.

The arrangement follows the traditional three-part invocation—Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy—but introduces a beautiful, harmonized middle section where the choir sings, "Lord, forgive our sins and transgressions, O Lord." This addition gives the piece a deeply personal feel, making it especially fitting for the solemn Sundays of Lent or any Mass where the readings call for a profound sense of repentance.

For choir directors, this piece is a wonderful exercise in expressive singing. The solfa notation is straightforward, but the true beauty of the song lies in its dynamics and the warmth of the four-part harmony. When the voices blend softly on that final "on us," it leaves a lingering sense of peace in the church, perfectly preparing everyone for the Gloria or the opening prayer.