Is Dan Schutte's hymn "Here I Am, Lord" appropriate for Mass?

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It’s ok to use but I personally find it really sappy and don’t like it.
 
Hm, do they speak as God? I was going to say yes, but then I thought about what the lectors read. The first reading is OT - so hubby and I are pretty sure that’s prophets relaying God’s word, or a story being told about what God said, not God actually talking; i.e. “Thus says the Lord…”. The second reading is from the Epistles, so Jesus isn’t speaking there, because he’s already ascended. Where God “speaks” in the Psalms, I’m not sure how that’s classified. The priest always reads the Gospel, where the Son of God actually speaks.

However, I haven’t read the entire lectionary. I also haven’t been looking for that particular detail in the Easter-season first readings from Acts – but I think it’s entirely possible that lectors don’t speak as God in the first-person when they’re reading. I think the closest they get is relaying God in the third person, like telling a story.

What is clear is that the God portions of “Here I Am Lord” are not written in the third person, but the first. Even if it’s quoting from a third-person account, there are no quotation marks in the lyrics in the hymnal I checked this morning. The congregation sings as God. If it doesn’t bother you or your pastor, then no biggie! Like I said, most people don’t even seem to notice.
 
Of course. Jesus loved them enough to die a frightful death for them.

Now–if what you’re trying to get at is:
Do I believe sexual activity is okay outside of marriage (between a man and a woman)?
The answer is–Nope
 
I’ve been singing it at Masses all over the place for nigh on 40 years, so if it’s not appropriate, it’s a bit late to get all concerned about it methinks.
 
And yet we’re all replying. And I started it so it’s my fault.
 
KMG said:
The scholar Thomas Day has written on how this phenomenon…foreign to the tradition of the Roman liturgy…has contributed in no small part to the decline of liturgical culture.
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I have heard that. Considering the fluidity of grammar and language overtime, I find that very hard to swallow. We “speak in the voice of God” all the time during the readings. Eliding the “thus sayeth the Lord” is hardly a significant change. I guess to each their own. Those that want to believe it can, but I simply find it too incredible.
 
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MrsAngelala said:
Hm, do they speak as God? I was going to say yes, but then I thought about what the lectors read. The first reading is OT - so hubby and I are pretty sure that’s prophets relaying God’s word
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Yes, but then they actually relay it, verbatim! In the first person! Just. Like. The. Song. Does. 😉
Isaiah 6:8:
I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”
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Entwhistler said:
I don’t think I’ve heard of City of God song (or are you referring to Augustine’s book?). But by reading the lyrics of Here I Am, Lord you can see that the focus is on God picking “me”. Nothing wrong with that but I think Mass should be more about praising God than anything else.
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For mine the focus is squarely on God feeling for the suffering of His people and calling on each of us to go do something about it.

Along with what is often our hesitancy … “is it I?” which often translates to “who, me? WHY me?” and “I will go … if You lead”, which often translates to “i will go … if You metaphorically kick my butt and tell me to get out there.” 🙂
 
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Shakuhachi said:
Maybe we just find it hard to “hold all His people in our hearts”.

This isn’t about a song so much as a theology and spirituality. We want to be divided and we want to exclude, especially the LBGT.
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Who is this “we”? All are welcome in the Catholic Church!
 
Please clarify, are you saying that you don’t see a difference between saying, “Sam said, ‘I’m going to the store’” and actually saying “I’m going to the store” in the first person as if you are Sam?

I’m afraid if that’s what you’re saying, I’ll have to bow out.
 
We meaning us rank and file Catholics. Those words make a huge promise that some might not totally feel up to doing .
 
It’s in the “Laudate” hymnal we use in my parish in England. We sing it fairly frequently.

(PS - in the UK, we say “soppy” not “sappy” - another word which has changed a little across the Pond).
 
And the answer remains the same.
Have fun trolling I’m done answering you.
 
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