Music for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A

Suggestions of hymns that are appropriate for the seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.

For suggestions for the 16th Sunday in ordinary Time Year A click here. For music for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord click here.

We are now into holiday time so choirs may not be practising and many people will be away. Try to keep the music going by singing a Gospel Acclamation that everyone knows like the Celtic Alleluia or a plainchant one. The missal tone for the Eucharistic Acclamations is an option that can be sung unaccompanied, as is the Gloria from the Psallite Mass.

Suggestions from the hymn books

Title	Ref	CFE	Laudate
All are welcome			458
All creatures of our God and king		15	694
All people that on earth do dwell		22	466
All that I counted as gain			905
All the earth proclaim the Lord		24	460
Alleluia sing to Jesus		37	644
Amazing grace		40	846
Baptised in water		67	407
Be thou my vision		74	970
Bread of life hope of the world		95
Bring forth the kingdom	G	821	854
Christ be beside me		106	910
Christ be near at either hand			812
Church of God elect and glorious	2		825
Eye has not seen	1	154	792
For the beauty of the earth		177	726
Gather us in		253	475
Good Christians all rejoice and sing		230	154
Healer of our every ill			427
Holy God we praise thy name		257	708
I sing the mighty power of God			684
Immortal, invisible		301
In the land			975
In the land there is a hunger		307	976
Jesu the very thought of thee		321	798
Lift high the cross		363	389
Lord of all hopefulness		386	969
Lord thy word abideth		390	977
Lord your word shall guide us			978
Love is his word		399	803
Make me a channel		478	898
Nada te turbe			947
Now thank we all our God		512	945
O God our help		528	955
O how lovely is your dwelling place			457
O Lord hear my prayer		542	929
Oh the love of my Lord is the essence		570	967
One bread one body		578	832
Praise my soul the king of heaven		602	807
Praise the Lord ye heavens adore him		605	704
Praise to the holiest		606	788
Praise to the Lord the almighty		608	706/601
Rejoice the Lord is king		619	326
Seek ye first	G	633	820
Sing a new song to the Lord		645
Sing a new song unto the Lord		644	697
Take my hands		676	608
Take my life and let it be		677	874
Taste and see		682	617
The God of Abraham praise			712
The kingdom of God	G	701	821
The love of the Lord	1,G		905
The master came to bring good news		709	848
The summons	1,G	812	877
The word of God is more desired than gold		720
This day God gives me		729	673
Though the mountains may fall		739	785
Through our lives and by our prayers		421	552
Unless a grain		754	748
We hold a treasure	2	780	915
Word of God come down to earth			741
You Lord have the message of eternal life		969	41
Your words are spirit and life	1,Ps		980

Suggestions from other sources

Title	Ref	Composer	Publisher	Comments
All the ends of the earth		Bob Hurd	OCP	Quite a good substitution for the one in the hymn book. It has two part harmony and instrument parts included. Will work well with a strong guitar.
All the ends of the earth		Dufford	OCP	Based on Psalm 98. The tempo marking is ‘brisk and bouncy’ so it works well with guitars. The octavo has SAB harmony and a descant.
All who are led by the spirit		Michael Joncas	GIA	A lovely gentle piece inspired by Romans 8. In it’s simplest form this is for cantor and assembly but there are choir harmonies if desired. There are two key changes in the piece. Wind and string parts are available. I feel I must, in fairness to everyone, point out that the octavo states that this song was commissioned by David Haas.
All will be well	1,G	Steven Warner	GIA	Sing it as an ostinato chant or use the verses.
All you works of God		Haugen	GIA	Adapted from Daniel 3. Also in the book ‘Tales of Wonder’ and the Marty Haugen Songbook published by Decani. A Marty Haugen Songbook – Decani (decanimusic.co.uk)
Anthem	2	Tom Conry	OCP	You may not want to have an accompaniment like the one on the audio but if you can get past that this piece is worth looking at. Unison with a descant and solo instrument. On the theme of being called to be Christ to one another.
I loved wisdom more than health or beauty	1,G	Collegeville	Psallite	Relating to the first reading and the gospel. Refrain with chanted verses from Wisdom. The refrain may be sung as a round.
Let nothing trouble you		Bernadette Farrell	OCP	‘God alone is enough’. Available in ‘Christ be our light’ and ‘Hear the prayers that rise’.
Neither death nor life		Marty Haugen	GIA	Nothing can separate us from the love of God. The text is adapted from Romans 8. Could be sung with cantor/assembly or with the various harmonies. For keyboard accompaniment but chords are included for guitars. The refrain has SATB harmony while the verses have optional choir parts underneath. In the collection ‘Gift of God’.
Plenty good room		Arr Glover	GIA	A spiritual arranged for choir/all. GIA has other versions of this song, including ‘A festival gathering’.
Priestly people	2	Lucien Deiss	WLP/GIA	Try ‘Alleluia, Amen’ if you still have a copy. Would work well at communion as it is a refrain with many verses.
Take my life		Brett C Ballard	GIA	An arrangement of the well known words with a two-part choral arrangement based on Micah 6 at the end. The assembly will soon pick up the tune of the hymn.
Take O take me as I am	2	John Bell	Iona	An ostinato refrain. In ‘Come all you people’.
Teach me O God		Christopher Walker	OCP	Based on psalm 119, this gentle piece has a refrain for the assembly with cantored verses. There is harmony for the choir and guitar chords and instrument parts are included. Also in the collection ‘At the name of Jesus’.
The God of all grace		Ricky Manalo	OCP	A gathering song with an easy refrain for the assembly and verses for cantor/choir. It can be done with organ and brass as on the recording or more simply with a guitar. Instrument parts, including C instrument, available separately.
Where your treasure is	2	Marty Haugen	GIA	For assembly and cantor/choir. The verses have wordless harmony underneath the melody while the refrain is SATB. Instrument part included. The text is from Luke 22.

Click here for suggestions for other Sundays