Blest are You, Lord

"Blest are You, Lord" is a gentle, reverent setting of the traditional prayers for the Preparation of the Gifts. Aniceto Nazareth takes the familiar words spoken by the priest at the altar—offering the bread and wine—and gives them a flowing melody that the whole congregation can easily join.

In the choir loft, this piece serves perfectly during the Offertory. The verses alternate between the offering of the bread and the wine, leading into a joyful, layered refrain of "Blessed be God forever." It brings a sense of quiet devotion to the moment the gifts are brought forward, grounding the assembly in the sacred action taking place before the Eucharistic Prayer.