FATHER I DARE BELIEVE

"Father I Dare Believe" brings a profound sense of quiet trust to the choir loft. Setting the classic words of Charles Wesley, this piece is a gentle but earnest prayer for spiritual renewal. The text walks us through a journey of surrender—from acknowledging our own inability to wash our hearts clean, to resting entirely on the grace found at the cross. It is the kind of hymn that asks a choir to sing with deep sincerity rather than overwhelming volume, letting the vulnerability of the lyrics shine through.

Philip Ato Okwan's new tune for these verses offers a fresh, reflective melody that perfectly matches the short metre of the poem. As the voices move through the six stanzas, the harmony supports the pleading nature of the words, especially in lines like "Take, empty it, O Lord, and fill my heart with purity." We often look for pieces like this during Lent or for penitential moments in the Mass, where the congregation needs a moment to meditate on forgiveness and the all-cleansing blood of Christ. It works beautifully as a prayerful meditation after Communion or during a quiet Offertory, inviting everyone who hears it to approach the altar with a renewed, trusting spirit.