IN YOUR GREAT MERCY ANSWER ME LORD / Zam Ekpere

"In Your Great Mercy Answer Me Lord / Zam Ekpere" is a heartfelt bilingual setting for the Prayer of the Faithful, composed by Ikeagwulonu Richard C. During the Mass, after the homily and Creed, the congregation offers its intercessions to God. This piece provides a gentle, repeating choral response for those moments, grounding the prayers of the community in a deep sense of trust and supplication.

The score opens with a simple, solemn English invocation before transitioning into the layered Igbo section, "Zam Ekpere" (Answer my prayer). The choir weaves together earnest pleas—singing "Ọmarịcha Chineke" (Beautiful God) and "biko bịanụ zamụm ekpere" (please come and answer my prayer)—creating an urgent, harmonious petition. It captures the essence of the intercessory rite, where the voices of the faithful rise together to ask for God's listening ear.

Choirs will find the solfa notation straightforward, allowing the different voice parts to easily pick up their entrances. The gentle swell of the harmony during the Igbo verses brings a comforting warmth to the liturgy, reminding the congregation that every petition offered for God's worship is heard and remembered.