ARE YOU READY TO FOLLOW JESUS

"Are You Ready to Follow Jesus" is a direct, soul-searching Lenten hymn that asks the choir and congregation a simple but heavy question. Emma Avu’s composition focuses our minds on the journey to Calvary, challenging us to share in Christ's sorrows and bear our own crosses. It is the kind of piece that brings a quiet, reflective focus to the church, especially during the solemn weeks of Lent or the intense liturgies of Holy Week.

The verses are laid out as a steady, marching progression, building up to a rhythmic, call-and-response refrain. When the sopranos ask, "Are you ready," the lower voices echo the question, creating a sense of urgency and personal invitation. Singing this during the Offertory or as a meditation after Communion gives the congregation a moment to truly weigh the cost and the reward of discipleship, reminding everyone that the path to rejoicing in heaven runs straight through Calvary.