Hymn 210. Come, Holy Spirit Come!

When Pentecost Sunday arrives, the liturgy calls for a special sequence to be sung just before the Gospel acclamation. This score provides a sturdy, four-part choral setting of that ancient text, arranged by Jude Nwankwo and Ike Eseka. It offers choirs two options for the words: the newer translation, "Come, Holy Spirit Come!", and the traditional text familiar to many Nigerian parishes from the Catholic Hymnbook, "Holy Spirit, Lord of Light."

The music is set to a steady, rhythmic tune that carries the urgent pleading of the sequence perfectly. As the choir moves through the verses, the congregation hears a profound prayer for the Holy Spirit's intervention. The text asks the "Father of the poor" to shed a "ray of light divine," offering comfort in labor, coolness in the heat, and solace in the midst of woe. It is a deeply human cry for grace, asking God to heal wounds, bend stubborn hearts, and melt the frozen.

In the choir loft, this piece requires careful attention to phrasing and the stacked verses, ensuring the congregation can clearly hear the progression of the prayer. The steady 7.7.7.7.7.7 meter gives the hymn a marching, resolute feel that builds toward the final request for the "sev'nfold gift" and joys that never end. It is a powerful moment in the Pentecost Mass, preparing the church to receive the Gospel with renewed strength.