What A Banquet

"What A Banquet" (also known by its joyful refrain, "What A Merriment") is a vibrant, high-energy Communion song that captures the sheer celebration of the Eucharist. In many Nigerian parishes, the Communion procession is not just a solemn walk but a profound, joyful feast. This piece by Udo Laurence Iwu brings that exact feeling to life. The lyrics remind us that we are invited to eat and drink with the Lord from the same table, framing the sacrament as a heavenly supper prepared freely for us.

The music is driven by a highly rhythmic, overlapping call-and-response structure typical of native airs. While the main melody carries the core message, reminding the congregation that "unless you eat of his body and drink of his blood, you have no life in you," the other voice parts bubble underneath with a continuous, joyful chant of "merrily merrily merrily." It creates a sense of overflowing abundance and gratitude.

Choirs love singing this during the Communion rite, especially on feast days or celebrations where the mood is particularly festive. The transition from the lively, syncopated verses into the broad, homophonic prayer at the end, "that we may live in you and you in us," grounds the excitement in deep spiritual communion. It is a piece that gets the whole church swaying, fully aware of the privilege of being called to the Lord's table.