Larksong – Cecily Sheehy’s song collection

Published in 2024, Larksong contains 100 songs by the Dominican sister Cecily Sheehy. The book is published by the New Zealand Dominican Sisters. Enquiries can be made to the Dunedin office of the Dominican Order: domfinancenz@gmail.com

In her own Introduction, Cecily tells of her attendance at Matthew Fox’s Creation-Centred Spirituality programme in California. On her return from California, Cecily embraced a theology that celebrated the blessedness of the earth, that moved away from the centrality of sin and was committed to the care and healing of the planet.

While the home base for most of the songs is the traditional catholic liturgy for Sunday worship, there is music for secular classes with children, many held on church premises and led by members of the local parish.

The collection includes music settings, including guitar chords, and lyrics placed within the music bars. There are also two CDs of 70 songs, performed by Cecily with supporting singers and wind/keyboard instruments.

Cecily’s hymns are well-known in many denominations, with the following four recommended: Greetings little child of Bethlehem, One,two,three, Alleluia, How is Jesus Present? and The Kingdom is Within You.

My favourite hymn, The Kingdom is Within You, is retitled Kingdom Blues in this collection. This reflects its Rock’n’Roll rhythm. I await a rock band or gospel choir doing a cover of this song and hitting the charts!

I reprint the lyrics, based on proverbial imagery that Jesus chose for his public teaching. Any contemporary songwriter would be proud of how such simple picture language expresses the depth of the faith journey.

Chorus: The kingdom is within you

The kingdom is within you

Why do we go searching for

the answers of the mighty?

The kingdom is within you

The kingdom is within you

Like a little seed

planted in the ground,

let it grow

 

I will set my face to the wind,

scatter my handful of seed on high

needn’t have to worry

where the great wind takes it;

seeds will grow wherever they’re planted.

All we need is courage

to keep on facing the wind.

 

The Kingdom….

 

I will set my hand to the plough,

Don’t look back, it’s too late now.

The fullness of the kingdom

is not quite yet,

but the seed of the kingdom

is here and now.

Don’t split the seed;

be patient, let it grow.

 

The Kingdom….

 

Words and Music © Cecily Sheehy