to whom else shall i go

Return to Me
A song about the Prodigal Son

the son said, “father i must go,
i wish not to stay here you know,
the world has much I want to see,
I hope that you will not stop me.
I see riches, I see gold
I see goods that I uphold
though it hurts to see you cry
I must bid you this last goodbye”

the father looked down lovingly
saying, “if you walk away from me
i will miss you with all of my heart
but even if you do depart
i will be waiting for you here
no matter if it takes you years
you are my son until the end
and I pray i will see you again”

the son left from his father’s place
with a smile on his face
ready to be free and grow
oh but little did he know
the world of pleasures has a cost
beware your soul may be lost
if you consume these earthly things 
and forget the joy your father brings 

the father looked out lovingly				
saying, “though you walked away from me
i miss you with all of my heart
but even though you did depart
I am waiting for you here
no matter if it takes you years
you are my son until the end
And I pray I will see you again”

the son quickly consumed his wealth
lost his food and lost his health
all his friends had left his side
so now he had to decide
should he live in misery,
watching pigs roam happily,
or return to his father’s place
to serve him for the rest of his days

the father looked out lovingly,
saying “son you have returned to me,
I have waited all this time
praying for you to be mine
let us kill the fattened calf
So we can sing and dance and laugh
to celebrate my son who died
who now has been brought back to life”

Return to Me

(If My own mother forgets me,
My Lord's embrace is enough for me) x2
Precious in His eyes is the smallest baby
So how can He forget me?
Refrain:
(So how can He forget me?) x2
If the mother forgets her baby,
My Lord will never forget me
(Treasured in His eyes is every tear,
Persistent is He to erase my fears) x2
To my soul, His love is always near
So how can He forget me?
Refrain
(Of the smallest bird, the Lord takes care
For the Lillies, clothing He prepares) x2
Precious in His eyes is every single hair
So how can He forget me?
Refrain
(For me the thorns you accepted
Not a single pain, have you rejected) x2
Beloved Jesus has never neglected
How then can He forget me?

If The Mother Forgets (إن أنسى)

Cover icon: George Makary (@copticicons)

(I come to you O Jesus You are my comfort
I come to You with tears and a wounded heart) 2x
REFRAIN:
I come to you (3x)
I have no other but you
To whom else shall I go (2x)
I come to you (2x)
(I come to you O my Shepherd in all my troubles
Though I walk in the valley there is no fear)2x
REFRAIN:
(I come to you protect me from all pride
I come to you lift me from all weakness)2x
REFRAIN:
(I come to you my love, most precious love
I come to you with my sins at the cross) 2x
REFRAIN:
(I come to you Oh Lord bless my lips
Fill me with a spirit of obedience and guide my steps)2x
REFRAIN:

I Come To You (اتي اليك)

O Beloved -- Live Convent 2021

O Tell Me John, O Tell Me -- Live Convent 2021

Verse 1:
You're my Protector
From all that is evil
You hold me by the right hand
My heart with You rejoices

أنت اللى بتحمينى
من كل الشرور
ماسك بيمينى
قلبى معاك مسرور

Refrain:
You're the true Shepherd
You carry me on Your shoulders
You take me to green pastures
Your love is overwhelming

أنت الرب الراعى
على كتفك شايلنى
بتاخدنى المراعى
وبحبك غامرنى
وبحبك غامرنى

Verse 2:
You're always with me
You will never leave me
Your voice is within me
"Do not fear, My Child"

انت اللى معايا
ولا يمكن تسيبنى
وصوتك جوايا
متخافشى يا أبنى

Refrain

Verse 3:
You will elevate me
In the midst of my suffering
You strengthen my weakness
You are my true fortress

انت اللى بترفعنى
فى وسط الآمى
فى ضعفى تشجعنى
يا مصدر سلامى

Refrain

Verse 4:
You will support me 
in times of tribulation
Your hand guides me 
doing good for me

انت اللى بتسدنى
فى الظرف المرير
أيدك بتشكلنى
وبتعمل للخير

Refrain

You’re the True Shepherd -- St. Mark DC Youth Live

I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
I can hear my Savior calling,
"Take the cross and follow, follow Me."

Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
Where He leads me I will follow,
I'll go with Him, with Him all the way.

If He leads me to the judgement, 
If He leads me to the judgement, 
If He leads me to the judgement, 
I will go with Him, with Him all the way

If in jail or in chains,
If in jail or in chains,
If in jail or in chains,
I will go with Him, with Him all the way

If He leads me to crucifixion,
If He leads me to crucifixion,
If He leads me to crucifixion,
I will go with Him, with Him all the way

If in health or in sickness,
If in health or in sickness,
If in health or in sickness,
I will go with Him, with Him all the way

If I’m beaten or afflicted,
If I’m beaten or afflicted,
If I’m beaten or afflicted,
I will go with Him, with Him all the way

He will lead me to grace and glory,
He will lead me to grace and glory,
He will lead me to grace and glory,
And will go with me, with me all the way

Where He Leads Me

You call to me I silence You
From all my sin Your path for me
for my eyes is hard to see 
You come to me I run from from You
Oh Lord the fire of Your Love
inside of me has been quenched (2x)

*Refrain:
Tend to me Oh Lord, Lay Your hands on me
And open for me my eyes
Bring me back to You, back to You
(The day I left You, my joy left me
I was burdened from all my worry) 2x
I rest in You alone, I rest in You

(All of my habits and my lusts have multiplied
My many prayers and requests are no more) 2x
When I repent my sins do not cease to return
Oh Lord correct me from my ways, please stay with me
Give me Your hand, and ill hold Your's (2x)

*Refrain

(You know my life from its beginning to the end
You see the troubles of heart, and what I've hidden) 2x
I have revealed myself to You, oh my healer
I am with you in times of fear, giving you comfort
No one but You has known me (2x)

*Refrain

You Call To Me ft. Coptic Oud

Where He Leads Me I Will Follow

(Every day at your cross
I used to come and talk with You
My Lord and God 
To You My Father, I reveal
All my secrets and stories
With no fear)x2

I used to think that I will never
From now on and till forever
Will not change and leave my place
Under Your cross
In my heart I always prayed
Your love remains in me and stays
Nothing will take me away
I’ll remain and pray 
Remain and pray 

When I grew with chains anew
I tried to call you
I tried and failed
Sadness and tears
Growing so near
With sin and lust and pride
In a world of vain & fear

And I wondered when I can
Return to You 
And how I will
Stay again under your cross
As a child

In my heart I always prayed
You’ll forgive me
And fulfill
My hearts desires that I stay at Your cross
And pray again

Lyrics from "At Your Cross" by Tervina Hebaysh

At Your Cross

Original by Father Youssef Asaad, translated by Makary Ayad. 

Lyrics:

There is nothing sweeter, than the time of prayer
It saves me from my tribulations, and I gain His contentment
It keeps pain away from me, and enlightens my heart
It opens the gates of heaven, and then my Lord hears me
My necessities He provides, my illnesses he heals
He does grant me all of my needs, and has me rejoice in them
In time of my sadness, my Lord forgets me not
He holds me with His right hand, and He strengthens my faith
There is nothing sweeter, than the time of prayer
The God of heaven rejoices, and gives me life
He promised salvation, if we pray unto Him
Our sicknesses he can heal them, if we come to Him
His love for us is great, His mercy is everlasting
We must always pray to God, prayer time is beneficial

There is Nothing Sweeter Than the Time of Prayer (مافيش احلى منها ساعة الصلاة الله)

من حفلة كنيسة الرحاب

بيانو فادي جرجس
عود توني يوحنا
كاخون مايكل عبوللي

Live | Mina Kuriakos | Aty Elaika | اتي اليك | مينا قرياقص

You Are My Hiding Place (English, Arabic, French)

In my father’s house I was living
In mercy and grace   	
Till I took my share of his wealth
To a distant place      	
(I left my family                           					
So I could be free)x2		
And pursue my own ways         				          	

I set off for a distant country
So far away
My life was wild and more wasteful
With every day 
(Satan deceived me
Attacked and beat me)x2
He threw me in the flames

I became slave to my many sins
And evil deeds
Trying to fill my desires
Paying no heed
(I wasted my fortune
With no thought or caution)x2
And found myself in need

After I had spent everything
I was in need
To those who saw me in those days
I was dead indeed 
(They forgot the old feasts
Days that had long ceased)x2
And left me to my misery

I asked one of the citizens
To have mercy on me
Give me the most despicable job
I will agree 
(He sent me to his field
The swine I had to feed)x2
Their food I longed to eat

I came to myself immediately
To repentance
Went back to my father to ask him
To forgive my sins
(And when he saw me
He ran towards me)x2
And called me beloved son

O sinner listen to me 
And my story
Repent, return to Your Father
In great hurry 
(You’ll find joy and peace
That will never cease)x2
In the shadow of His glory

Christina Azmy's Album

In My Father's House (Song of the Prodigal Son)

In commemoration of our beloved Pope Shenouda III, this song was written to honor the great impact he had on all of our lives. His book “Have You Seen the One I Love?” describes a beautiful relationship with God that is based on sincere Love and wholehearted devotion. The beginning of the song describes how this relationship of Love with Christ was manifest in the lives of three women: The Shulamite, St. Photini (the Woman at the Well) and the Woman with the alabaster box. The second half of the song describes how Pope Shenouda’s love for his flock affected us deeply and taught us, by
example, to search with all our hearts, all our minds and all our souls for the One we love. We still feel his love and prayers today and hope that each of us can live the life of love and holiness that he embodied.

Have You Seen the One I Love? (Tribute to HHPS III)

Lyrics:

One day You passed by me
You saw chains on my hands
I saw with my own eyes
Tears for me in Your eyes

One day I passed by You
I saw my chains on Your hands
I’m free because of You
Then tears filled my eyes

(“How much, Lord, did You pay
To set me free?” I asked
“My son, it is a lot,
But not too much for you.”) x2

One day by me You’ll pass
About my freedom You’ll ask
Feeling my slavery
Although in You I’m free

My sins have bounded me
Loving the world around me
I seek my place in it
That I am Yours I forget

(Free yet I am Your slave
Yours for all of my days
Your slave and free I’ll live
To You myself I give.) x2

One Day You Passed By Me

Delight of My Soul

Psalm 129

ترنيمة انت الللى بتحمينى - للشماس بولس ملاك - enta elly betehmeny - Bolous Malak

As the Deer Pants

Chorus (Psalms 139:9-10 NKJV)
    
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the greatest depths of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.

Verse 1 (Psalms 139:13-14 NKJV)
                                      
For you formed my inward parts
You covered me in my mothers womb
I am fearfully and wonderfully made
By my bridegroom

Pre-Chorus (Psalms 139:7 NKJV)

Where can I go from Your Spirit
Lord where can I flee
Nothing is out of your presence
My soul longs for thee

Chorus (Psalms 139:9-10 NKJV)
    
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the greatest depths of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.


Verse 2 (Psalms 139:16 NKJV)
                                                                  
Your eyes saw my substance,
Before I was even formed,
My soul was not carelessly made,
But beautifully adorned

Pre Chorus 2 (Psalms 139:1,4 NIV)

You have searched my thoughts O Lord
All too well You know me
Before a word is on my tongue
You, Lord, know it completely 


Chorus (Psalms 139:9-10 NKJV)
    
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the greatest depths of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.

Psalm 139 Original Song

Because my Lord is good I will lift His name higher;
Everywhere I go I will lift His name higher!

to whom else shall i go

Monica Youssef