"Holy Immortal One" by Justin Brooks
When Christian Basel asked me to write a song for the Stations of the Cross Art Project, I was thrilled. Songwriting is a passion and spiritual practice of mine, so I was honored to be a small part of one of Saint Michael’s Lenten devotions in this way. In the search for inspiration, there was no better place to turn than the Way of the Cross liturgical devotion from the Episcopal Church’s Book of Occasional Services. The entirety of this song’s lyrics are various “call-and-response” and communal prayers from the devotion. Since observing every single station in song would take a really long time, I thought it best to condense the message of the fourteen stations to an overall theme: mercy. It is by the Cross that the mercy and grace of God was given to us. This theme is present throughout the Stations of the Cross service, as each station’s observance ends with a prayer:
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
This simple but beautiful prayer repeats throughout the song as the chorus---the idea being that through repetition, this prayer can manifest itself in our hearts to recall during this Lenten season. I pray that “Holy Immortal One” is a blessing to you and leads you to a sense of thankfulness that we’ve been redeemed by the Cross.
Blessings,
Justin
"Holy Immortal One" Lyrics
Music by Justin Brooks
© 2023 Elgie Street Music (ASCAP)
Written for the Saint Michael and All Angels Stations of the Cross Art Project
Chorus
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Verse 1
We will glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ:
In whom is our salvation, our life, and our resurrection.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Chorus
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Verse 2
The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all:
For the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Surely he has borne our griefs: carried our sorrows.
Restore us, O Lord God of hosts and we shall be saved.
Chorus
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Ending
Savior of the world, by your cross and precious blood you have redeemed us:
Save us, and help us, we humbly beseech you, O Lord.