Restáuranos – Restore Us, O God

This is a new Advent hymn inspired on Psalm 80, in the bilingual hymnal by GIA Music. Lyrics by Burt Burleson; adapt. by Martin Tel; music by Carlos Colón.

Advent at Baylor: A Bilingual Hymn Festival.

Night Long-Awaited

Here’s a translation of a beloved Latin American Christmas hymn, Noche Anunciada, by Ariel Ramírez, with a beautiful translation by  Adam Tice; arr. by Carlos Colón.  Cecilia DeLaRosa, soloist.

Advent at Baylor: A Bilingual Hymn Festival. Order GIA’s bilingual hymnal  here.

Advent at Baylor, December 5, 7:00 pm

December 5 – 7:00 pm
Armstrong Browning Library, Baylor University
We hope you will join us for this multicultural Advent service. It’s a wonderful way to begin your Advent observance, and also an opportunity to introduce family, friends, colleagues, and students to this blessed season of the Church year.
Our service is about 50 minutes long and this year will feature beloved familiar hymns, as well as Advent hymns from other cultures. Dr. Burt Burleson, University Chaplain, Carlos Colón, and others will be leading a choir and an instrumental group. More than 25 students, faculty, staff, and friends from the Waco area have come together to participate, and to lead us in song and prayer.
Come and let us sing together, pray for our world, and hear the Scriptures resonate at the beautiful Armstrong Browning Library Foyer of Meditation.

Carlos Colón,
Assistant Director for Worship and Chapel,
Baylor UniversityHere’s a clip from previous years:

Love Shall Overcome: XXX Anniversary of Jesuits’ Martyrdom

10 years ago, I composed “Vencerá el Amor” (Love Shall Overcome) for the XX anniversary of the Jesuits’ martyrdom. Read here NPR’s article.

This piece takes its inspiration from Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” It was written to commemorate the martyrdom of six Jesuit priests and two women on the campus of Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) in El Salvador in 1989. It may be sung entirely in Spanish or English, or by alternating the two languages. The music moves through a sense of lament and ends with a gentle proclamation of the victory of good over evil.

Here’s a rehearsal in San Salvador, 10 years ago.

“Love Shall Overcome” is available in Spanish and English by MorningStar.