Fernando Ortega ‘For All the Saints’

Written by: Celita Diaz-Perillo

For most of us who have grown up in the church, hymns are part of our memories and, oftentimes, part of the foundation of our faith. Especially after discovering some of the background of some of the hymns, they helped to shape my ideas of faithfulness, of strength, of endurance, of integrity, of hoping in Jesus and clinging to Him, and of the church body and the Christian life, as well.

The hymns used in the newest EP by Fernando Ortega, For All the Saints, are not very well known to me. I feel like I’ve heard some of the songs, once, in a faraway memory, but obscure or forgotten or not, I am so grateful for the opportunity to listen to this album.

To truly appreciate and enjoy this album, I had to refocus my brain. This last week was so full of overstimulating stress and craziness, and I had trouble “hearing” the gentle tones of this album. Kind of like how hard it is, sometimes, to hear the whisper of Jesus in the chaos of our days. But I listened a second time, waiting for my thoughts and feelings to calm, and that is when the songs really sank in.

What a breath of fresh air these songs were to my soul, my heart, and my mind. It was like walking into a secret place and feeling peace. Each of the five songs seems to by symbolic of the process of a church service. They are not all slow rhythms, but they always remain calmly pleasant to the ears and mind.

There is the first song, “Gloria”, that is the opening recollection song reminding us of who the praise goes to. It’s almost like a heart and mind reboot hymn. It’s about You, Lord. It also makes a great “prayer closet” song.

“Jesus, Bread of Life” is the invitation to everyone to come and partake- the communion song. It’s really easy to harmonize with and to participate in, even if you don’t know the song.

The next song, “Let the Peace of Christ Rule in Our Hearts”, combines scripture and music. Every word applies to serving, praising, living, loving, giving thanks, singing and “doing it all in the name of the Lord.”

“How Can I Keep from Singing” has some really lovely instrumental parts. It brings to mind calm, tranquility, and peace. We remember who Jesus is, who we are in Him, and what He does for us. It really is all about acknowledging how we can surrender to, trust in, and cling to Jesus. How faithful He is!

And the last song, “For All the Saints”, is the last prayer of the service, the benediction. It is that great reminder of the faithfulness of the saints who persevered to the end in the past. It is the reminder from Whom they received their strength, their hope, their rest, and all they needed. It is an “amen” song.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, overtaken by the chaos, stress, and overstimulation of the days, weeks and months that stretch out neverendingly… please try to listen to For All the Saints. Listen as many times as necessary to really “hear” it. The words are food for the soul, and, I really do think they will bless you as you soak them up. Each song is founded on the basic truths of the Bible, and they are all fresh and “new” oldies that deserve a chance to be remembered and used to bless even more lives.

Give them a chance, you may be very pleasantly surprised. Let me know what you think!

3.5/5