New Brazilian worship song “Minha Essência” (My Essence)

I encourage you to listen to this video by Thiago Brado, a worship singer from Brazil. The song sung in Portuguese, entitled My Essence in English, has nearly 4.3 million views on YouTube.

Thiago, 25, whose real name is Thiago Oliveira da Silva started singing at the age of 10. At 14, he attended a musical conservatory for further training after his grandmother gave him a guitar.

Three years later in 2007, Thiago encountered the Holy Spirit at a Catholic Charismatic meeting in Brazil that transformed his life. He has been attending ever since.

During these gatherings his attention was drawn to worship and today Thiago says: “I sing what the Lord wants me to sing.”

Several years back, my wife and I met a young couple involved in the Catholic Charismatic movement in Peru. I was genuinely impressed with their faith. We spent an evening with them and our discussion eventually turned to doctrine.

Ok I confess, I asked them their views on Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Though they were still Catholic in doctrine and for the most part defended the church’s position on Mary, I asked, “Does the Catholic Charismatic movement emphasize Mary?”

I believed if the Holy Spirit was moving on the Catholic charismatic movement, He would naturally draw people towards Jesus and away from Mary.

My Catholic Charismatic friend answered that despite their doctrinal position, Mary rarely comes up in their meetings.

Thiago based the words of the song, My Essence, on the story in Luke 7:36-50. Jesus was at the home of Simon the Pharisee when a woman entered and knelt at Jesus feet and began washing them with her tears and hair. She then anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume in an act of love and worship.

Her actions offended Simon and though we are not told why, he certainly implied the woman had a less than stellar reputation in the community. Simon was stunned that Jesus would let a sinner touch him.

Jesus said to Simon if a money-lender forgave a man who owed 50 denarii and another who owed 500, which of the two would love the lender more. Simon answered the one who owed the most.

Jesus agreed and then the Lord tied a person’s expression of love to their appreciation of the forgiveness they received. The more you understand how much you are forgiven, the more you will love others.

^“For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7:47 NASV)

If we are struggling with a harshness or a judgmental attitude, it may reflect that we have embraced the self-righteous attitude of a Pharisee. We simply consider ourselves less of a sinner than we really are and no longer appreciate all Christ has done for us.

Below are the English words to My Essence supplied by aleteia.org:

I have come here
To pour out my past upon You
I have come to wash my feet that have wandered
Without receiving love

Today I am here
Not because I am deserving, I know
For You know where I’ve gone
You know my scent well

But You also know
That my cry is sincere
I have nothing to offer, my Lord
But I give you my life

It’s all that I have
Receive my nothingness
Rebuild the house
Abide in me

Take me in your arms
Calm me on Your breast
I am Yours, I am chosen
And my essence is to breathe in Your perfume