Ortega was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico near the banks of the Rio Grande. He started learning piano at eight years of age. Through his father's work with the United States Department of State, he also spent time in Ecuador and Barbados. It is from his heritage and classical training at The University of New Mexico where Ortega derives his sound, embracing country, classical, Celtic, Latin American, world, modern folk, and rustic hymnody. Fernando Ortega currently leads worship at Christ the King Anglican Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
His album Storm reached No. 197 on the Billboard 200 in 2002, and Christmas Songs reached No. 36 on the Billboard Christmas Album Chart in 2009.
Light Of Heaven
Fernando Ortega Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know it's hard to sleep so far from home
The moon has covered up her eyes, my sister
I thought I'd find You here but I am all alone, all alone
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
Till we see You, till we know You
I searched the city streets today, my father
The tunnel and the train, the river and the rain
I walked beneath the harbor lights, my mother
And in the shadows there I call Your name, I call Your name
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
Till we see You, till we know You
Till the sorrow and the darkness fade away, fade away
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
Till we see You, till we know You
Till the sorrow and the darkness fade away
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
Till we see You, till we know You
Till the sorrow and the darkness fade away, fade away
Fade away
Fade away
The lyrics of Fernando Ortega's song "Light of Heaven" express feelings of loneliness, despair and longing for the presence of God. The first verse speaks of tears falling from the sky, making it difficult to sleep away from home. The moon, a symbol of the divine feminine, is covered up, suggesting a withdrawal of comfort and guidance. The singer is looking for God, hoping to find comfort and solace in His presence. The repetitive chorus, "Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy, shine the goodness of your love upon this day, till we see you, till we know you, till the sorrow and the darkness fade away," is a prayer for relief and restoration, a yearning for the hope and peace that can only come from God's presence. In the second verse, the singer searches the city streets, calling out to God in the shadows, hoping to find him in the midst of the noise and chaos.
The song reflects a common spiritual experience of feeling lost or separated from God, but also the hope and persistence of the human spirit in seeking connection with the divine. The use of family terms like brother, sister, father, and mother creates a sense of community and shared suffering, as well as invoking the idea of God as a loving family member. The lyrics also use nature imagery, such as tears falling from the sky and the moon covering her eyes, which adds to the sense of universal sorrow and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
The sky is raining tears tonight, my brother
It is raining heavily tonight and I am feeling sad as I miss my home and family.
You know it's hard to sleep so far from home
Being so far away from home makes it difficult for me to sleep.
The moon has covered up her eyes, my sister
The moon is not visible tonight, as if it's mourning along with me. I feel alone and lost.
I thought I'd find You here but I am all alone, all alone
I expected to find comfort and solace in your presence, but I feel alone, as if heaven is far away from me.
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
I pray to you, the light of heaven and the merciful Lord, seeking your love and peace.
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
May your love shine upon me today, and help me to find happiness and joy.
Till we see You, till we know You
I long to see you and know you better, to understand your ways and feel your love.
Till the sorrow and the darkness fade away, fade away
May my sorrow and darkness disappear, like the fading away of the night sky as dawn breaks.
I searched the city streets today, my father
I searched everywhere today, looking for a sign of your presence and your love.
The tunnel and the train, the river and the rain
I searched through tunnels, rode on trains, walked by rivers, and braved the rain, hoping to find you.
I walked beneath the harbor lights, my mother
Walking under the harbor lights, I felt your love and protection, and felt a sense of comfort and peace.
And in the shadows there I call Your name, I call Your name
In the darkness, I call out to you, seeking your guidance and presence in my life.
Fade away
May all my pain, sorrow, and darkness fade away, as the night fades into day.
Fade away
May your love and light shine brighter than the night, and make all my troubles disappear.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FERNANDO ORTEGA, JOHN ANDREW SCHREINER, JUAN F. ORTEGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sowers' Song
The sky is raining tears tonight, my brother
You know it's hard to sleep so far from home
The moon has covered up her eyes, my sister
I thought I'd find You here but I am all alone, all alone
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
Till we see You, till we know You
Till the sorrow and the darkness fade away, fade away
I searched the city streets today, my father
The tunnel and the train, the river and the rain
I walked beneath the harbor lights, my mother
And in the shadows there I call Your name, I call Your name
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
Till we see You, till we know You
Till the sorrow and the darkness fade away, fade away
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
Till we see You, till we know You
Till the sorrow and the darkness fade away
Light of Heaven, Lord of mercy
Shine the goodness of Your love upon this day
Till we see You, till we know You
Till the sorrow and the darkness fade away, fade away
Fade away
Fade away
Barbara Funnell
Yesterday at church, I heard Fernando Ortega for the very first time! I have been a Christian for many years but have only lived in the USA for 3 and a half years. I didn't hear of him in the UK. His voice is so beautiful and it's sound goes straight to my heart and I immediately begin to weep. Fernando's wonderful God-given gifts are balm to the soul and, through the Holy Spirit, give healing to the mind. May our Heavenly Father continue for many years to speak to him through music.
Diane Spears
Fernando's music is from heaven with healing.
Jodi Birmingham
Yes
shirleyrosebud
Beautiful music God bless you Fernando you are a blessing to everyone 🙏🌹
Deborah Tran
Fernando Ortega is so blessed to share his soul and heart with us all
Elizabeth Staeheli
May his music always be used to glorify God, who loves us all and is striving with us to give up our sin, so He can save us!
William Smith
Such a beautiful gift from God,
I love Fernando's music.
May God continue to bless him.
GORDON KISSA
A special gift to the world Fernando. I thank God for this man
Janet Short
Such a talented, humble man! If you ever get a chance to see him in concert, you'll be blown away. Unlike all the other Christian artists.
Paul Amirault
As a Christian artist myself, he worships the Lord Jesus without the need or concern of a record contract! Amen