Songs often speak for me when talking cannot express what's in my heart.
All my life until recently, the hymnody of church and the songs learned as they were written through the years spoke for the faith I feel, carried the light I bear inside. But the church has moved away from those songs. When I go to worship now, I don't know the songs they are singing. I expect I can learn the new ones — I mean, why not? But it feels as though a lifelong pilgrimage has been erased. The songs were what said it for me.
Today I was online sorting out some financial transactions, and went on to YouTube to see what was happening there. Much to my surprise, I landed there just as a livestream was starting for the funeral of a friend from long ago — a woman I knew at the time my children were being born, back in the days of the Ashburnham Stable Family. It was forty years ago, but she comes back to my mind from time to time, because she was very unusual, a complete original with dauntless faith, full on hope, her life centred on Jesus.
I needed to put through the things I was engaged on, but at the same time I was listening to the prayers and tributes from her funeral. And at one point near to the end, they sang this song that I love.
I've listened to it over and over through this afternoon.
Yesterday, a different song was on my mind. Back in 1972, when I first gave my heart to Jesus, an LP — a vinyl disc — came out, called God's People Give Thanks. I see it's still possible to buy it on eBay, though I no longer have a record player that would allow me to listen to it. At the time I borrowed it from a friend, and the record player I had then was borrowed from another friend. There was one particular song on that album I'd never heard before. I listened to it over and over. I loved it so much. It was William Featherstone's hymn, My Jesus, I love Thee. This one.
And that was what I listened to for much of yesterday.
But then online today I came across this song by Josh Groban, and it struck me as remarkably apposite for the way many of us are feeling as we try to hold our light steady and keep walking forward.
But, honest and real though that is, for me the hymns and songs we sing are not so much to express how we feel, but more to strengthen us, to steady us. And there are few songs I know better than this one, for achieving that.
It was put out for the time of the Covid pandemic, but I think it might be what I want to say for all times, forever.
Let me make an interesting observation: it seems that the perception of this kind of thing is very culturally conditioned. I understand the lyrics, I perceive the music, but my feelings don't respond in any way. I began to think: what's the matter? And I realized that I live in a culture where there is a completely different idea of songs in general and sacred music in particular. It would seem that music is a universal language that should be understandable to everyone! But no. It turned out that it doesn't work that way... That's interesting.
Интересно, может быть, это потому, что это современные песни? Поскольку мы всё ещё находимся во времени, когда они были написаны, мы не можем заглянуть за его пределы (возможно)? Возможно, я ошибаюсь, но мне кажется, что древняя музыка — например, григорианские песнопения — и музыка классических композиторов (Бетховена, Верди, а в последнее время и Шостаковича) могут быть написаны на более универсальном языке?
Hi Pen, I'm so glad that you've come back to writing on this blog. Some years ago you had stepped away from it, but as I'm reading your book Relinquishment (thank you for this), I thought I would mosey back here anyway to poke around old blog posts, only to find you are actively writing--yay! I'm also reading Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era and Place by Ben Lansing and D. J. Marotta. Your quote of the song reminded me of the Lorica, which I had just read (and sang along to in my mind) a couple days ago as I was reading the entry dedicated to Saint Patrick: Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Waving to you, Sarah! Yes, I stopped blogging and moved over to Facebook around the time we were doing The Campfire Church there through all the Covid era and beyond. But recently in all the political turbulence I've been finding the whole social media scenario more contentious and less constructive than I'm comfortable with, so I came back here. Though I've been all bound up with writing the last two books in the second Hawk & Dove series, so I've not been here so much in the last month. But I soon will be. xx The Lorica! ❤️ Just the other day I was reading again Madeleine L'Engle's lovely version from he book A Swiftly Tilting Planet:
At Tara to-day in this fateful hour I place all Heaven with its power, And the sun with its brightness, And the snow with its whiteness, And fire with all the strength it hath, And lightning with its rapid wrath, And the winds with their swiftness along their path, And the sea with its deepness, And the rocks with their steepness, And the earth with its starkness: All these I place, By God’s almighty help and grace, Between myself and the powers of darkness.
That is a prayer! Thank you for your reply. How cool that you are writing a second Hawk and Dove series--excited to read it! Social media isn't the day at the fair that it used to be. But I have found Facebook's marketplace to be a great resource for buying and selling second-hand items!
Hi Pen, I'm so pleased to have found you here as I have missed you on Facebook. I see you are working on two more books in Hawk and Dove series. I'm so pleased as those books are a form of Spiritual Direction to me. I'm pleased I can keep up with you on here. Sending you love and prayers, Sr Pat xx
Yes to Fb as a resource. I obliterated myself there, then went back as a different person, with zero friends, so I could access the groups I belong to for health issues, and our local give-and-takery. It's good for that.
Well yeah Gregorian chants exist outside of time and space. Unfortunately, I can't sing them, but I love listening to them so much!.. Classical music is also universal. But yesterday and this morning, I was remembering the songs of my youth. They often have a simple melody, but complex lyrics. This is a so-called author's song, where the poet sings his own poems, usually with a guitar. It was very popular in my childhood and youth. Is there such a thing in England?
How interesting! Is there any possible links to the songs of these singer-songwriters? In my childhood, they had nothing to do with folk, but in my youth they already had something in common :) Perhaps two initially different traditions have merged into one, this happens.
В качестве примера можно привести выступление английской певицы и автора песен Румер, исполнившей свою песню "Slow". https://youtu.be/jz3hAgglxfw?si=s0xw6CohwVbSF95c
Приятная песня и голос тоже. Но я бы не подумала, что это авторская песня, если бы мне не сказали :) В наших местах это выглядело примерно вот так: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4OP53bYpuM&t=44s
The text is like this: Alas, our meetings of separation are destined., The stream by the amber pine is quiet and sad, The coals of the fire were covered with timid ashes, That's all over, it's time to part. Chorus: My dear, the forest sun, Where, in what parts Will you meet me?
The wings folded the tents: their flight was over. The plane, the seeker of separation, spread its wings. And the ramp is slowly backing away from the wing, That's really the gap between us.
Chorus
Don't comfort me, I don't need words. I wish I could find that stream by the amber pine. Suddenly, through the fog, there is a red piece of fire, Suddenly, they're waiting by the fire, imagine, for me.
Chorus
It sounds very well in Russian. She is extremely popular, as soon as someone sings, everyone sings along.
18 comments:
Let me make an interesting observation: it seems that the perception of this kind of thing is very culturally conditioned. I understand the lyrics, I perceive the music, but my feelings don't respond in any way. I began to think: what's the matter? And I realized that I live in a culture where there is a completely different idea of songs in general and sacred music in particular. It would seem that music is a universal language that should be understandable to everyone! But no. It turned out that it doesn't work that way... That's interesting.
Интересно, может быть, это потому, что это современные песни?
Поскольку мы всё ещё находимся во времени, когда они были написаны, мы не можем заглянуть за его пределы (возможно)?
Возможно, я ошибаюсь, но мне кажется, что древняя музыка — например, григорианские песнопения — и музыка классических композиторов (Бетховена, Верди, а в последнее время и Шостаковича) могут быть написаны на более универсальном языке?
Hi Pen, I'm so glad that you've come back to writing on this blog. Some years ago you had stepped away from it, but as I'm reading your book Relinquishment (thank you for this), I thought I would mosey back here anyway to poke around old blog posts, only to find you are actively writing--yay! I'm also reading Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era and Place by Ben Lansing and D. J. Marotta. Your quote of the song reminded me of the Lorica, which I had just read (and sang along to in my mind) a couple days ago as I was reading the entry dedicated to Saint Patrick:
Christ be with me,
Christ within me,
Christ behind me,
Christ before me,
Christ beside me,
Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ in quiet,
Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Peace,
Sarah
Waving to you, Sarah! Yes, I stopped blogging and moved over to Facebook around the time we were doing The Campfire Church there through all the Covid era and beyond. But recently in all the political turbulence I've been finding the whole social media scenario more contentious and less constructive than I'm comfortable with, so I came back here. Though I've been all bound up with writing the last two books in the second Hawk & Dove series, so I've not been here so much in the last month. But I soon will be. xx
The Lorica! ❤️
Just the other day I was reading again Madeleine L'Engle's lovely version from he book A Swiftly Tilting Planet:
At Tara to-day in this fateful hour
I place all Heaven with its power,
And the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And fire with all the strength it hath,
And lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along their path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness:
All these I place,
By God’s almighty help and grace,
Between myself and the powers of darkness.
That is a prayer! Thank you for your reply. How cool that you are writing a second Hawk and Dove series--excited to read it! Social media isn't the day at the fair that it used to be. But I have found Facebook's marketplace to be a great resource for buying and selling second-hand items!
Hi Pen, I'm so pleased to have found you here as I have missed you on Facebook. I see you are working on two more books in Hawk and Dove series. I'm so pleased as those books are a form of Spiritual Direction to me. I'm pleased I can keep up with you on here. Sending you love and prayers, Sr Pat xx
Yes to Fb as a resource. I obliterated myself there, then went back as a different person, with zero friends, so I could access the groups I belong to for health issues, and our local give-and-takery. It's good for that.
Hi Sr Pat — lovely to hear from you. We pray for you every day, and for your Mum. x
Well yeah Gregorian chants exist outside of time and space. Unfortunately, I can't sing them, but I love listening to them so much!.. Classical music is also universal. But yesterday and this morning, I was remembering the songs of my youth. They often have a simple melody, but complex lyrics. This is a so-called author's song, where the poet sings his own poems, usually with a guitar. It was very popular in my childhood and youth. Is there such a thing in England?
О да, это очень популярно в Англии. То, что мы называем "певцом-автором песен". Очень распространенное явление в современной фолк-традиции.
Woops, had replied before signing in, but yes, I did that same exact thing. :)
Oh, that's interesting, Sarah. So we may be interacting with people on social media who we know but we don't know we know them!
How interesting! Is there any possible links to the songs of these singer-songwriters? In my childhood, they had nothing to do with folk, but in my youth they already had something in common :) Perhaps two initially different traditions have merged into one, this happens.
В качестве примера можно привести выступление английской певицы и автора песен Румер, исполнившей свою песню "Slow".
https://youtu.be/jz3hAgglxfw?si=s0xw6CohwVbSF95c
Приятная песня и голос тоже. Но я бы не подумала, что это авторская песня, если бы мне не сказали :) В наших местах это выглядело примерно вот так: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4OP53bYpuM&t=44s
The text is like this:
Alas, our meetings of separation are destined.,
The stream by the amber pine is quiet and sad,
The coals of the fire were covered with timid ashes,
That's all over, it's time to part.
Chorus:
My dear, the forest sun,
Where, in what parts
Will you meet me?
The wings folded the tents: their flight was over.
The plane, the seeker of separation, spread its wings.
And the ramp is slowly backing away from the wing,
That's really the gap between us.
Chorus
Don't comfort me, I don't need words.
I wish I could find that stream by the amber pine.
Suddenly, through the fog, there is a red piece of fire,
Suddenly, they're waiting by the fire, imagine, for me.
Chorus
It sounds very well in Russian. She is extremely popular, as soon as someone sings, everyone sings along.
Мне нравится! Напоминает французского певца Жоржа Брассенса из 1950-х годов.
Ах да, я могу себе это представить. Очень атмосферно.
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