Sharing great songs that are inspiring, uplifting and/or are otherwise “worth a listen”. Explanation here.
Several weeks ago, I had an encounter with an acquaintance that left me really sad about her views. Suffice to say that even though I pitied her, I was tempted and did indulge in feeling superior for several moments. Then I realized, oh, hey, I pretty much was this person at her age (early 20s). Later that night, this is the song that came into my head.
After this, I just had to laugh at myself for feeling (and trust me, I’m using the air quotes here) “better than” someone when I’m 30 years older and wiser. Recognizing pride, especially spiritual pride, really should lead us to laugh at ourselves, don’t you think? I’m pretty sure St. Francis de Sales has a great quote about this, but I can’t find it at the moment. Anyone else know it? When I searched for a video of the song, I found this nice reflection from Steven Curtis Chapman about how he came to write the song. (“It’s why we have to keep preaching the gospel to our own hearts”–what a great turn of phrase). Beautiful. The entire song is worth a listen as well; I’ve just bought it on iTunes, and I encourage you to do the same.
worth a listen
"Minor Revisions" for the Advent-Stressed
For the love of Christmas, I just cannot seem to keep up with Advent and Christmas. Am I the only one? I feel completely behind on everything this year.
Blog-wise, I will spare you just how many half-started posts I have in progress right now. Here are just a few: 1. gift books for Christmas for adults, 2. gift books for children, 3. Christmas-themed books we love at our house, and many, many more. It’s December 20 and there are just a few days left for those posts to have any meaning, so I fervently hope to get at least a few of them finished.
What have I been doing with my online time since I was able to sit down here about half an hour ago? Watching Episode 1 of “Minor Revisions,” the online reality show about atheist to Catholic convert Jen Fulwiler. Local readers will remember that Jen spoke at Behold 2011, the Catholic women’s conference, and she also was a featured blogger at Behold 2012. This was thanks to Bonnie Engstrom of A Knotted Life (who is doing such an excellent Advent series on her blog) reminding me about the second episode online tonight.
I was traveling last Thursday night, so unfortunately, I wasn’t able to watch the first episode, only available online live. Fortunately, there was such a demand for watching it online that the producers posted it on YouTube for a short time. So I’m taking the opportunity to watch it now. It is super well-done and enjoyable. Here it is, in case you haven’t seen it.
I can’t tell you how eager I am to read Jen’s memoir when it is released, and I trust it will be just as great as reading her blog and seeing her on “Minor Revisions.”
Worth a Listen: Mac Daddy by TobyMac
Sharing great songs that are inspiring, uplifting and/or are otherwise “worth a listen”. Explanation (of a kind) here.
We really enjoy this song from TobyMac’s newest album. Cute!
Worth a Listen: O Come, O Come Emmanuel by Sixpence None the Richer
(Sharing great songs that are inspiring, uplifting and/or are otherwise “worth a listen”). Explanation (of a kind) here.
We are well into the first week of Advent, and I hope to share some good Advent (not Christmas yet!) songs to help keep us in the Advent frame of mind.
I’ve enjoyed Sixpence None the Richer since my husband introduced the band to me in the 90s, and other than Leigh Nash’s voice, I like best the way they got their name.
What are you doing to mark Advent this year?
Worth A Listen: Forgiveness by Matthew West
(Sharing great songs that are inspiring, uplifting and/or are otherwise “worth a listen”). Explanation (of a kind) here.
For some reason, every time I hear this song I think about Confession.
It’s time to make an effort to go, as we head into Advent and Christmastime. Advent or just before Advent is a great time to schedule a time to get to this great Sacrament. Consider yourself reminded, and I will do the same.
Worth a Listen: Revelation Song by Phillips, Craig & Dean
(Sharing great songs that are inspiring, uplifting and/or are otherwise “worth a listen”). Explanation (of a kind) here.
I had another song cued up for this morning (I’ll save that for another Wednesday), when at Mass this morning, I head the first reading proclaimed.
I immediately thought, I know the song I should feature! I can actually be liturgically appropriate for today. So I rushed (unsuccessfully) to get home before 7 a.m. (when the other song was scheduled to post), to post this one instead.
The first reading, like all this week in the days leading up to the feast of Christ the King this Sunday, is from the Revelation to John. Here is part of it:
The four living creatures, each of them with six wings,
were covered with eyes inside and out.
Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall down
before the one who sits on the throne
and worship him, who lives forever and ever.
They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:
“Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things;
because of your will they came to be and were created.”
And I thought of a song we are hearing on the radio a lot these days, “Revelation Song.” The video above, which features a bit of the song, shows the band describing how the song is powerful in moving people. I agree.
Our family tries to read the Mass readings in the morning, taking turns reading. Our kids sometimes bicker about who gets to do what, lest you imagine a holy scene at the breakfast table.
Every few weeks, a reading or responsorial Psalm will remind us of a song we hear on our local Christian radio station. I do like this, as it helps reinforce how steeped we are in Scripture as Catholics, and how worship music and some Christian music can aid our prayer life and knowledge of Scripture.
(A humorous aside: just yesterday, the kids read the Mass readings as I was driving my teenager to a friend’s house, and when she finished the Gospel about Jesus encountering Zaccheus, I immediately launched into, “Zaccheus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he.”)
This week, as we lead up to the Feast of Christ the King, the Church’s readings point towards the last things, the end of the world, to prepare us for the beginning of the liturgical year with the first Sunday of Advent. My theologian husband told me once that there’s an old church tradition/hope that the Lord will return in glory on the feast of Christ the King.
One of the band members says in the video about the song, “We felt passionate about the song. When I hear that song, whatever circumstance I am in, it takes me to that place. And where is that place? It’s in the presence of Jesus Christ.”
As Catholics, we have the knowledge that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. So when we visit Jesus, whether in a time of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament or just a quick prayer time at a Church, we are in a very special way in that Presence. Meditating on this song, too, can help dispose us to worship:
Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.