On Being in Love with God

The video that I'm including today is a little out of the ordinary for me. It's not the kind of music that I normally like to listen to, and it's not what I would ever expect to hear played at Mass--even at a youth Mass. If I heard it played like this at a Mass I'd probably be critical or feel way out of place.

Still, the song is, in fact, one that we play during Mass from time to time at my parish. It's just a whole lot more mellow and sweet sounding when we sing it on Sunday. I actually like it when our accomplished musicians and choir perform the song. I know the lyrics and I can sing along with it pretty well. It speaks to my heart and reminds me of my Christian beginnings. Many people would say that contemporary music has no place in a Mass, and for their community that is probably true. However, we have to accept that God may be communicating to someone even though it isn't our preferred mode of communication. Being tolerant isn't bad, nor is it liberal in some pejorative sense--being free with our hearts is Spirit!

I was thinking about when I was a teenage Christian, and what it was that inspired my life, what motivated me spiritually. Certainly, the music that was part of worship made a big difference. I learned to let my heart sing. For my young companions and me, music went along with being in love.  You see, we were quite in love with our Lord. We believed that we were in a relationship with God that was characterized by passionate love, and we acted accordingly. What I experienced prepared my heart to be open a few years later to the poetry of St. John of the Cross. Ultimately it prepared my heart to be open to the Catholic faith. I saw Catholicism as a faith for lovers. It was the passionate saints who inspired me, especially the monks and martyrs and holy women.

Catholicism gave me something to touch, to smell, to taste.  It's rich and beautiful art--the elegant beauty of the Mother of God; the exquisite images of the passion. The faith was alive with hearts of flame.

Loving God, the first and foremost commandment, is about being in love with God.  When you're young and in love you express it with passion--you sing and dance like David. When you get older you find that the love hasn't gone away, you just learn to express it in a different way.  Friday penance? Just be in love with God.

Comments

[Honora]

Okay, well now I can REALLY imagine Aaron Lewis of Staind singing, "Only in God is my soul at rest, in Him is my salvation.... My stronghold, my Saviour, I shall not be afraid at all,.."

:-)

[Gabrielle]

Music is an integral part of the life of my soul. What might take years to understand intellectually God can give us in just moments through His gift of music. It is mysterious to me, somehow, like mathematics; great mysteries, but oh, how they can carry you swiftly to the Lord.

[forget me not]

I know what you mean Gabrielle. I love the song you linked to in your last post. It's not easy for me to find music like that here, although I suppose I could download some like in the case of When Grace Abounds. Although I find it difficult thinking that Mathematics is a great mystery that carries me swiftly to the Lord... ;-)

[Honora]

What is/are mathematics? :-)

I think if Schubert's Ave Maria was played on battlefields every day, everyone would eventually stand up, drop their grenades (pins in) and walk home.

[C. O'Reilly]

"When you get older you find that the love hasn't gone away, you just learn to express it in a different way."

You're right, Deacon.. although I as a RC child did not sing to God.. are you kidding? We didn't celebrate Jesus, Heaven did-- no thanks to us worms of no comeliness. We were tolerated, I think. So indeed, Vatican II came not a moment too soon, but by then, we none of us dared sing Him to the birds if we felt like it. Looking around then, it seemed Protestants and Jews had life so much easier.. they had the pudding of peace and socialization and Scripture/Torah study, while we had dirges and whispers and shaming. Shaming. Isn't that one of the deadly sins, since it is nothing that Christ ever did? Well, I know it's not, but it is the antithesis of forgiveness. Thankfully, we came to understand the love that is in warm, fresh Bread-- came to know Who had purchased and baked it in His own fire of love, and Who wanted us to have it.