Deacon Dan Wright

A Moonlight Meditation

Interestingly, this appears to be performed in a church.  At least it serves to take one's mind off politics, work, and everything else--a nice meditation to say good night, and certainly a great piece performed by two masters of classical guitar, Julian Bream and John Williams.

No blog post tomorrow--look for my homily early Saturday evening.

Being at Peace

I wasn't exactly sure where I wanted to go with the blog this evening before I turn out the lights and call it a day.  Indeed, a busier than usual day was still weighing heavy on me--it was one of those days when we ask, "Why do I choose to do this?"  The answer to that question, of course, is never too far away from the dedicated heart.  We need only look as deep as our hearts.

I believe there is a truth in saying that a day's work bears a similarity to a life's work--especially when the struggle is such that we can feel it pressing in: when we can literally sense age being added.  There has to be a place to turn where we find perfect peace.

The Psalmist says, "In God alone is my soul at rest; my help comes from him."  Of course, as Christians we certainly believe that being in Christ is the only source of rest for our souls--this I would never deny, but I think that often our being at rest--that is, our being at peace--finds expressions in the things that point us to an intrinsic peace in the world and a rest that becomes clearly visible with only a little uncovering.

Earlier this summer I was fortunate to have acquired a guitar.  I have always loved the sound of classical guitar pieces--for me, music has the power to go beyond the ordinary world where often meanings conflict if they are to be found at all.  This morning in the Morning Prayer, the Canticle from Isaiah read, "we shall sing to stringed instruments in the house of the Lord all the days of our life."  It came as a little affirmation to me.

I have never really tried to learn to play an instrument with any seriousness, but now as I am only a year away from turning 50 I have decided to dedicate a good portion of my spare time to finding oneness through the vibrations of nylon strings--not to sound too far-fetched.  After all, I'm not attempting to make a doctrinal statement of any kind, nor am I commenting on one.  I'm just commenting on something I see after looking deeply.

Many years ago as a university student I studied the philosophy of art.  When we came to Picasso's El Viejo Guitarrista the prof didn't say anything, which was surprising for a fellow who was in the first place a knowledgeable musicologist.  Some things just go beyond words and still manage to express all the meaning in the world.  A work of art is like that, whether the medium is oil or nylon.

Recently, I told my guitar teacher that my goal for age 90 is to resemble Picasso's guitarist.  What I see in it is an expression of peace, harmony, and oneness with everything.  If something like satori can really be achieved, I think it has to do with frequently returning to the idea that life--complete with it's struggles and hardships, with it's no easy answer days--always has something to give and something to say, though meaning expressed in words may or may not be part of it.

It Was 40 Years Ago Today

I really couldn't let the day pass without adding this story.  However, I have to admit that Sgt. Pepper's was a lot more influential in my life 30 years ago today.

(ABC News) Rolling Stone ranked it No. 1 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

And 40 years later, people are still talking about the Beatles' eighth album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

"It is ... when you sit down and listen to it from beginning to end ... a shockingly good record," said Joe Levy, the executive editor of Rolling Stone.

The song "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" begins with, "It was 20 years ago today," and it was 40 years ago today that the Beatles showed the world a new way to play music....

"Sgt. Pepper" was recorded by the Beatles over a 129-day period beginning on Dec. 6, 1966. The album was released on June 1, 1967, in the United Kingdom and on June 2, 1967, in the United States.

Read the whole story here

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.