What follows is the Bulletin Reflection for this week – with the addition of links to the music to which I refer … I hope it is of profit to you
I gave a talk once to men’s group once during which I used some of the music that I grew up with to illustrate some spiritual points. I heard afterwards that one of those there took exception to any suggestion that any grace could come through contemporary music (and honestly my “contemporary” music is now accessed through looking for “oldies”). Of course, he didn’t say anything to me. Sigh. As they say, ‘sorry, not sorry’. Music has always been a door to depths of personhood for me – truthfully, some music might not have opened up the healthiest of “depths” … but that was rare. I grew up in a rather “tame” time (or at least that is the way a senior remembers it), and this was the music was part of the nurturing of my life in the Lord. I do not expect people to understand the way in which we Christians live in the world which is “God-soaked.”
The Joy of this “Rejoice, O Jerusalem” (LAETARE) Sunday comes with so many beautiful hymns, some of which our great choirs are singing. Joy also recalls some of the “oldies” that gave me the rhythm of joy. Stevie Wonder’s magnificent Songs in the Key of Life had quite the effect when I bought it fifty years ago. From the first chords of “Love’s in Need of Love Today” it still blows me away. I always felt the call to be a priest. And the song with the groove and choral harmonics showed me a mission in God –
I have serious news to pass on to everybody
What I’m about to say Could mean the world’s disaster
Could change your joy and laughter to tears and pain
(Chorus) It’s that love’s in need of love today
Don’t delay, send yours in right away
Hate’s going ’round breaking many hearts
Stop it please before it’s gone too far
Trying to love in this world will bring “tears and pain.” But in the next song Stevie gives the secret to bringing love in the midst of struggle: “When you feel your life’s too hard/Just go have a talk with God”.
So, while his songs express the cadences of real struggles, Stevie’s music is undeniably joyful. Not the wanton ecstasy that passes for happiness but a constant quiet elevation working through many different styles. I have found that this is indeed the way that Joy sings everyday. Even when the “key of life” varies between suffering, struggling, relaxing, weeping, and worshipping, for those who can hear it – the Holy Spirit sings Love, even if it whispers.
Preparing for this Sunday, however, the music that jumped out from Stevie’s album was the deep dangerous bass-line of the song, “Joy inside my Tears.”
I’ve always felt that ‘tomorrow’ is for those who are too much afraid
To go past yesterday and start living for today
I feel that lasting moments are coming far and few between, So I should tell you of the happiness that you bring
(Chorus) And baby, that’s you, you, you
Made life’s history
‘Cause you’ve brought some joy inside my tears
And you have done what no one thought could be
You’ve brought some joy inside my tears
Clearly Stevie is singing to a beloved. For a young me, however, it was a love song to God. Of course, this is highly romantic, yet this movement between human love and love of God has a long tradition. Scripture’s Song of Songs never refers to God as it recalls lovers’ ballads. Nonetheless, no text of the Bible has been used more often by mystics or more frequently set to music. That God brings “joy inside my tears” has been taught to me by the canonized and ordinary saints of my life … especially Mary, Queen of Priests.
But a different meaning presented itself to me this time. What if it is Jesus singing to me that I have brought joy inside His tears? What if Lent was about me bringing Joy to Jesus? My simple service, my unfocussed prayers, my kindnesses, bring into His Suffering on the Cross the joyful vision of what His love has done in me. And when we do to Him by doing to the least of our neighbours, does not that bring Joy inside their tears? His tears?
So let us give joy to our Lord as He weeps on the Cross, weeps homeless on the street, weeps frightened under missiles. Let us surrender to being the love that Love needs, to making Jesus’ joy complete.
And Just for fun – and joy – one of the best “pro-life” songs ever!