I once was a very lonely soul. Long before I came out, long before I even had a wisp of being gay or what that was, I was lonely. I knew that I was an outsider of sorts, even different but I couldn't put a finger on what it was in any way. I know now that I satisfied that feeling by my empathy for other marginalized groups and individuals. I was never one of any of the major groups in high school. Not a jock, not a nerd; not preppy, band member, perhaps religious but surely not of the doctrinal variety. I did have recourse to one thing that soothed my soul and that was music. If it wasn't a hit song, I could easily manufacture song lyrics and a melody of my own. ( That, may have been a hint ). Music soothed my soul and I once noted in my journal that if I only had music and God, I would be ok. I would survive.
I am thinking about music because of The Song of Zechariah in today's readings. Not too long before I would get the final pangs of birth to come out, I found a very deep solace in this very song ( and others ) that we as seminarians chanted as part of morning and evening prayers. Sung in a medieval styled chapel alternating verses with other seminarians facing each other, the sounds echoed and raised magnificent voices to God even while our individual voices might have been somewhat lacking. It was glorious even if quite often morning prayer was sung with willing but half asleep bodies.
One of the joys of this time of year is the Christmas carols and holiday music. It's as if we collectively recognize that we want to reach up and toward a higher power instinctively with our voices. Music soothes our souls and raises our thoughts and prayers. I confess to waiting until 12:01am on the Friday after thanksgiving ( no, not to shop ) to give my personal license to a barrage of Christmas music.
While I admonish us always to self reflection and contemplative time in prayer, I can't possibly dismiss or minimize the power of music especially during Advent and Christmas. Music is our souls afire in praise which is as deep and satisfying to God as any contemplation. It is forever ancient, modern and always reviving the Spirit within us.
The Song of Zechariah
Luke 1: 68-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
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