Pastor's Note

THAT SONG
December 3rd, 2006

I was driving back home late one night last week. As I scanned the radio stations, I found one that played only Christmas music. Although it seemed a little early for that, I listened nonetheless.
Soon they played one of my favorites, “Do you hear what I hear?” That was introduced as a new Christmas song when I was young. Hearing it in the quiet of the night, I was flooded with many memories of growing up. I associate that song with lots of positive thoughts and emotions about Christmas.
Have you ever noticed that a song can do that? Songs are among our best memory sticks for conjuring up the past. Often I can tell you what grade I was in and what was important to me when a song first came out. And religious songs, while not on the top ten chart, also connect people with particular events and happenings. How many, for example, associate “On Eagle’s Wings” with a funeral of someone they love.
Music has the ability to help people transcend words and even thoughts. It crosses over most of what holds people down and allows spirits to soar. A good song can energize a person, relax that person, inspire, or even rally someone to a cause. Good church music allows us to relate to God in a different way and then respond in faith more fully.
We are blessed at Blessed John to have a fine music program. Yet what we sing is really for everyone. If you are a bit reluctant to sing or feel self-conscious, please take the plunge today. Certainly, it takes some energy to invest yourself into singing, but you’ll be amazed what it will do for you.
The songs we sing will certainly enrich you now and in the days to come.