#mortals! rejoice for i have graced this wretched gathering with my eternal presence!

[grimmweepers]

sucking my blood. say it. i dare you >:)

SUCKING YOUR BLOOD YEAH YEAH Yeah yEAJ YEAH YEAH

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for August 8 of 2021 with Proverbs 8 and Psalm 8, accompanied by Psalm 50 for the 50th day of Astronomical Summer and Psalm 70 for day 220 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 8]

Isn’t Lady Wisdom calling?

Listen; don’t you hear the voice of understanding crying out?

She’s taken her stand at the highest place in the city,

at the crossroads where everyone can see her.

There, and at the gates, at the entrance to the city,

right in front of the city doors she cries out:

Lady Wisdom: O people! I am calling to you;

I have a message for all humanity.

You gullible people, acquire insight.

You naive ones, cultivate a heart that truly understands.

Listen, for I am about to tell you of unparalleled excellence and beauty;

what I am about to say will set things right.

I will only speak the truth;

I despise evil, so it will not pass through my lips.

Everything I say promotes justice;

not one word is crooked, and nothing is distorted.

Each and every word is straight talk to perceptive people,

upright and honest to knowledge-seekers.

Accept my correction as being more valuable than your prized possession,

authentic knowledge more valuable than pure gold.

You see, no gem is more precious than Lady Wisdom—

your most extravagant desire doesn’t come close to her.

Lady Wisdom: I make my home with prudence;

I obtain knowledge and sound judgment.

If you respect the Eternal, you will grow to despise evil.

I despise wretched, vile talk

and ways of pride and arrogance.

Good counsel is mine, and also true wisdom.

I am understanding, and strength belongs to me.

It’s because of me that kings wield power

and authorities decree what is right.

It’s because of me that leaders and their agents govern

and all judge according to what is right.

I love those who love me;

those who search hard for me will find me.

Riches and honor are the benefit of following me;

so are lasting wealth and justice.

My reward is better than gold, even the purest gold;

and my profit is greater than the highest quality silver.

I follow the way of right living.

Follow me along the path to find justice;

I’m ready to meet those who love me, bestow true riches upon them,

and fill up their lives until their treasuries overflow.

The Eternal created me; it happened when His work was beginning,

one of His first acts long ago.

Before time He established me,

before the earth saw its first sunrise.

I was born before the deep existed,

before any springs poured out their water,

Before the mountains were placed on their foundations,

before the hills rolled across the land—

yes, before all this, I was brought forth.

When the earth was yet unformed and the fields were not yet nestled beneath the wind—

even before the first dust of the earth—

When He created the heavens, I was there.

When He drew a circle in the deep, dividing the oceans and the sky, I was there.

I was there when He established the sky.

I was there when the springs in the deep were fortified;

I witnessed Him lay down the shore as a boundary

and put limits on the water

And determine the foundations of the earth.

All this time I was close beside Him, a master craftsman.

Every day I was His delightful companion,

celebrating every minute in His presence,

Elated by the world He was making and all its fine creatures;

I was especially pleased with humanity.

So now listen to me, my children:

those who live by my ways will find true happiness.

Pay attention to my guidance, dare to be wise,

and don’t disregard my teachings.

The one who listens to me,

who carefully seeks me in everyday things

and delays action until my way is apparent, that one will find true happiness.

For when he recognizes and follows me, he finds a peaceful and satisfying life

and receives favor from the Eternal.

But heed my warning: the one who goes against me will only hurt himself,

for all who despise me are playing with fire and courting death.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 8 (The Voice)

[Psalm 8]

God’s Splendor

For the Pure and Shining One

Set to the melody of “For the Feast of Harvest” by King David

Yahweh, our Sovereign God,

your glory streams from the heavens above,

filling the earth with the majesty of your name!

People everywhere see your splendor.

You have built a stronghold by the songs of children.

Strength rises up with the chorus of infants.

This kind of praise has power to shut Satan’s mouth.

Childlike worship will silence

the madness of those who oppose you.

Look at the splendor of your skies,

your creative genius glowing in the heavens.

When I gaze at your moon and your stars,

mounted like jewels in their settings,

I know you are the fascinating artist who fashioned it all!

But I have to ask this question:

Why would you bother with puny, mortal man

or care about human beings?

Yet what honor you have given to men,

created only a little lower than Elohim,

crowned with glory and magnificence.

You have delegated to them

rulership over all you have made,

with everything under their authority,

placing earth itself under the feet of your image-bearers.

All the created order and every living thing

of the earth, sky, and sea—

the wildest beasts and all that move in the paths of the sea—

everything is in submission to Adam’s sons.

Yahweh, our Sovereign God,

your glory streams from the heavens above,

filling the earth with the majesty of your name!

People everywhere see your splendor!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 8 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 50]

God Has Spoken

A poetic song of Asaph, the gatherer

The God of gods, the mighty Lord himself, has spoken!

He shouts out over all the people of the earth

in every brilliant sunrise and every beautiful sunset,

saying, “Listen to me!”

God’s glory-light shines out of the Zion-realm

with the radiance of perfect beauty.

With the rumble of thunder he approaches;

he will not be silent, for he comes with an earsplitting sound!

All around him are furious flames of fire,

and preceding him is the dazzling blaze of his glory.

Here he comes to judge his people!

He summons his court with heaven and earth as his jury, saying,

“Gather all my devoted lovers,

my godly ones whose hearts are one with me—

those who have entered into my holy covenant

by sacrifices upon the altar.”

And the heavens declare his justice:

“God himself will be their judge,

and he will judge them with righteousness!”

Pause in his presence

“Listen to me, O my people! Listen well, for I am your God!

I am bringing you to trial, and here are my charges.

I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices,

which you continually bring to my altar.

Do I need your young bulls or goats from your fields

as if I were hungry?

Every animal of field and forest belongs to me, the Creator.

I know every movement of the birds in the sky,

and every animal of the field is in my thoughts.

The entire world and everything it contains is mine.

If I were hungry, do you think I would tell you?

For all that I have created, the fullness of the earth, is mine.

Am I fed by your sacrifices? Of course not!

Why don’t you bring me the sacrifices I desire?

Bring me your true and sincere thanks,

and show your gratitude by keeping your promises to me,

the Most High.

Honor me by trusting in me in your day of trouble.

Cry aloud to me, and I will be there to rescue you.

And now I speak to the wicked. Listen to what I have to say to you!

What right do you have to presume to speak for me

and claim my covenant promises as yours?

For you have hated my instruction and disregarded my words,

throwing them away as worthless!

You forget to condemn the thief or adulterer.

You are their friend, running alongside them into darkness.

The sins of your mouth multiply evil.

You have a lifestyle of lies;

you are devoted to deceit as you speak against others,

even slandering those of your own household!

All this you have done and I kept silent,

so you thought that I was just like you, sanctioning evil.

But now I will bring you to my courtroom

and spell out clearly my charges before you.

This is your last chance, my final warning. Your time is up!

Turn away from all this evil, or the next time you hear from me

will be when I am coming to pass judgment upon you.

I will snatch you away, and no one will be there

to help you escape my judgment.

The life that pleases me is a life lived in the gratitude of grace,

always choosing to walk with me in what is right.

This is the sacrifice I desire from you.

If you do this, more of my salvation will unfold for you.”

The Book of Psalms, Poem 50 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 70]

A Cry for Help

To the Pure and Shining One

David’s poetic lament to always remember

Please, Lord! Come quickly and rescue me!

God, show me your favor and restore me.

Let all who seek my life be humiliated and confused.

God, send them sprawling, all who wish me evil;

they just want me dead.

Scoff at every scoffer and cause them all to be utter failures!

Let them be ashamed and horrified over their complete defeat.

But let all who passionately seek you erupt with excitement and joy

over what you’ve done!

Let all your devoted lovers, who continually rejoice in the Savior,

say aloud, “How great and glorious is our God!”

Lord, in my place of weakness and need,

won’t you turn your heart toward me and hurry to help me?

For you are my Savior, and I’m always in your thoughts.

So don’t delay to deliver me now, for you are my God.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 70 (The Passion Translation)

[pamphletstoinspire]

Catholic Physics - Reflections of a Catholic Scientist - Part 37

God's Gift to Man, Redux - 2: Music, Sacred and Profane

"This so-called ‘music,’ they would have to concede, is in some way efficacious to humans. Yet it has no concepts, and makes no propositions; it lacks images, symbols, the stuff of language. It has no power of representation. It has no relation to the world." Oliver Sacks, The Power of Music *

"Did you write the book of love, And do you have faith in God above, If the Bible tells you so? Do you believe in rock n'roll, Can music save your mortal soul?" Don McLean, American Pie

INTRODUCTION

As I listened to the NY Philharmonic's New Year's eve concert, "La Vie Parisienne", a post I wrote some time ago came to mind: on the power of music to shape our devotion in the Church.  Now, the music I had been listening to was not by any means sacred music; Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld Overture, including the beautiful love song to Eurydice and that infamous "Can Can".  Nevertheless, the love song evoked emotion, as did Can Can, but of a different kind.

The week before I had been immersed in Christmas Carols, playing the alto clarinet for our parish instrumental group (harmony, tenor line of chorus or cello part).  Before the Christmas Vigil Mass, we played "Child of the Poor/What Child is This" , beautiful counterpoint with tenor/baritone, tenor/soprano duets. While playing Silent Night, I thought "what a change from my childhood", when as a Jew, I had believed that I would betray my people by listening to the carol, even though it sounded so beautiful.

But back to what this post is about.  I'm going to repost the earlier material and add some thoughts on how music has been corrupted by a modernist hedonist culture.  Let me preface these remarks with an apology--I'm not a musician and not an expert in liturgical music; for a more informed view, there are other sources; the one I prefer is The Chant Cafe.

MUSIC, THE OTHER ROAD TO ADORATION

My first encounter with the power of music in liturgy came at a 40 Hours devotional service. (See Top Down to Jesus) .   I had been preparing for entry into the Church and although on rational grounds I had come to believe in the Resurrection and its implications, there were matters of dogma I found difficult to understand, particularly that important one, transubstantiation, the change of the substance of the host into the body of Christ.  As the monstrance was carried in during the procession of the 40 Hours service, Tantum Ergo was played, and as I read in the missal:

"Præstet fides supplementum, Sensuum defectui."

enough of my high school Latin came back, "faith will supplement the deficiency of the senses", for me to realize in my heart, that the wafer, the host, was the body of Christ, that it was mystery beyond science and philosophy, and my eyes filled with tears.  St. Thomas Aquinas wrote great works of theology and philosophy, but perhaps his hymns are the most effective way he has led people to God.

Other liturgical music has struck to my heart in ways no homily or theological text seems to do.  During my first Easter Vigil Mass The Litany of the Saints was played, and an overwhelming vision of the history of the Church and all its holy people came to me.  During Vespers at St. Vincent Archabbey (attended during retreat as a Benedictine Oblate) a great peace and understanding came over me as I listened to the strong voices chanting the psalms.

Other music, not liturgical--Bach (the B minor Mass), Ralph Vaughan William's Dona Nobis Pacem, will bring me to thoughts of God. Peter Kreeft's saying "If Bach exists, there must be a God" is echoed by many.  

Hymns that I want to be played at my funeral have made their mark: Amazing Grace, Shall We Gather by the River, Jerusalem my Happy Home, The Lord of the Dance (old and corny pieces from evangelical churches, for the most part).  And there are those I play with the instrumental group at Church, It is Well with my Soul, Panis Angelicus, Mozart's Ave Verum, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, Old 100th and so many others. (I play the alto clarinet, not well, but enough to provide harmony--a tenor or bass voice, since I can't sing on key.)

One thing should be clear: it isn't the music by itself that is moving, but the total situation: liturgy, congregation, and the words.  I could read

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch like me.I once was lost but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.And Grace, my fears relieved.How precious did that Grace appearThe hour I first believed." Liberty Lyrics John Newton

It would be moving, but it is the combination of the words that reflect my own experience AND the music that brings me to tears of joy. I could read the verses of Tantum Ergo and Pange Lingua, but it would not be meaningful without the presence of Christ's body, the procession, the Benediction, and the congregation sharing this experience.

Am I only being sentimental and not truly devoted to the austere beauty of liturgy in my reaction to this music--too catholic (with a lower-case c)?  Some Church liturgists might think so.

"It is not surprising that Church leaders have doubted whether the feelings which music arouses are truly religious. Music's power to fan the flames of piety may be more apparent than real..."Anthony Storr, Music and the Mind  

SING A NEW SONG TO THE LORD

"Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King." Psalm 98:5,6 (KJV)

The Hebrews did not worry about music being a distraction from devotion to the Lord.  David danced in the procession to the altar and the psalms say "Sing to the Lord a new song, play the lute, the lyre and the harp, sound the trumpets".  St. Augustine, entranced by music, was concerned that this power might enable the senses to overcome the intellect in worship:

"So I waver between the danger that lies in gratifying the senses and the benefits which, as I know, can accrue from singing....I am inclined to approve of the custom of singing in church, in order that by indulging the ears weaker spirits may be inspired with feelings of devotion. Yet when I find the singing itself more moving than the truth which it conveys, I confess it is a grievous sin, and at those times I would prefer not to hear the singer. [emphasis added]" St. Augustine, Confessions

The last sentence in the quote is the foundation for the expulsion of music from the Church in Calvinist sects (read "The Warden" by Anthony Trollope).  I cannot subscribe to that view. I am one of St. Augustine's weaker spirits.  I believe God gave many, many gifts to man in giving him intelligence: language, mathematics, music, art.  Music has the power to heal the soul (as Oliver Sacks shows in Musicophilia) and to bring one closer to God.  We give joy to God when we rejoice in music, not only to praise Him, but to rejoice in life (l'Chaim)

AND THE PROFANE

I'll not say much about that music which leads us away from God--Gangsta Rap, Hip-Hop, and all the perversions of popular music--other than to curse it and its practitioners to an eternity of Gregorian chant. (As with Fr. Groeschel's prayer for the singer Madonna, that she be reverted and go to a cloistered nunnery.) I was forced to bear with milder versions of such during a trip, carrying a grandson back to college.  Is this music a cause or a symptom of what's wrong with our society?

This music appeals only to an immediate gratification, to the brutish impulses to dominate, to have that which we desire without thought of consequences or morality. It leads away from God, not to Him.  I'm not a proponent of censorship, but...  So, is there a Gresham's law of music? Does bad music drive out good?  At concerts the age distribution is weighted heavily to those with white or no hair.  On the other hand, I was happy to see at a chamber music concert at a local university a high proportion of undergraduates.  There may be hope.

Perhaps what we need to do as parents and grandparents is to introduce our children to the joys of good music. We can't assume that their musical taste is totally corrupted.  Trade a half an hour of hip-hop for a half-hour of light classics and bring them to concerts at an early age.  And finally, bring good, serious music to the Liturgy.

A FINAL THOUGHT

In music, as is in all else, God has given us Free Will: the freedom to make a choice between good and evil.

NOTE

*This quote, to show what a strange gift music is, comes from Arthur C. Clarke's classic "Childhood's End", in which an alien species comes to guide mankind from childhood to maturity.  The very intelligent aliens do not understand the power of music.  They go to a concert, listen politely and come away wondering.

Ed. Note:

I am sorry that I cannot properly display all the various pictures or tables on the post. They will, however, be displayed on the pamphlet containing this post, and a link will be provided for your convenience.

From a series of articles written by: Bob Kurland - a Catholic Scientist