Candle, Candle

It is that time of the liturgical season again.

Funny how it comes once a year.

I offer my post from 2005, Candle Time, for the inspiration to prepare for Christmas by bringing forth this sacramental.

"Prepare the way of the Lord."

Quotable On Notes

St. Cecilia's Music Society's Tiffany window, Grand Rapids, MI.

With tomorrow also being the feast of St. Cecilia, I present more quotes about what is one of my passions: music.

The whole problem can be stated quite simply by asking, "Is there a meaning to music?" My answer would be, "Yes." And "Can you state in so many words what the meaning is?" My answer to that would be, "No."

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
US composer

There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music.

The Mill on the Floss, 1860
George Eliot (1819-1880)
English novelist

Music is the only language in which you cannot say a mean or sarcastic thing.

John Erskine (1879-1951)
US author & educator

Music is a discipline, and a mistress of order and good manners, she makes the people milder and gentler, more moral and more reasonable.

My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.

Martin Luther (1483-1546)
German religious reformer

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)
US author & physician

Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence.

Robert Fripp

When griping grief the heart doth wound,
and doleful dumps the mind oppresses,
then music, with her silver sound,
with speedy help doth lend redress.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Greatest English dramatist & poet

Feast Song

It is always a most appropriate hymn anytime of the year. For tomorrow, it rings even truer:

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Count your blessings. Remember, you are what you eat.

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Seven Score And Four Year Ago

The Wikipedia entry gives you all the information you need.

In the month where we as Catholics honor the dead, this speech is an eloquent testimony to those who gave the ultimate measure. It is also a reminder that we, no matter how ordinary or mundane our lives, hallow the ground where we are by our existence and essence:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

144 years later, the world does not little note.

Help From Above

Thomas Jefferson is reported to have said that one man plus courage makes a majority.

In this case, it helps to be encouraged by God.

Let's pray her efforts are successful.

The Communion Of Saints

As the Church Militant admires the Church Triumphant and aids the Church Suffering the next two days, may this hymn remind us we are truly all in this together.

++++++++++

Ye watchers and ye holy ones,
Bright seraphs, cherubim and thrones,
Raise the glad strain, Alleluia!
Cry out, dominions, princedoms, powers,
Virtues, archangels, angels’ choirs:

Refrain

Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!

O higher than the cherubim,
More glorious than the seraphim,
Lead their praises, Alleluia!
Thou bearer of th’eternal Word,
Most gracious, magnify the Lord.

Refrain

Respond, ye souls in endless rest,
Ye patriarchs and prophets blest,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Ye holy twelve, ye martyrs strong,
All saints triumphant, raise the song.

Refrain

O friends, in gladness let us sing,
Supernal anthems echoing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One.

Refrain

Changing Colors

One final burst of color for this part of the world before the black, white, and gray of winter arrive. On this first day of fall, here are the obvious lyrics for the season and how they came to be.

Do some leaf peeping if you are able.

Turn The Page

Well, I have limped to the finish line of another year of 'blogging.

Not as dramatic as my first year, but holding on and muddling through seemed to be the watch words.

I hope it was nothing more than a "sophomore jinx," that Year 3 will be the start of a revival.

I know I have a small audience. Looking at the reports from Sitemeter, however, gives me some encouragement. When I am posting consistently, I am drawing more visitors. To provide quality is now (and has always been) the goal.

Starting over, meaning beginning from scratch, is not an option. Starting again, meaning continuing from where I am, is.

And so it goes.

And so I go.

Remember Again

Today is now nationally known as "Patriots Day" (with, I hope, some apologies to the people of Massachusetts and the original).

It is a day we wish we could forget.

It is a day we cannot forget.

Without a doubt, this will be the topic on 'blogs today. I encourage my small readership to peruse those posts which interest you. My offering on this day will be my posts from last year:

Time And Place
Remembering Flight 93
Rally Time
Images Of Hope

So many prayer intentions from this moment. Remember these if you would:

1. The souls of all who died.
2. Those who still mourn.
3. Those who seek a just solution.
4. Forgiveness toward our enemies.
5. Our enemies (didn't Someone command us to do this?).
6. The courage to continue the fight.
7. Peace.

May we honor this day in a noble and dignified manner.

Sotto Voce

I was told the news last night while at my first choir rehearsal.

I knew of his illness but never about its severity. 

The ultimate curtain call.

Brava, Maestro. 

Rest in peace.