聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥楾here's no half-singing in the shower, you're either a rock star or an opera diva鈥� 鈥� Josh Groban.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When my son was four, he watched a bird singing on a wire.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hat does an 鈥楢鈥� mean?鈥� he asked his mother. After his mom鈥檚 explanation about A, B and C as grades, he observed, 鈥淚 would give that bird an 鈥楢鈥�.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After reading a morning spiritual reflection that spoke of singing and used the word 鈥渟ing鈥� 26 times I thought about song in our lives and in the world to come. I thought of the three men in a fiery furnace walking about and singing.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 By coincidence, the news this week is buzzing about Prince and his musical contributions to the world. His single Raspberry Beret is described by one critic as 鈥渢he single most perfect pop song anyone has ever done鈥�.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As a child growing up on a farm, I noticed we sang as we milked the cows, as we hauled loads of hay, and even as we celebrated weddings and funerals. Music was one of my favourite classes in the week at elementary school. We put our books away and sang for a half hour once a week.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Lovers falling in love have 鈥渢heir鈥� song. 鈥淵ou don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear,鈥� 鈥� Author Unknown.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sometimes lovers鈥� songs are about the simple, ordinary things:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ur song is a slamming screen door
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪neakin' out late, tapping on your window
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen we're on the phone, and you talk real slow
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淐ause it's late and your mama don't know
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淥ur song is the way you laugh, on the first date鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 didn't kiss her, and I should have鈥︹�� Taylor Swift.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Creation is a celebration of bird song. Our lives have seasons of song: there is the annual Christmas carol season that starts at Thanksgiving and goes on forever; there is the Easter season of hallelujahs that lasts at least 50 days, and all of our days in between are punctuated by song 鈥� anthems at sports events, birthdays, Sunday liturgies and you name it鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 One of my best liturgy celebration memories involves the singing of the Eucharistic prayer. The added artistic dimension of song to the most spiritual event just blew me away.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The antidote to sin and its despair is simply the addition of the 鈥淕鈥� note. Sin can turn into sing with the addition of one letter. The devil would be disappointed if we could turn our misery into joy in so simple a fashion.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It strikes me that the sounds of heaven are song. The sngels sing and the newly arrived join in the joyous songs of praise. We sing our loved ones out of this world with:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 "May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs receive you at your arrival and lead you to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive you and with Lazarus, once a poor man, may you have eternal rest."
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 And if I may be so bold as to conclude with a tribute to Prince:
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淕od sent his singers upon earth
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲ith songs of sadness and of mirth,
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭hat they might touch the hearts of men,
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nd bring them back to heaven again鈥� 鈥� Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
