A Day Late, but Still Celebrating Saint Patrick

 

Image by Marcy Hall

Updated from the Archives...

Yesterday I donned my wee green socks, covered in the requisite shamrocks, my greenest of green tops, and my silver Celtic cross set with a green gemstone. And we also enjoyed corned beef and cabbage (with potatoes, onions, and carrots, of course). The scent of corned beef simmering in crock pot filled the apartment. 

I also took down and re-read a little Catholic pamphlet on Saint Patrick which contained excerpts from his autobiography and several of his prayers. These moments of remembering this British teenager, kidnapped by pirates, forced as a slave to watch over the flocks of sheep and, during the long hours, recalling the strong Christian faith of his parents that he had so easily set aside, and then returning to Ireland after his escape to serve as a missionary is a heartening tale. I'm glad I spent time today re-reading the details and especially his prayers and poems, suffused with faith in Christ; it was so much more important than wearing green and enjoying a favorite dinner. 

I have often written about Saint Patrick, one of my favorite saints, on this blog. Rather than rewriting, I thought that in remembrance of this amazing man of God, I would direct you to some of my posts of years past. 

So feel free to join me in remembering and celebrating Saint Patrick, Apostle to Ireland, with these posts:

Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick, British Missionary to Ireland

The Breastplate Prayer of Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick's Prayer for the Faithful

One of my favorite sermons ever was one by our former youth/worship pastor, now Pastor of La Vina Community Church in Miami, Rollo Casiple, who preached on Saint Patrick during Advent, of all times. But he helped us to visualize so clearly Saint Patrick's relaying of the Gospel to the pagan Irish king that I almost felt that I was there at Slane Castle myself on that Resurrection Sunday 1500+ years ago. Of course, having just watched U2's Slane Castle concert on DVD earlier that week aided my visualization greatly, but that's another post... ;) 

In a past Life for Leaders online devotional, Tim Yee writes this about Saint Patrick:

"Though much of St. Patrick’s life has a legendary quality, his manuscript The Confession of Saint Patrick does give us a glimpse into the man’s life and character. One aspect becomes clear: his humility. He opens with, 'I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many….' Even though Patrick could take credit for bringing thousands of former pagans into the Christian family, he did not embrace a 'savior' mentality. Instead, he knew that only the true Savior, our Lord Jesus, can bring powerful transformation that lasts."

Although Saint Patrick lived more than 1500 years ago, he provides a powerful example of a missions-oriented leader for us all, even today.  

From the 2011 Book of Common Prayer, a Collect for "A Saint's Day":

Almighty God, who calls us to faith in you and has surrounded us by so great a cloud of witnesses; Encouraged by the good examples of holy Saint Patrick, grant that we may run with perseverance the race that lies before us and at the end reach your eternal joy; Through him, who is the founder and perfecter of our faith, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and rules, one God, now and forever. Amen. (References: Hebrews 12.1-2)

So I wish you all a blessed remembrance and joyous celebration of the life, ministry, and prayers of this incredible missionary. May we serve our Lord with similar devotion, submission, courage, and bravery as we walk in the footsteps of Saint Patrick and countless Christians along the Pilgrim Pathway that leads to eternal communion with Christ our Lord.

God's blessings be upon each of you this Saint Patrick's Day, my friends,

Ponderings on the 19th Anniversary of September 11th

 

It seems a lifetime ago, yet it seems so immediate that it could have been yesterday. We were so removed from the actual events of September 11, here on the West Coast, awakened by my father's phone call after pulling into our family's mountain cabin with four sleeping kids at 2:00 AM just a few hours previously. We had finished packing up our city home of ten years, picked up the kids from my parents' beach house, and drove an hour east, past the small mountain town that we were moving to, and arrived at my family's 500 square foot cabin to stay until we could move into our new-to-us mountain home. 

We had only "rabbit ears" on the small TV in the cabin, so most of the news was blurry and static-laden. I remember being half-asleep all day, trying to watch the news, setting up my laptop on the kitchen table but only able to be online for half an hour at a time in order to keep the phone lines free to talk to family, the realtors, etc. All while taking care of four kids ages 18 months to nine years old. The little guy was still nursing, and I was trying to homeschool the older two kids while the preschooler created mayhem. 

Because I was so news-deprived, I tend to spend each anniversary of September 11 watching crystal-clear videos of the events in New York, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania. But the first anniversary was the most powerful because I could finally see, with astonishing clarity, the videos and photos of all that I couldn't see on September 11, 2001, and for several weeks afterward, as our escrow was delayed because of the New York banks needing time to start back to work again. 

But what really caught my attention was a moment in which the US Poet Laureate, Billy Collins (whom I would meet in 2013 at the Writers' Symposium by the Sea at Point Loma Nazarene University), read aloud his poetic tribute on the first anniversary of September 11. "The Names." It struck me viscerally, even more than U2's "Beautiful Day" and "Walk On" (two of my favorite songs by my favorite band) at the Superbowl halftime show a few months after the tragedy. 

Poet Billy Collins at The Writer's Symposium by the Sea, 2013

The thing I love about Billy Collins' work is that he is supremely unpretentious. With his poetic talent and his academic cred, with his position as our nation's Poet Laureate for two years, he could easily be as pretentious as all-get-out. But he's not. He is (no past tense here!!) our nation's poet. He speaks the language of the everyday American, with a hint of sarcasm, with a twinkle in his eye. But not with this poem. Here he is, reading "The Names" again, at the request of PBS:

 

If you would like to read more about Billy Collins and his poetry, check out his page on The Academy of American Poets at poets.org: Billy Collins. (To read some of his poems, click the bar beneath his photo.) 

US Poet Laureate Billy Collins

Thanks for allowing me to remember those dark days, but not very dark as I was a continent away, in a wee mountain cabin with four small children, trying to find out what the heck was happening on this beautiful autumn day, a day of change as we moved from one house to another nineteen years ago. I knew that what was happening was big and scary, even through the static fuzz of the 12-inch TV screwed into the wall seven feet from the floor. 

But Billy Collins made it real the next year, made it actual. Made it tangible. And I can't thank him enough. 

Poetically yours,

    

Celebrating Saint Patrick, Missionary to Ireland

Art © by Marcy Hall at Rabbit Room Arts

Updated from the Archives...

I have often written about Saint Patrick, one of my favorite saints, on this blog. Rather than rewriting, I thought that in remembrance of this amazing man of God I would direct you to some of my posts of years past. 

So feel free to join me in remembering and celebrating Saint Patrick, Apostle to Ireland, with these posts:

Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick, British Missionary to Ireland

The Breastplate Prayer of Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick's Prayer for the Faithful

One of my favorite sermons ever was one by our former youth/worship pastor, now Pastor of La Vina Community Church in Miami, Rollo Casiple, who preached on Saint Patrick during Advent, of all times. But he helped us to visualize so clearly Saint Patrick's relaying of the Gospel to the pagan Irish king that I almost felt that I was there at Slane Castle myself on that Resurrection Sunday 1500+ years ago. Of course, having just watched U2's Slane Castle concert on DVD earlier that week aided my visualization greatly, but that's another post... ;) 

In today's Life for Leaders online devotional, Tim Yee writes this about Saint Patrick:

"Though much of St. Patrick’s life has a legendary quality, his manuscript The Confession of Saint Patrick does give us a glimpse into the man’s life and character. One aspect becomes clear: his humility. He opens with, 'I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many….' Even though Patrick could take credit for bringing thousands of former pagans into the Christian family, he did not embrace a 'savior' mentality. Instead, he knew that only the true Savior, our Lord Jesus, can bring powerful transformation that lasts."

Although Saint Patrick lived more than 1500 years ago, he provides a powerful example of a missions-oriented leader for us all, even today.  

From the 2011 Book of Common Prayer, a Collect for "A Saint's Day":

Almighty God, who calls us to faith in you and has surrounded us by so great a cloud of witnesses; Encouraged by the good examples of holy Saint Patrick, grant that we may run with perseverance the race that lies before us and at the end reach your eternal joy; Through him, who is the founder and perfecter of our faith, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and rules, one God, now and forever. Amen. (References: Hebrews 12.1-2)

So I wish you all a blessed remembrance and joyous celebration of the life, ministry, and prayers of this incredible missionary. May we serve our Lord with similar devotion, submission, courage, and bravery as we walk in the footsteps of Saint Patrick and countless Christians along the Pilgrim Pathway that leads to eternal communion with Christ our Lord.

God's blessings be upon each of you this Saint Patrick's Day, my friends,

"American Soul"

This week U2 dropped another amazing single from their upcoming Songs of Experience album, and while I've loved "The Best Thing About Me" (especially hearing it live at their concert in September), I think I love "American Soul" even more.

My neighbor (we Pine Valleyans are all "neighbors" up here in a town of 1500) has been working with Jacob Needleman, author of American Soul: Rediscovering the Wisdom of the Founders which explains a lot about the mess America is in right now.

We've lost our soul.

And my neighbor, in her eighties, also loved the music and lyrics to U2's "American Soul" because some of the same ideas from Needleman's book--and Judith's latest writings in both poetry and prose--reflect the loss of America's soul.

At the U2 concert in San Diego in September, the pre-concert "show" was a selection of poetry about America. I didn't notice it scrolling down the large screens at first...until I caught a beloved line written by Langston Hughes, one of my top five poets. Poem after poem scrolled...another by Hughes, then Carl Sandburg, Rita Dove, Robinson Jeffers, even Robert Pinsky (whom I met at February's Writer's Symposium by the Sea)...all poems about the heart and soul of America. And the whole concert was backed by the imagery of America--the Joshua Tree songs as well as the new rhythms and lyrics, familiar because of their source and the talent of U2, but new-to-us in an uncomfortable-comfortable way that gently scolded and taught and celebrated.

So U2's "American Soul" reminds us of who we've been...and who we can be again.



Here are the lyrics, courtesy of ATU@.com:

"American Soul"

Blessed are the bullies
For one day they will have to stand up to themselves
Blessed are the liars
For the truth can be awkward

It’s not a place
This country is to be a sound
Of drum and bass
You close your eyes to look around
Look around, around
Look around, it’s a sound
Look around, look around
It’s a sound

It’s not a place
This country is to me a thought
That offers grace
For every welcome that is sought

You are rock’n’roll
You and I are rock’n’roll
You are rock’n’roll
Came here lookin’ for American Soul

It’s not a place
This is a dream the whole world owns
The pilgrim’s face
It had your heart to call her home

Hold on, brother John
Too many mothers weeping
Dream on, brother John
In your dreams you can’t be sleeping

You are rock’n’roll
You and I are rock’n’roll
You are rock’n’roll
Came here lookin’ for American Soul
American, American

Put your hands in the air
Hold up the sky
It could be too late
But we still gotta try

There’s a moment in a life
Where the soul can die
In a person, in a country
When you believe the lie
The lie, the lie, the lie

There's a promise at the heart
Of every good dream
It's a call to action
Not to fantasy

The end of the dream
The start of what's real
Let it be unity
Let it be community
For refugees like you and me
A country to receive us
Will you be my sanctuary
RefuJesus

You are rock’n’roll
You and I are rock’n’roll
You are rock’n’roll
Came here lookin’ for American Soul

You are rock’n’roll
You and I are rock’n’roll
You are rock’n’roll
Came here lookin’ for American Soul
American Soul, American Soul

May our soul be renewed, America!! 

Warmly,

Goodbye, KPRI

Good radio stations are hard to come by. 

Good local, independent radio stations are a rare thing, indeed.

And that's what San Diego's 102.1 FM KPRI was: a San Diego-based radio station that was instrumental in the discovery of amazing artists such as Adele, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons, Norah Jones, Jason Mraz, and John Mayer through their Private Listener Concerts.

KPRI played an incredible range of music from the 1960's to brand new bands before they became popular. They extensively played three of my favorite bands: U2, Florence + the Machine, and Mumford & Sons.

KPRI started in San Diego in the mid-1950's, went subversive in the late 1960's by playing Joplin, Hendrix, and Dylan, and then disappeared in the mid-80's before being resurrected by the current owners (or current until Monday, September 28) on 1 April 1996. Playing Adult Album Alternative  (AAA) format, KPRI quickly grew from a modest operation to one of San Diego's most popular stations with New Music Tuesdays at 7:00 PM, the Homegrown Hour on Sunday nights with local San Diego bands followed by Unsigned Sundays for new music discovery for independent artists, Acoustic Sunday Mornings, etc. Their "No Repeat Workday" assured us that we wouldn't hear the same song twice between nine in the morning and five in the evening.

From The San Diego Union, dated Monday when KPRI went off the air at 3:20 PM after playing their final song, "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan, Karla Peterson writes:

With its guitar-pick logo, live events like the Green Flash Concert Series at the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla and a musical mix not found anywhere else on the local commercial dial, KPRI/102.1 FM was a singular presence on San Diego’s radio landscape. As news of the sale began spreading across social media, the mourners began weighing in.

“Goodbye KPRI. You will be missed,” a supporter named Georgi said on Twitter. “Thanks (for) teaching me what music can do.”

The station’s last-day playlist included such bittersweet titles as the Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine,” Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” and American Authors’ “Best Day of My Life.”    

KPRI was always my go-to radio station when driving up and down the mountain. I also had the app on my phone and my clock radio alarm set to KPRI as well. Their eclectic mix of music was simply outstanding; a typical mix might be "Hey Jude" by the Beatles, followed by "Shut up and Dance" by Walk the Moon, "Beautiful Day" by U2, "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, and then "Ship to Wreck" by Florence + the Machine. KPRI knew how to mix music from all decades and genres to make one sing along in the car or while chopping onions for dinner.

102.1 has been purchased by Educational Media Foundation, a conglomerate of Christian Contemporary radio stations across the country known as K-LOVE. Although I'm a Christian and have enjoyed listening to K-LOVE in the past, it's just not the same.

KPRI, you will indeed be missed.

Sadly,

A Broken Vessel--Magnificent!

The cupboards were bare this week. With the arrival of my paycheck, we can fill the pantry and fridge again.

After staring at the mostly-empty fridge, I decided to make oatmeal for lunch.

I pulled out the Irish Oatmeal, the honey, the walnuts, the measuring scoop, a spoon, the small saucepan, and one of the large soup bowls.

Then I noticed the bowl...and the chips along the edge of the bowl.

Sighing, I scooped the half cup of oats into the saucepan, added three half-cup measures of water, and placed the pan on the stove to heat. While I waited for the distinctive burbling sound of simmering oatmeal, I broke the walnuts into small pieces and found the bag of craisins in the back pantry.

While I waited for the oatmeal to boil, I examined the bowl again. We had four of these bowls when we first bought the set at Sears years ago: a red one, an orange one, a green one, and a blue one, each with a different fruit which match our dinner dishes.

But now we have only three bowls; the red one painted with cheerful cherries broke and was reluctantly swept away into the garbage several years ago. 

So without the red one (to match my dinner plate), I am drawn to the blue bowl with grapes on the side. I pick up the bowl and notice the large chip just under the edge.

When one assigns dish duties to boybarians, breakage and crackage happen. It's inevitable.

(They aren't touching my new glass teapot--no way, no how.)

I run my finger over the large chip--actually, it's two large chips, side by side, crevassed one into the other.

But despite the double imperfection, the bowl still fulfills its function: it cradles my oatmeal with walnuts and craisins as I trickle in some rice milk and add a final dollop of butter.

As I consume my delicious lunch of steaming, fragrant oatmeal, I ponder the brokenness, the chips in my armor that show all-too-clearly, even to mere passers-by.

It's hard to not miss such obvious brokenness.

Yet it's in the deeply-hidden broken places that hearts can rupture in pain, souls can scream in agony, minds can whirl with the "what ifs" and "why, God?s."

At least my brokenness is easily to see in cane and wheelchair, trembling hands and dizzy, forgetful mind.

It's the way-down-deep brokenness that can do far more damage than merely chip away at our vanity. This deep separating pulls hearts apart, families apart, friends and colleagues made distant by space and time...and pride.

Why does my brokenness always mask itself behind pride...like a child hiding behind an ancient, towering oak during hide-and-seek? 

But, somehow, God sees this broken body, pain-riddled with halting steps. Yet He still fills me with nourishment...with Himself.

And I pray that I can and will share nourishment with others...the nourishment God provides through His holy Word and divine Presence, and everlasting Comfort.

Also I pray that as I speak at the PVBCC tomorrow, leading workshops in journaling and blogging for Week #2 of the Spring Women's Conference, that I speak and share nourishment...the nourishment of His Spirit, the nourishment of His Word, the nourishment of His living in us daily. (To read the text of my workshops, see "On Blogging" and "On Journaling" below the header of this blog.)


As I finish this tonight, the lyrics to U2's "Magnificent" (my phone's ringtone) call to me. "Magnificent" expresses Mary's song of praise (known in liturgical churches as "The Magnificat") in updated language, and doesn't shy away from the big questions that we all want to ask God. He can handle it, after all. And our response is sweet praise....

Magnificent
Oh, oh, magnificent

I was born, I was born
To be with you in this space and time
After that and ever after
I haven't had a clue only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue, oh, oh

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar

I was born, I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice from the womb
My first cry, it was a joyful noise, oh, oh

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar
Justified, till we die you and I will magnify, oh, oh
Magnificent, magnificent, oh, oh

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts
Justified, till we die you and I will magnify, oh, oh
Magnificent, magnificent, magnificent

So may we, the cracked and chipped and broken, reach out to other cracked and chipped and broken ones in the Love that is manifested in our Magnificent Lord!

Nourish us, O Lord. Despite our obvious brokenness and fragility, the cracks and crazes in our enamel, the chips and gauges from our exteriors, use us for Your glory. May we be even more effective because of our imperfections as You transform our hearts, minds, and souls to walk in the footsteps of Christ our Lord.

Praising as a chipped vessel with cracked voice,

"Stand Up Comedy" -- U2

(Photo of the backside of No Line on the Horizon CD, Susanne Barrett)

I'm still finding fresh nuances as I listen to U2's 2009 album No Line on the Horizon. Several of the songs have a hymn-feel to them, and "Magnificent" is based on "The Magnificat," Mary's song of praise in St. Luke's Gospel.

But quite often U2 mixes love, humor, and truth into a rockin' song, and that's precisely what they've done with "Stand Up Comedy." And I love the line: "Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady." Isn't that what we Christians so often try to do? Defend God? Defend the faith? Does He really need us defending Him, the King of kings and Lord of lords? I think we muddy His love and His Gospel when we try to fight God's battles for Him, especially if He hasn't asked us to do so. And the self-deprecating line "Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas" makes me smile every time -- Bono is obviously referring to himself, a short rock star/wanna-be dictator. Cracks me up.

Truly, this song rocks. Once it's in one's head, it isn't leaving; it stays for days. It in order to receive the full impact, the song really needs to be heard, but because it hasn't been released yet as a single, it simply isn't available (despite all my desperate research). So, here are the lyrics at least:

"Stand Up Comedy"

Love love love love love...
Love love love love love...

I got to stand up and take a step
You and I have been asleep for hours
I got to stand up
The wire is stretched in between our two towers
Stand up in this dizzy world
Where a lovesick eye can steal the view
I'm gonna fall down if I can't stand up
For your love

Love love love love love...

Stand up, this is comedy
The DNA lottery may have left you smart
But can you stand up to beauty, dictator of the heart
I can stand up for hope, faith, love
But while I'm getting over certainty
Stop helping God across the road like a little old lady

Out from under your beds
C'mon ye people
Stand up for your love

Love love love love love...

I gotta stand up to ego but my ego's not really the enemy
It's like a small child crossing an eight lane highway
On a voyage of discovery

Stand up to rock stars, Napolean is in high heels
Josephine, be careful of small men with big ideas

Out from under your beds
C'mon ye people
Stand up for your love

Love love love love love...

God is love
And love is evolution's very best day

Soul rockin' people moving on
Soul rockin' people on and on
C'mon ye people
We're made of stars
C'mon ye people
Stand up then sit down for your love

Love love love love love...
Love love love love love...

U2's New Single: Magnificent!

Next week U2 will be releasing their second single from this year's new album No Line on the Horizon; according to U2.com, it's been remixed not once but four times since the album itself was released. "Get on Your Boots," their first single, was a fun dance tune, but "Magnificent" in a whole 'nuther league -- absolutely incredible. Based on the "Magnificat" that is often prayed in Catholic and Anglican churches -- Mary's song of praise after the news Gabriel tells her of being the Mother of His Son (Luke 1:47-55), "Magnificent" is also a song of praise straight from U2's heart to the truly Magnificent One. The video was filmed in Morocco, and I can't wait to see it when it, too, is released; photos of filming the video are available here: U2.com.

MAGNIFICENT

Magnificent
Magnificent



I was born
I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
Only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue

Only love, only love can leave such a mark

But only love, only love can heal such a scar


I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn't have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise ...

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar


Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent


Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts



Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent

Magnificent
Magnificent


U2's No Line on the Horizon

I had my first chance to listen to U2's new CD today after wresting it away from my 16-year-old who bought it for me in the first place as a late birthday present. I loaded it onto my iPod last night and lost the rest of my 1,000+ song library. Don't get me wrong -- I'm ecstatic to be able to listen to U2's newest offering at last, but am really bummed that all I have on my iPod now are the 40-some songs I've purchased from gift cards and only the two CDs I loaded last night: No Line on the Horizon and the Mamma Mia! soundtrack. That's it. I have a slight chance to reload it as I downloaded all my files, possibly including my iTunes library, onto an external hard drive. I'll have to see if Keith can do anything with it. But I will probably have to reload all of those CDs all over again. Sigh.

But back to U2. The boys from Dublin have put together quite an album with a lot of Christian overtones. Two of the song titles definitely bring up matters of faith: "White as Snow" and "Cedars of Lebanon." I have only listened once and mostly while I was driving (which with my old Corolla and a poor sound system meant I heard the tune but not the lyrics) or during J's guitar lessons (with three students plus Father Acker playing a variety of songs). In other words, I still have much to truly listen to -- but my impressions so far is that I ADORE this new CD that is novel and fresh yet totally and absolutely U2. I've heard "Get on Your Boots" a few times, including at the Grammy's, and it's a fun, rockin' song much like "Elevation" and "Vertigo." The song "Stand Up Comedy" is intriguing ... I just caught bits and pieces of it.

So far I really like this new CD ... and am thrilled that U2 is also releasing another CD this fall. The story was published today on E Online which details a Rolling Stone Magazine interview with Bono: Even More New Music Coming from U2

So I'll write more later about No Line on the Horizon as this CD, along with U2's other music, becomes part of my mind, heart, and soul.

Children of Hope

Last night at Lake Murray we enjoyed a wonderful choir made up completely of children from the Kampala region of Uganda. These kids, the Children of the World Choir, performed praise songs mostly in English but a few in their own language. I would love to have a tenth of their energy!

Yet these children who sang so joyfully about God's love have experienced great tragedy. Each child has lost at least one parent, if not both, to AIDS and have been either orphaned or abandoned by remaining family members who couldn't afford to feed them. These children have experienced grief, poverty, hunger, and hopelessness. And they certainly aren't alone. The brochure that we were handed by the children as we walked into the sanctuary contained a message from Bono:

"Imagine for a moment that 10 million children were going to lose their lives next year due to the earh's overheating. A state of emergency would be declared and you would be reading abou little else. Well, next year, more than 10 million children's lives will be lost unnecessarily to extreme poverty, and you'll hear very little about it. Nearly half will be on the continent of Africa, where HIV/AIDS is killing teachers faster than you can train them and where you can witness entire villages in which the children are the parents.

Will American Christians stand by as an entire continent dies?"

-- Bono, Singer in the Irish rock band U2 and leader in the global fight against AIDS.

The video we were shown halfway through the choir's presentation gave some alarming statistics that were not new to me but may be to some:
~ More than 15 million children in Africa have been orphaned by AIDS
~ By 2010, that number is expected to increase to 40 million
~ Of the 42 million people living with HIV/AIDS, 70% of them are in sub-Saharan Africa
~ Only 14% of born-again Christians said that they would help HIV/AIDS orphans overseas

World Help, the organization that brings the Children of the World Choir to the United States for concerts and educates churches as well as Christian schools and universities, has some goals to help these young children, striken by poverty across the globe.
~ Their Child Sponsorship Program ($30/month) has provided over 31,000 sponsorships in 22 countries between 1991 and 2007.
~ They are committed to building "Villages of Hope" in sub-Saharan Africa where up to 48 orphans will live in four small, family-like Homes of Hope headed by a caregiver. These Villages of Hope will not isolate the children from their culture but will be located near or in existing villages and thus will utilize local schools and medical clinics for the children. Older children will receive vocational skills and training. Churches can work together to build a Home of Hope ($25,000) or a Village of Hope ($100,000).
~ World Help's goal is to impact 1 million children affected by HIV/AIDS, and they are about 30% of the way to their goal.

The brochure states, "The children who live in the Homes of Hope will be bathed in God's love as they grow. They will see His love in action every day, and will grow up within their culture, rather than removed from it.

Our vision is to see hundreds of villages and homes, caring for thousands of children whose lives have been turned upside-down by HIV/AIDS!"

So while we enjoyed the concert, especially the end where the kids came down the different rows, hugging everyone, we also were educated about the urgent plight of poverty across the world, especially in Africa as a result of HIV/AIDS. When we saw the kids a year ago, E was really touched by them, and she was this year as well. Once Keith gets steadier work, we'd really like to sponsor a child through World Help.

For more information about World Help you may call 1-800-541-6691 or click here: World Help.

Inaugural Concert

(Photo of Bono courtesy of Access Hollywood)

The Inaugural Concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial was really something. Really something.

It wasn't just watching U2 singing "In the Name of Love" -- about Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial (not to mention E's favorite "City of Blinding Light" -- although that was truly a high point. It wasn't just Bono finishing the latter song sitting under a row of American flags. It wasn't just Garth Brooks belting out my favorite non-U2 song, "American Pie," which was followed by an energetic version of the great dance classic "Shout" (we were singing and raising our arms from the couch). It wasn't just watching Bruce Springsteen growling "The Rising," backed by a full robed choir. It wasn't just tearing up with Beyonce's soulful "America," joined by all the performers and speakers at the very close of the concert. It wasn't just hearing Josh Groban, Mary K. Blige, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, John Legend, etc. It just wasn't our President-Elect's speech, hopeful though it was. It wasn't just the speakers like Tom Hanks, Samuel L. Jackson, Marisa Tomei, Queen Latifah, although Tom Hank's reading of Lincoln's words including the Gettysburg Address, was poignant.

It was sense of history. It was the words of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., the words of the latter read by his son. It was the words of past presidents: Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Teddy Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, FDR, and others. It was the fact that a peaceful transfer of power will be happening on Tuesday -- the 43rd time it has happened in our nation's history.

We've been studying the presidency of George Washington in our home school. The first time that a president willingly stepped down to allow another to take his place occurred in 1797 when John Adams became the second President of the United States. The world was astounded that Washington graciously handed over the reins of the country, preferring to allow the Constitution rather than a single man to rule the United States. In fact, when Washington walked away from the power of the presidency, something no European king would ever do, King George III of England marveled, "[He is] the greatest character of the age!" (Story of the World Volume 3, page 226).

So, no, I didn't vote for Obama; I voted for a different African-American candidate in a different party -- Alan Keyes. But I am willing to respect Obama as my President and to pray for his success as leader of our country. And the fact that in another day George W. Bush will willingly turn over the most powerful job in the country to not only another man but also a man of the opposite political party is the best thing about this country. A peaceful transfer of power is the most astounding thing about America. Our country was the first to do so in modern history, and although it is a common action in much of the world now, America was the pioneer of peaceful transfer of power from one president to another, astounding the world at that time.

It's easy to take this inauguration, or any inauguration, for granted; after all, it's been occurring for over 200 years. But this inauguration, and all inaugurations, show the United States for what we truly are: the pioneers of a republic that truly is, as Lincoln stated, "of the people, by the people, for the people." And that's the extraordinary thing about the concert today that celebrates our history as a people who peacefully transfer power between people as well as between political parties.

It's mind-blowing when we truly consider it.

YYYYYEEEEESSSSSS!!! The Ultimate Birthday Gift!

AT LAST!!!!!!!!!

I just read on U2.com that the band's 12th studio album will be released on MY NEXT BIRTHDAY! MARCH 2, 2009 is the release date of U2's No Line on the Horizon.

I'm assuming that the jpeg above is the photo on the album cover from U2.com. I'd hyperlink you to the story on their official website, but really, I just gave you all the info.

Okay, if you want to read the list of studios they recorded No Line on the Horizon at U2.com, click here.

U2 in 3D

I am soooooo excited about this U2 3D experience -- Pastor Rollo Casiple forwarded this coolest of news to me, and I am thrilled! San Diegans: It's playing at Edwards Mira Mesa Imax in limited release. E and I are SO going. We simply "can't leave it behind."

Woo-hoo!!!! Too cool. Absolutely too cool.

St. Fabian and Walking the Walk

Each morning, bleary-eyed and clutching a large mug of organic green tea, I open my e-mail in box and find a wonderful little resource that gives me a glimpse into the past, encouragement for today, and hope for the future: The "Saint-of-the-Day" e-mail from AmericanCatholic.org. Each day I read of a different Saint and his or her contribution in obedience, faith, and even martyrdom. Each morning I am reminded, as the post below for today reminds me, that we do not walk this pilgrim pathway called the Christian Life alone. Not only do we walk it with our fellow parishoners and Christian friends of our time, but we also follow the same path that the Saints and martyrs and ordinary saints like us walked over the past twenty centuries. In fact, the apostles, through the Word of God, and the saints of the last two thousand years through their writings and the writings of others about them, have marked the path with signposts and warnings, with encouragement and with joy in the midst of unfathomable hardship and persecution.

The fact that I walk this pathway in the company of other believers over the past twenty centuries brings me immeasurable comfort and also the encouragement to keep slogging along the pilgrim way, filled with joy at some times and sorrow at others, but still walking on, no matter what may befall. The U2 song "Walk On" has always encouraged me, as the chorus demonstrates:

I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much...
But walk on.

The saints of the past walked on, right into the glory that was waiting for them when they arrived at the end of their path. And to know that the same glory awaits me when I come to the end of my life enables me to simply "walk on," no matter the effort involved to keep moving toward God.

Here's today's "Saint of the Day" in its entirety -- Saint Fabian, Bishop and Martyr:

January 19, 2008

St. Fabian

(c. 250)

Fabian was a Roman layman who came into the city from his farm one day as clergy and people were preparing to elect a new pope. Eusebius, a Church historian, says a dove flew in and settled on the head of Fabian. This sign united the votes of clergy and laity and he was chosen unanimously.

He led the Church for 14 years and died a martyr’s death during the persecution of Decius in a.d. 250. St. Cyprian wrote to his successor that Fabian was an “incomparable” man whose glory in death matched the holiness and purity of his life.

In the catacombs of St. Callistus, the stone that covered Fabian’s grave may still be seen, broken into four pieces, bearing the Greek words, “Fabian, bishop, martyr.”

Comment:
We can go confidently into the future and accept the change that growth demands only if we have firm roots in the past, in a living tradition. A few pieces of stone in Rome are a reminder to us that we are bearers of 20 centuries of a living tradition of faith and courage in living the life of Christ and showing it to the world. We have brothers and sisters who have “gone before us marked with the sign of faith,” as the First Eucharistic Prayer puts it, to light the way for us.

Quote:
“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church” (Tertullian).

One.org

Today I added a One.org banner to the blog here; I saw it on a friend's photo blog and stole the idea. One.org has been dear to my heart for several years; Bono of U2 is behind the organization which is explained below, in a blurb from the One.org site:

The ONE Campaign is an effort by Americans to rally Americans – one by one – to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE is students and ministers, punk rockers and NASCAR moms, Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life, united to help make poverty history.

The ONE Campaign derives its name from the belief that allocating an additional one percent of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries. We also call for debt cancellation, trade reform and anti–corruption measures in a comprehensive package to help Africa and the poorest nations beat AIDS and extreme poverty.

So if you feel so led, click on the banner and check out the site. I believe that we as Christians need to have a global vision to spread the Gospel not only via missionaries but also through service to our brothers and sisters throughout the world. As St. Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words." Our actions as followers of Christ say far more than our words do. Let's preach the gospel by serving those who are suffering across the globe.

From U2's song "One":

One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other

One...
One...

The Grammy Awards

Okay, okay, I'll admit it: I'm addicted to award shows. I did have an excuse to watch the Grammys: U2 was up for two awards, which they didn't win. But I always seem to find new artists I want to check out at the Grammys. A few years ago, it was Norah Jones. This year it's Corinne Bailey Rae. Such a sweet voice -- very lovely girl and lovely music.

The dresses, the costumes, the hair, the music. I loved Carrie Underwood's hair and dress, and loved even more seeing the Police reunion. Too cool. Mary J. Blige was gorgeous, body, voice, and soul. Loved how she thanked Jesus and God the way she did. Glory to Him for the gift of music in the first place. And Justin Timberlake didn't annoy me as much as usual; the DixieChicks took over that spot for me.

This morning I logged into my CD club and ordered Corinne Bailey Rae's new CD, as well as ones from John Mayer and (not related to the Grammys) Frank Sinatra. Love those old songs of his -- talk about classic! So I have new music on the way -- yay! Life can't get much better than that!

Well, if my CD club didn't charge full price for U2 and Green Day, that would be PERFECTION!

Bono and "The Priority of the Poor"

E, a friend's daughter, and I attended Journey Community Church's Friday night service. Featured tonight was an exclusive video cast of an interview of Bono by Bill Hybels of Willow Creek, a huge mega-church. The topic: "The Priority of the Poor." I felt rather guilty attending because I knew full well that a contingent of people from our own church, Lake Murray, were feeding the homeless in downtown San Diego at the very time of this service. Was I being a hearer of the Word, rather than a doer? That was only the beginning of the conviction I was to feel this night.

After singing some worship music, the video cast started off with concert footage of U2 from the Elevation tour. Bono is running around a heart-shaped catwalk that goes deep into the audience as he starts to sing "Where the Streets Have No Name," a vision of a beautiful Heaven. Then the video breaks to Bono at last year's National Prayer Breakfast, quoting from Isaiah 58 and the beginning of Jesus' ministry in Luke 4. The video then comes to the interview with the pastor. Bono talks about the One Campaign (www.one.org) and how although he has no issues with Jesus and His teachings, he has a huge problem with Christians, with the judgmentalism and hypocrisy he saw in the Church, how the Church was late on Civil Rights, on Apartheid, and now on AIDs and its prevention and annihilation.

He talked about his and Alli's first trip to Ethopia in 1985, working in an orphanage with World Vision. The innate dignity of this proud people, now queuing to beg for food, being slaughtered by preventable diseases like malaria. How could these beautiful people be starving in a world of plenty? Bono spent ten years trying to forget what he saw in Africa, but by 1998 he was ready to start "spending his celebrity" as a strategy for helping Africa. He got on board with DATA and the Jubilee project of debt-relief. Redemption is an economic term, after all.

Great ideas at the right time are like a great melody -- irresistible, says Bono. But the Church has been behindhand. AIDs is the leprosy of our time, and the Church has been judgmental about the AIDs crisis. "Love thy neighbor" Bono reminds us, is a command, not mere advice. In this global village, we all are neighbors and we simply can't ignore senseless starvation, illness, and death just because it's "over there." Nothing is "over there" anymore.

Bono also said that the part of the Lord's Prayer that really gets to him is "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, ON EARTH, as it is in Heaven." Heaven on earth. (A topic of several songs on his latest CDs.) Christians, says Bono, need to indeed have the peace that passes all understanding, yet also cannot live at peace with the world. The problems that we can fix, we should fix. He advises us all to work together, for the Christians to "chill out" and work side-by-side with people with whom they may not be comfortable. This is not a duty or a burden but an opportunity, an adventure, for the Church to lead the fight for life in Africa -- for the annihilation of malaria and AIDs and TB through education and cheap medications. It's our adventure: getting involved in helping our brothers and sisters in Africa as the journey of equality among all God's children moves on.

Throughout the video cast was sprinkled concert footage of "Pride (In the Name of Love)," "Beautiful Day," "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (with a gospel choir in a Harlem church), and finished up with the song that started the video: "Where the Streets Have No Name."

Provoking. Strategic. Wise. Passionate. Challenging. It's Bono's charge to the Church: get involved! We can't sit on the sidelines and allow suffering to go on while we do nothing. Are we sheep or goats in the final Judgment? Are we truly serving the "least of these"?

11/13/06: A Hero for Our Time

Admittedly, I became a U2 fan only within the past six years, but I find that Bono's lyrics speak to me precisely where I'm at. His use of Scripture passages, his anger over suffering, his simple poetry, entrances me again and again.

Plus I haven't yet outgrown being that 80s rocker chick.

Okay, so I wasn't REALLY an 80s rocker chick, but I have always loved 80s music. But at the time, U2 wasn't anything special; I just knew their music from radio air time -- top 40 stuff. However, I do have flashback of my prom whenever I hear "New Year's Day."

And Bono's passion for Africa, especially for those with AIDS, has really touched me. He's willing to use his celebrity not only for himself and fellow band members, but also for the poor and suffering of the world.

And in this day of empty celebrity -- of Paris Hilton and Nick Lachey -- that's saying something.

I have so many favorite U2 songs that it would be hard to pick only one. I have to say that the ones that have touched me the most are "Grace" and "Walk On." So I'm posting the lyrics to "Walk On" today, as a reminder that no matter what God gives us to deal with in our lives, He asks us to "Walk On" in His love and mercy.

And love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring...
And love is not the easy thing....
The only baggage you can bring
Is all that you can't leave behind

And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong

Walk on, walk on
What you got they can’t steal it
No they can’t even feel it
Walk on, walk on...
Stay safe tonight

You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen
You could have flown away
A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly for freedom
Walk on, walk on
What you've got they can't deny it
Can’t sell it, can’t buy it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight
And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much

Walk on, walk on
Home… hard to know what it is if you’ve never had one
Home… I can’t say where it is but I know I'm going home
That's where the heart is

I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Leave it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you steal
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
All that you sense
All that you speak
All you dress up
All that you scheme…