Jacob's Well: Our Spiritual Songs (Edition 4)
Our lives continue to change daily, and while that was always the case, the acute nature of the current change is part of the newness of this time. So, I was going to offer another topic today, but I think this is where my heart lies at the moment.
Music has always been multifunctional: it stirs us to courage, attaches itself to memory and story, brings tears to our eyes, and bring all the boys to the yard. For me, it is also a source of faith, hope and love in times of joy and difficulty. So, this week, I thought I would offer songs that connect me to God, and to others. These are some of my Songs of the Spiritual. Please share and add your own: we might even be able to comply a playlist that warms our hearts in the coming weeks.
I’ll start with one of my most recent additions:
“Psalm 136 (Your Mercy Endures)” by Greg LaFollette ft. Leslie Jordan.
Drawing on one of the Psalms that describes the creative spirit and deep love of our God, it always brings my heart to a place of thanksgiving and mercy.
“Abide with Me”, sung by Emeli Sandé.
Next is a familiar hymn, There are so many versions of this traditional hymn around, but I have always returned to this version. Sung at the 2012 London Olympic Opening Ceremony, it is raw, paced and heartfelt. The song and accompanying dance were a tribute to the victims of the 7/7 terror attacks in London that claimed 52 victims, days after the 2012 Summer Olympic hosts were named. It’s also been suggested the performance was a memorial to the war dead. The dance is also worth a view or two.
“There is a Balm in Gilead”, sung by the Adventist Vocal Ensemble,
This next song has a revealing disclosure attached. One Sunday morning, with my cup of tea in hand, I switched to the ABC for the BBC’s Songs of Praise program. Yes, ok, I admit it: there is a part of me that loves British-nanna nostalgia. This song is one of the gentlest applications of wound care you can find.
Finally, I know that there are several musical fans amongst us, and they contain some of the most beautiful songs ever written. I can listen to musicals all day!
“No One is Alone”, from “Into the Woods”,
There is one that is so apt for our current social isolation context. It reminds me of the complex nature of life: that our search for easy answers will not bring us peace. It is by embracing the tensions, mysteries and complicated nature of our reality that our burdens somehow become manageable, always resting in the spirit of trust with God, who understands all.
I hope these songs bring you joy, and peace. Time to share yours: what are your go-to Spiritual Songs?
Additional submissions from our team
New Wine - Hillsong United
I have been listening to this just about every day. It challenges me to consider how I am being Jesus to others (especially in this turbulent world where I feel like I am being challenged all the time).
Next to Me - Imagine Dragons
Not actually a worship song but it still highlights something about faith for me. The song is actually a love song about having love in your life in challenging times. I usually reflect on how God is always there for me when I listen to it.
So Will I (100 Billion X)- Hillsong United/Hillsong Worship
It’s a really beautiful and powerful song that reminds me of the beauty of God & his creation even in difficult times.
An Additional Playlist
As a national team, we all really connected with this subject, and as such we’ve created a “MYM Corona Comforts” Spotify playlist that is full of tunes that our team has added that help us connect with God and relax in this turbulent time.
MYM Corona Comforts: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3nvlMNqv8D0zr7sO1hqrrE?si=8oNLDTgxTxKL4kj_pAj7zg
Jacob's Well: Jesus, Some Portraits (Edition 3)
As I was thinking about this week’s dip in the well, something kept nagging in the back of my mind. It wasn’t the usual voices of “How about some more chocolate, eh?” and “Maybe I already have COV-19 and just don’t know it?” No, actually, it was Jesus. Well, not the actual voice of Jesus (I am still waiting on that one), but rather, this thought: If I was to offer a beginning’s guide to Jesus, where would I start?
Well, the starting point is the Gospels, of course, and I feel like that it is a bit obvious to offer as a resource (although, check them out if you haven’t before, they do cover a lot about Jesus!). Here is some more that might be helpful for your personal and professional relationship with the big JC.
Jesus of Nazareth: What He Wanted, Who He Was (Gerhard Lohfink):
I was given this book, and reluctantly started to read it. I was transformed. It really captured my heart and imagination, written in an engaging and fresh way about Jesus. Thought provoking and gentle, I think it is one of the best books around about Jesus.
Blurb: Who was Jesus? A prophet? There have been many of those. A miracle-worker? A radical revolutionary? A wise teacher? There have been many of these, too. In his latest book, renowned Scripture scholar Gerhard Lohfink asks, what is unique about Jesus of Nazareth, and what did he really want?
Lohfink engages the perceptions of the first witnesses of his life and ministry and those who handed on their testimony. His approach is altogether historical and critical, but he agrees with Karl Barth's statement that "historical criticism has to be more critical."
Lohfink takes seriously the fact that Jesus was a Jew and lived entirely in and out of Israel's faith experiences but at the same time brought those experiences to their goal and fulfillment. The result is a convincing and profound picture of Jesus.
Jesus: A Pilgrimage (Fr James Martin):
This tome is a little longer but structured in a way that is accessible. Fr James, an American, is writing for an audience completely unfamiliar with Jesus. He breaks things down really well, as well as offer some reflections, prayers and questions that allow you to slowly engage with the material, or even use it in small groups and discussion forums.
Blurb: James Martin, SJ, gifted storyteller, editor at large of America magazine, popular media commentator, and New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, brings the Gospels to life in Jesus: A Pilgrimage, and invites believers and seekers alike to experience Jesus through Scripture, prayer and travel.
Combining the fascinating insights of historical Jesus studies with profound spiritual insights about the Christ of faith, Father Martin recreates the world of first-century Galilee and Judea to usher you into Jesus's life and times and show readers how Jesus speaks to us today. Martin also brings together the most up-to-date Scripture scholarship, wise spiritual reflections, and light-hearted stories about traveling through the Holy Land with a fellow (and funny) Jesuit, visiting important sites in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.
The person at the heart of the Gospels can seem impossibly distant. Stories about his astonishing life and ministry—clever parables that upended everyone's expectations, incredible healings that convinced even sceptics, nature miracles that dazzled the dumbstruck disciples—can seem far removed from our own daily lives, hard to understand, and at times irrelevant. But in Jesus you will come to know him as Father Martin knows him: Messiah and Saviour, as well as friend and brother.
Jesus 120:
Now I realise that you may not have time to read a book, or your Audible account was too expensive this month, but hey, you’re an Aural learner, so how are you considering me, Br James? Here’s a podcast that might help. Produced in the USA, Jesus 120 takes a story from the Gospels about Jesus, reads it, and has some interesting discussions. It is part of a broader Christian perspective, so it offers some different viewpoints, all to be taken with a discerning ear and heart. They ran out of stories recently, so the Podcasters broaden their materials to Scripture passages in the Old Testament, and other sections of the New Testament. Worth a listen, with episodes around 15 minutes.
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/jesus-120/id1047304549
Jacob's Well: Prayer Apps (Edition 2)
Pray As You Go (PAYG)
Designed by Jesuit Ministries in the UK, it is a daily prayer app that draws on Scripture for personal prayer and reflection. It is great for a way to start your day, or to put on as morning prayer in a retreat/reflection day. It is well produced, and each prayer is no more than 15 minutes. Here is the information they give about it:
Pray As You Go is a daily prayer session, designed to go with you wherever you go, to help you pray whenever you find time, but particularly whilst travelling to and from work, study, etc. A new prayer session is produced every day of the working week and one session for the weekend. It is not a ‘Thought for the Day’, a sermon or a bible-study, but rather a framework for your own prayer. Lasting between ten and thirteen minutes, it combines music, scripture and some questions for reflection. Our aim is to help you to: become more aware of God’s presence in your life; listen to and reflect on God’s word; grow in your relationship with God. The style of prayer is based on Ignatian Spirituality. It is produced by Jesuit Media Initiatives, with material written by a number of Jesuits, both in Britain and further afield, and other experts in the spirituality of St Ignatius of Loyola. Although the content is different every day, it keeps to the same basic format.
Insight Timer
This is a library of libraries for a whole range of music, meditations, reflections, courses and resources. Whether you can’t sleep at night, need some quiet reflective music for retreats and prayer, searching for a guided meditation across a number of faith and non-faith setting, or a talk on mindfulness, it is a huge collection of resources for personal and communal uses. And the great thing: the free version is full of so much great stuff! There are so many more features: an online community to connect with, or a premium version with many things (but who pays for apps, especially when it’s so good for free!).
Taizé Music
We all love Taizé, I know, so here’s one of the official apps that the Taizé community produce. It is focussed on providing simple text and music notation for the songs, as well as a guide to preparing the prayer. Not a lot of diverse content, but definitely a helpful resource for preparing Taizé prayer, and as a last minute reference!
Additional submissions from our team
Marist Daily Prayer App
This app is by the Marist Association which features prayer intentions (based on our local Marist communities and schools!), Gospel of the day, breaking open the word and beautiful prayers.
Laudate
This app offers the Readings of the Day, Divine Office, scripture reflections, bios of the Saints, more traditional and formal prayers, the order of the Mass, Confession prep, official Church documents – so basically, lots.
FUEL (from Ignite Youth)
Another app with the Readings of the Day. I often read the daily scripture reflection, which is written by a rotation of youth leaders and young people, for a grounded perspective on the scriptures. There’s also video content of speakers from various Ignite events.
Click to Pray
This is the Pope’s official prayer app. The app gives you the Pope’s prayer intention for the month, as well as prayers at different times of the day you can pray with the Pope. The app also includes a prayer network, where you can post your own prayer intentions, or pray the intentions of others. Plus, every time you pray you can click a button and satisfy all your instant gratification urges!
Jacob's Well: Useful Youtube Channels (Edition 1)
Breaking in the Habit (Channel Link)
Casey Cole OFM is a rising star among Christian YouTubers (yeah, did you know there was such a thing!?!) He is a Franciscan priest in his 20s or 30s (I don’t know: he is ageless!) who delivers online content on a range of faith and personal issues.
His channel is called Breaking in the Habit (with accompanying website: https://breakinginthehabit.org/) and is the author of the books Let Go: Seven Stumbling Blocks to Christian Discipleship and Called: What Happens After Saying Yes to God. So, he’s a priest, author, digital native, YouTuber, theologian, conference speaker, blogger, podcaster, Influencer and model. He does everything.
His description: Offering personal reflections and explanations from a Catholic and Franciscan perspective for Christians who want to become a better disciples of Jesus Christ and discern their vocation.
BibleProject (Channel Link)
A lot of teachers in our schools stumble across this and love it. The animation and content of Biblical stories and themes is one of the best available. Very useful for presentations, or for your own knowledge.
Their description: BibleProject is a nonprofit animation studio that produces short-form, fully animated videos. Our videos and all of our other resources are available for free to help people everywhere experience the unified story of the Bible.
Cut (Channel Link)
Ok, this one is definitely left-field. Mostly videos about social relationships, dating, alcohol-related games and dares, it offers content on the reality of the human experience, particularly from a Millennial perspective. One of its gems is its Religion section. It can offer some interesting videos.