« Origami Instructional Handouts | Main | The Church That Never Forgot Me »
The Power of God’s Music
By Rebecca | April 17, 2008
Yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI was welcomed to the United States of America with a ceremony on the White House Lawn. (I don’t follow the news in general that closely nor the movements of the Pope specifically.) The first I heard about the ceremony was on the Rush Limbaugh radio show. I had the radio on in the car and the first thing I heard was an arrangement of “Battle Hymn of The Republic” sung by an all male choir.
To Watch the video of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” performed by the US Army Chorus click here.
The song was followed by this comment from the show host:
That is just beautiful. I’m at a loss for words to describe the impact that had on me, and I was not even paying close attention. I was looking at the computer and I had the TVs on, which are to my left when I’m sitting at the computer. I heard this start, and I told Cookie up in New York, “Get me the song. I want the song as part of the audio sound bites.”
She said, “You can hear it?”
I said, “I can always hear God’s music.”
Rush Limbaugh is mostly deaf and hears with the aid of cochlear implants. He often reminds his audience that this means he cannot “hear” music. To him it all sounds as if it were the same note. For songs that he was familiar with before his hearing deteriorated, his memory supplies the tune. However, he is unable to appreciate new music or musical arrangements.
It is no wonder then that his co-worker was so astonished that he should ask for music–which he had never heard before–to be included in his show. I have no doubt that he indeed told the truth when he stated that he could “always hear God’s music.”
“God’s music” is more that just a tune and words. Music that is written and performed for the purpose of praising our Father in Heaven has the ability to touch our spirits. In an introduction to the LDS Hymnbook, The First Presidency wrote:
The hymns invite the Spirit of the Lord, create a feeling of reverence, unify us as members, and provide a way for us to offer praises to the Lord…
…Music has boundless powers for moving families toward greater spirituality and devotion to the gospel…
…Brothers and sisters, let us use the hymns to invite the Spirit of the Lord into our congregations, our homes, and our personal lives. Let us memorize and ponder them, recite and sing them, and partake of their spiritual nourishment. Know that the song of the righteous is a prayer unto our Father in Heaven, “and it shall be answered with a blessing upon [your] heads.”
Yesterday, the Pope was greeted and honored with representatives of the United States Military singing an hymn of praise to God, Our Father. The spirit of reverence and worship in the music was so powerful that even a deaf man was able to hear it. Perhaps this is what the Savior meant when he said, “He that hath ears to hear, Let him Hear.”
Topics: Relief Society, Young Women |
