Dear friends,
As September draws near so does the expectation of the Lammermuir Festival concerts – many of which are held in Holy Trinity. This year we will host 11 concerts – two of which will start at 10.15pm and be performed in candlelight! The coffee concerts in the morning feature music for string quartets, cello or piano. It is a veritable feast of music. We are very blessed.
But although I love classical music, I am aware it is not everyone’s cup of tea. Some of us might prefer jazz, soul, folk or the popular music from different eras. Whatever we like, I guess most people have a favourite. It would be unusual to find someone who didn’t like any music at all. From an early age we respond to music. It lifts our souls. It bypasses the intellect (unless you are prone to analyse it whilst listening!) and strives to touch the heart directly. Music evokes memories and emotions long forgotten. Music is literally beyond words.
And perhaps that is why our worship includes so much music. There is a saying: the person “who sings, prays twice”. We sing the Mass setting. We sing hymns/songs which express our faith. We sing the Our Father. It is not unusual for some to be moved to tears by a certain hymn or piece of music within a service. God works through music…. communicates with us through music, and moves our hearts.
And from that point, I wonder if we can go broader than that, and wonder how God might work through the myriad of other sounds we hear each and every day. Just think of bird song, the wind, the crash of the waves on the shore – these are the sounds of God’s creation and might remind us of to whom we can give thanks. The sound of children’s voices as they play and the conversations we have with friends and families, through these we can hear God’s voice of love. And then there are other, more random, sounds – the siren of an ambulance, the roar of an airplane taking off, the drill of a machine…. these and many more can turn us to prayer as we can pray for the person who’s had the accident, those going on holiday, or those who work to keep our roads and pipelines in order.
All these and many others are the music of our day. And if we listen attentively such sounds can serve as the point of contact between us and God. For all of these, if we listen receptively, are not just noise, but God’s offered music too.
May this month be one of listening… and tuning in!
With love, Liz