The Basics... and The Enhancements

Today's reflection talks about how, like water is absolutely necessary for our bodies, prayer is absolutely necessary for our souls.  Sometimes, we like to add something other than water to quench our thirst, and like above, sometimes the music can enhance our prayer.  The words to this song beautifully engage the thoughts, imagination and lift the spirit as we can see and hear each phrase come to life. 

Sing for the morning's joy, Cecilia, sing,
in words of youth and phrases of the spring.
Walk the bright colonnades by fountains spray
and sing as sunlight fills the waking day.
Till angels, voyaging in upper air, pause on a wing,
and gather the clear sound into celestial joy, wound and unwound,
a silver chain or golden as your hair.

Sing for your loves of heaven and of earth,
in words of music, and each word a truth,
marriage of heart and longings that aspire,
a bond of roses and a ring of fire.
Your summertime grows short and fades away,
terror must gather to a martyr's death, but never tremble,
the last indrawn breath remembers music as an echo may.

Through the long aftermath of centuries
Cecilia's music dances in the skies,
lend us a fragment of the immortal air
where with your choiring angels we may share.
A light to light us through time-fettered night,
water of life, a rose of paradise;
so from the earth another song shall rise
to meet your own in heavens long delight.

For more information on St. Cecilia, just click the link.