Here's a song I was working on today as I was thinking about Matthew Chapter One and the geneology of Jesus. All those characters are in there, for better or worse. Jesus' family line is pretty dysfunctional. But there was always this dream that some day a Saviour would show up and set things right.
Maybe I'll do a 'proper' recording at some point, but here's the song as of today with very special thanks to my webcam and youtube. Comment if you like the song, or if you have any thoughts about it. Thanks, Matthew
Lyrics:
Call me Israel
I’ve got a long and winding tale to tell
About a dream too good to be true
About a bride and her groom and all things new
Joseph was afraid
That his broken heart had been betrayed
When an angel of the Lord
Said the baby’s mom had kept her word
Oh Joseph, Oh Joseph Give that boy a name
Call him Jesus, Oh Jesus For he has come to save
Rahab was ashamed
Thinking guilt would always be her name
Well you see what God can do
The lost can find a story too
OH Rahab, Oh Rahab Kiss your past goodbye
One is coming, Oh he’s coming Who can dry the tears you cry
David was a king
With a tarnished crown and a song to sing
Saying we are all but men
Who need a king to win the war with sin
Oh David, Oh David In the city of your birth
A baby, a little baby He will fill the void with mirth
I am prone to think
Of life a sweetly bitter drink
Or a joke drawn out too long
A poplar where our harps are hung
Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus Your voice like firelight
Come quickly, come quickly And give a blind man sight
Call me Israel
I’ve got a long and winding tale to tell
About a dream too good to be true
About a bride and her groom and all things new
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Southbend, IN Hospitality
Even though the tour ended technically at the close of October, Brian and I joined Abbye and Jeff Pates for a quick drive from Memphis, TN to Southbend, IN to meet some friends at the Catholic Worker Community there. We arrived at the drop in center and set up some of the equipment. It was the first Friday of the month and so they had Mass and a massive potluck dinner. We enjoyed being together at Mass.
At the potluck, I sat at the table with one of our new friends, Biff, and a family with all six of their children there. They took up the whole table nearly and it was easy to see their parent's features in each of children's faces.
Speaking of children, I read the common revised lectionary before I went to church this morning. It struck me how the passages all seemed to relate to inheritance, children, redemption, righteousness, and reward. In Isaiah 58 the suffering servant receives a reward for giving up his life - an inheritance. In Hebrews, Jesus the Great High Priest, reclaims for the household of God many children. God redeems, gives righteouness, we become his children again sharing in his inheritance. Somehow though, and it isn't all clear in my mind (maybe because I just loaded up on Nyquil) the theme is that whole eternal family is the reward of righteousness and the goal of redemption.
I could feel some of that as Brian and Abbye and Jeff and I traveled together this week. I could feel it in some of the conversations that I was surrounded by at the Catholic Worker Hospitality House. I could hear and see it in the way the folks joined together in the liturgies of the Mass before dinner. It was there when we sang and shared songs and stories for the folks that stuck around to listen.
Good quick trip. I hope to make it up there again someday. Thanks Southbend. Thanks Margie and Biff.
At the potluck, I sat at the table with one of our new friends, Biff, and a family with all six of their children there. They took up the whole table nearly and it was easy to see their parent's features in each of children's faces.
Speaking of children, I read the common revised lectionary before I went to church this morning. It struck me how the passages all seemed to relate to inheritance, children, redemption, righteousness, and reward. In Isaiah 58 the suffering servant receives a reward for giving up his life - an inheritance. In Hebrews, Jesus the Great High Priest, reclaims for the household of God many children. God redeems, gives righteouness, we become his children again sharing in his inheritance. Somehow though, and it isn't all clear in my mind (maybe because I just loaded up on Nyquil) the theme is that whole eternal family is the reward of righteousness and the goal of redemption.
I could feel some of that as Brian and Abbye and Jeff and I traveled together this week. I could feel it in some of the conversations that I was surrounded by at the Catholic Worker Hospitality House. I could hear and see it in the way the folks joined together in the liturgies of the Mass before dinner. It was there when we sang and shared songs and stories for the folks that stuck around to listen.
Good quick trip. I hope to make it up there again someday. Thanks Southbend. Thanks Margie and Biff.
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