I can't believe it, but it is true. One line from one song has temporarily redeemed Christian radio for me: "Late have I loved you."Yes, that is right. There is a song played on KLOV which references St. Augustine's Confessions. Here is the full excerpt for Augustine.
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you. You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.
The song was written by Matt Maher, who is known for composing "Your Grace is Enough" which was made popular by Chris Tomlin. Now this song that I heard, Alive Again, is basically structured around this excerpt, which is read on the feast day of Saint Augustine. Oh, did I mention that Matt Maher is Catholic. Yes! A song that was written as a reflection from the reading on the feast day of Saint Augustine is now at TOP 20 song on KLOV. Incredible! Christian Radio can be redeemed.
Here are all the lyrics, not sentimental or poorly crafted, well written and drawing from the ancient traditions of the church.
Alive Again
I woke up in darkness Surrounded by silence
Oh where, oh where have I gone?
I woke to reality Losing its grip on me
Oh where, where have I gone?
'Cause I can see the light Before I see the sunrise
You called and You shouted
Broke through my deafness
Now I'm breathing in and breathing out
I'm alive again
You shattered my darkness
Washed away my blindness
Now I'm breathing in and breathing out
I'm alive again
Late have I loved You , You waited for me, I searched for You
What took me so long?
I was looking outside As if Love would ever want to hide
I'm finding I was wrong
'Cause I feel the wind Before it hits my skin
You called and You shouted
Broke through my deafness
Now I'm breathing in and breathing out
I'm alive again
You shattered my darkness
Washed away my blindness
Now I'm breathing in and breathing out
I'm alive again
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There is another song by this guy that I really liked, the chorus pairs quotations from Chrysostom and Paul (Eph 5:14):
ReplyDeleteChrist is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
and the bridge is pretty good too:
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night
Hey, I grew up Baptist (in churches that taught that Catholicism was of the devil) and switched to Presbyterian (first PCA and now EPC) a few years ago; yet I fell in love with Matt's music from the very first time I heard his radio version of "Your Grace Is Enough." I still don't think I could be a full-fledged Roman Catholic, but I'm proud to call Matt my brother.
ReplyDeleteI love this song regardless of whether the man is Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, and so on. He is loving our Lord through this beautiful song. I, like Eric, am proud to call Matt my brother in Christ regardless of the religious traditions he follows. We need to come together as brothers and sisters in Christ and be united. The kind of fighting we have seen in the past and today between demoninations needs to stop and we need to simply love each other as Christ instructed. I have Catholic, Baptist, Pentacostal, and evangelist brothers that I love and communicate with frequently. We don't judge each other's traditions, we just love each other, and it is powerful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment on the other song you like Ben! I'm going to have to check it out and everything else this guy has done.
Praise God.
You know something that makes his chosen affiliation a moot point? Christ can work through anyone and anything. The man being Catholic does not mean the Lord will not work through him to bring people to Christ. Thre are many things about the Catholic Church that I disagree with but what he is saying in his song still ring true. Christ is Risen from the dead is a great song and its story is true. The mans background does not change this.
ReplyDelete