An excerpt from Souls on Fire by Elie Wiesel:
"Song is more precious than words, intention more important than formulas. And since it is given to every man to acquire all the powers, why despair? Why give up the fight? One tear, one prayer can change the course of events; one fragment of a melody can contain all the joy in the world, and by letting it go free, influence fate. And no elite has a monopoly on song or tears; G-D listens to the shepherd playing his flute as readily as He listens to the saint renouncing his earthly attachments. The prisoner's cravings equals the wise man's: the one, like the other, has a bearing on the essence of man.
He [this particular Rabbi] taught them to fight sadness with joy. 'The man who looks only at himself cannot but sink into despair, yet as soon as he opens his eyes to the creation around him, he will know joy.' And this joy leads to the absolute, to redemption, to G-D."
I am encouraged that one tear, one prayer does make a difference in this world and in the world to come. The L-RD sees us fighting even in our seemingly "weak little prayers." Because through this fight we are able to connect with the eternal reality of Him and His joy. There is indeed joy that follows pain. It is a joy that only originates with the eternal G-D and yet somehow is able (however often) to be experienced in one fragment of a melody. Where are our warrior poets? Who will bring heaven to the earth in song? Where is our joy? Who has this joy? Do we have this joy that leads to the absolute, to redemption, to G-D?
dude!!!! amen sister, right on. i am picking up what you are laying down!
ReplyDeletethe joy of the Lrd is my strength! He MAKES me lie down in green pastures and restores my soul even if i am walking through the valley of death!
keep praying for those warrior poets! i will be.
by sister i meant brother... ops... :)
ReplyDeleteWhere are our warrior poets that will bring heaven to earth in a song? Wow Thomas, wow. I'm with you, I'm certainly not one of them, making me long for them even more. May it be so!
ReplyDeleteI want to become a warrior poet!
ReplyDeleteKait you totally could be. You have the potential! Leah could too, by the way.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. Sadly it seems like secular musicians do a better job being transparent with their struggles and passions. That's why Big Cassie's journey on her blog is helpful, and impoartant to so many.
ReplyDeleteOpening up the Word of G-d and reading something that David or Job or John wrote and having that resonate within my heart is a powerful experience. Our lives are not so different these days, we still struggle with the way G-d works, and the way the world responds. Surely the people of today whom G-d has called to worship through music feel the same way as David and the sons of Korah, but they don't have the luxury of working in the temple full time. L-rd make a way.
How I long to turn on my ipod and have someone sing out my heart. Is that selfish?
David was literally a warrior poet reflecting the eternal realities of the heart of G-D by exhorting all of humanity for generations because of his passionate desire to be in the presence of the L-RD! Where are our Davids?
ReplyDeleteshalom aliechem, friends! warrior poets and their band are a living reality being created as they go... Shir v'B'racha Elohaynu... (A Song of Praise to Our God!)
ReplyDelete