Last Day

I can hardly believe two weeks is up and today was the last day of class. We flew through some of the twentieth century sacred music at a breath taking pace, but each piece still held me in awe, moved me to tears in many instances, reminded me of when I had either sung or conducted many of them, introduced me to new pieces I long to perform, wish to introduce to others.

Tomorrow I will be on a plane headed back to chaos. Already my kids have been calling, asking about details, trying to figure out how to put the pieces together. I don't dread jumping in again. I know good things are coming. I'm a bit impatient to get going. Class is over, let's just leave! But tonight I will have dinner with my colleagues, most of whom will stay on for the last two week session (lucky them). I know the fellowship will be excellent.

Meanwhile, having been immersed in music from the past, I couldn't resist writing a bit of doggerel based on the idea of the Divine Office - the one for monasteries - where at certain times of the day, the monks would gather to sing a psalm, a hymn, say a prayer - invoke God's blessings, seek His mercy and grace - basically intertwine the activities of their lives with God. These 'services' followed a typical year, changing with the seasons and the events encountered.


Hours celebrated were:

Matins, beginning after midnight (often about 3 a.m.)
Lauds, at daybreak

Prime, at 6 a.m.
Terce, at 9 a.m.
Sext, at noon
None, at 3 p.m.

Vespers, at twilight
Compline, before retiring

I threw together a few thoughts about time at Concordia. I enclose it for your amusement - perhaps it may give you some small sense of life in Mequon concentrating on church music.

Concordia Hours

Matins (before daybreak)
In middle of night
If I awake in fright.
You, O Lord, are there.
You are Who I need.

For my pain, Your healing touch.
For my guilt, Your inexplicable mercy.
For my distress, Your incomprehensible peace.
For my sorrows, Your abundant joy.
For my loneliness, Your abiding presence.

Be ever near.

Lauds (at sunrise)
Sun peeks over mountains
Tickling birds awake.
Stars are playing hide and seek
With moon, for goodness sake.

Before my eyes fly open,
Before I think a thought,
Your world is calling to me,
"See the wonders He has wrought!"

Prime (6 am)
Crows cawing
Lawn mowers humming
Construction trucks beeping
Traffic whizzing
A siren wailing.

Day has begun.

In manus Tuas, Domine.
Into Your hands, O Lord,
I commit this day.

Terce (9 am)
Sing!
~black dots on a page
Sing!
~foreign words I do not understand.
Sing!
~I listen.
Sing!
~I mumble something.

BREAK

Sing!
~I almost remember the tune.
Sing!
~I repeat the words slowly.
Sing!
~I begin to hear the harmonies.

Class Over.

I walk down the hall to lunch.
I am humming.
It is the song.

Suddenly I understand.
I get it!
I stop mid stride.
I sing!

My colleagues laugh.
They join in.
Concert in the hall.
Glorious praise to God.

Wow!

Sext (noon)
God is great,
God is good,
And we thank Him
For this food.

Give us this day our daily bread.
By His hand we ALL are fed.

Lord, let me not eat
-unappreciatively
-greedily
-unnecessarily
-unhealthily
-in anger
-alone

May I be
-thankful for the bounty before me
-aware of the hungry and how I should help
-willing to share my blessings
-moderate in intake
-content
-purposeful
-with family and friends

Amen.

Nones (3 pm)
Students in classes,
Or in practice rooms,
Some taking lessons,
Assignments that loom.

Everyone's tired,
We all want a break.
Why can't they finish
Constructing that lake?

It soon will be over,
The weeks just fly by.
Once we leave campus,
We'll all heave a sigh!

Vespers (at twilight)
Will You meet me in the meadow
Where the fireflies flit,
As I wander toward the water,
Find a cozy place to sit;

Let the cool of evening soothe me
As the birds call overhead;
Feel the daily tensions drain out
Ere I head off for my bed?

I will listen as You tell me
All the things I need to know -
As You show me what You wanted,
Where I missed it, or was slow.

I will tell You I am sorry,
You will see my heart is true,
And I know You still will love me
For that's simply what You do.

Compline (before retiring)
Now I lay me down to sleep,
The dorm is quiet, not a peep.
Out in the chapel the organ is quiet
(Quite a change from its earlier riot!)

Lord, watch over this campus tonight.
Keep it safe until morning's light.
Bless all the students and faculty too.
Keep us all safe as You always do.