Pie Jesu -December 8, 2021
Isaiah 53:4 - Surely he took up our pain and bore
our suffering. . .”
This Sunday, we will light the candle of joy. But before we do, I think it is appropriate
to spend a few moments remembering those we love but see no more. Just because we don’t see them anymore does
not mean that our love for them has also died.
More than that, we also remember that their love for us has not died
either. It is the love of God that makes this possible.
We pause to honor those who have died for any reason during
2021.
“Pie Jesu” is not written as Christmas season song, per se,
but over the last several years, it has come to be one in many churches. The
Gregorian Monks included it on their Christmas collection. Perhaps, that is because underneath the
intentioned joy of this season, there is a need to express the sentiment of
this song. Andrew Lloyd Weber composed
the lyrics of “Pie Jesu” by combining the several liturgical readings from the
Requiem, which is a Latin Mass to honor the dead. He did so as a way to process his own grief from
two separate tragedies - a journalist who had interviewed him just weeks before
dying in Northern Ireland as a result of the IRA conflicts, and the story of a
Cambodian boy who was forced to murder his mutilated sister or be executed
himself. He has combined these sacred
writings in a quite powerful way that I believe will endure for many years to
come. Here is the English translation of
those lyrics.
“Merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus,
merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus
Father, who takes away the sins of
the world
Grant them rest, grant them rest
Merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus,
merciful Jesus, merciful Jesus
Father, who takes away the sins of
the world
Grant them rest, grant them rest
Lamb of God, Lamb of God, Lamb of
God, Lamb of God
Father, who takes away the sins of
the world
Grant them rest, grant them rest
everlasting
everlasting
Rest”
Rather than me say much more, I
would encourage you to listen to the song while meditating on the lyrics and
those we have lost. Though doing this
may evoke emotion (don’t worry if it does or does not), I encourage you to do
it anyway. The emotion arises out of
Love. Remember, the song is a prayer –
it connects us not only with those we love but with God who loves us and those
we love. It does all this
simultaneously, which can be powerful. The intent is to honor the love we have
for God and people AND the love God and people have for us. Try it.
Question: No question today – just an encouragement to
spend some time connecting with your love for those you love but cannot see
right now.
Prayer: The song “Pie Jesu” is our prayer today.
Prayer Focus: Pray for all you know who has lost someone
this year.
Gregorian Monks - Pie Jesu
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