MERRY CHRISTMAS the Song!

Merry Christmas Instrumental

Merry Christmas full song

CLICK above to listen!

Now that we have put out an instrumental version of "Merry Christmas", mixed by Jim, which brings out some of the great parts in the song, perhaps we can take a look back.

Mike wrote a great song, and we all pitched in to produce "Merry Christmas" an LW classic. By the way, Mike accidentally erased “Merry Christmas” at one point (reminds me how Brian Eno almost erased U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name”!) but he was able to salvage a version of the song.

Greg plugged into the central effects and added some great guitar “wash” to the background of “Merry Christmas”, which we picked up from some producers of the time. (In concert, I had the duty of approximating this on Greg’s electric with swells and harmonics!) Plus, Greg does a great turn on bass in the song. Mike layered the synthesizers so very well, as he did on all the Christmas songs we did in the basement at 505. We have to mention Sully’s cute spoken section in the middle of “Merry Christmas”; that was awesome! Our beloved Mary Gillis liked to make fun of Kathy for that, but all in good fun.

This song eloquently shines with the joy of the “Reason for the Season” or “putting Christ back in Christmas” without getting at all overbearing, judgmental or preachy and it is attractive and inspiring. What a great gift!

 

Based on an earlier post

God is With Us - With & WIthout Vocals

To hear the backing track? CLICK this!:

God is With Us - Instrumental

And to hear the full version with vocals? CLICK this!:

God is With Us -W/Vocals

View of the Marist House across from our 505 Pleasant house (where we recorded this)

This is a song that I (Mark) wrote. I wanted to get the effect of chiming bells in the beginning, so I am plucking the C-G-G and then the E-C, with the change from the fifth to the third. And Greg, like some sort of genius decided to add those harmonic hammer-ons, which sound, of course, exactly like bells! (This basic effect is reprised at the end of every chorus.) The verses are in C and choruses in G.

Then Mike CHIMES IN with that da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-daaaah riff that I had composed. I wrote the basic riff, but Mike RAN with it. He did it both on piano and synthesizer. And then he figured out how to continue the effect of the basic riff through all the chord changes, in a way that so sweeeet! so bellissimo! We then mixed the different instruments in a way that perfectly complemented the lyrics of verses and chorus. Mike really is the instrumental star here.

The bridge accomplishes a really cool key change sequence that ends back at the chorus. What Mike managed to do there is just so fantastic; listen to THAT and be amazed. How do you maintain the sense of the basic piano riff while going through all the key changes, meanwhile making it all seem as smooth as silk. I love the baroque-flavored harpsichord thing on the 'Gloria in excelsis deo' segue to the chorus. 

The way Greg chimes in with distortion at just the right times is beautiful, lending power to the key chorus declarations. Listen to Tony on the drums; he is using lower/deeper runs as accents during the chorus, a very nice expert touch, as usual. Dave adds perfect bass runs especially at the end.

I suppose we should mention the funny incident at the end. We were all in the cellar playing certain parts for the lead-in to the end when Mike played that one long C on the synthesizer. What you can't hear is that he was yelling at the top of his lungs, "WHAT'S THE CHORD?!?! WHAT'S THE CHORD!!??!". He finally remembered at the end, but that unintentional held note turned out to be effective and perfect for that spot!

We did some very nice vocal arranging on this, too, so be sure to listen to that. The guys liked to make fun of how I sang, "just LAHK me"! Please, enjoy!

Peace & Love & JOY,
Mark LaJOIE!

 
St. Cecelia

When Living Waters mentions the patroness of music, we think of Mark's song, the 'Two Feet Song', a rough version of which is found here: "Endless Dance of Love".

Cecelia was from one of the ancient patrician families of Rome. Her parents tried to marry her to a patrician pagan named Valerian. Here is an excerpt from her history:

Against her will, she was given in marriage to Valerian; but on the first night of the nuptials she thus addressed him: Valerian, I am under the care of an Angel, who is the guardian of my virginity; wherefore beware of doing what might kindle God's wrath against thee. Valerian moved by these words respected her wishes, and even said that he would believe in Christ if he could see the Angel. On Caecilia telling him that this could not be unless he received Baptism, he, being very desirous of seeing the Angel, replied that he was willing to be baptized. Taking the virgin's advice, he went to Pope Urban, who on account of the persecution was hiding among the tombs of the Martyrs on the Appian Way, and by him he was baptized.

Then returning to Caeceliia, he found her at prayer, and beside her an Angel shining with divine brightness. He was amazed at the sight; but as soon as he had recovered from his fear, he sought out his brother Tiburtius; who also was instructed by Caecilia in the faith of Christ, and after being baptized by Pope Urban, was favoured like his brother with the sight of the Angel. Both of them shortly afterwards courageously suf­fered martyrdom under the prefect Almachius. This latter next commanded Caacilia to be apprehended, and commenced by asking her what had become of the property of Tiburtius and Valerian.

The virgin answered that it had all been distributed among the poor; at which the prefect was so enraged, that he commanded her to be led back to her own house, and put to death by the heat of the bath. When, after spending a day and a night there, she remain unhurt by the fire, an executioner was sent to dispatch her; who, not being able with three strokes of the axe to cut off her head, left her half dead. Three days later, on the tenth of the Kalends of December, she took her flight to heaven, adorned with the double glory of virginity and martyrdom. It was in the reign of the emperor Alexander. Pope Urban buried her body in the cemetery of Callixtus; and her house was converted into a church and dedicated in her name. Pope Paschal I. translated her body into the city, together with those of Popes Urban and Lucius, and of Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus, and placed them all in this church of St. Caecilia.

Her body was discovered incorrupt in the 800s and her remains revealed again in 1599. The famous scultor, Stefano Moderno was commissioned to memorialize the amazing site. Many noticed that three fingers were joined on one hand, and one finger pointed on the other, an apparent expression of faith in the Trinity. On her wedding day, she prayed continually and sang to God in her heart, which is why she was later named the patron of music and musicians.  

Her heroic, supernaturally miraculous defense of chastity must seem incomprehensible to our sense-based age. But she has precisely identified the core of happiness that makes a human heart sing with joy.

St. Luke & Mary's Singing Heart

 St. Luke & Mary's Singing Heart

recent convert Roy Schoeman described Mary's voice as 'what makes music music'

Below is a PowerPoint about St. Luke, celebrated October 18. This reminds us of our song, the "Magnificat", which Denise sings so well. Luke loved Canticles, art & poetry; he had to have spoken directly with Mary; he heard her musical voice & wrote down her beautiful song, so prophetic & scriptural!

Magnificat by Living Waters

 More Than the Sum of Its Parts

Mark's recent demo recording, "Streams of Mercy", demonstrates something that's true of Living Waters music in general from the beginning. After Mark finished doing vocal & guitar tracks, he sent that mp3 to Mike; he wanted to add piano & strings. He put these together on GarageBand, sent it back for finishing and? voila! a great demo....

Streams of Mercy CLICK!

Here's Mark with his Ovation Legend II; it's kind of beat up!

Well! Let's just say what he did really enhanced what Mark had laid down. Just one example: go to 1:33 up to 1:53 where Mark is singing the quiet part of Christ praying from the Cross. Mark has just one guitar part going, high up on the neck. Mike is adding simple stroke chords on piano that perfectly match the tones in the guitar chords. (You probably wouldn't even have noticed it if it weren't pointed out to you.) This imperceptibly 'fills it in', and makes it 'work' much better. He did this sort of thing all over the final demo - so awesome!

This makes a point. It's ALWAYS been like this in LW! During arranging & practice, each member has added 'little' things that 'serve' the song. We could talk all day about it. This is especially true of the songwriting as well as the arranging. Mark would add a vocal echo as part of Mike's song, as in "The Joy"; Mike would add a keyboard riff to top off a song of Mark's, as in "Glory". What we end up doing is often far better than if we had each gone totally solo. And even when we 'go solo', one or another of us often steps in to help & give it that "Living Waters" magic.

Recording "Streams of Mercy"

Streams of Mercy DEMO! CLICK!

Mark Lajoie here! I thought you might be interested in how this recent demo got recorded last week.

I had done my own self-recording at times in the past. For instance, "Forever", "Tell the Whole World" and "We All Did It". We even released some of those on our interim album, "Still Flowing". This was probably NOT a good decision on my part; these were little more than my own GarageBand demos. Actually, many of our studio-recordings produced by Josh were based on demos I created, a much more sound process of creation.

BUT recently I have not had access to GarageBand or a producer. I now live in a very small place with several family members & limited income. My ability to create was, it seemed curtailed. However, the URGE to create has been persistently pressing me. I go to Mass every day now, and during Communion every day, this old song of mine, kept crowding into  my consciousness, insisting that it be expressed & shared. 

The song, is a very simple one: 3 chords, 4 basic notes. I received it at the age of 15 while on my knees before the Tabernacle. It brought me to where THE Victory was won for us by the King: to the Cross as He shares with us in the Bread of Life. This is precisely what is under attack right now and what people need to know. What was so relevant for a poor teen back then was perfect for those I want to reach now. I HAD to get this OUT of me!

Well, where there's a Will, there's a Way. I had done a very rough demo for "May I Receive You" using the Audacity app. That's basically for doing podcasts, and I had used it to do some pre-production recording for our LW podcast. After investigating, I figured out how I could get this app to serve as a studio app. I drove up to my son's house where it was quiet, while he was at work, and I spent the day there. I  plugged in my Ovation 12-string to my little Acoustic-brand amplifier, turning up the volume with a light effect. I then set my mic to omnidirectional so it could pick up both the live guitar (which sounds pretty awesome all by itself!) AND the amplified sound. I scrabbled to get a scratch track, laid down two different lines of acoustic, a lead vocal and a harmony. I added a simple bass line on the acoustic, and then was able to put it down a whole octave; sounds like a stand-up bass. This song needed bells, but they HAD to sound something like altar bells, so I recorded the chimes from my cell phone alarm!

I then was able to add some effects, pan tracks to either side and play with the mix. I created a demo. Mike kindly invited me to send this to him so he could add keyboards. He downloaded the mp3 to his GarageBand, added a sterling piano track and strings track, mixed it and sent it to me. What he did?? It was if he was reading my mind! He put in eXACTly what I imagined should be there. I then added the end echo track, and? voila! what I think is a wonderful demo!

I got it OUT of me!! I hope you sense the Power of where these words & images of Scripture take you.

Thinking of doing a proper job on "May I Receive You" next: stay tuned!!

 A Father's Touch & the Spirit's Kiss:

A Faith Story

My parents, Raymond & Elizabeth; my dad at my son's Baptism in 1988

Mark Lajoie here. I want to tell the story of two childhood faith incidents that brought me to the point where I met my friends in Living Waters. 

In particular, I remember an incident from when I was nearly three years old that taught me a lesson. (I have very vivid memories of this time even now. I had taught myself to read already, was very active, a 'wise guy' and a troublemaker.) And I will also speak about the meaning that my Confirmation had for me.

My father had made it very clear to me that I was NEVER, under any circumstances, to climb the ladder which went to my two brothers' bunk bed when no one was around. And, yet, there I was , looking up to the great heights of the upper berth as it loomed over the ladder. The clear warning of my father was pushed to the rear of my mind as my curiosity and inquisitiveness took control. I had climbed very nearly to the top and had the desired goal in vew, when suddenly the ladder detached itself from the bed and began moving backwards. (This tendency to dislodge must have been the reason for the warning in the first place!) The ladder fell straight back! Before I knew it, I was sprawled on the floor in pain, bawling my eyes out. I had fallen from quite high. (Luckily, I was just fine!)

My father rushed into the room. What he did in the matter of a few seconds speaks to me yet. He first gave me a small spank on the behind. Then, he enfolded me in his arms in a comforting hug. I remember quite clearly that he did not say a word, but the lesson couldn't have been any more loud or distinct if he had shouted it. The feeling I remember is one of almost religious awe: 'my father is strict and demanding about what is best for me, and yet, he will always love me no matter what'.

pictures from 'the camp'; my birthday March 25, 1960

At this time, I spent much time reflecting about God, and I knew we were very devout believers, although I do not remember religion being discussed in the family. When I was three, we moved from our camp upon the lake to the city, where my father, after being sober for eight years, fell back into very heavy alcoholic drinking. From this point on, our daily family reality became a hellish one, but my mother did manage to get me to CCD classes at the local French parish. In those days, we had First Confession and First Communion at the age of six, and Confirmation at seven years old. It is my experience of Confirmation that I would like tell you about now.

When the day and the Bishop arrived, it soon became clear that we kids in the CCD class were second class citizens. The parochial school kids all sat up front and were shown every courtesy, while we CCD'ers, most of whom were only there because of poverty, were stuck in the final two rows and ignored. When the pastor came down to ask questions, he asked many questions up front and I remember being impressed at them. Then he wandered back to us and fixed his stare at the student whom everyone knew without a doubt to be the least accomplished student among us, Dennis T. I remember the horror I felt for him and for us CCD kids, and hoping against hope that by some miracle he could come up with the answer. I do not remember the question but I will never forget the look on Dennis' face: it was the pop-eyed, slack-jawed stare of a frightened rabbit. Supernatural intervention not being with us that day, poor little Dennis, of course, could not answer. The pastor made some sneering remark in French something to the effect of, 'What else could we expect from the like of these.' and thus ended the questioning. 

However, the real story is what happened next. I went up to the Bishop. I do not remember the actual act of Confirmation at all, but I will never forget the result. I had an experience which I will never be able to describe. I remember thinking 'So THIS is what all of those lessons were about.' The closest description I found many years later in Ste. Therese de Lisieux's description of her First Communion. 

After the ceremony, my mother was telling everyone of her outrage and how she had stormed up to the priest to complain about his conduct. My reaction was that it did not bother me one single bit. Didn't we have to forgive each other? Doesn't she know what a wonderful day this is? People are like that, but God?....I had begun a relationship of trust with Jesus and His Spirit which was opening my eyes to my dignity and that of others. I was so happy, but it wasn't like anything I'd felt before. It was more than just a 'feeling'. 

Three years later, I was passing by the open door of the Irish church as a Confirmation was taking place. Though it involved total strangers, that same joy filled me and I ran all the way home to tell my mother how wonderful it was. Soon, the weight of everything in my life dragged me down to woundedness and suicidal despair, but the gentle call of that day when I was seven, that Holy Spirit's kiss, still sounded in the background until I finally responded and had my conversion experience at the age of 15. 

You can see my pain in junior high; later, after my conversion, I am doing retreats & concerts

In retrospect, it seems that the loving formation of my earliest years overcame the harsh experiences after age three and what my parents taught me of God by example was of lasting value. I trace back the beginning of my soul's education in the great lessons of life to the eloquence of a father's touch and the Holy Spirit's gentle kiss.

 On the Bus Again!

Here are a couple of pictures from the early 80's!

You can see Joyce in the foreground reading; Mark & Chuck Trella playing guitar as they did for endless hours on so many trips....

Sharon is smiling! With Joyce, she is waiting to help; Mark & Dave are handling the box; there is Tony's drum seat in the foreground

Setting up the stage & mike stands; EVERYone helped

Outdoor concert as we did often; there is participation going on here

FOUNTAIN of every Blessing!

FOUNTAIN of every Blessing!

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Fountain of every blessing

I adore You

I love You

And with a lively sorrow for my sins,

I offer You this poor Heart of mine.

Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to Your will.

Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in and for You.

Protect me in danger,

Comfort me in affliction,

Give me health in mind and body,

Your assistance in my temporal needs,

Your blessing on all that I do,

And the grace of a holy death in You.

Amen.

"Make Me Free" on Spotify

*this is a reprint of an older blog posting! The phrase "a love for us that never ends" is from the "Anna Post Video"

When I was 15 after the first exhilaration of my conversion experience and seeing miracles and so forth, one day it all came crashing down to earth. I began to falter again under the weaknesses and burdens I had, feeling all bound up with all the negative patterns that had built up for so long. I did what I had the first time: I fell to my knees, admitted my helplessness and turned to the Lord in trust. “Make me free”, was the phrase that kept recurring. I picked up a prayer card and began to recite the prayer there. It was the Sacred Heart Prayer from the Sacred Heart Fathers from Racine, Wisconsin [the same ones who used to give out those metal Sacred Heart Auto League car stickers]. I had been saying the prayer every day, but now I prayed it with desperation and determined to DO something to make my trust REAL; I would do the First Friday Devotion thing and to go to Mass every day. Here is part of the prayer:

“Most Sacred Heart of Jesus…I love you…I offer you this poor heart of mine, make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to your will…grant me the grace of a holy death..”

I had prayed it before, but now with poverty and desperation. And then it happened: a song started coming to me, a verse and a chorus, five times. (Eventually we cut this to four verses for performance.)  Several of the verses were reminders that we need to open up to others and see more than ourselves, something I sorely needed [and still need!] to do. It truly was a freeing experience. I should just let a loving Heart look after me and concentrate on living and loving.

A few years later after I’d done some more trusting and ministering, the final rousing coda came to me in a rush once. It’s okay to pray for a holy death, but that comes by LIVING with all you’ve got.

The amusing genesis of the song actually came before what I began with here. I went to a big Charismatic conference and everyone was engaged in praise and I was really throwing myself into it – it was so freeing! My eyes were closed and I was concentrating intently when I began to notice people laughing. As I opened up my eyes and looked around I noticed everyone else was sitting down looking at me. HOW EMBARASSING! (I seem to have a special talent for embarassing myself!) I was red-faced and crestfallen as I sat down; it’s always been one of my biggest fears, not knowing the etiquette of situations, afraid of offending or making a fool of myself. The very kind speaker said something like “Thank the Lord for freedom.”

Now, after this, a man I trusted deeply came up to me – I’m embarassed to say I’ve forgotten who it is!- and said simply, “The Lord wants to give you a song on freedom”. Now, I know I trusted the guy, because that’s the kind of thing you would have to! With a very simple reaction I ran to the Chapel, knelt down, furrowed my brow intensely and waited expectantly. I imagine I came out of my crouch once in a while to sneak a peek skyward to see if anything was dropping down directly upon me. When nothing happened, I chalked it up to a mistake and forgot all about it. It was maybe a couple of months after this that I got “Make Me Free”, and I recalled that incident. I don’t know if it was the suggestion of it that planted the idea; that’s certainly possible. But this song is just so darn good, I’m inclined to believe maybe the guy did have a genuine inspiration.

The insight it gives is crucial to everyone. We’ve got to let God be God and just learn to love and trust! That’s pretty simple; it’s not always easy. Lord, help us to be free by living in your Love!

Peace & the Freedom of Agape Love
Mark Lajoie

P.S. The chef at Oblates was Roy McKay; I did the pots and pans and worked for him. This was his favorite song and I did it just for him a few times and he was always pulling me out to do it for someone. He had real insight into people and their motives. I grew to love old time country in his kitchen. ( And I'll never forget his green mashed potatoes on St. Patty's!) He has since passed on, but his example and memory is a treasured one for me and many who knew him.

 "Give Through Devotion"

CLICK the title above to hear the song!

If I’m not mistaken, this live version is the only time we ever did this song as a group.  I play it usually every year at school for my students and I have done it solo at some coffeehouses in the past.  This version probably suffers because it is an impromptu first attempt debut. I had just written it, and I tried to teach the band real fast so we could get it in. You can tell! It is too fast in parts, and I am royally messing up my words, trying to fit in too many where they could not fit. Ah, well!

It's got nice transitions from verse to chorus and back, and the bridge really works, I think. One student commented today that he wished we could record it in a studio. That would be nice! It would probably take a miracle at this point, but it is pleasant to imagine it.

This was a song I wrote after I had started teaching when the group had stopped playing regularly.  It was my first job as I completed my Masters at Assumption.  Then as now I was teaching Freshmen on personal growth, giftedness and the meaning of love.  Together with my mentor, Meg Curran, I developed a lecture which I chose to call the “Feelings Lecture”.  This lecture tries to explain for the students the role ‘feelings’ plays in the normal moral life using C.S. Lewis’ Four Loves.  The new kind of unconditional, sacrificial love Christians saw among themselves was so novel in the pagan world they had to come up with their own name, “agape”.  The thing about this love was that, unlike eros or philia, it was not a feeling but a moral action.  Marriage Encounter says ‘love is not a feeling, it is a decision’, and this is what they mean.  A good word to describe this kind of love is “DEVOTION”.  The lecture strives to encourage the kids to build their conscience and act on principle not feelings.  “Devotion” is the key to happiness in life! This also fits with the virtue of Hope and the nature of the Covenants that God has used to move his Sacred Plan forward through Salvation History.

The actual impetus for the song involved this one particular kid.  Some of the adults were talking about him and they said something which in effect was giving up on the kid, “he’s never going to be the same’.  Well, my feeling is that God never gives up on so-called “failures”; he never gives up on any of us. I wrote this as a reaction to that lack of hope.

I do a little exercise where I describe how some famous person could be seen as a “failure”, until you hear the name, and you realize they refused to accept just being a failure.  I also tell the story of St. Mary of Egypt who started as a Christian-hating prostitute who specialized in seducing clergy in order to discredit the group she hated so much.  One day in Jerusalem, she decided to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre itself to seduce within that holiest of churches.  An unseen wall [like they had in Star Trek!] prevented her and she had to face her degradation and tailspin into hate and lust head on.  She decided to go to the desert and find the truth.  Eventually, she became so wise and holy that Emperors and Popes came to ask her advice.

This kid at my first school, as I recall, was helped a lot by a priest friend of his and really seemed to be trying to get on the right path.  As you listen to the song you can hear little scraps that allude to this kind of situation.  The whole idea sprang out of the overheard comment featured in the first verse.  If we can get enough kids to believe and love strongly, with “devotion”  and virtue as advised by this song, I really DO think “the world will never be the same”!

We Need to REPENT to be Healed!

A Reflection by Mark....We can't expect real healing w/o repentance

“Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos, ‘Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.’ Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” – Amos 7:12-15

“So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” – Mark 6:12-13 

The key words for the reflection on today’s readings are Repentance and Healing. The leaders of the northern kingdom of Israel hated Amos, who is sometimes called “the gloomy shepherd” because of his hard, confrontational tone. {One time I was teaching Amos in Bible class, imitating him, and shouting so fiercely that Mrs. Brodeur, in total alarm, came to the door, anxiously asking, “Is everything all right in here, Mr. Lajoie?!”. I said, “Oh, yeah. I’m just teaching Amos.” (!)} 

Amos came, from the kingdom of Judah in the south, to the north, to expose and confront their hypocrisy and betrayal of God. There were ‘professional’ prophets in Israel already, but they were ‘bought off’, and gave false messages to support those who bought their voice. What was Amos confronting? 

These leaders gave off a surface veneer of being religious and patriotic, but their hearts were seduced by the promiscuity, power and pleasure offered by the primitive religion of the Canaanites. They were driven by selfish lust, greed and wrath. They used their power to subtly disrespect their God and heritage, and to crush those with no power to fight them. They wanted to seem like good Israelites, faithful to the unique faith that held their nation together like glue; but, in truth, their own descent into corrupt self-destruction, was a harbinger of the inevitable national disintegration that would come when that needed ‘glue’ would inevitably be lost. 

They tried to shield themselves from critical view by using the false ‘prophets’, but then, Amos, with God’s power, exposed to all the truth, & with loving care warned them of the destruction to which they were leading God’s people. When they tried to pass him off as a typical paid prophet, he laughed, “I was not a prophet.” The Lord had called him from lowly pursuits. Ironically, he is a type of that Messiah who will be a Shepherd, a Dresser or Pruner of the True Vine, the Church. Even more, he is a type of that Son of Man who will be THE Prophet promised by Moses, the One who will call mankind to Repentance. 

Repentance! This is what Jesus instructs the Apostles to preach in today’s Gospel from Mark! It is a ‘trial run’, a practice mission for what they will do for the world after they are ‘clothed with power’. He also tells them to cast out evil and heal the sick. (By the way, His instruction to anoint the sick with oil is the evidence that he intended the Sacrament of the Sick detailed in James 5.) 

The goal is Healing, but not just physical healing, rather, the type of healing gained BY Repentance! The second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians lists the blessings that last forever that we can gain by changing: 
• Every spiritual blessing under heaven 
• To be holy and without blemish 
• Redemption by his Blood 
• Forgiveness of transgressions 
• Receiving the riches of His grace 
• All wisdom and insight. 
But, as Paul could tell us personally, we can’t get these blessings if we persist in the same sort of lust, greed and wrath which blinded the leaders of Israel. We are fickle; we all want a religion that lets us do what we want, with no consequences. (“The easiest sort of religion to import is the one that has no duties attached!”) But that road leads to destruction. 

Like Amos, the Apostles will first confront each of us with our need to change. I must REPENT! My pride must crash and burn on the rocks of spiritual reality: the fact that sin is real, that our sins are wounding and deadly, & that the commands of God are right. My insular ego must be shipwrecked on the obvious need to change from selfish to generous. When we are thus crushed, broken, and ‘poor in spirit’, THEN we can cry out as in the Psalm today, “Lord, let us see your kindness”, and we will see that amazing, eternal healing! Then the Mighty River of God’s love can bring total health to each and to all together. “Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.” It will all fit. 

Jesus Christ is not only Priest and King. He is the perfect Prophet and Shepherd. He warns us insistently, with great clarity & care: Enter in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in there. How narrow is the gate, and straight is the way that leads to life: and few there are that find it! – Matthew 7:13-14 

The Church received from the Apostles this same Prophetic mission. Sadly, many, maybe most bishops and leaders today seem to have totally forgotten this basic duty. They want to be liked. They don’t want to say there is such a thing as sin, much less give us practical warnings about salvation. We who hear and understand cannot settle for such ‘easy’ messages, like the ‘prosperity gospel’, that Jesus is merely ‘nice’, or the this-worldly utopia of political revolution. These are false solutions that spare us loving God and our neighbor with all that we are, offering our life in holiness as a sacrifice. The message from this day is clear: let us all REPENT with all we are, so we can be truly HEALED.

AMETUR COR JESU!

Loved be the Sacred Heart of Jesus, The Source of True Healing 

SONG "Forever" - CLICK below 

Forever – “repent of your sin”