Preparing for the Journey with Music

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Reflection by Nancy Leonard

Reading the newspaper recently, I came across and article about Lent at Ephesus, a Lenten album that has just been released by a group of nuns from a rural northwest Missouri monastery. The music was designed to support preparation for the season of Lent...

As I was listening to the music, I couldn’t help but think about my mom and her love of music. Mom especially loved singing in our church choir.  I always felt like she was either praying to God or joyously sharing her love of God as she sang.

Lent, as we know, is a 40 day period of time before Easter that we spend praying, reflecting and preparing our hearts for the resurrection of Jesus. For me, listening to and singing the touching words of some of our own hymns or listening to other beautiful music like that from the CD Lent in Ephesus really helps me to focus more clearly on what it is that I need to be doing to be a better disciple of our Lord. 

 When we sing the words to O Sacred Head, Now Wounded, we are reminded that all that Jesus suffered was just for us and yet because of His great Grace, we are able to ask Him to be with us and strengthen us when we falter in our faith.  When we sing the words from When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, we are saying that we know that to follow Jesus we need to turn over our life to him.  

 I hope you will join me in quieting our world during this Lenten season and let scripture and music and prayer help us to see more clearly the way of discipleship on our Journey to the Cross.
 Access "Lent at Ephesus" through Spotify

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