A Soul Thirsts For God

I haven't written a blog in three days. Today, I'm trying to write it using the keyboard in typing this out on my tablet PC. A few minutes ago, I restarted this blog because my sister turned the Wi-Fi router off. Right now, I'm so freaking frustrated as I realize that it's hard to write my blog on my tablet PC. I am getting pissed off at the fact that the virtual keyboard keeps popping up and it blocks my post window that I can't see what I'm writing. There's nothing in the settings that could keep it from popping up and I have yet to figure out how to turn the thing off. Why the hell did I even bother to buy an external keyboard?

There were just so many things to take care of during the previous week. I wasn't able to fill up my blog for Madrigal week. But today is a Sunday and I dedicate this to the Lord Jesus Christ. I feature sacred music genre on this day. Amidst all the daily cares of life, what keeps me focused is prayer and deepening my relationship with God. Just now, I thought about the problem with my tablet PC and keyboard. How petty it is compared to other things in life that we struggle with.

In one of my consultations with my trainees, I explained to her how her writing activity turned out to be something I did not instruct the class to do. In fact, she was the only one who did not follow instructions. When she tried to explain why, I realized that she was struggling with a problem at work. It was another case of being blamed for something that she did not do or that she had no intention of hurting anyone. As she was telling me this, I felt pity for her and so I asked her how she copes with it. She clings on to support from her bosses and colleagues. But I asked her if she prays. To tell you honestly, I thought that I'd get the eyebrow raised up look or the surprised look. But when she said that she does pray all the time and she believed in the power of God to make things all right, I was humbled by what she said.

It is good to know that in this world where people think that they don't need God that there are still those who hold on to God to help them as they go through their struggles in life. That Jesus is truly the one to go to if we are faced with problems whether big or small. This song that I'll feature talks about Jesus as the source of strength as what he told the Samaritan woman in the gospel: "but those who drink the water that I will give them will never be thirsty." (John 4:14). The song is "Sicut Cervus" composed by one of the famous masters of music during the Renaissance period: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. When you see the English translation of this song, you'll see that it's a familiar song that is being sung during the Holy Mass. This song soothes the soul through it's polyphonic lines. It's like streams of river gently flowing the sound of which makes one relax and calm down. 

This video shows the musical score while the choir sings as though it is its background. What's nice about this is that you'd get to follow the beautiful lines of the text--how the different lines move on their own and finally converge at the end. Hope this would make us appreciate the wonderful art of choral music.

Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum,ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.

As the deer longs for running water, so longs my soul for you, O God.