A Beautiful Blessing

While struggling to keep myself awake, I was reading chapter 6 from the Book of Numbers. Towards the end, I read a prayer that the Lord said to Moses to be used to bless the people. Upon reading it, I was reminded of a musical rendition of this song during my early years at a university choir. There is a more popular version of this song, but I couldn't help but reminisce the time that I sang John Rutter's version of "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." During the first time I sang this piece, I had difficulty with the soprano line. The female voices would sing the first half of the prayer first. The way that the soprano line soars was quite a challenge to me then. But if sung very well, it's that feeling of soaring successfully that makes the effort worth while.

The repeating lines and the extended "Amen" made me relax and calm and even made me stay awake during the reading of the bible. So much so that I think this is a song--a keepsake--that's worth sharing. Here is a rendition of the song by the Philippine Madrigal Singers. Hope that it will uplift your hearts and souls to God and be at peace knowing that He will always bless us with everything that we need to do our duties for the coming week.

First Friday of the Year

Today is the first Friday of the month and the first for the year 2012. It marks the end of the first weekday of 2012. This first weekday of the year for me has been one of rest and preparation for the coming week. For the next two weeks, I'll be having training sessions and God knows maybe even until a third or fourth week. And speaking of God, this first Friday is specially dedicated to him. I've sang many church songs with the choir. The one below is one of my favorites--Ave Verum Corpus.

Ave verum corpus is A short Eucharistic hymn dating from the 14th century and attributed to Pope Innocent VI (d 1362). During the Middle Ages it was sung at the elevation of the Host during the consecration. It was also used frequently during Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

The most popular version is Mozart's composition. Personally, I prefer Charles Gounod's version of the hymn and this is the composition being sung in the video. 

Ave, verum corpus                       Hail,true body
natum de Maria Virgine,               born of the Virgin Mary,
Vere passum immolatum              Who truly suffered, sacrificed
in Cruce pro homine,                   on the Cross for man,
Cujus latus perforatum                 Whose pierced side
fluxit unda et sanguine,                 overflowed with water and blood,
Esto nobis praegustatum              Be for us a foretaste
in mortis examine.                        In the trial of death.


O dulcis, O pie,                           O sweet, o merciful,
O Jesu, Fili Mariae.                     O Jesus, Son of Mary
Pro nobis miserere.                      Have mercy on us!

Ah, what a way to end the first weekday of the year. The weekend has come and there's more time for relaxation and reminiscing and sharing my fave choral pieces.