LIVING SONGS

Abstract
We find in the world that we live in a great multitude of things which, though many, are well ordered and thus blend in well together regardless of the apparent multiplicity found among them. Therefore, all of creation cannot but sing to God its Master-mind. Justly then, man must not only sing but sing well to his master who sees deep into his heart. This makes the singing of man twofold, he sings alongside the rest of creation; yet he is the only creature that can properly speaking, be said to sing. Singing then, in this context, is on the one hand employed figuratively when applied to creation because the true definition of singing involves the use of vocals and words (by a human person) to produce music or a melody. On the other hand it is employed literally.

1. All Creation Sings to God

The world that we live in is a splendiferous one that has numerous breath-taking physical features: the Atlas Mountains, the Victoria Falls, the Grand Canyon and back home the Great Rift Valley among many others. We also find in it various interesting life forms that walk the land, swim the seas, and fly overhead (among others like plants which do not move). Among those that fly overhead are the fascinating Albatrosses which are among the most spectacular gliders of all birds, able to stay aloft in windy weather for hours without ever flapping their wings.1 Carried by the longest wingspans of any bird, they soar for thousands of miles without ever setting webbed foot on land.2 Beyond the skies soared by these birds, we find an immense universe that is a mystery because of how much we do not know about it. We live in a galaxy called the Milky Way which is composed of several hundred billion spinning stars which revolve around the centre midway out of its arms. These stars, including our sun, move about five hundred thousand miles per hour taking two hundred and fifty million years to make a single circuit.3 Yet this galaxy is one of over one hundred billion others.

Philip W. Goetz ed., The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, (Chicago: The University Of Chicago Press, 1988) p.210. 2 ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/12/albatross/lanting-photography at 9Pm Monday 3rd September, 2012 3 Editorial: National Geographic, January 1994 volume 185, no.1, p.8

It is from this same world St. Thomas Aquinas noted that in the world of sense we find there is an order of efficient causes; there is no case known (neither is it, indeed, possible) in which a thing is found to be the efficient cause of itself, for so it would be prior to itself; therefore it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause. Furthermore, among beings there are some more and some less good, true, noble and the like as they resemble in their different ways something which is the truest, best, noblest and, consequently, something which is uttermost being; therefore there must also be something which is to all beings the cause of their being, goodness, and every other perfection; this efficient cause, and this perfection, we call God.4 In this, the Angelic Doctor simply affirms (though indirectly) the words of the Psalmist: the heavens proclaim the glory of the Lord; the sky proclaims the builders craft (Psalms 19:1)5. Hence, like St. Thomas and the Psalmist, one with a keen musical ear will notice that all creation produces the sound of sweet symphony to the Melodist who orchestrated it: God looked at everything that He had made, and he found it very good (Genesis 1:31).

2. Sing to God Living Songs

We have already noted that all creation sings to God. However, concerning this creation, we may say alongside the Angelic Doctor that, some things act without judgment; as a stone moves downwards; and in like manner all things which lack knowledge. And some act from judgment, but not a free judgment; as brute animals because it judges, not from reason, but from natural instinct.6 Instead, man, who is created in the image and likeness of God; who is little less than a god, (Psalms 8:6) has free-will: otherwise counsels, exhortations, commands, prohibitions, rewards, and punishments would be in vain.7 Above all, man has the ability to create, a perfect trace of his likeness to God. With such capabilities (of reasoning of willing and of creating), it is justified that God does not delight in lip service and empty words (Cf. Isaiah 29: 13) as far as singing is concerned for as Augustine would say, God made us for Himself.8

4 5

Thomas Aquinas, The Summa Theologica I I, q.2 a.1, (Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1952), p.12 All the quotations in this work are from the African Bible 6 St. Thomas Aquinas, op. cit., I I q.83 a.1, p.437 7 Ibid. 8 Cf. Aurelius Augustine, The Confessions of St. Augustine, (Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa), p.13

Suppose says Augustine, some fine musician is among your audience and you are told: sing to please him; you feel terrified to sing being untrained in the art of music because the expert will censure the flaws which pass unnoticed by the unqualified. Who, then, will offer to sing well for God, who is such a judge of the singer, such a critic of every part, such a keen listener? When will you bring the art of singing to such a pitch as not to jar the slightest upon such perfect hearing? Lo and behold, He sets the tune for you Himself, so to say. Do not look for words, as if you could put into words the things that please God. Sing to Him in Jubilation: singing well to God means in fact just this: singing in jubilation. The jubilus is a melody which conveys the heart is in travail over something it cannot bring forth in words. And to whom does that jubilation rightly ascend, if not to God the ineffable? Truly He is ineffable whom you cannot tell forth in speech, yet ought not to remain silent, what else can you do but jubilate? Sing well unto Him in jubilation.9

Yet again, this is not enough for as the Apostle would say, if we dont have love, we are nothing (Cf. 1Corinthians 13:2) and therefore the singing would be nothing! Hence when we sing loving heartfelt songs then can we truly be said to be one with the angels as they sing: Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with Your glory! (Cf. Isaiah 6:3)

Conclusion

Man is the summit of creation and the only being capable of creating beautiful music, therefore when man freely sings heartfelt songs and soul-full songs of love to the Most High God or better yet, when he sings with his whole being and his whole essence, these songs share his heart as well as his soul; his heart and soul, his being and essence become the song. Therefore more than the rest of creation which by design sings to God, man becomes the song per excellence; he truly becomes a living breathing song that well pleases his Creator. Therefore singing becomes the perfect way of connecting and communicating to God, be it in thanksgiving praise, worship, petition or repentance. As St. Augustine said, singing is praying twice.

Aurelius Augustine, On the Psalms, Psalms 30 37, (New York: Newman Press, 1961), p.111

REFERENCES

Aquinas, Thomas, The Summa Theologica I I, Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1952. Augustine, Aurelius, On the Psalms, Psalms 30 37, New York: Newman Press, 1961. Augustine, Aurelius, The Confessions of St. Augustine, Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa 2003. The African Bible, Nairobi: Paulines Publications, 2004.

Goetz, Philip W. Ed., The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, Chicago: The University Of Chicago Press, 1988.

National Geographic, January 1994 volume 185, no.1.

ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/12/albatross/lanting-photography