Hello from the Mercy Center in St. Louis! I (Orin) am again attending the annual Liturgical Composers Forum with over 70 of my peers in the ministry of helping the Church sing our prayer and our faith. Our keynoter this year is Bernadette Farrell, composer of “Christ, Be Our Light,” “Alleluia, Raise the Gospel,” and…
Category: LCF
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To, or Through?
Hello all, Orin here. I realized as I sat down to craft this week’s Jesus-Justice-Joy post that Shannon and I have been remiss in letting you know a bit of exciting news. In addition to the book that will be coming out this July sometime, we’ve also both been writing new music, and incorporating some…
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The Liturgical Composers Forum: Pointing to Jesus
Starting tonight, Orin (today’s blogger) will again be attending the 20th annual Liturgical Composers Forum in suburban St. Louis. This gathering was begun by Fr. John Foley, SJ two decades ago, at the time a program of the now largely non-existent Center for Liturgy at SLU. These few days bring together some of the most familiar…
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Common Ground
A couple weeks ago, I (Orin) was happy to again attend the Liturgical Composers Forum here in St. Louis, to rub shoulders with composers both quite familiar, newly-published, and all places in-between.
Orin and Cyprian
Cyprian has more recently travelled extensively through Asia and brought his knowledge and passion of other world religions to his presentations and music he shared with us at the LCF. One of his talks highlighted how different religions approach Jerusalem, both physically and spiritually (symbolically), emphasizing our common ground.
The LCF week most always propels me into writing new music, and this one is no exception. My mind and heart has been pondering, leading up to this reflection on justice, how Christ appears before us in the vulnerable, oppressed, and homeless, and how all peoples share some amount – likely a large amount – of common ground, all made in the image and likeness of God.
While the music is well on its way, it’s not quite done yet. However, I *think* the text is done, and I’m happy to share it here with you today. Let us pray that what connects us to one another is stronger than what tries to divide us.
Common Ground – by Orin Johnson ©2017
REFRAIN
We all share a common, holy ground,
we all share the hope, the promise
of the One whose image is inscribed upon our souls.
We all share this holy ground.VERSES
The earth that we walk on is sacred.
Out of nothing this world was made
by the One who said, “Let there be—”
bringing forth all things, day by day.The flesh we inhabit is sacred.
We are filled with the breath of life
from the One who took dust and clay,
forming living souls, humankind.The lives that we share here are sacred,
lives of justice, of holy peace.
But the One who orders all things
places love as greater than these.The whole of creation is sacred,
All that was and will ever be.
For the One who reigns from on high
chose to make himself small, came to dwell among all,
and remains till all is complete,
and remains till all is complete.