Why I Love My Church
Jan. 17th, 2007 08:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kiralamouseTonight, I had the great privilege to attend the Church of Bono. I must confess that I had known almost nothing about this great sage of our era, but fortunately my pastors attended a conference at Willow Creek where Bono was permitted (via video interview, intercut with concert clips) to address American Christendom on the subject of helping the poor. I was deeply impressed. I also began to understand why certain of my friends are so deeply interested in attending the Church of Bono.
But I still don't know anything about U2.
So, I'd like to ask my friends to give one or two of their recommendations for the hymnal of the Church of Bono. (I know some of you, at least, will not be able to stop there. That's okay. Just shoot for it so that I have some chance of getting around to all the songs by the end of the week and without going broke on iTunes.) The idea being the really spiritually moving songs, if that helps narrow it any at all. I intend to go shopping before the end of the week...
But I still don't know anything about U2.
So, I'd like to ask my friends to give one or two of their recommendations for the hymnal of the Church of Bono. (I know some of you, at least, will not be able to stop there. That's okay. Just shoot for it so that I have some chance of getting around to all the songs by the end of the week and without going broke on iTunes.) The idea being the really spiritually moving songs, if that helps narrow it any at all. I intend to go shopping before the end of the week...
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Date: 2007-01-19 01:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-20 08:58 am (UTC)Spiritual songs:
"Grace": Such a simple, profound meditation on the nature of grace and how it works in our lives. Like most U2 songs, this doesn't mention WHOSE grace it is, but I find the spiritual overtones pretty frank.
"Walk On": This is my go-to song when I feel like giving up. It encourages the listener to keep going even "if your glass heart should crack, and for a moment you turn back," because the world can't take away from you the things that really matter. And check this out: "You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been/A place that has to be believed to be seen..." Hmmm. :)
"40": For years they sang this to close out their concerts. The lyrics are from Psalms 6 and 40 and from Isaiah.
"Kite": Bono apparently dedicated this song during a recent tour to his dying father. Wah! This song looks forward to Heaven.
"Wake Up Dead Man": Bono once described the Psalms as the blues, as man shouting at God. "The Psalter may be a font of gospel music, but for me it's in his despair that the psalmist really reveals the nature of his special relationship with God. Honesty, even to the point of anger," Bono wrote in an introduction to a book of Psalms (which I need to buy, obviously). This is U2 shouting at God, as they sometimes do. It's raw and honest and awesome.
"When I Look At the World": The world isn't right, anyone can see that. God, what's up with that?
"Beautiful Day": God's creation is good even with the flaws we've introduced to it, and His love for us gives us hope for tomorrow.
"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For": Where do I even start with this? Just buy it.
"Where The Streets Have No Name": See above. This is a must-have.
"Pride (In the Name of Love)": Written in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. and others who gave their lives for love. Buy this one.
"Yahweh": A song about the singer's faith in the transforming power of God's love.
"New Year's Day": Another angry/hopeful song that seems to be asking God to snap the world out of the violent, hopeless rut it's in.
"All Because of You": Another one that seems to be transparently addressed to God. It might as well be in a hymnal. "I'm not broke but you can see the cracks/You can make me perfect again."
"City of Blinding Lights": Wistful and introspective meditation on what the noise and distractions of the world (and fame) can do to drown out "the beauty inside of me" and the things we knew deep down.
"God Part II": How do we square Christianity with (sometimes ludicrous) material prosperity, worldly acclaim and other things we're not supposed to care about? "I don't believe in riches, but you should see where I live... I believe in love." Also just rocks.
"If God Will Send His Angels": Another yelling-at-God-and-wondering-where-He-is song. Again with the "honest anger."
"Love and Peace Or Else": Great song, great lyrics.
"Until the End of the World": The singer is Judas. Took me a while to realize that.
"Love Rescue Me": I listen to this song like every day. A heartfelt cry to God for help. One of my favorites.
"One Tree Hill": I think this song looks forward to the coming of the Kingdom with hope and faith.
"Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own": A humbling reminder that I, for one, need to hear often.
"Sunday Bloody Sunday": Another psalm-like lament -- "How long? How long must we sing this song?" -- about the "Bloody Sunday" massacre.
Songs I just love that have no particular spiritual connotations. The must-haves are starred:
"The Unforgettable Fire"
"Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"
"One"*
"Mysterious Ways"*
"Running to Stand Still"
"Elevation"*
"Gone"
"All I Want is You"
"Bad"
"When Love Came to Town"
"With Or Without You" ******
...enough? ;)