In Manus Tuas

 

In manus tuas, Domine,
Commendo spiritum meum

Into your hands, Lord
I commend my spirit

Jesus' last words on the cross. Thanks be to God for the love and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. My favourite sacred music group, Floriani, put an arrangement together of this chant for their choral retreat, and posted a video of this. It is absolutely hauntingly beautiful; the words, the voices harmonizing, the sacredness of Jesus' words, held in a sacred space. Our eyes gaze up to Jesus through this music.

This is what beauty is. Through the talent of these singers, they glorify God and point us to Jesus, encouraging others in the same spirit. Reverent, deeply moving, and prayerfully sung. This is a prayer from the evening prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours.

I think sacred music has become one of my favourite things. It is truly timeless - sung before the time of Jesus' incarnation in the Jewish traditions of singing the Psalms. It is seeing a bit of a revival these days, especially with the younger generation, like gen Z, as they seek out meaning in life - it has to be more than the material and subjective things that the world pushes on us all.

Sacred music is not flimsy or loose. It's ancient, rooted, taken directly from Scripture; it's moving and meaningful. It transcends time and space - you can get lost in it - meaning you can sense a heavenly element to it, feeling the presence of the Lord. It takes us beyond ourselves to the heavenly - again, it's directing your heart and soul to the eternal. Setting your focus on what is reality. As we know, this world we live in feels more a more like something out of a simulation and is not reality. It is more like a fake layer covering up reality. The point of rich sacred worship music is to get out of ones selfish gaze upon your own nose. For years I struggled with the modern Christian music in how often it points to oneself rather than to the glory of God. It was missing so much, to me, and now I am understanding more as I actually experience sacred music and allow myself to be open to what it tells us about the ancient church and the purpose of worship.

The richness of beauty is the path that leads to the deeper life in truth. Not just through music, but through beliefs, sacraments, depth, reverence, prayer. If Jesus were to show up in your church in bodily form, wouldn't you bow, kneel, offer reverence and want to kiss Jesus' feet? The purpose of going to church is not to make yourself feel good that you've spent one hour singing happy songs and listening to a long sermon, no. It is to be with Jesus present in the Eucharist. Not just welcoming Jesus in the spirit, but Jesus truly present as He said in John 6  "This is my body". He meant it and the ancient church believed in this to the fullest. All honor and praise be to Him; kneeling is the very least we can do.

When you sing/say such ancient words, you are connected across space and time to the ancient church. It's all about Jesus. Every moment, prayer, and gesture. It's to praise, thank, repent, surrender, and worship Jesus who is the only one to deserves it.