Why I Sing by Brittany Blankenship

Why I Sinq

by Brittany Blankenship

*"Ubi caritas et amor"

("Where there is genuine affection and love")

Thick silence reigns like heavy air

Before a western rain cloud pours.

It holds us captive, muscles taut.

Just waiting for the cloud to burst

And silence blossom into sound.

Our hearts and mouths and minds together

-As flowing fountains gather - sing,

And tender rain begins to fall.

"Deus ibi est"

("God is there")

A shimmering cloud is shaped and formed

Between the voices and the hands;

It's stretched and formed, created new,

As once the stars and heavens were.

And even in a thunderstonn.

The Lord is always present there.

So let the raindrops gather, fall -

He glories with us in the storm.

"Congregavit nos in iiniim Christi amor"

("Let us gather together in the unity oj Christ's love ")

A cloud of sound now rolls and tumbles

Throughout the church and universe.

Not our voices, only, sing

But angels join us. singing too.

"Exsultemus et in ipso jucundemur"

("Rejoice exceedingly in one accord")

A higher note - another praise -

Is added to the ringing bells

Like sparkling snow atop a mount

That, reaching, tries to capture God:

Forever upward, onward, more,

Until we see His holy face.

Rejoice, rejoice on high, rejoice

Together all in one accord.

"Timeamus et ame mus Deium vivum "

("Let us worship the living God")

The cloud climbs higher, deeper still,

Between our mouths and minds and hands.

As shards of light now pierce our hearts

And we ascend to worship God

"Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero "

("With a heart full of sincerity")

The shimmering cloud now rolls away.

It fonned my heart and gave a glimpse

OfOne who shaped the stars and stretched

The heavens across the universe.

So even in my thunderstorms,

I see His face reflected there.

With every shiny, dewy drop

His love and glory showers us.

"Deus ihi est"

("God is there")

Though some may call it frivolous,

I can never say the same;

For song is like a glorious cloud

With eternal creativity.

Our hearts and minds and mouths can join

To sing our praise to King of kings.

When voices gather, singing Him,

His Spirit rains and He is there.

* "Uhi Caritas " is a choral piece in Latin by Maurice Durufle