Improvisation on "O Come Divine Messiah"

Описание: Recorded December 13th, 4pm. St. Adelaide Parish, Peabody, MA.
Gaudete Sunday, Vigil Mass.

The reason I chose this hymn was the phrase "sadness flee away." The 1st reading ends:

"Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
they will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee."

In our earthly life, sorrow and mourning will never fully be destroyed, because we are living in a fallen world. This is not the case in heaven. But even in this life, sadness can in fact "flee away." It can flee away when we meditate on the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This hymn reminds us of this coming in the text,

"The world in silence waits the day when hope shall sing its triumph, and sadness flee away."

A few weeks ago, I played a Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross for a group of college students. I was quite moved by the Mass, as there were over 200 young people, enthusiastic about the faith, all fully singing.

In his homily, Archbishop Henning mentioned that as Christians we are reminded of the virtue of hope, but not just an ordinary hope, a supernatural hope that can only come from Christ. This hope was evident in that Mass. We are reminded about this supernatural hope in this hymn, and as we await the day "when hope shall sing its triumph, and sadness flee away."