7/30/2019 Living Songs

1/4

1

LIVING SONGS

Abstract

We find in the world that we live in a great multitude of things which, though many, are well ordered and thus

blend in well together regardless of the apparent multiplicity found among them. Therefore, all of creation

cannot but sing to God its Master-mind. Justly then, man must not only sing but sing well to his master who

sees deep into his heart. This makes the singing of man twofold, he sings alongside the rest of creation; yet he

is the only creature that can properly speaking, be said to sing. Singing then, in this context, is on the one hand

employed figuratively when applied to creation because the true definition of singing involves the use of vocals

and words (by a human person) to produce music or a melody. On the other hand it is employed literally.

1. All Creation Sings to God

The world that we live in is a splendiferous one that has numerous breath-taking physical

features: the Atlas Mountains, the Victoria Falls, the Grand Canyon and back home the

Great Rift Valley among many others. We also find in it various interesting life forms that

walk the land, swim the seas, and fly overhead (among others like plants which do not

move). Among those that fly overhead are the fascinating Albatrosses which are among

the most spectacular gliders of all birds, able to stay aloft in windy weather for hours

without ever flapping their wings.1Carried by the longest wingspans of any bird, they

soar for thousands of miles without ever setting webbed foot on land.2

Beyond the skies

soared by these birds, we find an immense universe that is a mystery because of how much

we do not know about it. We live in a galaxy called the Milky Way which is composed of

several hundred billion spinning stars which revolve around the centre midway out of its

arms. These stars, including our sun, move about five hundred thousand miles per hour

taking two hundred and fifty million years to make a single circuit.3

Yet this galaxy is one of

over one hundred billion others.

1Philip W. Goetz ed.,The New Encyclopaedia Britannica,(Chicago: The University

Of Chicago Press, 1988) p.210.2 ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/12/albatross/lanting-photography at 9Pm Monday 3rd September, 20123 Editorial: National Geographic, January 1994 volume 185, no.1, p.8

7/30/2019 Living Songs

2/4

2

It is from this same world St. Thomas Aquinas noted that in the world of sense we find there

is an order of efficient causes; there is no case known (neither is it, indeed, possible) in

which a thing is found to be the efficient cause of itself, for so it would be prior to itself;

therefore it is necessary to admit a first efficient cause. Furthermore, among beings there

are some more and some less good, true, noble and the like as they resemble in their

different ways something which is the truest, best, noblest and, consequently, something

which is uttermost being; therefore there must also be something which is to all beings the

cause of their being, goodness, and every other perfection; this efficient cause, and this

perfection, we call God.4

In this, the Angelic Doctor simply affirms (though indirectly) the

words of the Psalmist: the heavens proclaim the glory of the Lord; the sky proclaims the

builders craft (Psalms 19:1)5. Hence, like St. Thomas and the Psalmist, one with a keen

musical ear will notice that all creation produces the sound of sweet symphony to the

Melodist who orchestrated it: God looked at everything that He had made, and he found it

very good (Genesis 1:31).

2. Sing to God Living Songs

We have already noted that all creation sings to God. However, concerning this creation, we

may say alongside the Angelic Doctor that, some things act without judgment; as a stone

moves downwards; and in like manner all things which lack knowledge. And some act from

judgment, but not a freejudgment; as brute animals because it judges, not fromreason,

but from natural instinct.6

Instead, man, who is created in the image and likeness of God;

who is little less than a god, (Psalms 8:6) has free-will: otherwise counsels,

exhortations, commands, prohibitions, rewards, and punishments would be in vain.7

Above

all, man has the ability to create, a perfect trace of his likeness to God. With such

capabilities (of reasoning of willing and of creating), it is justified that God does not delight

in lip service and empty words (Cf. Isaiah 29: 13) as far as singing is concerned for as

Augustine would say, God made us for Himself.8

4 Thomas Aquinas,The Summa Theologica I I,q.2 a.1, (Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1952), p.125 All the quotations in this work are from the African Bible

6 St. Thomas Aquinas, op. cit.,I

I q.83 a.1, p.4377 Ibid.8 Cf. Aurelius Augustine,The Confessions of St. Augustine, (Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa), p.13

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03459a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08673a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03459a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10733a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03459a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06636b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15073a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03459a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06636b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06608a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08673a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12673b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12673b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10715a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08050b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08050b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06259a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06259a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08050b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10715a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12673b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08673a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06608a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06636b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03459a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15073a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06636b.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03459a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10733a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03459a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08673a.htmhttp://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03459a.htm

7/30/2019 Living Songs

3/4

3

Suppose says Augustine, some fine musician is among your audience and you are told:

singto please him; you feel terrified to sing being untrained in the art of music because

the expert will censure the flaws which pass unnoticed by the unqualified. Who, then, will

offer to sing well for God, who is such a judge of the singer, such a critic of every part, such a

keen listener? When will you bring the art of singing to such a pitch as not to jar the slightest

upon such perfect hearing? Lo and behold, He sets the tune for you Himself, so to say. Do

not look for words, as if you could put into words the things that please God. Sing to Him in

Jubilation: singing well to God means in fact just this: singing in jubilation. Thejubilus is a

melody which conveys the heart is in travail over something it cannot bring forth in words.

And to whom does that jubilation rightly ascend, if not to God the ineffable? Truly He is

ineffable whom you cannot tell forth in speech, yet ought not to remain silent, what else can

you do but jubilate? Sing well unto Him in jubilation.9

Yet again, this is not enough for as the Apostle would say, if we dont have love, we are

nothing (Cf. 1Corinthians 13:2) and therefore the singing would be nothing! Hence when we

sing loving heartfelt songs then can we truly be said to be one with the angels as they sing:

Holyholy holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with Your glory! (Cf. Isaiah

6:3)

Conclusion

Man is the summit of creation and the only being capable of creating beautiful music,

therefore when man freely sings heartfelt songs and soul-full songs of love to the Most High

God or better yet, when he sings with his whole being and his whole essence, these songs

share his heart as well as his soul; his heart and soul, his being and essence become the

song. Therefore more than the rest of creation which by design sings to God, man becomes

the song per excellence; he truly becomes a living breathing song that well pleases his

Creator. Therefore singing becomes the perfect way of connecting and communicating to

God, be it in thanksgiving praise, worship, petition or repentance. As St. Augustine said,

singing is praying twice.

9 Aurelius Augustine, On the Psalms, Psalms 3037, (New York: Newman Press, 1961), p.111

7/30/2019 Living Songs

4/4

4

REFERENCES

Aquinas, Thomas,The Summa Theologica I I, Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1952.

Augustine, Aurelius, On the Psalms, Psalms 30 37, New York: Newman Press, 1961.

Augustine, Aurelius,The Confessions of St. Augustine,Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa

2003.

The African Bible, Nairobi: Paulines Publications, 2004.

Goetz, Philip W. Ed.,The New Encyclopaedia Britannica,Chicago: The University Of ChicagoPress, 1988.

National Geographic, January 1994 volume 185, no.1.

ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/12/albatross/lanting-photography