Eyes on Sparrows?

Sammy Davis Jr. in the theme for an old TV show sang the following lyric line: "...keep your eye on the sparrow, when the going gets narrow.” Many churchgoers have sung a hymn that contains a lyric line which says: "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches over me." I want to share a little history about the latter.

"His Eye Is on the Sparrow" is a gospel hymn written in 1905 by lyricist Civilla D. Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel. It is most associated with actress-singer Ethel Waters who used the title for her autobiography.[1] Mahalia Jackson's recording of the song was honored with the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2010 (wikipedia.org).

The foregoing is according to Wikipedia, no doubt. Mahalia Jackson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and she passed away in Illinois in 1972. The posthumous honor from the Grammy Hall of Fame obviously came 38 years after.  With relevance to the two hymn authors, Wikipedia says the following:

Civilla Durfee Martin (August 21, 1866 – March 9, 1948) was a Canadian-American writer of many religious hymns and gospel songs in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Her husband, Walter Stillman Martin…(wikipedia.org).

Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (August 18, 1856 – September 14, 1932) was a writer of gospel songs and composer of gospel tunes. He is said to have written and/or composed between 7,000 and 8,000 songs,[1] many of which are available in 21st century hymnals. He used several pseudonyms, including Charlotte G. Homer, H. A. Henry, and S. B. Jackson (wikipedia.org).

Sometimes we learn more about the story behind a hymn or a song with just a little research. Of course, I always take any information on the internet with a grain of salt. The mention of Charles Hutchinson Gabriel writing so many hymns may mean he would probably have to have written about 2 hymns daily for 10 years to get around 7000, as a possibility example. So, it is possible, but seemingly a lot of work. Paul Tillich said, "doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith." I felt like adding the foregoing in here even if it may seem irrelevant.

Oh, by the way, the Sammy Davis Jr. song was Baretta's Theme which was written by David Grusin and Morgan Ames. On a personal note, Dave Grusin has been one of my favorite jazz keyboardist and composers for many decades. I especially love his collaborations with Lee Ritenour. Done here...blessings!

 

 

Reference:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Eye_Is_on_the_Sparrow.

Isaiah 50

Isaiah 50

New Revised Standard Version

50 Thus says the Lord:
Where is your mother’s bill of divorce
    with which I put her away?
Or which of my creditors is it
    to whom I have sold you?
No, because of your sins you were sold,
    and for your transgressions your mother was put away.
2 Why was no one there when I came?
    Why did no one answer when I called?
Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
    Or have I no power to deliver?
By my rebuke I dry up the sea,
    I make the rivers a desert;
their fish stink for lack of water,
    and die of thirst.[a]
3 I clothe the heavens with blackness,
    and make sackcloth their covering.

The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication

4 The Lord God has given me
    the tongue of a teacher,[b]
that I may know how to sustain
    the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
    wakens my ear
    to listen as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
    and I was not rebellious,
    I did not turn backward.
6 I gave my back to those who struck me,
    and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
    from insult and spitting.

7 The Lord God helps me;
    therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
    and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8     he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
    Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
    Let them confront me.
9 It is the Lord God who helps me;
    who will declare me guilty?
All of them will wear out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys the voice of his servant,
who walks in darkness
    and has no light,
yet trusts in the name of the Lord
    and relies upon his God?
11 But all of you are kindlers of fire,
    lighters of firebrands.[c]
Walk in the flame of your fire,
    and among the brands that you have kindled!
This is what you shall have from my hand:
    you shall lie down in torment.

Footnotes

• Isaiah 50:2 Or die on the thirsty ground

• Isaiah 50:4 Cn: Heb of those who are taught

• Isaiah 50:11 Syr: Heb you gird yourselves with firebrands

Source:

www.biblegateway.com 

Cardinal Burke Homily

 Watch this! Blessings!

Source:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MOCyqWsVkr0&feature=share

Questions I ask myself about this ecumenism blog

Why am I still posting on here?

Why do I bother?

Does anyone really care about ecumenism?

With relevance to the previous question, if they do care isn't it really just on their terms?

If people want ecumenism on their terms are they really interested in hearing the other person?

Do people really want unity, or is it just something they say they want to make themselves feel good about themselves?

I have two other blogs, and this one is the least popular based on the stats, why should I continue posting on here?

Should I just go on a hiatus with this blog?

On the deep meaning of Christmas Carols

Christmas comes around every year. Every year can sometimes become a bit of a repetitive routine. We do the same things such as the decorations, Christmas trees, gifts, and so on. We tend to also hear the same music and carols repeatedly, again and again. Sometimes, we probably do not even focus on the depth and meaning of some of those carols. A perfect example of this is probably the words of Edmund Hamilton Sears from 1849 in one of those carols which read as follows:

 

It came upon the midnight clear,

that glorious song of old,

from angels bending near the earth

to touch their harps of gold:

"Peace on the earth, good will to men,

from heaven's all-gracious King."

The world in solemn stillness lay,

to hear the angels sing.

 

Still through the cloven skies they come

with peaceful wings unfurled,

and still their heavenly music floats

o'er all the weary world;

above its sad and lowly plains,

they bend on hovering wing,

and ever o'er its Babel sounds

the blessed angels sing.

 

And ye, beneath life's crushing load,

whose forms are bending low,

who toil along the climbing way

with painful steps and slow,

look now! for glad and golden hours

come swiftly on the wing.

O rest beside the weary road,

and hear the angels sing!

 

For lo! the days are hastening on,

by prophet seen of old,

when with the ever-circling years

shall come the time foretold

when peace shall over all the earth

its ancient splendors fling,

and the whole world send back the song

which now the angels sing.

 

 

Hope you understood my point…lol. Merry Christmas!

 

 

References:

https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/it_came_upon_the_midnight_clear.htm

https://hymnary.org/person/Sears_EH

 

Words: Edmund Hamilton Sears, in the Christian Register (Boston, Massachusetts: December 29, 1849), Vol. 28, #52, p. 206.

Afterwards published in Sermons and Songs, 1875, 5 stanzas of 8 lines.

Source: Edmund H. Sears, Sermons and Songs of the Christian Life (Boston: Noyes, Holmes, and Company, 1875), pp. 17-18.

Music: "Carol," Richard Storrs Willis, 1850

Not much seems to have changed

About seven years ago in my second post on here titled Who do people say that I am?,  I wrote the following:

When one looks at the entire Christian community today, one sees many groups with many different names. Anyone with a bit of knowledge in church history is aware of what has basically transpired over the past two thousand years which has resulted in this current status. The beginning of Church history is found in the book of Acts, but this Church has evolved into something completely different, today. Why do these differences exist today? Theology, Theology....

Moreover, I also wrote the following:

So, we arrive at the present day, and we know that there are more than 2 billion Christians. About, half of the foregoing are Roman Catholics (Western Church). In all fairness, the Reformation took place in the Western Church because the Eastern Church never divided in the same way. The Eastern Church simply split from the Western back in 1054, and has not really had a type of a schism like the Reformation within its members. In fact, most of the groups that have divided come from the Post-Reformation era and more recent period of Christianity whose members in a sense really come out of the Roman Catholic Church, although not directly. There is much history to mention, but the fact is that there is no real unity. So, "who do men say that I am" may be an easy question to answer in a historical context, but in a theological context, today, we have many opinions that will not compromise because somehow most think that they have the absolute answer or truth.

Not much seems to have changed in seven years since I first wrote these thoughts. Of course, I never had high expectations, either. Nevertheless, I will continue posting on this blog. I hope you enjoyed reading these excerpts. Feel free to browse through some of the previous posts, including the one I referenced. Blessings!

Unifying the Faith: Who do people say that I am?

Reference:

http://unifyingthefaith.blogspot.com/2013/06/who-do-people-say-that-i-am.html?m=0

On pride

Pride goeth before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before a fall. 

- Proverbs 16: 18, JPS Tanakh 1917