Sharing with a priest friend my latest discovery of the fourth paragraph of Newman's Lead, Kindly Light, I came to know that it was not really by Newman (as I suspected) but a later addition done by Edward H. Bickersteth Jr. More research on this later. Interestingly, the webpage that I read mentioned another musical composition of this prayer-poem, interpreted by the famous Libera boys choir from England. You can watch/contemplate it here.
Still the musical composition of John B. Dykes remains the best for me. And you will marvel how many versions there are in youtube. See one here sung by priests (the pipe organ is awesome!) and another, which gives it a Christmas interpretation!
Still the musical composition of John B. Dykes remains the best for me. And you will marvel how many versions there are in youtube. See one here sung by priests (the pipe organ is awesome!) and another, which gives it a Christmas interpretation!
The theme of "light" is all over the place in the Advent liturgy. It is present again in the readings today, especially in the responsorial psalm (Psalm 27) but also "symbolically" in the Gospel reading - Mt 9:27-31: light restored to the eyes of 2 blind men through their faith in Jesus, the Light of the World.
Speaking of this theme, I'm encouraging everyone to read the latest book on Pope Benedict XVI entitled Light of the World by Peter Seewald. I've finished the first chapter. For those who want to gain insight into the person of this great and humble man and the way he is carrying his "cross/ministry" in peace, with all the intelligence of the faith and love received from the Lord, this is a "must-read" book. I should say perhaps this is also his personal contribution to his latest project of "new evangelization" especially here in the European continent.
