Boundless Gratitude: Songs of the month

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)
• MP3 play whole song, lo-fi (modem)

On seeing this release, many who know me may wonder if I've gone through yet another religious conversion. The answer is no. Listening to a friend, fingerpick the melody for Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring haltingly on a steel-stringed guitar about 35 years ago led me to pick up the guitar myself. Since then, I've passed through several different religions in search of the spiritual feeling in this song, before coming to realize not too long ago that the feeling is not in the religion, but in the song: more precisely in the both passionate and compassionate appreciation of the fullness of life that Johann Sebastian Bach so skillfully poured into his music.

Hmmm. Sounds like a bona fide spiritual path to me. So, here I present you, in the spirit of appreciating a great musical master, my own passionate and compassionate interpretation of this great work, which I've dubbed the Joyous Jesu Jam. I can't imagine a better way for me to release this particular song than as the first of a weekly series of free downloads, and I can't imagine a better time than the first day of spring, one day before the baptism of my newest granddaughter, two days before Easter Sunday, five days before my birthday.... As far as I know, the energy doesn't get any better, except if you share it. So thanks for showing up to share it with me, and please feel free to share it with others.

Wikipedia has a great little article on "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by the way that includes links for audio (in case you want to hear what it sounded like before I got my hands on it).

Much peace, many blessings, boundless gratitude.

Jesu, joy of man's desiring,
Holy Wisdom, Love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls, aspiring,
Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashioned,
With the fire of life impassioned,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying, round Thy throne.

Through the way where hope is guiding,
Hark, what peaceful music rings!
Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
Drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;
Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown.