Herbert Howells and good Karma

Yesterday's sermon at the Cathedral was, as always, quite wonderful. Before you go ANY further I'd encourage you to take a moment and read it HERE.

It is amazing but I still find myself seething with anger at the September 11 attackers, but also at the fact that our government did little to forego any such attack, even when there was sufficient evidence that something was in the works. Hurricane Katrina and our goverment's utter lack of a response in the first days have only led me to be even more jaded about the purpose and motives of our government.

But I suppose that if Howells could overcome this enormous struggle and come to set the text below, perhaps there's hope for all of us feeling disenfranchised by our leaders in both parties.

God’s great goodness aye endureth,

Deep His wisdom, passing thought.

Splendor, light and life attend him,

Beauty springeth out of naught.

Evermore from His store

Newborn worlds rise and adore.

My entire family was perfectly in my line of sight as we sang this hymn as our recessional yesterday. As I looked into the face of my little boy, I worked very hard to finish the hymn. Suffice it to say I just stood there and listened with glistening eyes and quivering lip as the sopranos sang the descant over the final verse. Some brief moments are a little bit too much of everything all at once.