Gregorian Chant: The Eternal Song
By Cantor
The Spirit of Solesmes
In 1997, Sr. Mary David Totah published a collection of various writings from writers associated with the Abbey of St. Peter of Solesmes. This collection, entitled The Spirit of Solesmes, contains translations of inspirational works — many for the first time in English. Recently, someone handed me a short, inspirational “word” from this book which I wanted to share with you as I thought it encapsulated the spirit of the monks who have given us so much through their guardianship of Gregorian chant:
“God clearly entrusts us with a task; obstacles present themselves, they accumulate. Should we leave the struggle, appealing to the name of “impossibility”? But the impossible is the very region of faith. As long as we move in the realm of the possible, we are only half sailing in the supernatural; but when someone leaves the shore and learns how to launch out generously under the watch of God into what he does not believe possible but what is clearly demanded of him, he carries out marvels. Happy are they whom God considers strong enough to track down in this way and compels to spring into the supernatural element of pure faith.”
Credit for image: Photo: Abbey Saint Pierre – Solesmes – France
www.all-free-photos.com1800 × 1200