Christ, be our light

Christ, be our light is one of those hymns that I can always sing at my most beautiful voice. Actually, I do not care how my voice sounds because as choir members, we have been trained rigorously to project our voices from the abdomen. But being human, I usually don’t do that when there aren’t people around me singing at the same level. So, I will squeak, squeak, quack, quack/

Yet, this hymn always make me feel so uplifted. It express the desire that I always have inside. The need to do something and not just waiting for things to happen. During the sunset mass, I felt an overwhelming sense of purpose when the cantors sang it. I was on OHP duty and for once, I didn’t get carried away singing and forget to press the ‘Next’ button (roll eyes LOL). I tend to do that, forgetting my duty and get so overpowered with some hymns, sometimes.

I got home and decided to Google for the Youtube video and found one with Mother Teresa. It is kind of frightening. I had never bothered to find out much about Mother Teresa because she had been such an icon, you sometimes do not need to know more. I had never seen Mother Teresa in any other light, other than the iconic nun who helped the poorest and downtrodden from the gutters in Calcutta. When you suddenly feel close to a person on a personal and intimate level, you tend to shy away.  It is always easier to put someone on a pedestal and just remain down there with part of the pack.  When you realise you too can follow some of the examples of a person you adore, it becomes a burden of carrying some responsibilities.

Mother Teresa talked about the importance of touch and about reaching out to people. This is even more frightening. I know I had been touched by many people when I was at the other end. The receiving end. The times when I was about to go for operations or the times when my son was very ill. There was always someone who would come by and gave me comfort. Anne, the physiotherapist who is a Baptist. Deepa, the nurse from India who is an Orthodox. Doc C, fellow parishioner. And that chaplain from Adventist. Plus several matrons. And Sister Fatimah from UMMC. It is frightening because these are the God sent people to help me through my hard times.

It’s not always easy but it’s a beautiful and very wonderful way. And it brings really the presence of God, through our actions to the people.

(Mother Teresa’s words.)

Now, will I ever be able to return the care to others? Will I have the same magical touch that they had showered on me? I know I can. And I will.  And Mother Teresa has just got into my list of ‘People I want to know intimately’, apart from St. Francis Assisi.

Christ, Be Our Light

Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
Light of the world to see. (Refrain)

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light!
Shine in your Church gathered today.

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has pow’r to save us.
Make us your living voice. (Refrain)

Longing for food, many are hungry,
Longing for water, many still thirst.
Make us your bread, broken for others,
shared until all are fed.
(Refrain)

Longing for shelter, many are homeless,
Longing for warmth, many are cold.
Make us your building, sheltering others,
walls made of living stones.
(Refrain)

Many the gifts, many the people,
many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
making your kingdom come.
(Refrain)