The Deacon's Bench alerted me today of a beautiful rendition of that tune Here I Am Lord which I've embedded it at the end of this post.Because of the first reading's story of Samuel and Eli, the song was probably sung at the majority of Catholic parishes this weekend.
But most parishes probably weren't so fortunate to hear it done as beautifully as it is in the video below.
I remember liking this song and being attracted to something in it even as a young kid.
Perhaps I was drawn then, even subconsciously, to the idea of God having some kind of need of me--so much so that in the back of my mind I was already then saying, "Send me."
Or, perhaps it was just that it was sung so often--too often it could well be argued--that the song became common and drilled into my head. We are often drawn to the common and known. I had the words down by third grade probably and still remember it was in those days found on page 492 of that blue book.
Whatever it was that I liked then, this is the simple truth I like about the song now: it emphasizes that God calls and the Christian ought be there and respond. That, and in our faithfulness to our calling is life, light, hope, freedom, and a good deal else.
Perhaps what people like least about this tune is its contemporary and somewhat less-than-interesting musical nature. Or maybe it's that they've never heard it done as best it can be done.
Here, I think this boys choir makes it sound as good as it can:
Better than guitars, no?
mk
