Isn't it a good and joyful thing, in a society filled with drivenness, tension and stress, to be reminded of a book you have read that so absorbed your attention you would readily read it all over again? Perhaps it's the sentiment of a warm summer's day perfect for a leisurely read, or the longer bright evenings that invite such a longing.
I have had such an occurrence take hold of me this past week. It was really spurred on by the contemplation of what I might speak of at the second Jazz Vespers we will offer at 7 p.m. this Sunday at Tsawwassen United Church. Combining the jazz music of local musicians with prayers and a thoughtful reflection brought to mind Calvin Miller's trilogy of The Singer, The Song and The Finale. What better summer task than to tie together good Jazz music, some meditation through prayer and a hint of an age-old story whose significance is unmatched in human history.
Yes, you could read it again in its original form found in the gospels of Matthew or Mark, Luke or John, but sometimes it's nice to have a story read to us, with a little twist of poetic narrative to bring us to new hearing of something timelessly familiar.
Isn't that what happens when we listen to jazz? The improvisation of good music that is hauntingly familiar yet ever new, comforts and holds us, but leaves us always wanting more. Join us to see if it stirs your soul.
