It is well known and intermittently discussed that singing is good for us. It good for our mental health. It helps folks with dementia. It's good for your social life if you join a choir (or become a regular at the local karaoke night).
Singing is physically good for us too - all that huffing and puffing. I remember quite some years ago having my joining assessment at a local gym. The trainer insisted on checking my lung capacity 3 times. I was quite obviously unfit - but my lung capacity reflected the goodness singing did for me despite this.
Tonight I'm listening to a local ladies choir and just wanted to share the impirical evidence of this goodness. They're not a huge choir but they make a good sound together and they are literally glowing. The joy of making music is shining from this diverse group of women. I wasn't looking forward to this evening but it's lovely and I am always up for some joy.
This week I hope to get some singing in as my church observes Holy Week. The making and sharing of music, in harmony with our liturgy, scripture and sacrament. Together they will take us through the joy of Jesus arrival in Jerusalem, hailed as King, bringer of longed for liberty. They will take us to an upper room and the familial intimacy of a meal shared, to a garden charged with tension, intense prayer and treachery.
We will sing of the sacred head surrounded with torturous thorns, and of the drop drop of our slow tears as we weep for Jesus pain, betrayal and suffering.
And when Easter Day comes I hope as I sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died and rose again for me,every note is embued with the deep human joy which I have witnessed shining in the faces of tonight's singers.
He came down that we might have joy - alleluia for evermore.
