Son of Bosco

Happy Feast Day!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:01:00 +0000

St. John Bosco
Feast on January 31

Founder of the Salesian Society. Born of poor parents in a little cabin at Becchi, a hill-side hamlet near Castelnuovo, Piedmont, Italy, 16 August, 1815; died 31 January 1888; declared Venerable by Pius X, 21 July, 1907. Note: Pope Pius XI beatified him in 1929 and canonized him in 1934.

St. John Bosco is a saint that was dedicated to the improvement of kids' lives. He knew that what the kids needed most in the world was God and someone to love them and show them God's love for them too. He was a man whom God spoke to in fantastic dreams.

An Angry and Harmful First Aid Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:38:00 +0000

I had been waiting for the new First Aid Kit album after becoming enamored with some of their pre-album release videos such as 'The Lion's Roar." Their folksy tune and story telling are beautiful... I was loving it, then I bought the album and started discussing the lyrics of the various songs with some of my friends. That's when things got ugly.
Let's take a quick look at what she's really trying to say on this album...

Let's just jump to it.

Here are the lyrics:

She plays a tune for those who wish to overlook
the fact that they've been blindly deceived
by those who preach and pray and teach
but she falls short and the night explodes in laughter

She is making herself out to be a prophet that no one listens to but rather laughs at. The world, she points out, has been deceived by religion, (by those who preach and pray and teach) and in the next verse she's trying to warn the world of the dangers of religion.

But don't you come here and say I didn't warn you
about the way your world can alter
and oh how you try to command it all still
every single time it all shifts one way or the other

Here she makes reference to her lost love's new "world" of religion. She sees it as something that shifts all the time, that changes. As Catholics, we are blessed to have our reality set. Small things can change, but the teachings never do. She does not see how religion can actually assist in stabilizing one's life.

and I'm a goddamn coward, but then again so are you
and the lion's roar, the lion's roar
has me evading and hollering for you
and I never really knew what to do

When she speaks of the "Lion's Roar" I believe that she is actually referring to Christ. If you throw in a reference to Aslan (which is stretching it pretty far but it's there) then you can see what she's trying to convey here. She's trying to evade her love because she can't deal with his newfound religion, and hollering for him to come back to her. And now she just doesn't know what else to do to get his attention anymore because the Lion's roar is louder than her hollers.

Well I guess sometimes I wish you were a little more predictable
that I could read you just like a book
for now I can only guess what's coming next
by examining your timid smile
and the ways of the old, old winds blowing you back 'round

Many times, the unbeliever might see Christianity as something that can change whenever a person feels like changing something. This is sort of true when it comes to some denominations and thus have caused all of Christianity to be looked at with an untrusting eye. As her love keeps getting deeper into his faith, he's probably changing a lot and she can't keep up with his changes. And she sees faith as "old, old winds blowing" him around, as something that is just going to keep blowing him around aimlessly.

And I'm a goddamn fool, but then again so are you
and the lion's roar, the lion's roar
has me seeking out and searching for you
and i never really knew what to do

Again, his new found love for Christianity is making her work extra hard to bring him back to her.

sometimes I wish I could find my rosemary hill
I'd sit there and look at the deserted lakes and I'd sing
and every once in a while I'd sing a song for you
that would rise above the mountains and the stars and the sea
and if I wanted it to it would lead you back to me
and the lion's roar, the lion's roar
is something that I have heard before
a children's tale, the lonesome wail of a lion's roar

Here's where she packs the final punch, the Lion's Roar is just a children's tale. It's a fantasy, a story, something used to scare people such as the sound of a roaring lion.

And just a quick note on the video, notice how it seems to be a funeral procession. She appears to be mourning the loss of her love. As far as the suitcase goes, the only thing I can think of is that she put it there for safe keeping, but when she went to retrieve it it was dead. I feel that she put allowed her love to be put into her life, into her heart, but when she turned around and needed it, it was all rotten inside.

As much as I love the haunting sound of the song and the way these two Swedish young ladies have taken hold of folk music and made it their own, I can't help but pity them. There are other songs on the album that show her anger toward her former love and his religion and I pray that perhaps that love's life will bring her into the light as well.

Love Lost

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:49:00 +0000

I usually try to mix it up when it comes to featuring artists on the blog, but I just couldn't help myself this time around. I wrote about Temper Trap's song "Soldier On" not too long ago.Well after looking up the video for the song, I came across another song from that same album, "Love Lost." If you follow my Google posts... you will see that I've been kind of obsessed with this song for a week or so and so I decided to do a quick write up about it.

The lyrics are pretty simple and the story is beautifully tragic. God's ironic like that I've come to find out. Sometimes that things that are best for us are the ugliest things we can imagine because they take us out of our comfort zones which is where God likes to work with us.

Kind of like exercising and vegetables. They can be revolting. But that's what's best.

But that's not what this song is about. In my Catholic imagination, I see this song as as an incredible fact of God's Unconditional Love for us. It's like He's singing it to us right after we've turned back to Him. It's still sad as if the pain is still there (such as the nail marks in Christ's body). Then we leave Him again and He begs us to come back.

Our love was lost,But now we've found it, Our love was lost and hope was gone
Our love was lost,But now we've found it, and if you flash your heartI won't deny it I promise (I promise)
Your walls are up too cold to touch it, Your walls are up too high to climb
I know it's hard but I can still hear it beating, So if you flash you heart,I won't mistreat it I promise (I promise)
I promise
Our love was lost in the rubble are all things that you've, you've been dreaming ofKeep me in mind when you're ready I am here to take you every time
Oh our love was lost lost, lost, lost, lost ... Our love was lost but now it's found

In the beginning God is rejoicing at the fact that we have come back to Him. But He's no fool. He can see our hearts are not totally ready to be given to Him yet ("and if you flash your heart I won't deny it I promise).
He knows that we can get caught up and distracted by things of this world : "Our love was lost in the rubble are all things that you've been dreaming of." and He just asks that we "Keep [Him] in mind when [we're] ready. I am here to take you every time."
His love and forgiveness is the constant upon which we should base our very lives and use it to guide our love. We can doubt it sometimes. We can say that we could never show our face to Him again. Sometimes we don't want to face Him because we don't want to hurt Him anymore, that we don't deserve His unrelenting love. But it doesn't matter WHAT you do, nor how many times you do it. He is "here to take you every time."
His patience is beyond amazing. I know how many times I've tried and fell, tried ad fell. It's so difficult to remain faithful sometimes. Your whole life can sometimes snatch you up and start dragging you places you don't want to go but just can't or don't want to fight yourself.
Which reminds me of the Wye Oak lyric

"I wanted to give you everything

but I still stand in awe of superficial things

I wanted to love you like my mother's mother's mothers did"

I want to give Him everything. But sometimes I just get angry and build up my cold wall to keep Him out because either I don't want Him to see me or I don't want to see Him. But He always hears my heart beating no matter how far I imagine myself to be from Him.

This song reminds me of the Promise that His love is constant. I think that that's why it is important to have a crucifix in the Church. The crucifix, as opposed to a cross with a risen Christ on it, reminds us of the forgiveness, the depths to which He went so that He could have me with Him. Yes, He is risen and we need to rejoice in that, but a Crucifix reminds us to turn back to Him, that this is how much He loves us and that He has paid the price, it's just up to us to accept the gift.

(Back to the song)

The song ends with once again rejoicing in the Love being found once again after being even more lost than before (thus the multiple "lost's"). No matter how lost we get, He rejoices in our return to Him.

This unconditional unwavering solid constant Love is still beyond my comprehension. Yet, this is the Love that we are supposed to be spreading. We're supposed to be letting people know that this Love exists and we're the ones that have to exemplify it first to others so that they can come to know The Perfect Love and deepen their humanity and perfect themselves in their Creator.

But I'll never fully understand it till I see Him face-to-face, then be able to sit in it, feel it stronger. The Love that will be holding me just the way I like to be held (but better), smelling like the my favorite scent (but better), sounding like my favorite song (yet better - something I could never even dream of!)

I hope that I can get there because sometimes I am this song.

Please pray for me as I pray for you.

Novena To St. John Bosco

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:42:00 +0000

As Catholics, we have a beautiful tradition of "Novenas" - That is, 9 days of prayer for a specific grace or intention. Check out New Advent's explanation here.
So here on the Son of Bosco blog, I would like to announce that today is DAY 1!
That's right! The feast of St. John Bosco is on January 31 and thus today is the first day of the novena!

With that said, I invite you to join me in these nine days of prayer.

9 DAYS! Wow! That sounds like a lot doesn't it?!
Well, not 9 WHOLE days! Just a simple prayer recited everyday for 9 days!
The website "Pray More Novenas" offers the following prayer to St. John Bosco during the novena.

"Oh holy patron of the youth, I come to you with sincere confidence in your closeness to Jesus. Saint John Bosco, I need your help, I need your prayers, I need your intercession to God for His grace to help me with…
(state your intentions here)
With your love of Mary, our Mother, pray for me!
With your love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, pray for me!
With your love for all those who suffer, pray for me!
Don Bosco, please pray fervently for the grace that I now ask from God our Father. In addition, please pray that I may have a sincere acceptance of the Will of God and a perfect trust in Him.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…

There, isn't that easy?
Who wants to join me in the novena?!

Here... I'll make it even easier! If you circle me on Google+ I'll send out a reminder everyday around 12:05 pm each day during the novena that will come up in your e-mail inbox.

(I'll only e-mail you this reminder and nothing more I promise... I can't stand junk mail!)

So... who's with me?

Quick Lyric : Wye Oak's Civilian

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:52:00 +0000

Some lyrics struck me this morning as I commuted to work.

I was listening to Wye Oak's Civilian:

How many times have I prayed the following in some way?:

"I wanted to give you everything

but I still stand in awe of superficial things

I wanted to love you like my mother's mother's mothers did"

"No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 6:13

No matter how much I try to put God above all, above everything. No matter how much I want to give Him absolutely everything, I get stuck on things of this world. I am easily distracted, sometimes it's food, sometimes it's people, sometimes it's even music. That's why we have to take time, such as Lent (coming up soon btw!) to make sure that we do not stand in awe of superficial things, but rather recognize and awe at the amazing love that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are constantly pouring onto us. Then, attempt to reciprocate that love back to God and then share that love with others.
When she sings of loving like her "mother's mother's mother did" I get the sense that she's getting into the fact that today's notion of "love" can sometimes be hollow or shallow. We say we love many things, pizza, music, a band...things. I say, "I love Mumford and Sons!" then I turn to my little sister and say, "I love you!" and mean two completely different things using the same word.
When I taught a program called "Totus Tuus" we taught the kids an Italian phrase - "Ti Voglio Bene" which is how they tell each other that they love each other. It means" I wish you the Best." And what is the BEST that we can wish a person - a relationship with God so that they can be with Him in Heaven in the end. So we are called to love one another, that is, assist one another to Heaven- and as Jesus did, sacrifice ourselves for the sake of another. Maybe it is as simple as letting someone else get the last cup of coffee in the coffee pot at work in the breakroom (and not saying anything about it.) Or as tough as actually paying attention to that homeless guy who won't stop talking to you since you gave him some change on the bus. Or even worse, loving those who persecute you or make fun of you for your beliefs.

“But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." Lk 6:27

There are certain people in my life right now that I have to try extra hard to pray for everyday. They are ruining lives and ruining the Church and seem to be oblivious. Am I going to just let it all happen, no. But rather I need to mix my anger with a sadness of heart as Jesus did when he encountered the hard-hearted Pharisees after he healed the man with the withered hand.

"Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, he siad to the man, "Stretch out your hand. He stretched it out and his hand was restored." Mark 3: 5

These people that we encounter everyday are as much a child of God as we are. And I know that I must first love God above all before I can seriously and truly love my neighbor. Because love of God will make us truly love our neighbor because we then have everything in perspective and know that God loves each and everyone of those people that we want to hate. And this is the only way that the New Evangelization is going to work. By loving God above all else -- that is, giving Him everything and loving Him with the type of love that the saints and most especially Mary, the Mother of God (our mother's mother's mother) exemply --- and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
The first Christians were known by there love for one another, that's how the Church grew. People longed for that connection, that joy that they had and when they asked, they were told, that the love of God made manifest in the Person of Jesus Christ had changed their lives.

Now, I ask myself... do I make His love manifest in my life so that others can come to know His love?
Or am I still standing in awe of superficial things and while standing there I stand in the way of someone coming to know Christ?

Soldier On

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:56:00 +0000

This song has always stuck with me.

I believe that it is how many non-Christians feel about how they have to deal with this life and the death that they know they can't escape no matter what they do.

It's been on my heart a lot lately to try and see things from the perspective of those who do not have the same faith life that I have. I feel it is very important to evangelization to realize just how people feel and think about not only the God and the Church, but also how they feel being human. That is something that we have in common - humanity.
Death is scary.
Life is scary.
Some of the lyrics in the song say:

" this side of mortality is

scaring me to death

to death

don't think about it at all

just keep your head low

and don't think about it all

soldier on, soldier on

keep your heart close to the ground

soldier on, soldier on, keep your heart

close to the ground"

Most people just don't want to think of questions past this moment in life. They tell themselves to just keep their head low and to not think about it. Just like a soldier who doesn't know why he's fighting, he just has to tell himself to "soldier on" and keep their "heart close to the ground." That is, keep to yourself, don't give your heart away, it's only leads to unwanted heartache.

When looked at it from this perspective, it seems easier to love and share the Truth of the faith. Not in a preachy way, but rather one human sharing with another human what we have found that makes us complete, whole, and joyful to be alive even in the face of death.

For example, you can't go to someone living in the dumpster and tell them that Jesus loves them. What would be their question? "Well if He loves me, why am I here in the trash?"

Same with other issues. Someone may have lost someone they love and they blame God for it, or, think that an "all loving God" is a delusion, just look at how he has taken away their loved one.

We also sometimes get too involved with spreading the moral teaching of the Church (which is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT) but sometimes might forget to show the healing love of God.

We all have difficulties that we face each day. For some, they turn to God and He helps them make sense of all the chaos.

Others just see Chaos.

So when you are spreading the Word and building the kingdom... make sure you know who you are dealing with. Get to know people first and THEN help them get to know Him through your witness of how God is working in your life.

The Best (Well my favorite) Music of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:43:00 +0000

While most people talk about the best albums that came out in 2011, I would much rather just talk about the music that I really got into last year. Some of the albums are 2010, some are 2011, some might even be older than that!
Also, a problem with this method is really trying to not get caught up in the music that I have been really into for the last 2 or 3 months of the year. Another thing... I don't always listen to an entire album. I might just like one or two songs from an artist and just stick with them, so some of the artists that I'll mention will only have one or two songs that go with their name. Is this cheating?
Maybe
But I don't really care. This is the music that got me through 2011 regardless of when it was made.
So without further ado.. here's the list - (or the YouTube Playlist with all the songs, you can click HERE)

The songs/artists I just couldn't get enough of in 2011: (Is there a particular order you ask... well... yes and no.)

Foster the People - This is the song that actually came before their "Pumped Up Kicks" hit. I kind of still like it more.

Marin Solvieg - Yeah, he's the guy that did "Hello" which rocked my playlists in 2011 as well, but this is the one that started it all for me.

The Zolas - These guys came close to the end of 2011. While they have been around for a couple of years, I didn't discover them till late 2011. Here's a live acoustic song of the first song of theirs that caught my attention. The piano and guitar based "progressive" rock sound caught me up immediately.

Over the Rhine - My friend Nathan shared this group and song with me one day and I have loved it ever since. Another one you need to hear is "All My Favorite People" Their lyrics are very Catholic sounding to me:

All my favorite people are broken / Believe me, my heart should know / Some prayers are better left unspoken / I just want to hold you and let the rest go

All my friends are part saint and part sinner / We lean on each other, try to rise above / We are not afraid to admit we are all still beginners / We are all late bloomers when it comes to love

Fitz and the Tantrums - Oh Fitz... Their soul filled and throw back sound just makes me smile. And dance. After stumbling across this video one day, I bought the album and would listen to it on my walk to work. I know I looked ridiculous walking down the street throwing my arms around. Saw them in concert twice this year!

The Head and the Heart - This song never gets old. The simple start, the build up, and the harmonies that they sing sometimes give me the chills. So homey. So calming. Their lyrics are phenomenal as well.

Awolnation - I saw this band's video for "Sail" earlier in the summer but did not stop to give them the time. I wish I had. While that song is usually stuck on repeat, their song, "Kill Your Heroes" is the one that makes my favorites list. Their album takes you for a ride : rocks you, lets you rest, then brings you back up. Great rock if you like rock but are not in the mood for something too hard. Good stuff.

Christina Perri - This girl can write a song. Don't let her goth-emo-ish and tattooed look fool you: She's got heart. Her breakout hit "Jar of Hearts" could have been her one-hit-wonder, but then she came around and knocked us off the ground with her excellent lyrics and homey sound. When I first found "Arms" I just couldn't get enough of it!! Here's her YouTube channel. Make sure to listen to her other songs!

Ben L'Oncle Soul - This is what happens when Motown sound is translated into French. Just a fun song that I love to jam out to.

Gym Class Heroes - This song is a guy trying to express his love for somebody by using music and a stereo as an analogy. What could be better?! It's catchy.

Adele - How can a music blog about 2011 be complete without some mention of this powerhouse? She took the music world by storm with her album 21 and her hit Rolling in the Deep and follow up hit, "Someone Like You." Her voice is powerful, her lyrics are engaging, and her performance is flawless. I have a test that I like to "perform" on artists that I like. If they can sing an acoustic set without sounding awful, they pass the test. Adele passes every test with flying colors. I look forward to her next album that I have heard will both be acoustic as well as happy! Will a happy Adele pass? Only time will tell!

Freelance Whales - One day, while YouTube Music surfing, I came across Hannah. The sound was different and made me want more. I poked around and came across their other songs and instantly fell in love. For about two or three weeks I listened to their "Generator ^ First Floor" first thing every single morning. It reminds me of monks getting up in the morning and saying morning prayer for some reason. I had the privilege of getting to see them at a small venue at a free concert and am happy to say that they tweeted the other day that they have started recording their next album!

Now time for the Top 3 for me in 2011!!!
Drum roll please:

Radical Face - Pandora. That's how I came to know Radical Face. "Welcome Home" started playing and there was something about the clapping sound, the guitar, his voice, the haunting scales just hooked me. I looked at the rest of the album. It was amazing through and through. THEN I found out that he had just released a new album - Family Tree: Roots - which was equally awesome with songs like "Pound of Flesh" and "Black Eyes". After that, I realized that he was also a part of a group called Electric President with a song called "Safe and Sound" about a friend who just doesn't know what to do with a friend who suffers greatly but just won't get help.After about the millionth listen, I realized that most of Radical Face's music is done in waltz style beats. Pretty cool. But here's his 2011 song "Pound of Flesh" which I talked about in this blog post but will also post the video here.

Florence + The Machine - Amazing. Phenomenal. Powerful. Graceful. Feminine. Lovely. And boy does she know how to put a song together. By the time I came around to falling for her, her "Lungs" album had already been out for about a year or so. But what an album it was! Drumming Song and Dog Days Are Over are STAPLE in anyone's music library! Then this past fall she released "Ceremonials" last fall and once again, showed that she is here to stay with songs like "No Light No Light" and "Shake It Out". However, my first love with Florence is still my favorite song by here: "Cosmic Love" : a song about someone who is deeply in love with someone who is lost. Just beautiful. You have to just watch the video to get it.
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

Mumford and Sons - If anybody knows me, they know I'm a GIGANTIC Mumford and Sons fan. A friend of mine sent me "The Cave" early in 2011 and their album, "Sigh No More" continues to be fresh and relevant even after listening to it over and over and over again. Each song is crafted with beautiful lyrics, and I mean beautiful lyrics. For example

Love; it will not betray you
Dismay or enslave you, it will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be
There is a design, an alignment to cry
Of my heart to see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be

Those are some of the best lines I have ever heard. Period.
This British band has been able to capture folk music add a deeply spiritual dimension to it and become wildly popular. Their songs are about being human and finding one's place in this world while maintaining a search for and relationship with God. Their songs are explicitly Christian without preaching. And it's just what the world needs.

My absolute favorite song of 2011 =
The Cave by Mumford and Sons.

Hope you enjoyed my music of 2011. Check out Nathan's list of best albums of 2011 for a thoughtful review of his favorite albums!

Also stop by my Google+ page as well and circle Trouba Dorks! too! It's a Google+ Page that some friends and I are collaborating on to share our favorite music and new finds.

What's your 2011 list?

Songs that Make Me Happy : 2 : We No Speak Americano

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:10:00 +0000

Now you may have heard this a thousand times... this may be your first time hearing it. Yet no matter how many times I turn on "We No Speak Americano," it makes me happy.

Not only is the video pretty cool, but then these guys came up with an awesome hand dance to go with it!

Any new songs make you happy?

Wavin' Flag : A Post-Apocolyptic Song of Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:16:00 +0000

So this song is a couple years old now, but oh well. I first heard this song on The Sing-Off (of course... the season is over now... whatever am I going to do?! lol) and didn't know what it was. Great performance, I just didn't know what was going on.

Then, I was discussing and trading music with a friend and he sent me a song by David Bisbal that had this video in the sidebar:

Needless to say, I watched it, loved it, then watched it again and again. I was actually waving my arms back and forth at my desk. I found an entirely English one that featured David Guetta and Will.I.Am. but this one seems to have a better feel to me. It's written as a song to celebrate soccer teams around the world. I found different versions, Chinese, Russian, Indian, etc. It was very interesting to see all the different kinds.

So I mentioned to my friend that there seem to be two things that really bring the world together with un paralleled excitement : Soccer's World Cup and World Youth Day. (I guess the Olympics could be counted too, oh well.)

While on my way home from work I was rocking out to the song and trying to not look like a complete fool in the streets of Chicago because the song was making me want to wave my arms around! The song makes you want to bob your head and bounce around!

I reflected on my previous conversation about brining the world together in celebration and then looked up the lyrics. (I'm just going to be quoting different lines, if you want the full set of lyrics just click here.)

Give me freedom
Give me fire
Give me reason
Take me higher
See the champions
Take the field now
You define us
Make us feel proud

When I saw the word champions it hit me. I don't know why, but I thought, "Who are our Champions? - The Saints!" Then it all clicked: This could be a song about the end of the world!

Now I know that the end of the world will be a pretty nasty business. But that nastiness is only there due to our sin! We should be beyond excited when Christ returns again in glory! The only way that we can get all hyped up about His Glorious Return is if we're free from the burden of sin! What if everybody was free from it? Well that would be Heaven! So I decided that this isn't so much an Apocolypitc song as a Post-Apocolptic song of celebration.

Give me Freedom ---- We will finally be free from the attatchment to sin!
Give me Fire ---- ok so this line sounds a little weird here because the first fire that people might think about in the end times is Hell's fire, but think about it as a pure fire that burns with Love. Kind of like the burning hearts of the two men on the road to Emmaus felt when they realized that they had been conversing with the Risen Messiah -- "Were not our hearts burning within us?" Luke 24:32
Give me reason ---- when we are in Heaven, we'll be able to experience the Beatific Vision , that is, seeing God and knowing Him "Face to Face". This is what our Reason is directed toward, knowledge and contemplation of Truth, that is God: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." Jn 14:6. So when we are in Heaven, we will be experiencing the highest, no, the very source of reason.
Take me higher ---- Well, ya can't get much higher than that Beatific Vision I just mentioned.

See the champions
Take the field now
You define us
Make us feel proud

This is the part of the song where, once we're all assembled in Heaven, the champions will come out like in Revelation 7:14 "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." These are the martyrs, those who gave the ultimate gift to God : death for the faith. These are our champions, the ones that spur us on. The fighters, the ones that make us feel proud of the faith that has been handed down to us.

The next verse is in Spanish - So here's my translation

En las calles muchas manos : In the streets, many hands
levantadas, celebrando : are lifted, celebrating
una fiesta sin descanzo : a party without resting
los paises como hermanos : The countries as brothers

or put another way, "In the street, people (like brothers) are lifting their hands and celebrating every country."
I can just see the joy of being in Heaven with all my brothers and sisters from around the world. No more division, no more language barriers, no more getting tired! We are all finally ONE in Christ!
Canta y une tu voz
grita fuerte que te escuche el sol
el partido ya va a comenzar
todos juntos vamos a ganar

For this verse, I'll just show you the English verse in the song that mirrors this one. It's not a direct translation but it's ok:

Singing forever young,
singing songs underneath the sun
let’s rejoice to the beautiful game
and together at the end of day

When we're in Heaven, we will actually be forever young! (and just to get that song out of your system... here ya go) Now back to this song...

We will forever be singing like in Revelation 4:8 : "Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come." WE'll be forever singing songs to the Son, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who was slain for us that we can now be with God in Heaven, in His presence, the place we are all called to be.

When I get older
I will be stronger
They’ll call me freedom
Just like a wavin flag
So wave your flag
Now wave your flag (6x)

This verse reminds me of St. Paul's first letter to the Corintians (1 Cor 4:16) : "Therefore, I urge you, be imitators of me!" We are all called to imitate Christ for others. The world needs heroes, saints, to help guide the next generations to Christ's love. I know that when I look at St. John Bosco, my patron, I can kind of call him "Freedom" in a sense. He was free of attatchment to this world and to sin and free to give himself completely to God and His Church. He's waving his flag of victory for me! He's completed the race and has become a source of inspritation. So I can only hope to grow in faith, hope, and charity so that one day I can wave my flag of victory and be a beacon of hope for those who follow behind me.

A flag is something that you take pride in, that you wave. It draws attention and causes people to recgonize you and it stands for who you are. Are our lives waving the flag of redemption and joy in Christ? Are we waving the flag of the Kingdom of God? That's where our hearts should be!

There's a saying that goes a little something like this:
"If there were a persecution of Christians, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
I want to be obvious... I want them to be able to point to me and say, "Well, he's waving that flag.. yep... he's one of them!" Have I gotten there yet... nope. But I'm workin' on it!

And everybody
Will be singing…
And everybody
Will be singing…

Can you imagine, the voices all raised in unison in Heaven? I mean, I get chill bumps (I was told recently by a friend that this phrase was funny to her because it's usually called goosebumps and it must be a Southern thing. lol) whenever I hear a choir sing something with intricate harmonies and a full range of voices. I can't imagine what it would be like to be able to actually hear the heavenly choirs join together with our voices and praise God. I seriously got chill...ahem... goose bumps just thinking about it!

Now go and wave your flag. So that the choir in Heaven praising God will be even greater! Get excited and keep your eyes focused on Heaven! Remember St. Paul's words to the Colossians (Col 3:1)

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. "

Oh.
And wave your flag.

Musiq Soulchild (Borrowed)

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:31:00 +0000

I am guessing that this isn't considered cheating, but I just wanted to share that a Facebook friend, David Gray, posted a music post on his blog about a great R&B song called Love by Musiq Soulchild.

Hear the song and read his thoughts about the song here.

You need to check it out.
Here's a snippet of his post:

I encourage you also to think of the Lord every time you hear the word ‘Love’ in this song, and if it resonates with your own journey to Mt. Calvary then go ahead and sing these beautiful lyrics to the Author of all things truly Good and Holy; for God is Love.

"Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.

In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.

In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another."
- 1 John 4:7-11

Thanks David for the share!

Fitz and the Tantrums!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:24:00 +0000

You can't see it but we're right under the second little
yellow square (exit sign) from the left.

Just checking in to post the pictures from the Fitz and the Tantrums concert that I went to Sunday night. It was at the Metro up in Wrigleyville. (That's where I saw OneRepublic as well!) It was FANTASTIC! The pure energy that the band puts out in a live show is intoxicating. The album is fun, but their live shows are something else all together. Devin, Elizabeth and I had an absolute blast dancing to songs and making friends with the surrounding fans. During one song, "Dear Mr. President" I was part of a line of about 10 or so people swaying side to side yelling, "HEYYY!!!WHOOOP!!!"
The guys' faces were all painted in bright colors because not only were they excited to see Fitz, but they knew the opening act, Walk the Moon. Their sound was pretty cool. I ended up getting their album and having some of the band members sign it.

Here's the song that grabbed me and made me a fan. The whole album is a sad/angry song after sad/angry song about a woman who broke his heart. Apparently she cheated on him and was only wanting his money. The soulful sound and jazzy tones with a great beat just had me hooked. This was the last song they played and by the time that they got to it, I was worn out but was able to do all the jumping and yelling that the song demanded of a Fitz fan.

This picture was actually taken at the first concert we went
to with Fitz back in February. I'm just a little excited.

After the show we waited outside for the band to come out and sign autographs, but they never showed up so we walked over to the hotdog place across the street. I had the most amazing chili cheese dog ever and right before I was almost finished I looked across the street and saw the signature hair of the lead singer and so we ran across the street to get some pics and autographs.
So we got to get our posters and vinyl record (that's right... a vinyl record) signed, got some photos shot and walked back to the hotdog joint to hangout.

Devin, Fitz, James King (Saxophonist) and I after the Show

Then things got REALLY cool! Whilst we were eating, I noticed we were the only ones left in the restaurant. Then I look up and see that the saxophonist from the band has walked in!! Devin immediately gets him something to eat and then he comes and sits down and chats with us! It was a ton of fun! Now I have to wait for their new album, I wonder if they're going to throw in our suggestion for a remix of Rich Girls about the Middle Class girls that both break your heart AND take your money... lol

James King sits down and chats with us!

Looking for Someone to Love Me

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

(Caution... this is the clean version... but you know what he's saying regardless... just warnin')

So time for another side of my music. I not only listen to "hipster" stuff like "Freelance Whales" or "Radical Face" but also actually enjoy R & B as well.

Now, I don't like everything that he does, but there are a couple of songs that Diddy - Dirty Money has put out that I think show a very mature look at life and the emptiness that fills the soul when you try to fill it with things of this world, including money. One of these songs is called, "Someone to Love Me" and it talks about the conclusions that he comes to after reflecting on his life. He mentions how empty he feels and how he's thirsting for something besides fame... love. He's sings for someone to not only love him, but show him how to love --

"come and save my life if you can muster up enough strength to show me how to love somebody besides myself."

Another interesting line is where he talks about building a "fortress beyond coffins". - Meaning looking for a heavenly home.

Just like Florence singing about trying to get over her sins and feel free, this song is also a cry for the love of God in our lives. As St. Augustine says, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee, O Lord."

The Complete Lyrics:

[Chorus]
Looking for someone to love me
and now I’m looking for someone to love me
My drama, my karma
my love my life, dear mama
the war’s I’ve fought, scars that I’ve garnered
the hustle, I got that honest from my father
mix me with violence, blend me with peace
combine me with hate and I can’t face defeat (nope)
I did it all in a week
still incomplete as I stand on my feet
it take a lot to still dance to the beat
skin more cold and callous than concrete
I love swimming but there's just one ski
in a rich man’s hotel with bed sheets
uh ah, you know what I’m looking for
[Chorus]
When you ain't got dough, you scratch and you crawl
in you state of mind, you want somethin’, ay you want it all
look at the sky wonder when its gon fall
cry in the rain so the pain is stalled
its too dark, my World is in gloom
chest cold, my soul howls at the moon
my mind spins, my sins crowd the room
my heart don’t skip it just beats out of tune
I can’t even hold down food I’m so rude
bad attitude, what point I got to prove
sometimes to win something you gotta lose
Love ain't there my life is just bruise
[Chorus]
I’m impatient, I’m so vacant
I’m so real with myself, I’m so blatant
I thirst more, I’m far from complacent
always placing my heart last I’m paper chasing
left craving the warmth of one touch
so whats money if you never had enough
I’m disgusted, people say I’m not to be trusted
insomnia driven, my eyes crusted
so come and save my life if you can muster up
enough strength to show me how to love somebody besides myself
I crave comfort, stars may align just right for us, start a new life for us
build a fortress beyond coffins
Rembrandt, we paint our soulmate's portraits
come on you know just what I’m looking for

This song takes me to a few verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes:

"3What profit have we from all the toil
which we toil at under the sun?4One generation departs and another generation comes,
but the world forever stays.
5The sun rises and the sun sets;
then it presses on to the place where it rises.
6Shifting south, then north,
back and forth shifts the wind, constantly shifting its course.
7All rivers flow to the sea,
yet never does the sea become full.
To the place where they flow,
the rivers continue to flow.
8All things are wearisome,too wearisome for words.
The eye is not satisfied by seeing
nor has the ear enough of hearing.9What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun! 10Even the thing of which we say, “See, this is new!” has already existed in the ages that preceded us. 11There is no remembrance of past generations; nor will future generations be remembered by those who come after them." Ecc. 1:3-11

Only God can really fulfill us. Only His everlasting Love and undying affection for each of us really fill that hole in our hearts. We're naturally inclined to seek God and sometimes we replace Him with things of this world; food, feelings, people, dreams, music, (sex, drugs, rock and roll,) etc. and forget that He should be our primary focus. HE should be the first person we talk to in the morning and the last before we fall asleep. (Sounds kind of like a couple of people in love.. huh, go figure...)

Diddy is expressing what many people feel, the need for Love in our lives. Not just one-way love, but a need to give love as well. The other song that this group put out that speaks about needing to get back to the real stuff of life, especially his kids, is called "Coming Home" (it's the "clean" version and I have no idea why that kid is at the end of the video... oh well, it's the best clean version I could find...). This song could have it's own post, but I'll let you just enjoy it. Pay attention, though, to how he a) incorporates a hip-hop tradition into his lyrics which I really find awesome and b)how the song revolves around making sure that he's "home" for his kids and a need to make sure that he is a proper role model for them.

Do you know a song that is a call to let go of earthly things and focus on the REAL?

Songs that Make Me Happy : 1 : The Birds and the Bees

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:48:00 +0000

There are some songs that just make me happy no matter what's going on. This song is one of them. This song came to me through a Volkswagon commercial. I couldn't help but smile whenever this commercial came on because the song was just so dang upbeat and strange at the same time. Sometimes I think that this is what it sounds like in my head.

I present to you a Song that Makes Ashley Happy : Patrick and Eugene's "The Birds and the Bees".

When I showed this song to a friend of mine she turned it into my ringtone on her phone.

"We have done what we were obliged to do."

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:16:00 +0000

This morning's readings can seem a bit harsh...

7“Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? 8Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? 9Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? 10So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’” Luke 17:7-10

The Vision of St. Thomas Aquinas

But it's a reminder that everything we do for God is for Him and not for ourselves. After building webpages, working in ministry, and everything else that I do for the Church, I have to remind myself, "I am an unprofitable servant.... I've only done what I'm supposed to be doing."

The best example that I can think of is the great St. Thomas Aquinas. His Summa is one of (if not best) works of theology ever written. His mind was amazing! He could dictate multiple books and thoughts at one time!

Well, after celebrating Mass on December 6, 1273, he stopped writing. It is said that he had a vision of Christ either in adoration or during Mass. He said, "I cannot go on, all that I have written seems to me like so much straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me."

I am Christ's servant, if He asks me to do something. I do it... (or at least attempt to...) If it does, indeed, get done... all glory to God, not me. I've only done what I'm supposed to do.

Not to say that we shouldn't praise and support others for their work in the Church, I mean, we have feast days for the saints. But the saints knew their place. I should remember mine too.

It's easy when you work in media to get all excited and take credit for stuff because you can see semi-instant results. Pages, stats, friends, +1's and everything are all important when trying to figure out what to promote and such. But they can also be fuel for the ego fire if we're not careful.

I'm guilty of checking stats just to check them... But I need to remember to not boast about achievements. Which, again, is difficult in our "share everything" world.

Does this mean I'll stop posting my blog places? No. I enjoy writing the posts and sharing my faith and I hope that others become edified by it and end up giving glory to God. Not me.

This needs to become my daily prayer:

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,

Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved...

From the desire of being extolled ...

From the desire of being honored ...

From the desire of being praised ...

From the desire of being preferred to others...

From the desire of being consulted ...

From the desire of being approved ...

From the fear of being humiliated ...

From the fear of being despised...

From the fear of suffering rebukes ...

From the fear of being calumniated ...

From the fear of being forgotten ...

From the fear of being ridiculed ...

From the fear of being wronged ...

From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ...

That, in the opinion of the world,

others may increase and I may decrease ...

That others may be chosen and I set aside ...

That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...

That others may be preferred to me in everything...

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…

Amen

Go Go Dunkin Rangers!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 02:37:00 +0000

My homage to Power Rangers and great coffee.

I don't have a mustard seed... yet... But I'm working on it!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:26:00 +0000

Jesus said to his disciples,

"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,

but woe to the one through whom they occur.

It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck

and he be thrown into the sea

than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

Be on your guard!

If your brother sins, rebuke him;

and if he repents, forgive him.

And if he wrongs you seven times in one day

and returns to you seven times saying, "I am sorry,"

you should forgive him."

And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."

The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,

you would say to this mulberry tree,

'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you." Lk 17:1-6

I had heard this (seemingly) nonsense about telling a tree to get up and be planted into the sea. I always thought it was more ridiculous than the whole "moving mountains" bit. Seriously... telling a tree to get up and jump into the ocean and then watching it happen would be something else! But what's Jesus REALLY getting at here? In my opinion, it has nothing to do with the tree and everything to do with forgiveness.

If you look at it, what's Jesus talking about before this mulberry tree bit? He's talking about how if someone sins against you you're to forgive him each time. Can you imagine someone coming up to you 7 times a day and asking for forgiveness for 7 different offenses? That's tough stuff right there!

That's why "the Apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith." Because they saw just how hard it was! They needed an increase in faith in order to do this whole forgiving multiple times thing! So what's Jesus say in response? "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, [I see him patting the tree and smiling] "Be uprooted and planted in the sea" [here he points to the sea] and it would obey you."

Hmmm... so if that tiny amount of faith could do that crazy thing of making a tree get up and walk into the sea [Ents anyone] then how much SMALLER of an amount of faith would it take to be able to forgive?

I may be going out of the norm on this, but I think that if I had even a smittering of the amount of faith that it requires to be able to cause supernatural things to happen such as trees obeying me then I would be able to forgive all those times I don't want to. If I had faith smaller than a mustard seed I'd be able to do something phenomenal such as forgive.

This passage speaks to the power of faith. It's kinda like consencrated dish soap.... a little goes a long way! You only need a little and the dirt goes away! Just a little faith can go a long way too! I just have to ask God everyday, "Increase my faith!" and hope He doesn't respond in a parable... I'd rather Him be straight with me.

Mumford and Son's "Roll Away Your Stone" : A Call to Reconciliation

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:27:00 +0000

Now a take from my absolute favorite band - - Mumford and Sons!!
Their lyrics are filled with spirituality and humanity. This British band has been able to capture a unique sound with beautifully powerful lyrics and emotions. The album is filled with references to one's soul, holding onto hope and to returning to the natural order of things. It's an album calling for repentence and hope. For cleansing oneself and connecting with the Truth, the Maker, and being who we were created to be.
A side note: even though I love this song, it's not my favorite off the album. I'm saving that one for a specific season. Stay tuned...

Now, "Roll Away Your Stone" - A song about Confession/Reconcilation:

Roll away your stone I'll roll away mine

Together we can see what we will find

Don't leave me alone at this time

For I am afraid of what I will discover inside

Socrates once said, "The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being." (ho de anexetastos bios ou biôtos anthrôpôi — ὁ δὲ ἀνεξέταστος βίος οὐ βιωτὸς ἀνθρώπῳ) ~ Apology, 38a This verse opens up the song with a call to introspection, to examen ourselves.
When are we ever quiet? When do we sit down to really take a look at ourselves and see what's inside? Most of the time, we know what's there and don't want to roll away the stone (of the tomb) because we don't want to smell the stench of death within us.

"So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. 39Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.”Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father,* I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.”And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice,* “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.” John 11:1-45

This verse could be interpreted as the opening of a prayer asking God to reveal Himself to the person praying while we look into ourselves to get rid of anything unholy. He's drawing God into a dialogue, which is actually what we are supposed to be doing. Many people think prayer is a one way conversation from us to Him when actually, if we sit down and try to listen, God is always talking to us! Take some time to do an examination of conscience to discern what it is that you should go and confess in the sacrament of Reconciliation.

You told me that I would find a home

Within the fragile substance of my soul

And I have filled this void with things unreal

And all the while my character it steals

At this point, the singer has found that he has filled that His soul is missing something.. something REAL. How often do we fill that spot in our soul that is for God with "things unreal" such as money, lust, success, games, (dare I say) music? God gave us a body and soul that make up who we are and we SHOULD be able to find a home in our soul, it's who we are! But when we start filling it with crap then our "character" is stolen. Like I said, God gave us this soul and body, He created us and calls us to be like Him "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect". When we follow God's will for our lives, we become the person with the characteristics that He created us to be. That's why confession is such an important sacrament, it gets those unreal things out of our souls so that we can be who God wants us to be.

Darkness is a harsh term don't you think?

Yet it dominates the things I see

I love the bluntness of this line, it's coming out and speaking to God directly. I feel that I could make these words my own. I find that a signature of a great song, the ability to take the words and feel that they are your own words. I see this line having a two-fold meaning. First, it's a question of the necessity of the "darkness" of faith. It took me a few times of listening to the song to come to an understanding of the word "term". I always took it as meaning a specific word or "term" but while rocking out to the song in the car with a friend and discussing the meaning, it dawned on me that "term" could actually also mean a certain circumstance or "term of agreement" so to speak. One of the "terms" of our existence is the necessity of relying on our the gift of faith to know that God is there. Think of St. John of the Cross and his "Dark Night of the Soul" where, for a long period of time, he was unable to feel the presence of God. (Mother Theresa is said to have experienced this "dark night" for a long period of her life as well.) His book is about his journeying through that time when all he could do was rely on his faith to see him to the end. I can see him praying these very lines.
Secondly, and in connection with the first, "Darkness" is a result of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. There we lost our direct connection with God and sin came into the world. Now we live in the darkness of our fallen nature and now it "dominates the things I see". Think of the news and all of the evil that is reported and all it seems that we can do is to hang our head and lament the darkness.

It seems that all my bridges have been burned

But you say, "That's exactly how this grace thing works"

When we take time to examen ourselves, we come to realize the necessity of cutting ourselves off from the world. When we are detatched from the world (burning our bridges so to speak) then we become vulnerable and open and that's exactly where God wants us to be. Only when we are detatched from the world and open to God can His grace flood our souls, (That's exactly how this grace thing works.

It's not the long walk home that will change this heart

But the welcome I receive with every start

You can't talk about reconcilation without making some type of reference to the story of the Prodigal
Son! So here it is - Luke 15:11 - 24
At the end of the son's wasting of everything, he makes the deciscion to return to his father.

"So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him." Lk 15:20

This is what our God does whenever and everytime we turn away from sin and go back to Him. He doesn't sit there at the door, he doesn't hold a grudge, He RUNS to us, EMBRACES us, and KISSES us. The thought of it makes me feel butterflys in my stomach. No matter the offence, if we make a sincere effort, this is how we will be welcomed with every (re)start.. That love is what REALLY changes our hearts. We have an a desire to change, but it's not till after confessing and really asking for forgiveness that the power of God's love is able to change your heart. The "long walk home" of going to confession is the first step, but the REAL change comes with absolution - the moment in confession when the priest says, "I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." (We jump back to the darkness question as we go through the act of confession... )

Darkness is a harsh term don't you think?

And yet it dominates the things I see

Darkness is a harsh term don't you think?

And yet it dominates the things I see

But then the freedom. The lightheaded happiness that can only come through feeling Christ's love liberate us from our sins! I've walked out of confession dizzy with the thought that I was clean while at the same time grounded in the determination to "go and sin no more" (Does it always stay like that? no... but that's why I can go to confession AGAIN!!) I want to sing these lines as I walk back to the pew to say a prayer of thanksgiving. -

Stars hide your fires

For these here are my desires

And I won't give them up to you this time around

And so I'll be found

With my stake stuck in the ground

Marking the territory of this newly impassioned soul

I love this part. In the song the rolling away of the stone has now gone from peering into a tomb, to more of a ressurection scene. When Christ rolled away His stone, he had conquered death and sin. When we walk out of the confessional, that door becomes our tombstone that is being opened and we are now alive again! With the help of Christ, we have taken our soul away from the devil and now with we firmly resolve, with the help of His grace, to sin no more. What love! What mercy! What an Amazing God we have that loves us! We mark our soul's territory with the Blood of Christ and now we roll away our stones and emerge to bring Christ's life and forgivenes with our newly impassioned souls.

And you, you've gone too far this time

You have neither reason nor rhyme

With which to take this soul that is so rightfully mine

This is the part where I think we turn around and look at the devil and let him know that he has no business with my soul. It belongs to God. It is His and His alone.

So there it is. I love my Mumford and Sons. This is just one song off of their first album. I encourage you to check them out. A fellow blogger, Katrina just posted a new song by them along with her thoughts on the band as well. Also, check out her post about how to live life with a Catholic lens. (It's what I'm attempting to do with this blog!)

Now go to Confession.

New Florence and the Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:10:00 +0000

I fell in love with Florence and the Machine's "Lungs" album over the summer and then had the great fortune of being able to see her in concert here in Chicago at the end of the summer. She is an amazing lyricist and her musical arrangements are very powerful.

She kind of rose to stardom here in the U.S. after a performance of "Dog Days are Over" on the VMA's.

While the entire album (and it's B'Sides release) is incredible, a few songs stuck out to me.

There's Swimming, Bird Song, and my favorite, Cosmic Love.

If I get around to it, I'd love to write down my thoughts about these three... especially "Swimming" and "Cosmic Love"

But here's the video for Cosmic Love. A friend, Brandon Vogt, told me once, "And by the way, those are some awesome, passionate lyrics. Taken alone, they could have come from a saint." I couldn't agree more.
(Go and buy Brandon's book by the way!!!)

Those are some powerful visuals to go with some powerful lyrics!! And that, my dear readers, is my favorite Florence song. It just never seems to get old!! Anywho, her new album came out today and I'm listening to it now. I hope to pick out a few songs to talk about here. I was able to enjoy the following music video for her upcoming song called, "Shake it Off" on my way back home from the Catholic New Media Conference. To understand the song a bit more deeply, one must realize that she does struggle with some alcohol problems that she admitted to in a SPIN magazine interview that I read. I immediately heard the plea for a savior in the lyrics. Christ can deliver us from our demons and sins through the power of His love. It won't be easy and it will probably be painful but there comes a time when you get tired of the devil dancing on your back, you're sick of your sins and just want to Shake it all Out.

"Shake It Out"

The song is a beautiful story about trying to get rid of demons and sins that hold us prisoner and shaking the devil off our backs. One of my favorite lines in the song: "I am done with my graceless heart, so tonight I'm gunna cut it out and then restart." (FYI the imagery in this video contains heavy drinking and a seance...)

This post was SUPPOSED to be just a simple "heads up" that I got her new album and will be digging through it tomorrow. Oh well. It's hard to not say wonderful things about Florence and the Machine.

Meeting Ed Vizenor

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:58:00 +0000

So I met Ed Vizenor (www.edvizenor.com) today. He's the guy who produced the movie Bella as well as the movie called, "The Butterfly Circus". (See videos below) He's an amazing guy involved in Catholic New Media. He was willing to stop by and speak with Nacho, Victor, and myself (a small core of the newly formed Chicago Catholic New Media) about using media in evangelization. He's great faith was apparent from the moment you met him.

We spoke of some projects coming up in the future (I'll wait to give the details....) and I'm very excited to be a part of the process!

Me, Ed Vizenor, Nacho, and Victor

So I met Ed Vizenor (www.edvizenor.com) today. He's the guy who produced the movie Bella as well as the movie called, "The Butterfly Circus".

Bella Trailer

The Butterfly Circus (Movie)

The Man Who Can't Be Moved

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:20:00 +0000

So I've been watching "The Sing Off" lately and it has revived my love for Acapella music. The way that a group of people can come together and create music using their God given voices is so amazing. I believe that it's a sign from God that we are a communal being by nature. How else can something so beautiful come about if we are not naturally supposed to be social? When we share our voices, that is give ourselves to each other in love, (also not all wanting to be the "star") then things like acapella can showcase the beauty of the gift of voice given to us by our Father.
Anyways...
There's an acapella group called Straight No Chaser and they did a cover of "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" by an Irish pop band called, "The Script".
Here's the song. (They don't have an official video but here's the music):

For my comments after the lyrics skip down..
And here are the lyrics:

Going Back to the corner where I first saw you
Gonna camp in my sleeping bag I'm not gonna move
Got some words on cardboard, got your picture in my hand
Saying, "If you see this girl can you tell her where I am? "

Some try to hand me money, they don't understand
I'm not broke I'm just a broken hearted man
I know it makes no sense but what else can I do
How can I move on when I'm still in love with you

'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me
And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be
Thinkin maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet
And you'll see me waiting for you on the corner of the street
So I'm not moving, I'm not moving

Policeman says, "Son you can't stay here"
I said, "There's someone I'm waiting for if it's a day, a month, a year"
Gotta stand my ground even if it rains or snows
If she changes her mind this is the first place she will go

[Chorus:]
'Cause If one day you wake up and find that you're missing me
And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be
Thinking maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet
And you'll see me waiting for you on our corner of the street
So I'm not moving, I'm not moving,
I'm not moving, I'm not moving

People talk about the guy that's waiting on a girl
There are no holes in his shoes but a big hole in his world

Maybe I'll get famous as the man who can't be moved
Maybe you won't mean to but you'll see me on the news
And you'll come running to the corner
'Cause you'll know it's just for you
I'm the man who can't be moved

[Chorus 2x]

Going back to the corner where I first saw you
Gonna camp in my sleeping bag, I'm not gonna move

When I heard this song, I immedietly thought of the awesome, rock soilid, unmoving love of Christ. This song takes the concept of a man on the street corner who is crazy in love and wants to make sure that he can be found if his love decides to return to him.
Pretty awesome considering the fact that Christ sits in the Tabernacles of Catholic Churches everywhere. And as my friend, Rolande, once said, "Have you ever noticed that most Catholic Churches are on street corners?" Regardless, this song is like Christ singing about waiting for souls and not moving so that they can come and find Him. Let's breakdown some of the lyrics in the song:

"Got some words on cardboard, got your picture in my hand
Saying, "If you see this girl can you tell her where I am? "

This image has a two-fold analogy - First, the story of Christ visiting St. Francis as a beggar comes to mind... We must see Christ in everyone.. even those we find ourselves averting.
Second... It's a call to evangelization!!!! Christ wants EVERYONE to encounter His love! And not just everyone, EVERY INDIVIDUAL! This song made me stop and think, Christ is waiting for ME personally! He's also waiting for each person individually because He loves each person individually and we are called to bring others to Christ. We're supposed to tell his loves where they can find Him!

"I know it makes no sense but what else can I do
How can I move on when I'm still in love with you"

In our eyes, Christ's devotion to us is absolutely insane. Anyone who finds their friend in this particular situation could easily give the advice to just "move on". Yet Christ never gives up! He's ALWAYS in love with us!! No matter how many times we leave him!

"'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me
And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be
Thinkin maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet
And you'll see me waiting for you on the corner of the street
So I'm not moving, I'm not moving"

The moving chorus line...
Christ is always there for us... But we don't have to worry about trying to find Him.. first, there's prayer... but even more so, Christ is present in the tabernacles in a physical way that allows us to visit him whenever we make our way to a Catholic Church! Whenever we've come to the realization that there will never be anyone that can love us like He can, then we can always go back to the place we'd meet --- the Church.

Gotta stand my ground even if it rains or snows
If she changes her mind this is the first place she will go

It's natural, it seems, to turn to God when we are feeling lost. It's also natural to head to a Church when we are seeking Him. Therefore God, in His Wisdom and Love, made Himself easily accesible in His Catholic Church... even more specifically, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar... the Eucharist. The Church IS usually the first place people go when they seek God.

People talk about the guy that's waiting on a girl
There are no holes in his shoes but a big hole in his world

Maybe I'll get famous as the man who can't be moved
Maybe you won't mean to but you'll see me on the news
And you'll come running to the corner
'Cause you'll know it's just for you
I'm the man who can't be moved

Here's the interesting part... ARE we talking about this guy, Jesus, who can't be moved? Who has a big hole in his world (and Heart for that matter) that can only be filled with a specific person? Are we making Him famous? Are we telling the world that Christ IS present in the Eucharist? In His Church? Are we helping people run to that corner so that they can find Him Who Cannot Be Moved?
I thank God that He has given me the love that He has. I am unworthy and sad that I cannot reciprocate such an amazing love (how can it be... that you my king would die for me... amazing love.... / oh wait... sorry... different song... where was I? oh yes...). It's humbling to know that He waits for ME... (and you and everyone but I'm going to talk about myself right now... it's my blog and therefore can do such things) that he loves ME with an unfathomable love that knows no bounds and if I stray away, He's always there on that corner where I can run back into His arms.
Praise be Jesus Christ... Now and Forever
Now let's go tell people the Good News...

Pound of Flesh

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:35:00 +0000

WOW! I've grown to love this guy's music and today I came across the official video for it!

This is one of my new favorite artists, Radical Face and it's called, "A Pound of Flesh" it's from his Album "Roots"

Here's the background about the song and video... Ben Cooper (the singer/songwriter) said that" this particular song is about a long walk home with nothing but thoughts and regrets to keep you company"

If you think about it... it's a song about that time between sin and the realization that there is, in fact hope of salvation (leave a candle burning for me / I'm coming home.) No matter the sin, even murder in this case, we can always come back to Christ, he's always leaving a candle burning for us... in fact, go to ANY Catholic Church and you will find the Tabernacle candle (ya know, the red one...) burning - signifying that the Lord is TRULY present and always waiting for us to come back to Him.

Here are the lyrics:

My feet plow on
From light to dawn
My empty belly in my body aches
Ain't hard to take
Next to the weight I carry in my chest
A pound of flesh
Could never tip the scale that I've made
I should have stayed
But I was never -----
I hear your voices in the wind that cuts the night
And I pray to whatever is listening things'll be all right
All my bolder life
Your heart still beating
So don't you die (mind?), don't you mind
We all trip sometimes
I can still hear your feet as you ran from the house
Knowing you won't be back
Doesn't mean that I will stop waiting
(You) told me then, hold me down, hold me up to the fire
(but?) don't you dare hold me back
Whoa…
I see your faces in the clouds that scar the night
And I pray to whoever is listening things'll be all right
Then today I wake up feeling easy
And find I'm on the more familiar roads
I got a darkness wrapped inside me
But now it ain't so hard to let it go
So keep a candle burning in the window
I'm almost home

For more Radical Face, check out his Youtube channel.

Especially his song, "Welcome Home" --- a very very addicting song! In fact, I love it so much, I'm going to go ahead and post it here for your enjoyment. (I think that out of the 1000 something views, I am probably at least 800 of them.)

Evangelization - It's time to use some words!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:46:00 +0000

So here's something new for me- I was quoted in a blog post!

I was mentioned in my friend Marc Cardaronella's excellent blog where he is discussing the following quote from Archbishop Salvatore Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization:

"Many, mistakenly, have thought that an explicit proclamation [of the Gospel] is no longer necessary, and that personal testimony is the only tool of the new evangelization."

Marck mentioned a comment I had made on Google+ about how people are always quoting St. Francis of Assisi and his famous saying, "Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.

Well... now it's NECESSARY!

Head over and see what he has to say!

I think it's very important to make sure that we not only live the life, but we preach the Word! Evangelization is a combination of personal testimony as well as a good knowledge of the faith. Let's face it, people hear terrible things about the Church all the time, we have to know the Truth in order to bring them more fully into the Mystery of Christ's Church. This is done by making sure that we have that personal relationship with Christ the fuels our lives as well as our desire to bring others to His love as well as actually TALKING about our faith and love of Christ and His Church, ALL THE WHILE keeping ourselves in a habit of learning and growth and challenging ourselves to continual conversion.

Thanks Marc!

Funny How God Works

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 03:51:00 +0000

Funny how God works the way he does...

I JUST posted a music video and stuff about trying to clean up my act like I'm supposed to and then I read at Mass today and it felt that I had written the words myself.( I like to use run-on sentences too. Seemed like a blog post....that was kind of humorous to me )

But seriously, the readings reflected exactly what I wrote about here!

But it was very strange how the words felt that they were coming from me! Anyway...check out today's readings:

Romans 7:18-25a

Brothers and sisters:
I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh.
The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not.
For I do not do the good I want,
but I do the evil I do not want.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells in me.
So, then, I discover the principle
that when I want to do right, evil is at hand.
For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self,
but I see in my members another principle
at war with the law of my mind,
taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Miserable one that I am!
Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Funny how I was thinking about how in the slumps I am and then "Miserable one that I am!"

But WAIT! there's more!

Then we have the Gospel:

Lk 12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds,
"When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain--and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot--and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Sound familiar? Let's take a look at that song once again:

"It's like a hurricane is coming our way
We've all been warned but we still chose to stay"

We KNOW what we do! We all need Christ to shake off the devil.

"Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

It was one of those moments that you just knew that God was talking to you. It was incredible...

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Failed once again

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:49:00 +0000

I knew this was going to happen.

I'd start a blog and then write in it a few times then just let it slide....

Oh wells ---- speaking of failures...

Here's a song I'm hooked on at the moment.:

For the actual video you can go here --> http://youtu.be/9X-7sHvOz5E (It won't let me embed)

But here's a lyric video

In the fallout now
It's hard to feel like we can turn around
With the damage done
It's hard to see how far we've come
We could not be proud
Of where our feet have walked along the ground
In the silence now
We play it back and forwards again

There's a sound in our guiltiness
It's a warning bell that rings
It's a call for our loneliness
And we can't see

We roll the dice we play like fools
We plead with time to change the rules
It's like a hurricane is coming our way
We've all been warned but we still chose to stay

I can't believe it now the time has come

Play the victim here
You know it's nothing but your pride and fear
But the more you hurt
The more you love the one you were

There's a sound in our guiltiness
It's a warning bell that rings
It's a call for our loneliness
And we can't see

We roll the dice we play like fools
We plead with time to change the rules
It's like a hurricane is coming our way
We've all been warned but we still chose to stay

I can't believe it now the time has come

In the light of the morning
Can we change what we felt and heard
Can we turn it into the glory
Break the paths of our fathers before us
Though we stand on the outside
We will find what we once believed
And will crawl our way to the clear skies
Standing up we are
Standing up we are

We roll the dice we play like fools
We plead with time to change the tules
It's like a hurricane is coming our way
We've all been warned but we still chose to stay

I can't believe it now the time has come

Anywho, it's a song about not converting or changing our ways even though we were warned.

Don't we all do this? It's a reminder to get my act togther. Maybe go to confession.

I really love the part "The more you hurt, the more you love who you were." I can see this when I mess things up or choose to go act against my better judgement (i.e. sin). After hurting from that, I look back and realize that I need to return to my promise that I made in confession that I would try my hardest to not sin again. Way to go, Ashley... reminds me of another song....

"It was not your fault but mine...it was your heart on the line... I really f****ed it up this time...didn't I my dear?" I'm sure to be posting a full something on that particular band soon... no worries

It's Christian music that doesn't suck! It doesn't bear that mark... I can't pinpoint what it is that irritates me about Christian music, but this is a band that seems to have figured it out. Kudos NeedToBreathe.

Follow up post here

Freelance Whales First Floor ^ Generator

noreply@blogger.com (Ashley Collins) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 03:57:00 +0000

This group is great! I absoluetely LOVE this song. It's like it breathes on its own. It reminds me of monks getting up early and saying morning prayer