Music

Sometimes this blog overwhelms me, because I cannot find the words to describe this experience. I feel somewhat guilty about that, because as an English major I feel that I should always be able to say SOMETHING semi-poetic about life here. It's funny that I have so much to say, but yet I cannot seem to say it.
This week has been amazing, to say the least. Tuesday I went to Madame Butterfly, my absolute favorite opera. If you have never seen it, I highly recommend it. The music is stunning, but the most compelling part of the opera is the story. It's all about unconditional love and everlasting hope. I don't want to give more of the story away, but I will say it is definitely worth your time.
This whole week was full of incredible musical experiences. Saturday we went to The Magic Flute, an opera I had never seen before. Unfortunately there were no subtitles and the story is very complicated, so I was completely lost. The vocalists were outstanding, though. Today my roommate and I went to two high masses. At one mass, we heard the world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir. Heaven literally descended into the chapel when those boys started to sing. They looked remarkably young, probably only about eight to ten years old, and their voices were clear as bells. I was honored to hear them sing.
After mass number one, we went to the Augustinerkirche, a church whose music is renowned throughout Europe. The music literally swept me away. I have become increasingly aware of the richness of Catholic liturgical music versus the poor quality of some of our own church music. Granted, I do not by any means want to get rid of the songs I sing at my home church and I don't think they are bad, but when I honestly consider the quality of the repertoire, I have to say that the Catholic churches here sing better music than many Protestant churches at home. There is a difficult balance to strike between the traditional and ritual aspects of Catholicism and the modern, individualistic approach to Christianity we sometimes take in the States. I have decided that though I am most definitely Protestant as far as doctrine is concerned, the Catholics do have some good things to offer and we should pay more attention to them.
We had trouble finding a seat at the Augustinerkirche, and so a very kind church member helped us find a place near the altar. After service, we started talking and he told us about the amazing choir we had just heard. Apparently the choir is open to anyone who can and wants to sing. He asked if any of us were interested, and I and one other girl said yes. He took us backstage and we met the choir and the conductor, who were all sitting around eating spaghetti. It was incredible. They invited us to practice and perform with them, which we are planning on doing. I could not believe my ears.
I am constantly reminded of God's great love and care for me everday. He wants me to live an abundant life. Even if it is just looking at a blooming flower or hearing my favorite song on the radio, the good things in life, small though they may be, show that good exists. And if good exists, then God exists and He really cares. And if God really cares, then my life is worth something. After only two and a half weeks here, I can see His love in a new way, which is what I wanted to gain most from this experience. He is looking out for me and I am blessed indeed.