Anyone who has been a part of services at Union Church knows how much our choirs and musicians and directors put into preparing the aural elements of our praise and prayers. The special anthem sung on Sunday “You Who Understand” by Antoine Oomen and Huub Oosterhuis is rich with symbolism and meaning. We were unable to print the notes in the bulletin (and in an effort to reduce announcements we chose not to share them verbally), but here is the text and the interesting background that moved the choir to bring us this piece. We are indebted to them, and to John Courter (former organist) who introduced these texts and composers to us from his travels in the Netherlands.
The text of the anthem, in the form of the poetic prayer is printed below this commentary by Tony Barr that Gina Chamberlain hopes will inspire you as well as all who sing this text. As a reminder, the choir is looking for additional voices who can join for Lenten and Easter music. If you can’t make a long term commitment, would you consider joining for these meaningful seasons? Call the church office (986-3725) if you have interest or questions!
This Oosterhuis text comes from an ancient prayer tradition. In the memory of the man Jesus, we ask some of the most important questions in life. What happens when we die? Why is there poverty and why are the marginalized treated so harshly? It looks into our own complicity regarding universal injustice: why do we, the privileged few, rich a the expense of others, fail to redress the imbalance of poverty and injustice in our world? Were we not created from Light itself? We who are but dust pray that death no longer be the final word. The heart of our prayer is redemptive suffering–not of Christ alone, but of all humanity.
–Tony Barr
You Who Understand
Music: Antoine Oomen, Text by Huub Oosterhuis
You who understand the voiceless cry from all the mortal beings that we are, we call to You the name of a man, Jesus, the son of people, your beloved. Never spoke a man as he, in him we understand your being and our own being. He is your word, he has fulfilled for us the ways of righteousness, a man for all. For his sake see us, together here. See all the mortal beings of the world. Where our dead may be, their ashes flown, we ask You, would You know where they have gone? Why the poor and needy of the world, your dear ones, are destroyed without mercy; why we, the few possessing what belongs to everyone, should fail to do you word; why we should fail to build a world in peace and to create a place where justice reigns— You who have told us what it means to live: do what is good and just, and free each other, You who have inspired us with this word, a source of strength and courage and of knowing; You who brought forth in each of us the light, let not the darkness come to over power us, let not the final word belong to death— You who have kept us safe till now, You who have tuned us finely to your voice, You who created us to turn to You, You who have sought us out before we called You, You who have said to us that You will find us— we call to You the name of a man, Jesus, the son of people, your beloved.
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