“There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Such insight.
At 9 minutes, this is longer than I usually propose, but every second of this song is precious.
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Monday Music Moment – Leonard Cohen’s Anthem
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
One of my very favorite songs by one of my very favorite artists! Thank you!
Fran,
Why am I not surprized?
Paul
I do not know this artist at all… As I was walking the Camino from Le Puy to Santiago some years back, in a charming old town by the river Lot, I came across a beautiful calligraphy which said (in French), Blessed are the cracked ones, for they let the line shine through… So here is the origin of this new Beatitude. Thank you.
Claire,
He is amazing. A Jew, a Zen Buddhist and someone with a deep devotion to St. Bernadette…
Paul
I have never heard this before…thank you!
Annette,
I’m surprised at so many of you who haven’t discovered Cohen already and am delighted to have introduced you to him.
Paul
Have never heard Leonard Cohen before. This was just wonderful…now I’m going to search for more of his artistry. Thank you, Paul!
Madonna,
Try this: http://peopleforothers.loyolapress.com/2009/10/06/song-of-bernadette/
Sung by Jennifer Warnes but co written by Warnes and Cohen.
Paul
I sent these words of light getting in to my dear friend when she was dying – we were good friends
so glad of this at this time – thanks so much for a choice we can strongly relate to
Pat,
My pleasure entirely. We all need to be reminded from time to time that is the cracks that let in the light…
Paul
The line “You can add up the parts but you won’t have the sum” really spoke to me. In everything we are better in community. I also was totally struck by Leonard Cohen’s humility – it was evident in all that he said and did.
Thanks for this reflective beginning to my day.
Lynda,
Yes. We are better in community. That’s why I fight my Garbo – “I want to be alone!” – tendencies.
Paul
I also have to fight my desire for solitude but I know I need community as well.
Both the song and the singer are new to me. The lyrics of the song is beautiful, and the artist has such a captivating voice.
The message that comes across to me is that because of original sin, man views God in a distorted way because of the crack that had been created when our first parents, who wanted to be “as God”, chose to defy him. So even now, I am experiencing this brokenness, which, at times I find frustrating when I see that no matter how I try to really love God, I still am defiant in many ways than one.
Then I look at what’s happening here in the United States and in the world. I see greed, cruelty, murder, all around me and the doubts about the goodness or reality of God sets in at times. But then, I am left with a choice whether I would allow myself to be immobilized by these negative things that every man is prone to commit, or whether I should hang on to God’s merciful love: that in my brokenness, he continues to love and accept me and willing to breath his life into me again if I consent. Though broken and with God’s grace, I still can really believe that despite the crack, I can still ring the bell and proclaim that God is alive because I am, and that he uses broken things!
This quote that I have kept close to me says it all:
“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume.”
~Vance Havner
Dolly,
Thank you for this marvelous quote which I have already “stolen” for the Words of Wisdom.
Paul
Thank your, too, Fr. Paul for your posts. You will never know how much they have helped me in my journey!
Thank you for a great start for the week. I am grateful for the reminder to forget trying to make my offering — myself — perfect; maybe the Light even prefers a few cracks here and there?
Have a good week, all.
Denise,
I think the Light does prefer us to have a few cracks!
Paul
Thanks for this. It’s not really what I would normally listen to but the his lyrics are very insightful.
Happy Monday folks.
Simon,
Cohen is an amazing character. He has lots and lots of insightful things to say.
Paul
I have been a fan of Leonard Cohen for years. Halleluiah is probably his best known composition. For anyone interested in exploring his music further he has had several albums spanning many years. His is music is rich with spiritual and social messages and at times he is quite blunt. Thank you Paul for the geat variety of messages and music that you provide.
Leonard Cohen’s music and poetry was part of my college years…formative vision I think that I have incorporated into my spirituality. Being a ‘cracked pot’ I am praying the light seeps through.