As it so happens, Pentecost Sunday this year falls right before Memorial Day. Whenever a high Holy Day in the Catholic Church occurs around the same time as an American patriotic holiday, I am often faced with the choice of whether I should select a patriotic hymn as the closing hymn for Mass or keep all the music selections in line with the theme of the Holy Day. And whenever I’m faced with that choice, I must confess, much to the possible disappointment of our most patriotic parishioners, that I lean more toward serving the liturgical theme. I suppose part of that may be owed to the fact that I’m Filipino and thus have no particular affinity for American nationalism. That said, since some members of the Adult Choir have expressed a strong desire for a patriotic hymn, we will be concluding the 11:00 AM Mass with Eternal Father, Strong to Save.
On the subject of nationalism, I recall a passage from the autobiography of the prominent Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, entitled The Seven Storey Mountain, which I started reading recently, upon the very thoughtful recommendation of our Pastor. Merton writes the following about France, his place of birth:
And yet it was France that grew the finest flowers of delicacy and grace and intelligence and wit and understanding and proportion and taste... She has possessed all the skills, from cooking to logic and theology, from bridge-building to contemplation, from vine-growing to sculpture, from cattle-breeding to prayer: and possessed them more perfectly, separately and together, than any other nation... Why is it that the songs of little French children are more graceful, their speech more intelligent and sober, their eyes calmer and more profound than those of the children of other nations? Who can explain these things? France, I am glad I was born in your land, and I am glad God brought me back to you, for a time, before it was too late.
- Thomas Merton, The Seven Storey Mountain
Interestingly enough, before diving into Merton, my previous reading was C.S. Lewis’ book, The Four Loves, which compares and contrasts the different types of human love with God’s love. At one point, Lewis touches on one’s love for country, and he had this to say:
I once ventured to say to an old clergyman who was voicing this sort of patriotism, “But, sir, aren't we told that every people thinks its own men the bravest and its own women the fairest in the world?” He replied with total gravity—he could not have been graver if he had been saying the Creed at the altar—"Yes, but in England it's true.”
- C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
Although Lewis and Merton, both among the most prominent Christian thinkers of the 20th century, held each other’s writings in high esteem, they never had the good fortune of crossing paths. I wonder, if they had met, would they perhaps have had a friendly debate as to whose country possessed every skill more perfectly than any other nation? On my end, I can think of a few things about my home country, the Philippines, which I might declare as superior, that is, if I had no sense of caution about making such grand statements haha. But for now, I wish you all a lovely Pentecost Sunday and a happy Memorial Day!
With my peace,
Carlo Serrano, Music Director
