For whatever reason I thought of Psalm 150
and the phrase “let everything that has breath
praise the Lord.” Interestingly the Hebrew word
for praise has seven different definitions, one for
every facet of the human condition in a way,
and I think its because praise isn’t tied to an
emotion. For me the song has been a bit of an
anthem, something you’re going to use, not so
much to sing around your problems or to avoid
them, but to see your way through them.
[WM] You recently led worship at The Grand
Ole Opry. What was that like for you to sing and
play piano where the wooden circle from the
Ryman Auditorium stage was moved to back in
the 70’s? That wood circle originally was center
stage at the Union Gospel Tabernacle before it
became the Ryman Auditorium and the “home
of country music.” That circle literally carries
the shoe dust from everyone from Sam Jones,
the preacher, to the boots of Hank Williams.
Thoughts?
[Matt] I’m glad my dust is part of it.
[WM] In closing I wanted to gain your
perspective on something. I recently heard a
guest pastor discuss Jesus’s command to “love
one another”, and our societal phenomenon
of the commonplace sentiment of changing
out the word, “love”, for “tolerate”. Somehow,
tolerating someone has become an acceptable
substitute for loving them. How should this
astute observation impact worshipers in their things look and not really being changed. the single mom, the gay person, the doubter,
daily lives? I ask you this because I sense a great I think there is a whole generation now of the questioner, and the abuse victim. All of it.
deal of peace and unity from your songwriting. people in their twenties and thirties who are How can you greet them all as Christ?
deconstructing their faith and walking away
[Matt] The first rule of the Benedictine Order from it because there is no real understanding [WM] This has been a great visit and I sincerely
is you greet everyone as Christ. So if you were of grace. There is no real understating of mercy. thank you for your honest and thoughtful
going to meet Jesus, would the first thing to There is basically just legalism. The hard thing answers and thank you for your incredible body
come out of your mouth be your opinions on is that they are running into a world that is just of work. God bless your new project and its
His behavior? I just think Christianity has never as legalistic. It’s just a different form of legalism, songs.
been about moral therapeutic Deism. It’s about maybe just now we’re not legalistic about transformation. As Saint Paul says, it’s about morality, we’re legalistic about where our kale the renewal of your mind. Conversion literally is from.
means a total change in your worldview. I think
sometimes when we start focusing on the most Everyday I just wake up and ask God to help
obvious things a lot of people end up thinking me greet every person as Christ. The first rule
that’s what Christianity is, just changing how of Benedict. The homeless man, the politician,
March 2020
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