Friday, March 01, 2013

Bach, I get ya and thank ya

The church I go to has a Bach foundation and it sponsors Bach's cantatas in the divine service. They have cantatas at a minimun I think 6 times per year.

A few weeks ago I went with my missus even though I had to wake up quite early in the morning, it was worth it. Now, as you know, I must not name the church because I am like Peter Parker, the Spiderman; those who are associated with me could get hurt. The people I criticise can be nasty.

The cantata for that Sunday was BMV 40.  I am listening to it as I type.

In Scripture we read,1 Corinthian 14

16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?



Well it was a blessing that they printed the cantata both in English and German.  Since I can sight read music, I could follow the singers as they sang. The music was in the bulletin. I understood what was being conveyed by the cantata, as I looked at the English translation.

I tell you I was extremely edified and my heart was bursting in praise to God. It was beautiful, Bach was indeed a genius, the words and music as it were dropped down from heaven. I do not mind saying  even in a facetious way, I got a "religious experience".

Many years ago, when I was getting my degree in Religious Studies, my Greek professor said to me that doing scholarly work in the original Biblical Languages requires one to learn either German or French. If you confine yourself to English, you will miss the other results other scholars from other countries have discovered, since there are lots of scholarly work in those languages.

I am toying learning German so I can read Bach's music and Luther's writings but I only have 24 hours in a day, so what to do?

Bach, I get ya, and I thank God for ya. You are a good Lutheran contribution to the world.

The semester is on next week and so blogging will be slow.

4 comments:

Brett Meyer said...

Christ's abundant blessings rest upon you and yours Lito.

You write, "Now, as you know, I must not name the church because I am like Peter Parker, the Spiderman; those who are associated with me could get hurt. The people I criticise can be nasty."

This is very true and yet you, by the grace and mercy of God and through the Holy Ghost, continue to faithfully proclaim God's Word, rightly dividing Law and Gospel to the eternal benefit of those who equally by the grace of God hear Christ's Words and follow Him.
For that I for one am deeply grateful. Extend my gratitude to your wife also as she allows you the time to make clear confessions regarding the most important matter on this earth - Christ, and Him crucified.

Your brother in Christ,
Brett

LPC said...

Thank you so much bro.

I think often of the struggle and I am led to pray to God to help, save and defend us from their hatred and verbal venom.

Our labor is not in vain, now there are a few more bloggers who are standing faithfully for Christ and his doctrine; a few more standing where we are standing.

The Lord bless you and keep you and yours.

Eph 6:12-20.

Amen.

LPC

Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel said...

Dr. Cruz - wonderful posting!

That music video of Bach is wonderful! So wonderful that I've determined now to rid myself of my dog. Please, though, do not consider me cruel. I have good reason. A few years ago my dog started playing the organ; and, after awhile he took a fancy to playing Bach. But, the more he played, the more his Bach became worse than his bite.

LPC said...

LOL.

And I hear people pronouncing his name with a silent c.

LPC