Music for Lenten reflections

After a very cold Christmas Season, summer suddenly walked in and turned the weather balmy. Thoughts of long siestas and the scent of ripe yellow mangoes now enter the mind. Plus holidays, perhaps up north in Baguio to escape the heat or somewhere on the beach to enjoy the water. Of course along with playful summer comes the season of Lent when prayers, meditations and anything religious become more meaningful.

Lack of time, the prime enemy of things spiritual can be a problem but an album titled Music and Prayers, Presence, provides a solution. This was inspired by a book titled Presence Prayers for Busy People, written by Fr. Rafael Borromeo, S.J., Fr. Andres Arboleda, SSP and Maribi Mapa-Garcia. This contains various prayers and devotions, the Holy Mass, the Way of the Cross, the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, examination of conscience, and best of all reflections about life, love, pain and others.

Presence comes in a boxed set that includes the album and the book. This is a handy addition to all of those things you tote around during the day. No one should ever be too busy for God. It is best to set aside time for prayers but when your schedule makes this difficult, you can simply whip out Presence wherever you are and get into the prayer mood. Better yet, play the CD as you go about your daily chores and keep yourself in the presence of the Lord.

Singer and songwriter Jose Mari Chan leads the line-up of performers in Presence. He reads prayers from the book with author and producer Maribi Mapa-Garcia. He sings I Offer My Life with his daughter Liza Chan Parpan, People Need the Lord, Let Your Spirit Come and May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You. There is also his own take on The Lord’s Prayer and one of his originals, It is the Lord, an Easter song written for the golden jubilee celebration of Mother Angela Ansaldo of the Religious of the Assumption.

Other artists featured are Anna Tirol with In His Presence, Karylle with Let Thy Will be Done, Gino Padilla with You’ll Never Walk Alone and Give Thanks, Danny Cruz with Nearer Than Before and Jeanne Young with Something Good. Jeanne also duets with Jose Mari in Be Still My Soul.

From Tom Barnes of the Friends of Matinloc comes this request to feature the prayer to Our Lady of All Nations.

Due to the current world situation with the threat of a world war, I thought you might be kind enough to feature Our Lady of All Nations with her very urgent messages which she gave in the late ’40s and in the ’50s to a Dutch woman named Ida Peerdeman which are most relevant today. She gave a powerful prayer which everyone needs to pray to prevent war.

Lent or not. Threat of war or not. Prayer does wonders for the soul. Here then is the Prayer to Our Lady of All Nations: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now your Spirit over the earth. Let the Holy Spirit live in the heart of all nations, that they may be preserved from degeneration, disaster and war. May the Lady of All Nations, who once was Mary be our Advocate. Amen.

Incidentally, the Friends of Matinloc, an organization dedicated to propagating the love of God, through prayer and music, has also released a CD titled Sa Ating Paglalakbay: Tungo sa Bagong Herusalem, Pangalawang Serye. This is the second in a series of albums offered in tribute to His Holiness Pope John Paul II on the occasion of the 25th year of his Pontificate.

Just like the first one, this opens with the Hymn to Our Lady of Matinloc, but with a new arrangement. It asks Our Lady to join us in our journey to the heart of her Son. There is also a Christmas Suite, Ang Pangakong Kaligtasan, which starting with the Hail Mary and up to the Gloria in Excelsis Deo, recalls the various events leading up to the Nativity. Other cuts are Ang Diyos ay Sumasaatin, Ama Namin, Siya ang Aking Pastol, Come to the Distant Shores, God, You are Mine, and the single Sa Iyo Iaaalay, composed and performed by Grace F. Quiyo.

The 14-track album also features Eugene A. De los Santos of the UST Conservatory of Music, the Sto. Domingo Male Chorale and sopranos Elisanta G. Cortes and Maria Hasmen Aliw-iw Pioquinto. Proceeds from the sale of the CD benefits the Apostolic Vicarate of Taytay and Puerto Princesa in Palawan plus other projects and activities of the Friends of Matinloc. Contact 817-7506 to 08 to inquire about how to get copies.