This is not my usual style of post but I thought, why not? Caveat lector.
Sometimes I find prayers in the most unexpected places.
I wonder if you have had the opportunity to see a wonderful little movie from a few years ago entitled “Once.” Quite simply it is a wonderful piece of movie making. Can’t say enough good things about it. Most movies made on a shoestring aren’t worth the shoestring they were made on, but this movie was exactly the opposite. More money might have ruined it. Anyway, if you haven’t seen it, see it.
Even if you haven’t seen the film, you would probably recognize the signature song from the movie entitled “Falling Slowly.”
I can’t say enough good things about this song, but I will try to say something that you may not have heard before.
Great art makes the viewer a participant in the art and can sometimes create something that the artist did not intend. I listened to this song several times tonight and I could not help viewing it as a prayer. A prayer for God to enter our lives and help us right the ship. It is not too late.
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can’t react
And games that never amount
To more than they’re meant
Will play themselves out
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We’ve still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You’ll make it now
Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can’t go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I’m painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It’s time that you won
Take this sinking boat and point it home
We’ve still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You’ve made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I’ll sing along
The pslamists could not have expressed it better. I pray:
Lord, I don’t know you. But I want you. Take this sinking boat and point it home — We’ve still got time.
Ok, now back to our regularly scheduled snark.
May 12, 2010 at 8:09 am
Amen to that! Thank you.
May 12, 2010 at 3:22 pm
I forgot how much I loved this movie, too. It's been a while since I've seen it. I need to see it again now. Great insights.
May 12, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Thanks. I love hearing songs that way – it has been a major source of life for me. I can't usually listen to praise music or much Christian music at all, but I can hear more from other places.
May 12, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Great movie! Great Song. Interesting place to find inspiration.
May 12, 2010 at 5:52 pm
I stumbled upon this movie when it was just released on DVD, and fell in love with the film. Was rooting for it to win the Oscar for Best Song for Feature Film (and it WON!!!). The two leads (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) have two CDs under the band name "The Swell Season", as well as the movie soundtrack. Well worth it to buy those CDs.
May 12, 2010 at 6:42 pm
I got the tweet about this post right after my two favorites on American Idol sang it as a duet and gave me goosebumps. For the record, this song gives me goosebumps every time I hear it because it is such a prayer. I love the movie, as well. I love finding God in the places we don't expect Him–because He is everywhere.
May 12, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Had never heard this before last night on American Idol. What a fantastic performance that was!
May 12, 2010 at 8:18 pm
This my favorite of all of your posts.
Thank you for showing your less sarcastic and more tender side towards God and the world:)
May 12, 2010 at 8:30 pm
I LOVE this movie!!
May 12, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Love the movie, love the song. Thanks for posting this!
Bridget N
May 13, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Thanks for this beautiful and uplifting post. So much of what we read today is so sad, tragic and negative.
One of the reasons I love CMR is that, while covering the (sometimes grim) Catholic-related news of the day, you also make sure to include the lighter stuff, the humorous stuff and….posts like this one.
Thank you and God bless you and your work.
May 13, 2010 at 9:03 pm
I never saw this movie, but I had to sing this piece for an Easter "prayer service". Warning: I thought it was a great modern piece to describe our love for and journey towards God. But at the end the artist wrote in "but its too late". They didn't record that section in the song, but it's in the written music…Not good to ever give up is my point.
May 20, 2010 at 7:49 pm
cover of falling slowly :] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVKoq1ViCc0